A Wolf's Howl, A Fairy's Wing

Viljar quickly moved his arms to look ahead, just in time to see a grinning Erik encased in lightning just as before he kicked Olaf.

Viljar knew what this meant but had no way to respond, as his body, and especially his back, felt stiff.

Lightning seemed to strike where Erik had been running as he activated Lightning Flash, which had been charging since the fight started. Thanks to this, Erik appeared behind Viljar once again.

Viljar's back now looked very different from his front. Instead of the whirling mass of magma, his fur had turned into, it now looked like steaming black rock full of cracks. Naturally, this included the base of the tentacles.

This was the result of the magma being flash-cooled by Erik's earlier ice breath, turning it into solid stone instead. 'It's the perfect opportunity to eliminate some of those tentacles. It's just a shame I had to use the lightning flash to get by Viljar before his back turns into magma again.' He thought.

At this point, at most, a second had passed since Erik somersaulted over Viljar and attacked with his icy breath.

With a wolfish grin, Erik swung the hammer hard, wide, and as quickly as he could, crashing it against Viljar's back, specifically against the base of the tentacles.

The werebear roared in pain, spit out blood, and stumbled forward as two of the four tentacles broke off and multiple fractures appeared on his back.

Yet, while this looked painful and severely damaging, it wasn't actually that bad. After all, only his fur had been turned into magma and then cooled to stone.

That said, because the soft yet hard magma was Viljar's primary defense and had already replaced his fur, the werebear's skin was the only thing left to receive the powerful hammer blow.

While a second-rank Runebound werebear's skin was extremely sturdy and capable of taking quite a bit of bludgeoning damage, it wasn't enough to completely defend against Erik's mighty hammer, backed by his fearsome strength. Which meant the attack caused significant internal damage.

Despite the setback, however, Viljar was far from being defeated.

The werebear's resilience shone through as he gritted his teeth and turned around to face Erik while the blackened stone on his back finally began returning to magma.

He spat out some more blood and glared at Erik with a mixture of frustration and confusion. "I've seen people with multiple affinities before, but so far, I've seen you use two ice skills and four lightning skills. Moreover, some don't fit with the usual Runebound skills, seeming more like human spells. Exactly who or what are you?"

Erik grinned mysteriously at Viljar. "I told you I'd answer all your questions after the fight, right? Forget about your confusion, Viljar. For now, you are fighting for Olaf's freedom and a way to combat the Dominion's ghouls."

In the past, Viljar was someone with whom Erik had an immense amount of trust, and now that they had met again, Erik had no intention of hiding anything from the man. At least, not now that he was reasonably sure his uncle was still the same man he once knew.

Hearing Erik's answers, Viljar roared with a mixture of determination and frustration while Erik did the same, but his roar echoed only with excitement.

Both combatants were now completely lost in the battle as they once again started a close-quarters brawl, as lava claws clashed against ice and hammer.

Viljar adapted his fighting style, returning to a heavier reliance on his brute strength and robust defenses rather than his compromised magma tentacles. Two had been removed from the game altogether, while the others were damaged and stiff.

All the battle's spectators, previously chatting and speculating, were now watching in silent awe. The intensity of the duel had reached new heights, and they were captivated by the display of raw power and skill.

Even Anne momentarily forgot about her fury as her eyes locked on the unfolding battle.

The battlefield itself wore the scars of their combat. The fence, which was supposed to have been a border in their battle, had already been demolished. Puddles of water were spread everywhere, as no snow remained intact.

The ordinarily cold ground had become hot. Its scorch marks and cracks were a testament to the immense forces at play. Erik used the uneven terrain and his superior speed to his advantage by leaping off raised ground for aerial attacks.

The combatants now engaged in a frantic dance of attack and counterattack, neither willing to yield. Erik's lightning-fast strikes met Viljar's robust defenses in a clash that resonated through the air.

Each blow was a test of will and strength, a battle not just of physical prowess but of spirit and determination.

A battle that Erik had clearly begun to dominate after Viljar received that heavy wound to his back.

As the duel reached its climax, Erik spotted an opening. With a burst of speed, he closed the distance, his hammer charged with a concussive lightning blast, swinging in a wide arc aimed not at Viljar but at the ground beside him.

The impact of the hammer and lightning blast sent a shock wave of debris and force, throwing Viljar out of balance.

Seizing the moment, Erik launched another icy breath at Viljar's side while, at the same moment, leaping and flipping over Viljar's disoriented form.

Once again in mid-air, he shifted his grip on the hammer and brought it down in a powerful targeted strike at the werebear's exposed and recently cooled side.

The ground trembled under the impact, and for a moment, everything seemed to freeze. Erik landed deftly, poised and ready, while Viljar staggered and spat out more blood. His breath was heavy, feeling the weight of Erik's attack.

As the dust settled, the two warriors stood, one panting, exhausted and wounded; the other, panting and tired, but otherwise none the worse for wear.

They shared a look of mutual respect and understanding before… Viljar sank to one knee and planted his fist on the ground to keep himself from falling.

His companions looked on with a mixture of awe, fear, and surprise.

"B- Boss, lost?" Nora stammered as Björn's earlier words suddenly flooded back.

Björn gulped and nodded. "Looks like it."

Anne was still too furious to be really concerned, however. "Who cares!" she hissed. "That asshole is tired. If we attack now, we stand a chance!"

Yet, her teammates continued to hold her back as they remained quiet. They were much less confident in a victory than Anne.

That said, they kept a close eye on Erik's actions so they could react in time if he showed any aggression to the already downed Viljar.

Regardless, their reactions didn't matter.

The fight was over, and there was only one clear victor.

Viljar panted heavily, and despite his respect for Erik's prowess, he felt dismayed at losing the battle and their bet. Yet, he found himself exhausted and out of energy since maintaining his magma fur, claws, and tentacles was a constant drain on his reserves.

As his fur slowly returned to its previous ginger color and the heat receded, he turned his head to look at Erik, who looked ready to continue, and panted, "I… surrender."

Hearing his admission, Erik smiled sincerely and sauntered over to Viljar, hammer swung over his shoulder. He couldn't help feeling a little apprehensive at the revelation he was about to drop onto his uncle. 'How will he react?' Erik wondered.

However, he didn't show it on his face as he responded to Viljar's surrender. "You put up a good fight, old man. It was a lot more intense than in the past, but it feels good to finally win for once.

I've always known I've grown much more powerful in these seven years, but only now that I've accomplished something I couldn't before does it feel real, you know?"

Viljar frowned, unsure what this man he knew only as Silver was talking about.

At this point, Erik crouched down next to Viljar's panting face. "It does feel different fighting you when I'm actually enjoying it, though. Honestly, I'm not even sure why I never liked fighting in the past. The concept seems so alien to me now."

Viljar looked at Erik with a mixture of confusion, suspicion, and concern. Unsure what he was talking about, while afraid Erik would use this chance to kill him and then his teammates.

"I don't… know what you're talking about… but will you keep your word? I wouldn't blame you… if you took this chance to end any threat to you and yours. But if you do that… please just kill me and let the others go… when you leave here. They are no threat to you." Viljar panted while desperately trying to think of a solution in case Erik broke their deal.

Erik continued to smile at his uncle, who still hadn't realized who Erik was. "I'd never break my word to my favorite uncle teddy bear, let alone kill him." He felt a little awkward calling Viljar by that nickname at this age and after so long, but it seemed appropriate.

Viljar's eyes widened at hearing a term he hadn't heard in seven long years. "W- What did you say?"

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