As Kael's Dark Vortex swirled with destructive force, it tore through Stronberg's barrier, leaving the area exposed and the spectators in shock. Stronberg, the announcer, looked genuinely stunned by this turn of events, realizing the potential danger to the people.

  Prince Vuldo and Muiler G were quick to unsheathe their blades. The situation had escalated to a point where immediate action seemed necessary.

  However, Rawna stepped forward and thrusted her hand out. "No…I will take care of this."

  Prince Vuldo, who had a deep concern for Rawna's well-being, responded, "Rawna, if you clash your Spear of Destruction with the Shield of Creation, you could potentially destroy the entire world."

  Rawna responded. “I don't want anyone else getting involved, especially not the Western Guards. This is still a tournament match, and I will see it through Just focus on getting people out of here. That's what you Elite guards do in these types of situations, right?"

  Stronberg, with a sense of urgency, responded, "I'll need at least 10 minutes to create a new barrier powerful enough to withstand attacks. Until then, Rawna, you'll have to stall him out somehow."

  Prince Vuldo looked at Rawna with swaying eyes. She knew he wanted to say more but restrained himself.

  Prince Vuldo’s face tightened with concern. “Rawna, I beg you, don’t destroy the Western Kingdom—or the entire world for that matter..”

  Rawna’s gaze was resolute, though her face carried a hint of sorrow. “Considering what I’m up against, I can’t promise none of those things won’t happen. If this confrontation escalates, there's no telling what i'll do...”

  Vuldo’s eyes showed frustration. “Rawna......"

  Rawna’s eyes, filled locked onto Vuldo. “I don’t make promises I can’t keep. I already know what will happen if either of you fight him directly instead of me. The Spear of Destruction is the best equalizer to the Shield of Creation’s power. But I can’t guarantee what’ll happen if I face him.”

  Prince Vuldo’s face twisted with sadness. He trembled out once more. “Rawna…”

  Rawna’s face softened slightly. She took a deep breath before responding. “Fine. I’ll try my best to hold back for ten minutes. Just ten minutes. After that, I make no guarantees.”

  Rawna turned back to face Kael, the vortex of dark energy still swirling ominously around him. She could feel the immense power and chaos radiating from the Shield of Creation.

  Vuldo and Muiler G moved swiftly, guiding the spectators out of the arena and ensuring their safety. Stronberg, sweat pouring down his face, worked furiously to rebuild the barrier.

  With the evacuation of the spectators underway, the announcer addressed the crowd. “Well, folks, even in the midst of all this hullabaloo, I’m here to keep y’all informed! Don’t you worry none, I’ll be narratin’ every step of the way so you won’t miss a single moment of what’s goin’ on!”

  Kael summoned his Undead army once more, Rawna's heart sank. These undead creatures appeared fiercer and more formidable than ever. They seemed to have grown in strength and resilience, making it increasingly difficult for Rawna to shatter them with her Spear of Destruction.

  Frustration gnawed at Rawna who struggled to bring down even a single undead warrior. Kael's sinister grin appeared on his face. “It’s a shame you chose this path, Rawna. We could have made quite the powerful couple. Imagine the world that we could have ruled together.”

  He shrugged and shook his head. “But oh well, if you refuse to see reason, I’ll just have to overpower you and take the Spear of Destruction for myself. Once I have both the spear and the Shield of Creation, there will be nothing to stop me from ruling this world.”

  Rawna’s grip tightened on her spear. After a mighty struggle, she managed to defeat one of the thousand army.

  Kael taunted, "I've amplified their strength with the power of creation. But this is just the beginning. Would you like to see something more?"

  Before Rawna could respond, Kael chanted an incantation, and the Undead army began to undergo a transformation.

  “Dance of the Undead!”

  The undead warriors surged forward with newfound vigor and intensity. Their movements became more coordinated and their attacks more relentless. Rawna found herself surrounded by this overwhelming force.

  Rawna realized that she needed an immense amount of destruction energy to clash with the enhanced Undead Army, but she had to be cautious. The destructive power of her Spear of Destruction was capable of devastating the entire area if not controlled properly. She focused her energy, drawing upon her inner strength, and unleashed a concentrated wave of dark energy towards the approaching Undead Army.

  The clash between her energy and the relentless undead forces created an explosive eruption of magic and dark power. Amidst the chaos, the Undead archers rained arrows down upon Rawna, making her evade being strike with her agility. The mages within the Undead Army cast spells to create obstacles in her path, further complicating her efforts. The swordsmen pressed forward relentlessly.

  Rawna held her ground for what felt like an eternity battling the relentless Undead Army that Kael had unleashed. Exhaustion was starting to to take its toll. Her breathing grew heavy, and sweat trickled down her brow.

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

  Despite her relentless resolve, Rawna’s own energy was reaching its limits. The continuous onslaught from the Undead Army was pushing her to the brink. She glanced towards Stronberg, who was laboring over his work to create a new barrier. She shouted, "Stronberg, how much longer?"

  Stronberg, with sweat pouring down his face, replied, "Just a little longer, Rawna. I'm working as fast as I can!"

  Rawna continued to clash with the relentless undead army. She stepped back to avoid the archers' arrows but was struck by mage bolts. The swordsmen slashed at her. Their weapons made contact with her, but there were no visible cuts on her skin.

  Kael grinned. "Your skin is remarkably tough, Rawna. It takes a great deal just to damage you. That's what makes you such a feared opponent."

  Rawna glared to Kael. Kael was now wearing a sly grin. "If I use 'Undead Giant' on all 1000 of my undead soldiers, there’s no way you won't escape unscathed!”

  Rawna’s eyes widened. Kael began to cast 'Undead Giant' on all of his Undead soldiers. With the power of the Shield of Creation, he initiated the spell, and one by one, the Undead warriors began to grow massive in size.

  The battlefield was filled with towering monstrosities. Rawna found herself surrounded by these colossal foes.

  Stronberg shouted, "It's ready, Rawna!" He began to chant a powerful incantation.

  "By the heavens' grace, a shield we seek,

  In the face of darkness, strong, yet meek.

  Layer upon layer, we shall entwine,

  A fortress of protection, divine."

  As Stronberg continued to chant, his hands moved gracefully through the air, forming layers of the barrier. First, a translucent blue aura enveloped the area strongly. Then, he added a second layer, which strengthened and shaped the protective structure, making it more resilient. Finally, with unwavering focus, he invoked the third and final layer.

  "Heaven's Barrier Shield!"

  With his chant complete and his hands outstretched, Stronberg unleashed the full power of his incantation. The layers intertwined, and the barrier solidified, leaving a majestic and sturdy blue protective energy barrier in its place.

  Rawna nodded to Stronberg with a heartless gaze yet there was a spec of respect within her eyes. "Now, I can finally cut loose. Just know that I won't apologize if your barrier is destroyed. You’ll have to remake it."

  Stronberg met Rawna's gaze with understanding. "I know you won't. Just do what you must to end this battle. We're all counting on you."

  Rawna's golden eyes blazed with intensity. She channeled all of her remaining power into her legendary weapon, the Spear of Destruction. A tremendous amount of destructive energy was unleashed, causing the spear to glow with a dark, ominous aura that surrounded her.

  The dark purple aura enveloped Rawna.

  With the Undead Army, now massive and charging with giant attacks on her, Rawna gave Kael a cold gaze. Kael responded with his lifeless gaze.

  “Descend, Apocalypse”

  In response to her command, the Spear of Destruction elongated and shifted, becoming a colossal, ominous lance of destruction. The entire arena quaked upon the release of this power.

  With unparalleled might, Rawna thrust the transformed spear toward the charging Undead Army, and an immense surge of dark energy burst forth. The sheer force of the attack created a shockwave that rippled through the area, tearing through the massive undead forces and engulfing them in a cataclysmic explosion.

  The heavens themselves seemed to shudder upon the darkness of the attack descended upon the Undead Army. The destructive force unleashed by Rawna's Apocalypse's Descent obliterated the Undead Army.

  Rawna and Kael clashed their respective weapons, and a rare battle cry escaped Rawna's lips. The Spear of Destruction met the Shield of Creation with an incredible force, and in that moment, everything seemed to fade into blinding whiteness.

  The clash between the two mighty artifacts created a brilliant explosion of energy that shattered Stronberg's barrier in an instant. The shockwave rippled through the arena, sending debris flying in all directions.

  When the smoke and debris finally settled, Rawna was seen on the ground. Her body was battered with black blood oozing from her wounds. Kael, too, lay on the ground with his pale complexion mirroring Rawna's condition. Both combatants were knocked out and showing no signs of movement.

  The announcer and she began the countdown, despite a very minimal audience. “Now, even though the crowd’s thinner than a biscuit, I’m gonna keep this show rollin’ for y’all! We’re countin’ down from sixty seconds, and if neither Rawna nor Kael can get up before time’s up, they’ll both be knocked outta this here tournament!”

  The seconds ticked away. Both Kael and Rawna remained motionless on the ground. With just ten seconds remaining in the countdown, neither of them seemed to be making any type of movement, nor did their eyes open.

  The announcer filled the arena one final time, "Ten... nine... eight... seven... six... five... four... three... two... one..."

  People watching from their televisions held their breath, waiting to see if either of the formidable fighters would muster the strength to rise.

  However, during the final moments counted down, neither Rawna nor Kael showed any signs of movement. The timer reached zero, and the announcer declared, “And there it is folks! Time’s up! Neither Rawna nor Kael have managed to get to their feet. That means both of ‘em are eliminated from this here tournament!”

  In the stands, Roselle, Risebelle, and Runebelle, along with Kintovar, Haras, and Juliana, watched the aftermath of the intense battle. A few brave souls had chosen to remain in the stands.

  One brave soul exclaimed, "Wow, that was some crazy entertainment!" as they clapped enthusiastically, clearly entertained by the spectacle.

  Another person chimed in, "I can't believe what I just saw. This is better than any show I've ever watched!" They too joined in the applause.

  A woman nearby, wearing a vibrant hat adorned with pins with previous contestants from other tournaments leaned over to her companion. "Can you believe it? I thought for sure one of them would get up. But seeing them both down like that... It's almost poetic … Ahhh, I need a Kael pin ASAP."

  In a corner, a group of teenagers who had snuck in despite warnings shared their excitement.

  One said, "Dude, did you see that spear thing Rawna did? That was like... a frikin nuke bro!"

  Their friend nodded vigorously. "And the way Kael summoned those giants? Epic! This is gonna be all over the forums tonight!"

  Prince Vuldo, exuding an aura of regal authority, made his way to the center of the arena. The remaining people made noise for their prince coming back to the arena.

  Vuldo raised a hand to quiet the crowd. “Citizens of the Western Kingdom, today we have witnessed a battle unlike any other. Though the tournament match has ended in a draw, it is clear that the actions of Kael have crossed a line.”

  He paused, scanning the remaining people, ensuring his words reached everyone present. “In light of the events and the threat posed to our people and realm, Kael is hereby placed under arrest for his reckless and dangerous actions.”

  Muiler G arrived, ready to execute the prince’s order. She gestured to officials and guards waiting nearby. “Secure Kael and ensure he is transported to the holding facility immediately. We will conduct a thorough investigation into his use of the Shield of Creation.”

  The guards swiftly moved into action, approaching the fallen Kael with caution. Though he was unconscious, the unsettling aura of darkness still lingered around him.