Despite its attempts to buck him off, the War Horse only managed to stagger a few steps before toppling.
For all their earlier dominance, the War Horses' synergy had finally broken. They no longer moved as one unstoppable entity but fought as two wounded, cornered beasts. Even so, their eyes gleamed with fierce pride, unwilling to yield until the end.
"Finish them," Frostfang whispered, his voice echoing in Little White's mind.
The silver-furred wolf nodded, stepping forward. Wincing at the pain from his bruised ribs, he mustered the last vestiges of his lunar power, building up a swirling glow around his fangs. Frostfang, equally battered, steadied himself, pawing the ground in preparation.
The final clash was only moments away. The War Horses let out defiant whinnies, straining to stand on trembling legs as sweat and blood dripped from their flanks.
Above the battered grassland, the sun dipped lower in the sky, painting the horizon in fiery hues as a stark contrast to the cold determination of the wolf duo.
Little White glanced at Frostfang with a grateful smile. Despite the imperfections of their teamwork, they had come a long way in forging a bond on this battlefield. And with the War Horses' synergy crumbling, the wolves were poised to deliver the final blow.
Broken ice spikes and charred patches of ground lay scattered everywhere, silent witnesses to the grueling test of strength and cooperation that had taken place. Little White and Frostfang, though battered and exhausted, still stood, bloodied but resolute.
Across from them, the Fire War Horse and Wood War Horse panted heavily, bodies trembling with strain. Their synergy had cracked under the wolves' unified assault, but their fighting spirit had yet to waver.
For a long moment, the clearing fell quiet. Both pairs of combatants locked eyes, each side refusing to yield even a fraction. The hush carried an unspoken message as this final confrontation would decide it all.
The War Horses had once been confident in their perfect unity, yet the wolves' growing harmony had undermined that advantage. Neither side showed any intention of withdrawing; the conflict had reached a point of no return.
A low rumble broke the stillness as the Fire War Horse let out a labored but fierce snort. Flames crackled around its hooves, trailing embers in every step. Its hide, though scarred and bloodstained, glowed with a renewed intensity.
Meanwhile, the Wood War Horse stomped at the ground, pieces of bark-like armor flaking off as it regenerated with one final surge of energy. Vines entwined its legs and torso, reinforcing the weakened areas with a tough layer of living wood.
Little White's silver eyes narrowed, perceiving the sudden surge in the War Horses' aura. He could almost taste their desperation, their willingness to gamble everything on one last stand. Next to him, Frostfang's calm voice resonated in the mental link they shared:
"They're gathering what's left of their strength, White. Get ready."
Little White gave a small nod, muzzle tightening in determination. "Same for us," he responded telepathically. Though he was drained in physically and mentally, he refused to show any weakness.
In that fleeting moment, he recalled the many battles that had led him here: from training with Cain to the times he fought alongside Nix. Each conflict had sharpened his skills and stoked his fighting spirit.
The Fire War Horse reared onto its hind legs, releasing a braying cry that thundered through the field. Intense heat waves rippled around it, transforming the surrounding air into a searing furnace.
Then came the first sign of its ultimate move [Solar Blaze Eruption]. A dome of fiery energy expanded from its body, devouring the scattered ice shards in its vicinity. Sparks and cinders danced in a vortex of flame, painting the sky in flickering oranges and reds.
Simultaneously, the Wood War Horse lowered its head, letting out a resonant neigh. Green luminescence pulsed along the vines that wrapped its torso, culminating in an otherworldly glow at its heart.
Then it unleashed its [Verdant Awakening]. The earth under its hooves cracked apart as thick, knotty roots burst forth, weaving into towering pillars of living wood.
These pillars reached high into the sky, their surfaces flickering with green runes. In seconds, the War Horse was encased within a swirling fortress of flora, every vine brimming with fierce life force.
Together, these ultimate techniques merged into a single, devastating synergy. Fire saturated the living wooden pillars, turning them into blazing columns that crackled with both scorching heat and raw nature's wrath.
The swirling dome of flame closed around them, intensifying further until it formed a massive inferno half-encasing the War Horses in an incandescent shell.
From a distance, it looked as though the two beasts had fused into a monstrous entity of fire and wood, a conflagration that hissed and spat as it devoured the air.
The entire field was sweltering, the grass at Little White's paws curling into blackened ash. If not for the minimal moisture in the ground, the entire plains might have erupted in a wildfire.
Frostfang's calm finally gave way to a hint of apprehension. "Their synergy's returned, and it's stronger than ever," he warned Little White. "We can't allow them to fully unleash that power on us."
Little White nodded, ignoring the searing heat that pricked at his limbs. "We finish this now."
They wasted no time. The synergy the War Horses had crafted required a moment to stabilize, and that slight delay provided the wolves a sliver of opportunity.
Launching forward, Frostfang called upon his [Polar Pounce] skill, an explosive burst of subzero energy that propelled him with astounding speed. Ice crystals formed under his paws, trailing behind him in a sparkling path.
Simultaneously, Little White darted in a curved path, using [Moonlight Empowerment] to squeeze the last vestiges of energy from the sinking sun's rays.
His silver fur glowed faintly, leaving streaks of luminescent afterimages with every rapid movement.
The two wolves separated, attacking from flanking angles to confuse their enemies.