With a loud boom, the fireball exploded, scattering into countless sparks. The shockwave rippled outward in all directions. Garret, experienced as he was, had already anticipated the outcome of the collision. As soon as he swung his sword, he raised his shield in front of him, ready to block the scorching heat wave.
The shield absorbed the brunt of the blast, and Garret only felt the temperature rise slightly around him, leaving him unharmed. Using the force of the impact, he performed a backflip in midair, landing gracefully on the ground.
To his surprise, Rhett was already standing there, casually waiting for him, his magic staff in hand. Garret glanced at the scattered rocks on the ground and the remnants of fire element dissipating in the air. It wasn’t hard to guess that Rhett had used a well-timed Stonefall Spell to counter the fireball.
The precision with which Rhett had executed the spell left Garret impressed. "Not bad!" he acknowledged with a nod, finally feeling reassured after witnessing Rhett's combat capabilities firsthand.
"It looks like this will be a long battle. Stay sharp," Garret warned, his eyes never leaving the Flamefeather Eagles.
"Understood," Rhett replied, gripping his dark staff tightly as he prepared his next spell.
The male eagle, seeing its fireball easily thwarted, grew frustrated and prepared to launch another. The female eagle spread its wings, ready to follow suit. But Rhett had been observing them closely, and a cold smile appeared on his lips. He had noticed that the female eagle seemed to take cues from the male.
As the male eagle prepared its next attack, Rhett, anticipating the move, gathered his earth elemental energy and cast another Stonefall Spell
A massive boulder materialized above the female eagle just as it began to channel its fire magic. The sudden shadow looming overhead and the intense pressure it brought caused the eagle to panic. Its keen instincts kicked in, and it twisted in midair to face the incoming threat, abandoning its fireball.
Rhett sighed quietly. His experience told him that this eagle was no match for him. His timing, accuracy, and spellcasting far exceeded that of the creature. He regretted that as a Earth Mage, his Stone Spikes—so effective against ground-based foes—were useless against these airborne threats. If only he had access to Fireball or Wind Blade magic, he could have combined attacks and likely inflicted serious harm on the eagle.
Garret, ever observant, caught sight of the female eagle’s struggle and realized it was an opportunity. From his belt, he drew a smooth stone, pouring all his strength into hurling it at the eagle’s back.
The stone shot through the air like a black comet, striking the eagle hard. It screeched in pain and turned, eyes blazing with fury. Just then, a Water Arrow streaked through the air toward it.
Rylee, who had been closely following the battle, seized the moment to strike. But the eagle, now fully alert, easily countered. It unleashed a scorching wave of heat that evaporated the water arrow mid-flight.
Rylee sighed, disappointed at the failed attack. As a first-tier mage, his powers were limited, but he wasn’t ready to give up just yet. He stared intently at the two Flamefeather Eagles, desperate to find a way to contribute.
He noticed that the eagles kept glancing toward the Red Flame Tree and seemed reluctant to stray too far from it. This behavior, along with their restricted flight pattern, didn’t match the typical nature of flying beasts.
His gaze lingered on the tree, with its tendrils of red smoke curling toward the sky. Below, the thick crimson branches intertwined, blocking any view of what lay beneath.
Narrowing his eyes, Rylee pondered. What could be so important to the eagles? After a moment, he had a suspicion.
"The Red Flame Tree… Could it be hiding something crucial to the eagles?" he wondered. If the tree held something of great value to them, this could be his chance.
With everyone focused on the battle, Rylee quietly slipped away, his heart pounding. He skirted around the group of knights, heading toward the backside of the hill where the tree stood.
Garret, catching a glimpse of Rylee's departure, furrowed his brow but quickly dismissed it. Whether Rylee was retreating or planning something else didn’t matter much. As long as Rhett was still in the fight, the battle would proceed as planned.
Meanwhile, Rhett intensified his attack, casting Stonefall Spell after Stonefall Spell, bombarding the eagles with relentless strikes. His audacity and the sheer volume of attacks caught everyone's attention, including the Flamefeather Eagles.
Enraged, the eagles abandoned their aerial advantage and swooped down like fiery meteors, targeting Rhett from both sides.
Seeing their intent, Garret charged forward. "Not on my watch!" he growled. He positioned himself between the male eagle and Rhett, bracing for impact. The eagle, realizing it couldn’t bypass Garret, unleashed a furious barrage of pecks.
Garret raised his shield, deflecting the relentless blows with a steady rhythm of clanging metal.