Level Up Legacy

1295  Evolved Abilities

"Who are you?" asked the Red Captain through his armor, his eyes blazing with fury as he stared at the petite woman who had intruded on their palace, alone. Of course, there was a man with her, but it was clear that the woman was the real issue at hand.

"Someone you should not stand against," said Diana as she stepped forward, her wings blazing with blue flames that could turn everything to cinders. "I do not wish to harm any of you, but I don't mind taking the unsavory route if resisted."

"And I cannot let you pass, little girl," said the giant captain as his men spread around them. "Your ice magic is not going to help you against us. We are the Red Unit, warriors carved from the heart of flames. If you surrender now, we have no qualms about making this a simple arrest."

"Who said ice is my only specialty?" asked Diana with a smirk as she waved her hand, letting blue flames burst in a pillar around her. "If you are carved from flames, then I am the flame itself, little ones. Know your limits and your opponents before you rush to your death."

Diana was warning them, although one might mistake her words for mockery. The captain was such a person, and he shouted for his men to surround the two intruders. Alaric was surprised, turning to give his back to Diana to anticipate the fight. However, the fight ended faster than he could react.

Blue flames roared to life as if the world itself was fueling their destruction. Diana stood at the epicenter of the great disaster as the flames engulfed everything. Men screamed and women howled as the flames passed through their armor and the warriors themselves. Despite their attacks and defenses, nothing stood against the flames.

"What the hell are these flames? They do not bring destruction, but my men are falling!" roared the captain as he decided to attack the perpetrator. He rushed Diana with his great hammer that seemed to weld the world together as it traveled toward her. In response, Diana raised a hand that erected a barrier of ice.

Boom!

The clash of the two forces shook the palace as the knights fell one after the other, unconscious. Their captain glanced at them with unease as he shifted his attention to the blue and red eyes before him. Diana smirked at him, a little playful but terrifyingly chilling.

"You are strong, and so are your men," said the woman from behind the ice that refused to crack no matter how much the captain hammered it. "But you fought against the wrong opponents. If you do not treat them soon, they will never wake up."

"What have you done to them?" the Red Captain implored an answer from this powerful stranger. If he could understand what happened to his men, he might be able to save them or even defeat his current enemy. He had mocked the sand thieves earlier for their lame attack, but this was on another level. The Wisemen would have no chance against her flames.

"I name it Soulfire," said Diana with a grin as she made sure to strengthen the ice after the captain retreated. His subordinates were now on the ground, sprawled and howling with pain unlike any other. This was the same tactic she used to harm Deluge and his astral projection. "A fire that burns the soul."

Hearing her answer, the Red Captain was more confused than alarmed. The world has yet to learn about the existence of souls or their effects on the world, and he was less sure about the effect of a fire that burns them. In the end, he retreated and looked at his warriors, heartbroken.

"Please, save them," said the Red Captain as he dropped his hammer to the ground, and then he too fell to his knees. "I have a duty to protect these men before I have a duty to protect this gate!"

Diana allowed her ice to dissipate, staring at the captain kneeling on the ground. Although she could inflict the damage, she could not undo it, no matter how hard he begged. However, she could alleviate the damage done by her flames through her ice. It would not restore the souls, but it would allow them to heal.

Every element had different properties, but Diana obtained two more after she used the Isotox to train her powers and evolve them. The first one she named Soulfire, an attack that could not be stopped except with spiritual energy. She mastered this with the help of Gala, the witch who specialized in spirits.

As for the second one, she called it Iceheart. It was the same method she used to keep herself entrapped in ice for over a century. The ice would not damage the target, but empower their souls and let them nourish their bodies. Therefore, in theory, she could not undo the Soulfire but could help the souls heal a little. Diana explained this to the captain.

"Anything, please," said the man as he lowered his head. "I will open the gates right this instant."

And he was true to his words. The man stepped aside while opening the gates for them to enter. Diana glanced at Alaric, who nodded, and she walked toward the warriors still suffering from her blue flames. After extinguishing them, she clasped her hands together and closed her eyes.

A hum of energy rippled throughout the palace grounds. Diana spread her arms as the floor became covered with ice that rushed toward the warriors. The captain was alarmed again but was surprised to see the ice cover the ground only, and not attack his unit.

Then, the sprawled knights stopped screaming as their faces eased. The Red Captain was surprised to see the effect so quickly. Before he could thank the mysterious woman, she and her companion entered the palace grounds, leaving them to heal from a terrifying ability.

The captain had failed in his mission to protect the palace, but he was not worried about the Wisemen. The warriors inside were on a different level than them, and he had to admit that despite his pride. However, the reason he was not worried about the Wisemen was because a special guest was in the palace.