The closer they came to the World Tree, the thicker and taller the grass grew. Soon it rose above their waists and blocked their view, making it seem as though they were shrinking—and the World Tree stretching into the stars only deepened the illusion.
Tadel crouched beside a small patch of blood and used his longsword to cut away the stained grass.
"The human prince is badly wounded."
"He used the Divine Artifact by force so many times," Annan said. He wasn't surprised.
Power that wasn't his came at a price.
The blood was still fresh, though. Prince Aidan couldn't have gone far. They were close.
Parting the waist-high grass, Annan and Tadel headed toward the World Tree.
"Watch out!"
Tadel cried out and shoved Annan aside, raising his longsword to meet a blur.
Clang!
Sparks flew as he stopped Prince Aidan's strike. Tadel swung his short sword with his left hand, forcing Aidan to leap back.
"You want to fight an Elf Master while you're so badly wounded?" Tadel twirled his blade.
The standard human longsword was thicker and longer than an elven one, but Tadel had adapted quickly.
"You think too highly of elven swordsmanship!"
The moment he finished speaking, Aidan lunged and engaged Tadel.
To avoid being taken hostage and becoming a burden to Tadel, Annan retreated and heckled him from a distance.
"Why did you stop? Can't keep going?"
"Surrender now and you might still make it back for dinner."
"Does your family know what you've been doing?"
Aidan parried Tadel's rain of blows, then drove him back with a powerful Combat Art. Panting, he glared at Annan. "Shut up! Don't make me crush your lover's soul!"
Annan fell silent.
But even without Annan saying another word, Aidan was nearly spent.
Prince Aidan's skill and strength