With a mighty flap, Liselotte launched herself forward, her talons lashing out with blinding speed. She tore through the air, leaving a trail of teal mist in her wake. Ebonheim braced herself, throwing up a shield of vines and roots, but Liselotte easily shredded through them.

Ebonheim ducked and rolled, narrowly avoiding the attack, and Liselotte swept past. The impact of her talons against the ground created furrows in the earth, sending debris flying in all directions. She quickly regained her footing, jumping back and launching a barrage of Enchanted Essence Bolts towards the harpy queen.

Liselotte dodged and weaved, flying in a zigzag pattern around the arrows of light, which exploded in showers of golden sparks, carving divots in the ground. Liselotte dove, sweeping down in a blazing streak of white and azure.

Ebonheim jumped to the side, but Liselotte's talons still caught her, scraping across her divine aura. Liselotte passed overhead, then banked sharply, changing direction and coming around for another pass.

[Divine Aura] 345/400

She fired more Essence Bolts, but Liselotte darted between them, dancing in and out of range. Each time she came close, Ebonheim had to duck and weave, narrowly avoiding her slashing talons.

She conjured another wall of thorny vines and roots, but Liselotte shredded through them, unleashing a flurry of attacks that Ebonheim parried with her bow.

Sparks of gold and teal flared in the air, illuminating the area in an eerie glow.

Ebonheim was forced back, blocking and parrying with all her strength. Her divine aura flickered, absorbing the blows, and with every strike, the aura weakened.

[Divine Aura] 313/400

With a burst of speed, Ebonheim leaped back, putting distance between them, and loosed another volley, but Liselotte used her wing as a shield, deflecting the attacks. The divine arrows struck the nearby trees, sending wood chips and splinters flying. The smell of burnt sap permeated the air, and several trees toppled with a resounding crash.

Liselotte charged again, her talons outstretched, and Ebonheim hastily threw up another shield of vines and roots. The impact shattered the barrier, and Liselotte plowed through, slamming into Ebonheim.

[Divine Aura] 258/400

The blow sent her sprawling, her back scraping against the trunk of a fallen tree. She slid to a halt, groaning as she pushed herself upright.

Liselotte landed on a nearby branch, balancing effortlessly despite its narrow width. "Mmn. It's futile." She yawned, covering her mouth daintily with her wing. "How boring."

"I'm just getting warmed up," Ebonheim shot back, rising to her feet.

"That so? You can try whatever you'd like. It won't matter," Liselotte crooned, raising her chin to expose her neck. "I'm stronger, faster, more skilled. I'm a predator. And you...you're prey." She paused, her eyes gleaming. "I'm the strongest in this valley."

"Stronger than Calyxia, Nillen, or Elmsworth? I bet not."

Liselotte sniffed disdainfully. "Elmsworth is a big, lazy tree. Nillen is a stodgy stag. And Calyxia...well, she's always hiding in her hole. They're nothing compared to me." She glanced back over her shoulder, as if checking to see if anyone might overhear her. "Our little secret, okay? I don't want them to think I'm bragging."

"Right. Then what about Kelzryn? You think you could take him on?"

A shiver ran through Liselotte's body, her wings rustling nervously. "Him? Mmmn, nope." She shook her head. "Not him. Never him. He doesn't count! He's...he's different." Her gaze grew distant for a moment, before snapping back to reality. "Ah! You're distracting me. We were fighting. Stop that!" She waggled a talon in Ebonheim's direction.

"Oh, sorry. Got carried away there, didn't I?" Ebonheim quipped. "My mistake."

"Yes, exactly. So, stop stalling. No more talking." Liselotte launched herself forward once more, hurtling through the air in a blur of azure and white.

Ebonheim dashed to the side, firing more Essence bolts. They whizzed through the air, exploding against Liselotte's body, but she paid them no heed, rushing headlong into the onslaught. Her talons slammed into Ebonheim again, tossing her into the air. She crashed to the ground, skidding along the dirt and leaves, before tumbling into a shallow ravine.

[Divine Aura] 221/400

Liselotte glided over the lip of the gorge, drifting lazily above the stunned goddess. "Mmn. See? I told you. Predators and prey." Her eyes narrowed, and she licked her lips. "And now I'll tear you limb from limb—"

Ebonheim didn't pause. She fired again and again, shooting a continuous barrage of Essence bolts at the surprised harpy queen. A torrent of golden energy blasted the air around her, exploding and shattering branches, cracking rocks, and scorching the earth.

Liselotte twisted and spun, flapping her wings frantically as she dodged the onslaught. She dipped and swerved, weaving between the flurry of projectiles, but Ebonheim continued the assault, refusing to give her any respite.

Finally, Liselotte screeched in pain as the last bolt grazed her side. She dropped lower, alighting on a gnarled oak tree to catch her breath. Her feathers fluffed out, and she glared balefully at Ebonheim as she nursed her wound. Blood trickled from her flank, dripping onto the leaves and moss below.

"Argh! That hurt," she complained, wincing as rubbed her flank gingerly with her wing.

Ebonheim rose unsteadily to her feet, taking a moment to steady herself before responding. "Told you I was just warming up."

Liselotte let out a scoffing laugh, but a trace of annoyance marred her expression. "Nice try. But you're still just prey. Prey can never win." She lifted herself from the branch and beat her wings, preparing to launch herself into the air once more. "Predators always win."

She streaked across the clearing, diving towards Ebonheim with all the fury of an enraged eagle.

Ebonheim activated her Arboreal Stride, vanishing in a blur of green light and reappearing atop a nearby tree. She nocked another divine arrow, aiming carefully as Liselotte adjusted her trajectory, turning on a dime in the air.

The arrow flew, trailing a streak of light, but Liselotte evaded again, her movements a blur. She swooped around, positioning herself for another dive.

Ebonheim materialized on another tree, already readying another shot.

She unleashed another barrage, but Liselotte batted them away with her wing, shattering the glowing arrows into glittering particles.

Ebonheim leapt from the tree, using her Elemental Admixture to summon a Frostwind Gust. The chilling wind enveloped Liselotte, slowing her movements, ice crystals forming on her feathers.

Taking advantage of the harpy's slowed pace, Ebonheim used Arboreal Stride again, flickering from tree to tree, raining down a hail of Enchanted Essence bolts on the frost-encrusted harpy queen.

Liselotte tucked her wings close to her body, dropping towards the ground. She slammed into the dirt, rolling to a halt, and shaking the remaining frost from her wings. She winced and clutched her wounds, hissing in pain as she straightened her legs. Her talons dug into the soft soil as she stretched her wings, flexing her muscles. Her eyes glowed with a faint crimson hue, and her feathers began to steam, the ice crystals evaporating into vapor.

"Mnnnnn. Is that all you've got?" Liselotte launched into the air, flying straight for Ebonheim. "Boring."

Her feathers bristled, and with a wave of her wings, blades of air whipped through the forest, shredding through the foliage. Leaves and branches fell in cascades, as the sharp eddies cut through the thick foliage. Her wings flared outward, unleashing a massive gust that sent Ebonheim tumbling head over heels into the nearby creek. She disappeared in a splash of water and froth.

[Divine Aura] 196/400

Liselotte descended gracefully towards the stream, watching intently as Ebonheim burst from the water. She coughed and sputtered, pulling herself out of the cold water and back onto dry land. Her hair stuck to her face in wet strands, and her dress clung to her skin.

Ebonheim glanced up, a spark of irritation in her gaze. "Okay, I'm getting annoyed now."

Switching to her Stoneflood Wave, Ebonheim slammed her palm against the ground. A wave of rock-hard water erupted, surging towards Liselotte.

The harpy queen took to the sky, narrowly avoiding the attack, but Ebonheim was already moving.

She sprinted through the forest, her feet barely touching the ground. Liselotte pursued, weaving through the trees with unnatural grace. Ebonheim could hear the beat of her powerful wings, the rustle of leaves in her wake.

As they neared a clearing, Ebonheim summoned her Tempest of the Grove.

A massive cyclone roared to life, its winds howling with ferocity. Trees bent and debris flew as the cyclone engulfed Liselotte, dragging her down.

"Rraaaagh!" Liselotte growled in frustration as the vortex sucked her in, buffeting her with fierce gusts. Her wings strained against the powerful winds, and her feathers rippled and twitched as she struggled to stay aloft. "You think your wind can cage me?!"

With a surge of effort, Liselotte released a blast of wind, blowing away the cyclone and dispersing its lingering remnants. Ebonheim tumbled to the ground, rolling to a stop.

Liselotte was upon her in an instant, slamming her talons into Ebonheim's side, piercing her divine aura.

[Divine Aura] 152/400

She kicked Ebonheim away, knocking her against a tree. Ebonheim grunted in pain, scrambling to regain her balance. She hurled another volley of glowing arrows, but Liselotte deftly evaded them and countered by unleashing a torrent of razor-sharp feathers, tearing into Ebonheim's aura.

Liselotte relentlessly pressed her attack, unleashing a barrage of feathers, her wings a blur of motion as she drove Ebonheim back.

Ebonheim weaved and ducked, blocking what she could, but each feather found its mark, burning and ripping at her aura. With a grunt, Ebonheim used Arboreal Stride, vanishing in a flash of emerald light.

She flickered from tree to tree, using them to hide herself.

Liselotte circled above, searching for any sign of her. She stopped, hovering midair for a moment, before wheeling around and darting through the trees.

Ebonheim darted deeper into the forest, hoping to buy enough time to recuperate. As she moved, she used Aura Inversion, switching her remaining divine aura to her Health. Her aura fluctuated, fading and reappearing as it alternated between the two states.

[Health] 751/751
[Divine Aura] 152/400

[Aura Inversion activated]

[Health] 100%
[Divine Aura] 38%

[Swapping health percentile...]

[Health] 38%
[Divine Aura] 100%

[Health] 285/751
[Divine Aura] 400/400

She then used Self-Regeneration to slowly restore her lost Health. In the meantime, she observed Liselotte as she moved through the forest, hunting for her.

This whole situation was ridiculous. To think that she had to resort to these methods...she had only been trying to build a road! How had things escalated to this point?

Well, no one said building a road would be easy. If only the harpies had agreed to a non-violent solution. Now, they were stuck in an endless loop of violence.

Perhaps there was really no other choice but for her to deal with Liselotte...for real.

Maybe it was time for her to go all-out.

A blur of azure and white appeared next to her as Ebonheim leapt from a tree branch. Liselotte's wicked smile flashed before her, sharp fangs glistening with saliva. "Found you."

Ebonheim barely had time to react as Liselotte's wing swatted her aside, sending her crashing through the forest underbrush.

"Ow. Okay, fine." Ebonheim clambered to her feet, wincing as she brushed away the leaves and sticks from her dress. "I guess I'm doing this."

Drawing upon her Elemental Admixture, Ebonheim summoned a Flamegale Slash, conjuring a blade of fire wrapped in a whirlwind and launching it at Liselotte. The swirling inferno roared through the air, enveloping the harpy queen as she burst from the thicket.

"Grah!" Liselotte yelped as the heat scorched her feathers and singed her flesh. She flew higher, spiraling as she fought to extinguish the flames. "Hot! Hot!"

As the fire died away, Liselotte flew high in the sky, circling overhead.

Ebonheim saw Liselotte's feathers slowly regrowing, fresh and soft. Her burns faded, leaving only smooth, flawless skin. Her wounds closed, leaving no trace of injury.

What the...she can regenerate her wounds just by flying around?! Come on! There's going to be no end to this!

Liselotte laughed, seemingly pleased by Ebonheim's bewildered expression. "Heh, heh, heh. Surprised? You shouldn't be. My wings can even regrow. As long as I can fly, I'll never run out of power. The air itself is my food."

She flapped her wings, causing the wind to stir and rush all around her. The energy emanating from her wings intensified, creating visible currents of air. "I told you. I'm the strongest. You can't defeat me."

Ebonheim let out an exasperated sigh. "Ughhh!" She stamped her foot, glaring upwards. "I swear! This is so frustrating!" She clenched her fists. "Fine! You want to play hardball? I can do that too!"

"Too bad," Liselotte scoffed. "No road."

"Stop being so childish!" Ebonheim shouted, pointing accusingly at the harpy queen. "If you would just listen to me for a second, we could have discussed this civilly! This is your fault for attacking me!"

Liselotte folded her wings indignantly. "Nope! Still your fault for trespassing in my territory. No road. No discussion. Attack!" She dove towards Ebonheim, wings flared.

As she descended, Ebonheim fired more Enchanted Essence bolts. They flew, tracking Liselotte's movements, but she avoided them with ease, snorting as she weaved through the barrage. With an effortless barrel roll, Liselotte dodged, the last bolt searing past her and exploding against a distant tree in a shower of sparks.

Ebonheim instinctively rolled to the side, feeling the rush of wind as talons sliced through the air where she had been mere moments before. She pushed herself off the ground, trying to jump back to her feet, but Liselotte's powerful wing slammed her back against the trunk of a tree.

[Divine Aura] 381/400

Her Divine Aura flickered, absorbing the brunt of the damage, but the impact rattled her teeth and set her nerves on edge.

Liselotte launched a barrage of feathers at Ebonheim as she banked for another pass.

Ebonheim dove behind a large oak, feeling the thud of feathers embedding into the wood. She peeked around the trunk, firing another Enchanted Essence Bolt, but again Liselotte evaded, this time with a graceful spin.

With a flick of her wing, a massive gale battered against the oak, upending the entire tree. It fell, crashing into the foliage beside Ebonheim, splinters and wood chips flying everywhere.

[Divine Aura] 355/400

Another lance of feathers ripped through her aura, and Ebonheim ducked behind another tree, seeking temporary shelter.

Damn! This is too much. What else can I use? What other powers does she have? She must have some kind of weakness. There has to be something that can disable her, at least temporarily! Think, think!

Ebonheim wracked her brain, searching for some sort of inspiration.

She might have been able to entangle her if she had the help of her Tree Sentinels. Each of them could have combined their use of Vines of the Bramble King to bind her. Unfortunately, they were far away and busy binding the other harpies.

Maybe she could—no. Perhaps, if she could create a distraction, she could... no, that wouldn't work either.

Her mind raced, considering and discarding potential strategies.

All the while, Liselotte danced through the skies, taunting her from above. "Why don't you play with me! I'm getting bored. Stop hiding!"

Ebonheim ignored the taunts and focused on her thoughts. She had to find a solution. She needed to find a way to catch the damn harpy.