The moment I landed, the battlefield turned still for a split second. Dust scattered beneath my boots. Five Holts and a beast. All frozen in that breath before chaos. Their eyes widened, hands reaching for weapons, but I was already moving.
Light surged through me—fluid, pure, absolute. My fingers clenched. My Essence, already aligned with the light element, responded without resistance. I didn't need spells. I didn't need chants.
I raised my hand.
A flash.
A beam of concentrated light slammed into the snarling beast before it could react, boring through its skull and erupting out the back in a spray of gore. The creature collapsed, twitching violently, then lay still.
One down.
The Holts recovered quickly, weapons drawn, Essence flaring in a chorus of colors—fire, metal, wind, and earth. But my light drowned them all.
The closest man lunged toward me, blade humming with wind.
