Editing Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume9 Chapter3 (section)

===Part 2===

"...The wind blows with much hindrance, this place."

Her ponytail swaying in the wind, Ellis murmured with a surprised expression.

The spatial Leap had transported Ellis to the interior of a massive building in the ruins.

This was a place like a great hall, covered all over by a collapsing ceiling.

In the center of the hall, the crumbling remains of an altar stood there in a pile. Very likely, this place was used as a shrine in ancient times to make offerings to spirits.

"O Wind--"

Ellis spread her arms in the air and summoned the wind.

But the wind that usually responded to her call was silent now.

All she could hear were faint background noises.

(...I cannot sense the presence of spirits. The leylines have also been ripped completely apart, right?)

She gnashed her teeth in her mind.

--A battlefield site from the Spirit War. One would find it difficult to imagine such a place as appropriate for performing blade dances in offering.

The Elemental Lords, why would they select a place like this as the stage for the most important festival ceremony?

(...Anyway, I must hurry and meet up with Kamito and the rest.)

Although she had been sending out ''Wind'' for reconnaissance, under such conditions of chaotic leylines, they probably could not fly very far.

As expected, she had to search on her own two feet.

In order to walk out of these ruins, Ellis turned to the massive stairway in the hall. Just at this moment.

The wind shuddered slightly.

"...!?"

Ellis halted immediately and tensed her body.

(--Someone is approaching?)

She instantly summoned her demon wind spirit Simorgh, releasing it as her elemental waffe Ray Hawk.

With wind swirling around the spear tip, she stayed high alert of her surroundings.

(There is no sign of anyone near, however...)

Instantly, the ground beneath her shook.

(...Down below!?)

Ellis instantly made the decision to chant Flight magic and jumped directly upwards.

Immediately, a giant plant emerged from the position where she had been standing.

Numerous wriggling vines extended and chased after Ellis as she flew through the air.

"What--!"

Faced with the unexpected attack, Ellis reacted an instant too slow.

The vines swiftly entangled her ankle and dragged Ellis towards the ground.

"Watch this--"

Turning Ray Hawk around in a backhand grip in midair, she severed the vines--

However, in the next instant, she was suddenly struck with searing pain.

(...This is paralytic poison!?)

Her concentration broken, Flight magic dispelled, Ellis fell straight towards the ground.

Just as her body was about to crash onto the surface--

"--Evil winds, go and rampage!" 

Ellis unleashed Ray Hawk's full power.

The released tempest sliced open the ground, protecting Ellis from the impact of her fall.

Rolling on the ground, Ellis tried to stand up but her movements were hindered by one paralyzed leg.

"Guh, what on earth..."

A massive plant that suddenly burrowed out from the ground.

In the center where a vivid red flower blossomed--

"--Using wind to neutralize the impact. Not bad at all."

A girl stood upright.

"You... are...!"

Mysterious jade-green hair. Ominous red eyes shining with the light of disaster.

Ellis had seen that appearance of hers, dressed in the Theocracy's military uniform, at the True Sanctuary before the main event.

(I remember her, a member of Team Inferno--)

Although she had covered her face with a hood back then -- There could be no mistake.

Those sharp and pointy ears were the characteristics of the Elfim race.

"...Tsk, there was not supposed to be any presence of elementalists in the area--"

"Oh, you mean those wind spirits you released in the surroundings? How could those things possibly locate one such as I who has been specially trained in covert operations?"

The girl shrugged as if it could not be helped.

"Indeed, wind elementalists are excellent for gathering intelligence and searching for the enemy. However, whether in the use of spirits or concealment of your presence, you are rather amateur."

(...So my location was found by a reverse trace...!)

As a knight, Ellis was not an expert in intelligence in the first place. Even though she had undergone training for the sake of the Blade Dance, it was true that she could improve her flexibility in the usage of wind.

Even so, she never expected her location to be discovered so easily--

Ellis once again examined the girl's contracted spirit.

A spirit in the form of a fearsome plant -- undoubtedly it was a minion possessing the earth attribute.

(...The earth attribute, in other words, the type to search for enemies by sensing vibrations in the ground, right?)

The Elfim race had superior hearing compared to ordinary humans. Following the sound of footsteps, pinpointing the location probably was not a very difficult task.

(My opponent appears to be alone, however...)

Using Ray Hawk for support, Ellis stood up unsteadily. Her left leg was hurting but at least the sensation of pain implied that the leg was not completely paralyzed.

(...What should I do?)

The girl before her was a member of the strongest team participating, Team Inferno.

However, since this girl was an elementalist specializing in intelligence gathering, her combat ability should not be too high. If this girl, in charge of seeking out the enemy, was defeated here, then they could fight Team Inferno under more favorable conditions--

(However...)

Ellis halted this line of thinking at the very edge.

During the meeting, Team Scarlet had decided -- Never fight a battle alone.

Within their team, Ellis was the only one able to use search type magic. If she were defeated here, the team's gathering would be delayed greatly.

(Compared to a knight's honor, my companion's victory is currently more important--!)

Instantly making her decision, Ellis chanted a spirit language incantation.

"O Wind, sweep away mine enemies -- Wind Bombs!"

Instantly, intense shockwaves of wind were released from Ellis' hands.

However, the target was not the girl before her.

The violent mass of wind blew up the sand and dirt on the ground, obscuring visibility in a large area.

At the same time, Ellis jumped toward the great stairway at the entrance to the ruins.

Using the momentum of the strong winds she instantly left the scene--

(...Guh, my leg!?)

However, intense pain suddenly flared up once more.

The paralytic poison seemed to be truly taking effect now.

--However, she could not stop.

If she failed to make use of this sudden attack to escape, there was probably no other chance.

"I won't let you escape. Catch her, demon tree spirit Titania!"

Amidst the cloud of sand and dust, numerous vines chased after Ellis.

"--Tsk, evil winds, go and rampage!"

Looking back, Ellis immediately swung Ray Hawk.

The released blades of wind instantly chopped apart the vines.

"That kind of thing--"

However, the demon tree spirit's vines instantly regenerated. Then split into several bundles, they attacked as if trying to entangle Ellis' body.

"I am the witch who gallops across the blue sky -- Air Wings!"

Just as she was about to be captured by a prison of vines, Ellis chanted magic for high speed flight.

Instantly releasing the wind gathered around her feet, she flew as fast as she could to a spot near the ceiling of the great hall.

(That demon tree spirit's attack range should not be unlimited--)

I will take this opportunity to escape outside -- Just as Ellis was thinking that to herself.

Amidst the dust cloud that obscured visibility, something flashed.

(...A knife!?)

Ellis frantically attempted to evade--

However, it was impossible to rapidly adjust one's posture in midair.

The knife's blade grazed her chest armor, producing a grating metallic noise.

(It missed? No--)

Suddenly, killing intent could be sensed -- ''coming from above Ellis in flight''.

"What--!"

Looking up at the collapsing ceiling, Ellis was rendered speechless.

Wielding a knife in reverse grip, the girl kicked against the ceiling surface and descended rapidly.

(Did she use Flight magic as well!?)

--No, that's impossible.

The demon tree spirit was without a doubt an earth attribute minion.

The system under the earth attribute should not contain any Flight magic.

"Take this--!"

Ellis hastily swiveled Ray Hawk and used the shaft to block the knife strike--

"--How naive. Such stale and old-fashioned knightly combat techniques."

The girl used the spear shaft as support to make a leap.

Once again, she kicked the ceiling to rapidly reverse her direction and unleashed an even more penetrating slash.

(...This type of movement is!?)

Ellis suddenly noticed.

--They were very similar to Kamito's.

Different from normal combat skills, they involved unrestrained three-dimensional movement in myriad forms.

"Could this be the same as Kamito--"

"The same? That would be rather rude to him--"

In that instant, the directly thrust knife made a shallow slash across Ellis' arm.

The wound itself was not critical. But immediately--

"...Ooh, ah...!'

Intense pain traveled all over her body like an electrical current.

Seizing this momentary opening, numerous vines restrained Ellis' entire body, tying her up into a bundle and dragging her along the ground.

"...Ah, guh..."

Sharp thorns tore through Ellis' tights and buried into her flesh, completely immobilizing her.

Completely deprived of her freedom, Ellis watched as the demon tree spirit user landed quietly.

"Number Seven of the Instructional School -- the 'Venom'<!--蠱毒-->, Lily Flame."

"...!"

"First I shall start with disposing of you--"

The vines entangling Ellis' body all moved at once.