As Fangir, rolled and examined the field for an advantage, he might notice the Champion take a two short, slow steps, a bemused smile if he glanced upwards to see that. In his left hand, some sort of icy projectile beginning to coalesce. When the briars came up from the ground, the Champion stumbled, his smile faltering, and the projectile dissipating as his concentration broke. As Fangir raised his voice and his dagger, the Champion's visage was of fear, the rocks readied. They launched and...

Smile.

~~

Soran would hear the shattering of ice behind him, and the swish of projectiles. If he turned a bunch of shards of unmelting ice, a few of them, would be flying at him, and the Champion's figure, heavily shrouded identifiable only by his distinct silhouette, visible in the mist. Fangir was still nowhere to be seen.

~~

Fangir might have a chance to recognize what was really going on now, as the real Champion materialized out of the mist behind him and slammed a gauntlet into his now slowed flesh from behind, while the illusion veiled ice sculpture in front of him, designed to guide Fangir's attacks towards Soran, melted instantly away. The gauntlet, though unable to penetrate the oaken flesh, sent mystic ice flooding over his limbs to restrict Fangir's form and magic. The Champions form also began armoring itself in ice, as though he expected to whether an attack.

"Mmm... n'rather than seek vengeance on those responsible for blood, you sought vengeance on those responsible for stealin'. We've all got blood on our 'ands, aye?" The Champion whispered. "Speakin' o which, your buddy's about to have a bit more blood on his hands. I'm betting fireball. Also betting you burn quicker'n I.

The whole plan had been a misdirection or, as Gau and the Champion put it, a "draw card". While maintain the mist field of illusions to isolate Soran and Fangir from the outside battle, the Champion didn't have enough raw power left over to also fight Fangir and Soran both. So, the illusions would serve him by making Soran and Fangir fight.