ONLINE: Blades of Eternity-Chapter 195: FIRE AND ICE

The dense forest surrounding the Soaring Dragons Pavilion was eerily quiet, save for the crackling of flames. General Cao descended slowly, his eyes narrowing as he approached the training ground where Guinevere had isolated herself.

She sat cross-legged in the center of a wide clearing, her figure shrouded in a vortex of brilliant flames—red, blue, and yellow. The hues danced and swirled around her, shifting as though alive. Sweat trickled down her brow, yet her expression was one of unrelenting focus.

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Her body radiated a heat so intense that even the ground beneath her was scorched, the air rippling from the sheer temperature.

Cao stood at a distance, observing silently.

’Following your brothers footsteps huh?’ General Cao thought as the sight triggered a memory, one from years ago. He saw another figure sitting in a similar vortex of flames—Guinevere’s elder brother, the infamous Prince of Flames. His mastery over fire magic was unparalleled, his flames burning hotter and fiercer than any other mage in his era.

The prince had once attempted to create a Flame Body, a technique that required a mage to fuse their soul with the essence of fire itself. It promised unmatched power but demanded an excruciating toll—both physically and mentally.

But even the Prince of Flames, for all his talent and strength, had failed to perfect the Flame Body. His flames had faltered, consuming him from within, leaving him with devastating injuries that marked the end of his ambition.

Now, here was Guinevere, following the same perilous path. She had her brother’s determination but had yet to achieve what neither he nor any mage in recent history had been able to.

"She’s inherited more than his flames," Cao murmured to himself. "She’s inherited his stubbornness too."

Guinevere’s flames suddenly flared, the vortex roaring as the colors intensified. Her expression twisted briefly into a grimace, the strain evident as her hands trembled. The blue flames began to waver, flickering weakly as if about to dissipate.

"No, no, no!" she hissed, her voice laced with frustration.

Her concentration slipped, and the vortex started to destabilize. The yellow flames erupted chaotically, searing a nearby tree, while the red flames surged toward her like a tidal wave.

Cao moved instantly, appearing beside her in a flash. With a wave of his hand, he summoned a barrier of shimmering water-like energy that neutralized the rampaging flames.

"Enough, Guinevere!" he barked, his voice firm but not unkind.

Her eyes snapped open, wide with shock and embarrassment. She looked at him, panting heavily, her face flushed from the heat and exertion.

"I had it," she muttered, her voice low but defiant. "I was so close."

Cao crouched beside her, his usually stern face softening slightly. "You were close, yes. But do you know how many have tried and failed to create a Flame Body? Even your brother couldn’t do it, and he was hailed as a prodigy."

Guinevere’s eyes dropped to the ground, her fists clenching. "I’m not him. I’ll succeed where he couldn’t."

Cao smiled faintly. "That’s the spirit I like to see. But pushing yourself recklessly won’t help. The Flame Body is more than controlling fire—it’s about harmony. You can’t force it to obey you; you must let it become a part of you."

She looked at him, her fiery determination reigniting. "I understand. I’ll try again tomorrow."

"You’ll succeed," Cao said confidently as he rose to his feet. "Just don’t let frustration cloud your focus. You have what it takes to surpass even him."

As he walked away, Cao glanced back at her. She was already sitting cross-legged again, her flames reigniting around her with renewed vigor.

"Guinevere," he said, his voice carrying through the clearing.

She looked up at him.

"You’ll do more than just succeed. You’ll make history."

Her lips curled into a small smile before she closed her eyes, her focus returning to the flames.

Cao continued his path toward Sofia’s training ground, a faint smile lingering on his face. This generation… they might just surprise us all.

General Cao moved silently through the dense woodland, his steps measured and deliberate. He had just left Guinevere, her fiery determination still fresh in his mind, when he caught sight of another figure in the distance.

This time, the atmosphere was utterly different. The air grew colder as he approached, a crisp chill biting at his skin. Frost clung to the grass and leaves, turning the surroundings into a crystalline wonderland.

In the center of this frozen expanse sat Lila, her petite frame enveloped in a serene aura. She was cross-legged, her hands resting lightly on her knees, eyes closed in deep meditation. Surrounding her was a thick layer of ice, its surface smooth and unmarred, glowing faintly under the moonlight.

Cao raised an eyebrow, intrigued. ’Ehat sort of technique has that old hag been teaching this girl exactly?’

Unlike Guinevere’s training, which burned with intensity and passion, Lila’s was calm, composed, and cold—literally. Her breathing was rhythmic, her expression tranquil, as though she were part of the ice itself.

The frost had spread across the nearby fields, its reach extending to the surrounding trees, their trunks and branches coated in a delicate sheen of ice. Small icicles hung like ornaments, refracting the moonlight in tiny rainbows.

General Cao stopped a few paces away, his gaze fixed on her. Carmilia’s influence is unmistakable, he thought, recognizing the traces of mastery in Lila’s technique.

Lila suddenly drew in a deep breath, the sound resonating through the still air. As she exhaled, the temperature around her seemed to plummet even further. The ice beneath her pulsed faintly, spreading a web of frost outward like ripples on a frozen lake.

Then, without warning, the ice began to melt—not from heat, but through some intricate magic that transformed it.

The melting ice rose into the air, forming tiny droplets that shimmered like diamonds, suspended in an ethereal dance. They circled Lila, creating a delicate spectacle of frost and mist.

General Cao’s eyes widened slightly as he observed. The display was breathtaking, a silent testament to her growing mastery over the ice element.

The droplets eventually coalesced, forming intricate patterns that hovered momentarily before dispersing into the air like snowflakes caught in a breeze. The frost on the fields and trees melted away, returning the landscape to its natural state.

As Lila opened her eyes, her gaze met General Cao’s. There was a flicker of surprise in her expression, but it quickly gave way to her usual calm demeanor.

"General," she said softly, inclining her head in greeting.

"Impressive," Cao remarked, stepping closer. "That technique… it’s no simple ice manipulation. Carmilia has been training you well."

Lila nodded. "Master Carmilia calls it Frost Resonance. It’s a way to synchronize with ice on a fundamental level, to let it become an extension of my being."

"And the spectacle just now?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.

She hesitated for a moment, her eyes flickering with a mix of pride and frustration. "It’s the first stage of the Frozen Bloom, a technique she says is integral to my growth. I’ve only just begun to grasp it."

Cao studied her for a moment before giving a small nod. "Mastering something of this caliber takes time, but you’re progressing well. Few can balance calmness and strength as you do."

Lila allowed herself a faint smile. "Thank you, General. But I’m still far from where I want to be."

"That’s how it should be," Cao said. "The moment you think you’ve reached the peak is the moment you begin to fall. Keep climbing."

With that, he turned to leave, but not before casting one last glance at the now thawed landscape.

These students… they’re not just promising. They’re extraordinary, he thought as he made his way toward Sofia’s training ground, eager to see what awaited him there.

General Cao continued In his strode through the tranquil woods, his mind still occupied with the brilliance he had witnessed from Guinevere and Lila. The crisp night air carried a faint hum of energy, but he dismissed it as lingering traces of Valoria’s ambient mana.

Unbeknownst to him though, not far from his path, a figure stood in a secluded clearing, shrouded in an otherworldly glow.

Kent Harrow, the Affinity God, was deep in his personal training. Around him, seven distinct elements swirled in perfect harmony—fire, water, earth, air, lightning, light, and shadow. The elements moved as though alive, dancing to an unseen rhythm, weaving intricate patterns in the air.

Kent’s expression was calm, yet his closed eyes betrayed intense focus. With every breath, the elements pulsed, their energies converging and diverging seamlessly, creating a spectacle that defied logic.

A faint smirk played on his lips. "Kaelen Dragonyx… I’ll see what you’re truly capable of soon enough."

The swirling elements suddenly intensified, their combined aura sending a ripple through the forest. General Cao paused mid-step, his instincts flaring. He glanced over his shoulder but saw nothing unusual.

Shaking his head, he continued on, unaware of the storm of power hidden just beyond his sight.