Chapter 65
Ella's POV
[Second Day of the War]
I watched Julian and Brian prepare for combat.
These two men were about to fight over me—no, to be precise, they were fighting to decide where I would go.
I should have felt nervous, but honestly, I just felt numb, as if I had become an object to be fought over once again.
Brian rolled his shoulders, his joints cracking audibly.
"Ready, Crown Prince?" Brian sneered.
Julian didn't answer, merely settling into a fighting stance.
The next second, Brian moved. His speed was astonishing, closing the distance to Julian almost instantly with a punch aimed straight at his face. Julian dodged sideways as frost condensed in his hands, tracing an arc through the air. Ice crystals grazed Brian's shoulder, leaving a faint white mark on his skin.
Brian snorted lightly and countered with an elbow strike. Julian barely managed to block with his forearm, but the tremendous force sent him stumbling back several steps.
"Is that all you've got?" Brian mocked. "Seems the legendary Silver Moon Crown Prince isn't much after all."
Julian remained unruffled, frost gathering between his fingers once more. This time he didn't attack directly but spread the ice element across the ground. A thin layer of ice rapidly extended outward, causing Brian to slip slightly and lose his balance for just a moment.
In that instant, Julian closed in. Ice spikes erupted from the ground, aimed directly at Brian's legs.
Brian reacted with lightning speed, executing a backflip to evade the attack. Upon landing, he crushed the ice spikes beneath his feet.
"Not bad, but not enough."
The two clashed again, the sound of fists and feet colliding echoing through the empty port. Julian's combat skills were indeed formidable, but Brian was clearly stronger. Each of his attacks carried overwhelming force, compelling Julian to dodge continuously.
Ignis laughed softly in my mind. "This man... very nice..."
I froze. "What?"
"Look at those muscles! And that restrained aura about him—I love ice, it's especially satisfying to burn! Ella, did you see him sweating? That damp hair, that heaving chest... Oh damn, I want to lick him!"
I felt my cheeks flush. "Ignis!"
"What?" she said matter-of-factly. "A powerful Alpha who controls elemental forces and looks this handsome—he's the perfect mate! Don't you want to pounce on him and take a bite?"
"I... we shouldn't be discussing this!" I didn't know how to respond and could only redirect my attention back to the battle.
But Ignis clearly had no intention of letting me off. "Let me out to spar with him. I promise not to hurt him—okay, maybe just a little, but that's part of the fun!"
"No!" I said firmly.
"Why not?" Ignis's tone turned pleading. "I just want to fight him once! Please, just once! My flames would definitely excite him more!"
"Now isn't the time..." I tried to reason with her.
"When will be the time?" Ignis complained. "Besides, I've been cooped up for so long. I need to move!"
The battle on the field grew increasingly intense. Brian's offensive came like a violent storm, and Julian was showing signs of fatigue, though he kept trying to find an opening.
Suddenly, Julian seized a vulnerability!
He kicked toward Brian's side. Brian couldn't dodge completely and staggered several steps. Before he could regain his footing, Julian followed with an ice-wreathed punch to his chest.
Brian barely blocked it, but the impact sent him reeling backward, his footing unsteady.
"General, watch out!" Gregory couldn't help but shout.
Brian steadied himself and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, the battle intent in his eyes burning even brighter.
Julian gave him no time to catch his breath and launched another attack.
This time his speed was even faster, leaving Brian no room to counterattack. Brian could only keep dodging, his body now bearing several frost-burn marks. Julian transformed the ice element into chains that bound Brian's wrists, twisted hard, then struck Brian's knee with an ice palm.
Brian dropped to one knee.
Julian didn't stop. He gathered the power of ice element, preparing to deliver the final blow.
"My apologies."
His fist, wrapped in frost, hurtled toward Brian's face.
In that instant, a hand suddenly blocked Brian's front.
It was my hand.
My eyes had turned crimson red, my palm steadily catching Julian's fist.
Both Julian and Brian froze.
Ignis, controlling my body, laughed. "Interesting."
She released Julian's fist and casually waved out a stream of flame, melting the ice chains binding Brian.
Brian stared at me in shock.
Ignis turned toward Julian, assuming a fighting stance. Crimson flames ignited around my body, the air distorting from the intense heat.
Julian clearly understood that Ignis now controlled the body.
"Come on!" Ignis said, her voice filled with excitement and challenge.
Julian took a deep breath, battle intent igniting in his eyes as well.
The clash of ice and fire erupted at the port's edge!
Julian condensed ice spikes and shot them toward Ignis. She swept her hand, sending out a wave of flame that melted the spikes into vapor. Ice spread beneath Julian's feet, but Ignis stomped down, flames racing along the ground and melting the frost completely.
Their confrontation grew more intense, the collision of elemental forces drawing the attention of those nearby.
Gregory and Zachary stood guard vigilantly over the scene.
Ignis became more excited with each exchange. Her movements were agile and lethal, every attack carrying pure fire elemental power.
Though exhausted, Julian remained composed, the ice element transforming variously in his hands.
During a break in their exchange, Ignis suddenly asked, "Where is your wolf spirit? Why can't I sense its presence?"
Julian's movements hesitated slightly.
Ignis keenly picked up on something. "I see... it's been sealed?"
Julian didn't answer, but the ice element in his hands visibly weakened.
The earlier battle with Brian had already consumed too much energy, and the elemental power he could now wield was diminishing rapidly.
Sensing this, Ignis's battle intent surged even higher.
She wanted to overpower this resilient man, to see him fight with everything he had.
"Then let me show you true power."
Flames gathered in Ignis's hands.
This wasn't ordinary fire, but pure fire elemental force—the Horn of Flame God.
Julian also sensed this pure flame power.
His expression grew grave as blue frost condensed before him, gradually forming a massive ice gate—the Gate of Winter.
Both forces released simultaneously.
The Horn of Flame God transformed into a scorching pillar of fire, crashing toward the Gate of Winter.
The ice gate cracked under the flames' assault. Julian gritted his teeth and held on, but after merely three seconds, the Gate of Winter shattered completely.
The fire pillar continued forward, burning away Julian's shirt.
His chest was exposed, and Ignis saw the seal there—three silver fang marks radiating suppressive power.
Through her wolf spirit's perception, Ignis saw even deeper.
She glimpsed the sealed wolf spirit deep within Julian's consciousness—Sage.
Ignis froze.
Then she blurted out: "Mate!"