The sound of the crumbling wall echoed throughout the temple as it fell to the ground, causing dust and debris to fill the air. Inside the temple, the bandits and mercenaries looked up in shock as they realized what had happened.
Glass, the mercenary leader, quickly assessed the situation and realized that his plan to steal the sacred sword, the Mani Katti, was in jeopardy. He ordered his men to form a defensive line in front of the hole of the shrine.
"Stay alert!" Glass barked.
"We don't know how many of them are out there, but we won't let them take what is rightfully mine!"
The bandits, armed with swords and axes, stood at the ready, waiting for the inevitable attack. Meanwhile, Astrid, Lyn, Kent, and Sain cautiously made their way into the temple, weapons at the ready.
Astrid scanned the room, looking for any signs of danger. His anima magic crackled in his fingertips, ready to be unleashed at a moment's notice. Lyn, her eyes blazing with determination, led the charge, her sword held high.
"Let's go!"
The group charged forward, ready to take on the bandits and mercenaries.
As the first wave of bandits charged towards them, Astrid stood tall and composed, his anima magic pulsing with energy.
With a swift hand gesture, he summoned a bolt of lightning that arced through the air and struck the ground in front of the charging bandits. The resulting shockwave electrified the entire first line of bandits, sending them tumbling to the ground in a heap.
Astrid's eyes narrowed as he surveyed the chaos he had just unleashed, and he signaled to his companions to take advantage of the momentary confusion.
"Now's our chance." He shouted, his voice carrying over the sounds of battle. "Push forward and take them down while they're still reeling!"
As the electrified bandits fell to the ground, the others charged forward with their weapons drawn. Astrid jumped back, his hands still crackling with electricity as he surveyed the chaotic scene.
Lyn and Kent were fighting side by side, their swords moving in perfect harmony as they took on multiple bandits at once.
Sain was weaving in and out of the fray, his sword flashing as he made quick work of the enemy.
As the battle raged on, the group slowly began to gain the upper hand. Kent and Sain fought in perfect harmony, their swords moving as one. Lyn darted around the room, striking her enemies with lightning-fast blows. And Astrid, his anima magic at the ready, unleashed powerful spells that sent the bandits reeling.
Glass sneered as he watched them approach.
"You fools!" He shouted.
"Who do you think you are? What chances do you think you have against me?" He tried to provoke them.
Lyn stepped forward, her grip tight on her own sword.
"We'll see about that." She said, her voice laced with determination.
The two clashed swords, the sound of steel ringing through the temple. As the battle raged on, Astrid stepped forward, his hands crackling with magical energy.
"I'll take care of the others." He said, his eyes glowing with intensity. "You focus on him."
With a nod, Lyn continued her fierce duel with Glass, while Astrid unleashed his anima magic on the bandits who had gathered around them.
Astrid raised his hand and sent a bolt of lightning at the nearest bandit, who fell to the ground with a scream. He smirked and looked at the others.
"Anyone else want to try their luck?"
The bandits hesitated, unsure of how to deal with this magic-wielding prince. Astrid took advantage of their confusion and launched another spell, this time a blast of wind that knocked several of them off their feet.
"Come on, don't be shy." He taunted.
"I'm sure you have some tricks up your sleeves. Or do you only know how to swing your axes like cavemen?"
One of the bandits growled and charged at him, swinging his axe with all his might. Astrid easily dodged the attack and kicked him in the stomach, sending him flying back.
"Nice try." He said, shaking his head. "But you'll have to do better than that."
He looked around and saw Sain and Kent were surrounded by a group of bandits, their swords clashing against each other. Sain was grinning, enjoying the thrill of the battle, while Kent was focused, his movements precise and efficient.
"Looks like we have our work cut out for us, eh Kent?" Sain said, his sword flashing in the sunlight.
Kent nodded, his face serious. "We need to hold them off as long as we can. Lyn and Astrid need our support."
They continued to fend off the bandits, parrying and striking with deadly precision. Astrid, who was providing support with his magic from a distance, noticed the two knights fighting off the bandits.
"Don't worry, I've got your backs." Astrid said, sending a bolt of lightning that struck down a group of bandits that had been closing in on Sain and Kent.
The battle raged on, with Lyn and Glass engaging in a deadly dance of swords while Sain, Kent, and Astrid fought off the remaining bandits. It was a fierce and intense battle, with every move and action carrying the weight of life and death.
Lyn moved swiftly towards Glass, who was standing near the altar, eyeing the Mani Katti hungrily.
"You will not have that sword." Lyn said, her voice low and dangerous.
Glass grinned. "And who's going to stop me, little girl?"
Lyn narrowed her eyes and pointed her sword at Glass. "I will. And I won't be alone."
Glass chuckled. "You're brave, I'll give you that. But you're no match for me."
The two warriors circled each other, their swords at the ready. Glass was quick, but Lyn was faster, and she managed to land a few blows on him.
As they fought, Glass taunted Lyn, trying to break her spirit. "You fight well, but you lack the killer instinct. That's what separates us, girl. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to win. Are you?"
Lyn gritted her teeth and pressed her attack. She couldn't let Glass get to her. She couldn't let him win. With a fierce battle cry, she lunged at him, her sword flashing in the dim light of the temple.
Glass blocked her strike and countered with a swift kick to her stomach, knocking the wind out of her. Lyn stumbled backwards, gasping for air, and Glass advanced on her, his sword raised high.
But before he could strike, a bolt of lightning shot past him, narrowly missing his head. Glass turned to see Astrid standing behind him, his hand crackling with electricity.
"Back off." Astrid said coldly.
Glass scoffed. "And what are you going to do? Zap me with your magic tricks?"
Astrid didn't reply.
He simply raised his hand, and a surge of electricity shot out, striking Glass and his bandits with a deadly force.
The bandits cried out in pain as they were electrocuted, and Glass stumbled backwards, his sword slipping from his hand.
Lyn seized the opportunity and lunged at him, her sword piercing his chest.
"You... You... Urr...urgh…"
Glass let out a strangled cry and fell to the ground, dead.
Lyn stood over his body, breathing heavily, her sword still clutched in her hand.
Astrid smirked walking over and said. "Oh, nothing much. Just saving the day with my 'little magic tricks'."
He looked down at Glass's lifeless body and added. "Looks like your little heist didn't go as planned."
Sain and Kent rushed over to Lyn's side, their weapons at the ready.
"What happened here?" Kent asked, his eyes scanning the area for any signs of danger.
"Good battle everyone!" Lyn happily said.
She then turned to Astrid, gratitude written all over her face.
"Again. Thank you Astrid. I would be gone without you."
"It's nothing. We got each other's backs right?" Astrid said with a slight smile.
Sain looked at Glass's body with a mixture of shock and satisfaction.
"Well, that's one less bandit to worry about." He said, wiping his brow.
"But what about the rest of these scoundrels?" Kent asked, his gaze darting around the temple for any signs of trouble.
Astrid stepped forward, his hand still crackling with the remnants of his powerful magic. Kent couldn't help but notice the his unconventional style of casting and magic, a stark departure from anything he had seen before.
Astrid shook his head. "I took care of them. They won't be causing any more trouble."
"Your magic is... Impressive." Kent admitted, his tone laced with a hint of suspicion. "But it's also very different…"
"I can't help but wonder...where did you learn to use it?" He asked.
Astrid flashed his trademark charming grin, evasive as ever.
"Oh, just some... unconventional training." He said, his eyes twinkling with amusement.
Sain raised an eyebrow. "Unconventional, huh? Sounds like my kind of training."
He clapped a hand on Astrid's shoulder, smiling in admiration at the his skills.
As they bantered, Kent's mind was working in overdrive. There was something about Astrid that he couldn't quite put his finger on. The way he moved, the way he spoke... it was almost like he was a character from one of the fairytales his mother used to read him as a child. But that was ridiculous, wasn't it?
Before the group could continue, the sound of grinding stone caught their attention. They turned towards a nearby corner, where a door was slowly creaking open.
As the door creaked open, a figure emerged from the darkness. It was an old man, his white hair and beard neatly trimmed, dressed in a flowing robe of blue and white. His eyes, a deep brown, were soft and kindly, and his lined face seemed to radiate wisdom and peace.
He approached the group with a gentle smile, and his gaze immediately fell upon Lyn.
"Ah, your clothing…" He murmured, studying her intently. "Are you of the Lorca tribe?"