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Chapter 117: 117. Garden
A glowing green dome of mana hid Leo and Sylo from sight, pulsing with eerie light. The prisoners gripping the bars stared, their faces mixed with shock and fear.
Vivien whispered, her voice shaky, "What’s that?" Her crimson eyes flickered with worry.
Erin lounged in her high-backed chair on the platform, one hand propping up her head, her violet eyes sparkling with a lazy grin as she watched the dome. "It’s a mana domain," she said, her tone light but edged with sharpness.
Vivien turned, her brows knitting together. "Mana domain?"
Erin’s grin grew, a hint of excitement in her gaze. "A rare trick. Only a few can do it. Inside, the user gets stronger, their powers boosted, while their enemy gets weaker. It’s a deadly trap."
Vivien’s eyes snapped back to the dome, her voice trembling. "So... my brother’s going to lose?"
Erin chuckled, a warm, confident sound. "Lose? Nah, your brother’s too stubborn to die." She muttered under her breath, barely audible, "And too desperate to see her again." Her eyes stayed on the dome, a flicker of respect crossing her face.
Inside the Garden of Eternity, the world was a strange, beautiful dream. A bright meadow stretched out under a warm sun, colorful flowers blooming everywhere, their petals swaying in a soft breeze. The air smelled sweet, the sky a perfect blue, so peaceful it could trick anyone into relaxing.
Leo stood in the middle, the Blood Dragger loose in his hand, his crimson eyes scanning the bright scene. "Damn," he muttered, a crooked grin on his lips. "I could stay here with her forever."
A rustle broke the calm. Leo jumped aside as a swarm of sharp petals flew at him, slicing into the ground where he’d stood like knives. From behind, a huge plant with jagged, toothy jaws lunged, snapping at him. Leo sensed it, swinging the Blood Dragger with a burst of fire mana, burning the plant to ashes. More plants popped up, their vines whipping, jaws chomping.
He slashed through them, dodging as one nearly grabbed his arm, roasting the last with a quick swing. The domain was draining his energy, making every move harder.
Sylo stepped out from the sea of flowers, her cinquedea dripping with fresh poison, her chest wound gone, her black hair shining under the fake sun. The mana domain had healed her, her eyes glowing with wild energy, her power stronger than ever.
"This is my garden," she hissed, her voice coming from every petal, every vine, like the whole place was alive. "A good place to die, right Ruler?"
Leo shrugged, his grin steady, blood still on his chin from earlier poison. "Yeah, it’s nice. But I’m not dying today."
Sylo’s sneer grew, and she threw her hands forward. The garden went wild—vines bursting from the ground, their thorns dripping poison, while petals spun like a storm of blades. Leo moved fast, the Blood Dragger flashing as he cut vines and blocked petals, fire mana burning anything too close.
A giant flower bloomed beside her, its center glowing before shooting a beam of green mana. Leo dove, the beam tearing a trench through the meadow, leaving the flowers untouched. He rolled to his feet, the Blood Dragger blazing, and charged Sylo, weaving through the chaos. Vines lashed at him, petals sliced the air, but he kept moving, pushing him past the danger.
The Blood Dragger glowed with fire mana as he swung at Sylo’s chest, aiming to finish her. His blade cut deep—or so he thought. Her body burst into colorful petals, scattering around. A clone. Leo’s red eyes widened, senses buzzing.
A rustle sounded behind him.
He turned, but Sylo was there, her cinquedea slashing at his back, its purple edge shining.
Leo vanished with Shadow Step, her blade hit nothing, but she was sharp. She looked up, seeing him in the sky above, Blood Dragger blazing with fire mana, diving like a comet.
Sylo jumped aside, petals rising to block as Leo’s blade slammed the ground. Fire and shadow exploded, burning grass and vines instantly. The air sizzled, the bright garden now black.
Sylo coughed, her cheek burned, but she smirked. "You’re fast, but this is my world." She flicked her wrist, and petals formed dozens of Sylo copies. Each grinned, holding a cinquedea, moving together, surrounding Leo.
"So annoying."
He stabbed one, but it turned to flowers. Another attacked from behind, blade whistling. He blocked, sparks flying, but more clones rushed, slashing and stabbing perfectly. Leo ducked, sliding between two blades, then stabbed up, hitting a clone’s chest. It vanished into petals, mocking him.
Sylo laughed, loud and sharp. Her real form stepped from a huge flower, its petals wrapping her like a throne, bright and pulsing. "You’re so adorable while struggling like a puppy," she said, raising her hand.
The ground shook, and glowing flowers bloomed around Leo, shooting thin, hot beams of green mana. Leo dodged, weaving through, the heat brushing his skin.
He clenched his teeth, pouring mana into the Blood Dragger until it shone red. "Time to change things." He slammed the blade into the ground, sending out a wave of red fire that burned a wide circle, turning flowers to ash. Smoke filled the air, the garden’s colors fading.
Sylo’s eyes narrowed. "You’re wrecking my garden," she hissed, vanishing into petals. The meadow turned angry. Vines twisted like snakes, their ends splitting into biting mouths. Petals flew like a storm, each one sharp as a knife.
Leo spun the Blood Dragger, making a fire vortex to block the attack, but a vine slipped through, scratching his arm. Pain stung, but he stayed focused.
"Tired yet?" Sylo’s voice teased from behind. He swung, but it was a clone, dissolving into petals. The real Sylo jumped from a huge flower, her cinquedea aimed at his heart, glowing with thick poison.
Leo used Shadow Step, blinking aside, but Sylo knew it. A vine shot up, grabbing his ankle tight. He cut it free, Blood Dragger flashing, but Sylo’s blade nicked his shoulder. Poison burned in his veins, cold and fast.
His vision blurred, strength fading. He fell to one knee, the Blood Dragger’s tip in the dirt to hold him up.
Resistance ring need time to absorb the poison.
Sylo walked closer, her cinquedea touching his neck, poison dripping. "Any last words, Ruler?" she asked, laughing, her eyes bright with victory.
Leo breathed out, annoyed, his red eyes sharp. "It’s boring," he muttered, voice steady.
In his mind, Elynn made a warning.
[You sure about the mana domain, Leo? It’ll use all your mana.]
He smirked at Sylo.
"Mana domain," he said, voice quiet but bold. "The King’s Pride."
Outside the green dome, Erin sat up in her chair, violet eyes focused. A small, knowing grin formed. "That’s like you," she whispered, amused and impressed.
