I was bewildered. Never before had I heard about this. Every evil I faced before never opted for a talk, instead only willing to kill their challengers. Even in the last timeline I never held a conversation with the goblin emperor as we only met on a battlefield, the last few survivors of New York fighting for their lives, in a desperate attempt at survival.

In the end there were only a handful left, the rest were scattered, their bodies broken, torn into pieces. That’s if there was even something left after the fight. And if this is the same world. If these are the same enemies as before. You’re telling me that everything is done to protect themselves?

I bit my lips, tasting the blood flowing down from them, dissipating the bitter taste that surfaced in the back of my mouth. The wind picked up once more, cutting into my cheek. The pain ripped me out of my thoughts.

“Gi. Giia. [Th're art things unchangeable. Focus on yond within reach.]”

 A bitter smile creeped upon my face. It was right. Putting these distressing thoughts aside I focused on the emperor, no, the guardian of their tribe. Noticing my attention, it started to radiate its killing intent, though not a trace of bloodlust could be felt. You’re trying to show me the true path of a guardian? I couldn’t help but let out a small laugh. So be it.

“[Raging Heat; Modify: Accelerate].”

I’ll be tier 3 after this fight. That or dead. Continue.

As the heat coursed through my body once more the goblin started to smile before it vanished within a gust. I ducked myself, just in time to dodge the blade of wind, piercing above me while the goblin landed in front. Then I struck out, forming a blade with my hand to stab into the goblin.

“[Flame Strike; Modify: Amplify].” The flames over my hand flickered, turning into a raging inferno that crashed towards the goblin. The guardian pulled his foot back, twisting its arm to hold the wind-sword between himself and my strike. As they collided my fire pressed forward, crashing into the blade only to be pushed aside, following the wind to create a fiery maelstrom that flew into the sky.

But while I was focused on my strike the goblin already started another while deflecting mine. It twisted its body, the storm of fire and wind changing its direction to run over the battlefield as the blade changed position once more. Barely the goblin escaped in time, the fire igniting its mantle, stroking over its arm, before its leg came crashing onto me.

I held my free arm before me, focusing on creating a sturdy barrier before me, compressing it as much as I could. Though it still chattered, the leg crashing into my arm and striking me backwards. I barely landed on my feet once more, the goblin standing still in the distance, looking at me interested.

“Giigi. [Thee has't the arts of a wizard but the style of a warri'r.]”

My arm throbbed, feeling like the bones were already broken trough the first clash. Slowly the goblin stepped nearer, his calm demeanor never leaving him.

“Gi. [Just liketh us.]”

He swung his free hand, a circle of ten-foot diameter appearing beneath him. Before I could disturb him, the circle lit up, trapping me within a colossal whirlwind. The rushing wind drowned out anything. The particles trapped inside it disturbing the view outwards. I focused, trying to watch out for his reappearance, when flurries of wind escaped the storm, forming blades that struck everywhere inside.

Furrow after furrow was carved into the ground, only for another blade to destroy them on their path once more. Dodging one blade I shot a Fireball at another coming for my back, the resounding explosion quickly scattered by another blade. It all ended quickly when I finished the circle beneath me.

“[Burnflame; Modify: Spread].” A circle of flames appeared around me, but instead of closing inwards like normal it spread outwards, crashing into the whirlwind, and crawling up. The wind blades clashed against the fire, spreading both inwards before both spells collapsed.

I was left in a circle of destruction, the path of the wind clearly distinguishing my surroundings from the rest of the battlefield. Before me stood the goblin, amassing wind through his sword. It grew to a length of fifteen foot while I was caged inside the storm.

It pulled the sword backwards, strong squalls following it in its way, leveraging the battlefield once more. In return I created my own circle, mana tracing a three-dimensional construct into the air glowing in a shining red. I could see the goblin looking at me before shifting his head over the surroundings. In return I nodded my head.

“Gii! [Mine own people!]”

“Alice!”

“Giiigi! [Receiveth hence from h're!]”

“Take Sarah away from here!”

Confusion spread over the battlefield. While the fight took many lives before now, they were all told to go. Even though there were only two people left behind fighting. But the goblin and me both knew what these two spells would bring, and we weren’t willing to implicate those around us in it. Therefore, we screamed once as we unleashed the mana we gathered.

“Gi! [Anon!]”

“Go!”

Through the spells the mana changed form. The air was set aflame around me, fire coming into existence to spread around, reaching out for anything in its grasp. Even I wasn’t safe, the fire scorching my remaining human skin.

The goblin instead stood inside a twister which scarred the earth around him, lifting chunks of it into the sky where the winds crushed it. Even it wasn’t safe from the force it built up, the winds blowing around its body, cutting into its skin.

“Giaa! [Brother!]” The mountain lord ripped his hand out of the stone confinement, reaching out to the goblin before me.

“Agni…” Alice looked towards me, her voice tinted in sadness and frustration.

“Gigii, gi. [I’ll take care of them, your majesty.]” The goblin mage spread his mana, the earth around us crawling backwards as it took the goblins away.

“I understand.” She sighed in displeasure, carefully lifting Sarah up. “Promise to come back.”

As she got in motion, I heard Sarah weakly whispering. “Stay safe.”

In but a moment we were left alone. The elements rushing around us while we waited for them to reach a safe distance. We fixed out view on each other once more.

“Giigii. [Thy comrades shall not taketh harm aft'r this.]”

“You talk as if you’ve already won.”

“Gii. [Thy spell is not stout enow to stand ho our own blade.]”

“Let’s see who’s standing after this.”

“Gi. [The will of a guardian.]” It moved his sword above its head. “Gigi, gi. [T wast an houn'r, [Eroding Wind].]” The sword crashed downward, winds rushing forward, to crush everything in their path.

I saw it coming nearer, a mass of wind which left nothing in its wake. And I knew it was right. The spell wasn’t strong enough to stop it. Still, there is one thing left. I pushed my hand into the circle, the mana burning through my flames into flesh and bones as I made a last change.

“Original Magic, [Transfer].” I felt the heat that built up leave once more, the Raging Heat spell dissipating into the circle before me. A pulse shot out from the center, fire crackling through the circle.

“[Raging Hellfire]."

Ghostly shrieks resounded as wailing flames came to life.

The winds struck against them, their gushing like a scream as they hit.