Aethercrest // FayeYoko, LingOrm, MilkLove

Chapter 6

Third Person's POV

The air was tense, buzzing with energy, as Sei and Hana faced off against Sonata and Hikari on the Shuren field. The vast expanse of the training grounds had been cleared, leaving only the four of them in a wide circle of anticipation. This wasn’t just training anymore—it felt like a battle, with each team determined to prove themselves.

"Ready?" Hikari called out, the crackle of electricity dancing across her fingertips.

"Anytime," Hana answered, her voice steady but her gaze sharp.

Hikari and Sonata didn’t hesitate. Hikari launched forward, her hands swirling with electricity as she unleashed Tempest Burst. A powerful shockwave erupted, sending currents of wind and lightning crashing toward Sei and Hana. The ground shook beneath their feet as the burst carved through the air, disrupting the calm and forcing Sei to raise her Radiant Shield just in time.

The shimmering barrier absorbed the impact, the light flickering and bending as it held firm against Hikari’s attack. But Sonata was already moving. With a sharp wave of her hand, she sent a Sonic Pulse rippling across the ground, a cone of vibrating sound that shattered the silence.

Hana reacted instantly, her form blurring as she activated Blackwing Veil. Shadows wrapped around her, feathered and dark, rendering her invisible as the sound waves passed harmlessly through her. She slipped to the side, unseen and silent, positioning herself for a strike.

"Sei, on your right!" Hana’s voice came from somewhere in the shadows, her words echoing as if from every direction.

Sei nodded, adjusting her stance. She held up her hand, channeling light into a concentrated beam and firing Blinding Beam straight toward Hikari. The beam sliced through the air, radiant and searing, striking Hikari head-on. Hikari flinched, momentarily blinded as the light disrupted her focus.

But Sonata was quick to intervene. She summoned Harmonic Shield, a barrier of sound that shimmered like ripples in water. The barrier absorbed Sei’s attack, resonating with the light and sending a faint pulse back. Sei gritted her teeth as the sonic burst hit her, forcing her to step back and reset.

In the midst of the chaos, Hikari regained her sight and flashed a smirk. "Is that all you’ve got?"

"Not even close," Sei muttered, raising her hand as light began to swirl around her in dazzling colors.

But Sonata wasn’t finished. She activated Echo Step, creating multiple illusions of herself that scattered across the field. Each copy moved with the same confident stride, each one a perfect replica. Hana’s eyes darted around, trying to distinguish the real Sonata, but each figure moved with the same fluidity, making it impossible to tell.

"Let’s even the odds," Hana murmured, summoning Raven’s Echo. Shadowy duplicates of herself appeared alongside her, each one mirroring her stance. They flanked her, a line of dark figures that moved with ghostly grace, feathers falling as they waited, poised to strike.

Hikari’s gaze shifted from Sei to Hana, irritation flickering in her eyes. "You really think that’ll stop us?"

Before Hana could answer, Hikari activated Lightning Cage, summoning a dome of crackling electricity around Sei. The cage hummed with power, each spark a warning of the pain waiting if she tried to break free. Hana watched, eyes narrowed as the cage illuminated Sei’s determined face.