The Veiled Spectator

After a good nap, Ezra wakes up to a sore body.

The aftereffects of the fight lay prominent as his body still brims with fatigue.

But taking another nap is out of the question.

Ezra rises, groaning as he does.

Grabbing Skyfall, he decides to shake off the fatigue by getting work in with lengthy training.

For one, Ezra knew he couldn’t win against the aberration with normal attacks, that much was made clear in their last bout.

So, he would have to infuse energy into Skyfall and keep it constant, rather than the short explosive bursts he was used to if he wanted the next fight to be anything more than a beat down.

Additionally, its efficient utilization of the light element is also something Ezra special took note of.

How could he not after he was almost turned to dust because of it?

Until now, Ezra used his elements sparsely depending on the situation instead of practising with them to incorporate into fighting style.

Perhaps because of the lack of necessity or simply nonchalance? Regardless, he had now witnessed just how fatal elemental attacks could be once incorporated into fighting styles.

As a result, his perception of its importance was completely overturned.

Because if he had even half of the aberration’s proficiency, he wouldn’t have been beaten so one-sidedly.

In anycase, building proficiency in his elements wasn’t something he could do in a short while.

Therefore, Ezra concentrates on imbuing energy into Skyfall at a constant pace and practises to gain a decent proficiency.

He had already confirmed that Skyfall could bypass the aberration’s defenses when infused with energy during their last fight.

"Keep it constant" he murmurs, focusing his energy and directing it into the blade.

Skyfall brightens, the glow steady at first but flickering as he struggles to maintain the flow.

His fingers tremble slightly, the strain of prolonged control forcing beads of sweat to form on his brow.

This isn’t like the short bursts of power he’s accustomed to.

Maintaining a consistent infusion is a different challenge entirely.

For hours, Ezra practices, the chamber around him echoing with the soft hum of energy coursing through Skyfall.

He swings, slashes, and thrusts, each motion deliberate as he fights to keep the energy steady.

It isn’t just about the blade; it’s about timing, control, and precision.

When the infusion flickers or fades, he adjusts his breathing, re-centering himself.

Of course, with the volume of his energy reserves, it proved to be of little difficulty to Ezra.

The only thing left is to accumulate proficiency and become more efficient at doing it.

With the aberration outclassing him in strength, speed and defense and even recovery with its malleable body and overwhelming attacks, raw force wouldn’t suffice.

Instead, precision and persistence was key to this encounter.

Taking the training to the next level, he shifts his focus to incorporating elemental attacks.

While of course, it wouldn’t lead to significant changes by itself in such a short time, Ezra intends to use them as trump cards in critical moments.

Closing his eyes, he reaches inward.

His connection to the elements is strong yet feels unrefined, being a latent power he has barely tapped into.

Flames flicker along Skyfall’s edge as he incorporates fire into his strikes. The heat pulses outward, scorching the air as he swings again and again.

Then comes lightning—raw and crackling, its jagged arcs intertwining with the blade. Ezra grits his teeth, struggling to balance its unpredictable nature.

Darkness follows, a suffocating shadow that cloaks Skyfall in an eerie shroud.

It feels foreign yet strangely natural in his hands, its oppressive weight countered by the sharp clarity it grants his movements.

Ice is last. It forms a sleek sheen along the blade, each swing leaving trails of frost in its wake.

By the time he stops, his muscles burn, his breath comes in ragged gasps, and his vision blurs from exhaustion.

"Good enough," Ezra mutters, wiping sweat from his brow.

The oppressive air of the third section greets Ezra once more as he steps into the chamber.

The golden hues flickering across the crystalline walls seem brighter than before, as if mocking his return.

The ground beneath his boots feels alive, pulsating faintly with the Aberration’s presence.

Ezra tightens his grip on Skyfall, his senses sharpening as he scans the surroundings.

"Come on," he mutters, his voice steady despite the tension in his chest. "Let’s finish this."

The chamber trembles in response, cracks forming along the crystal floor.

Ezra doesn’t flinch. He knows what’s coming.

Golden light gathers at the center of the room, coalescing into the monstrous form of the crystalline aberration.

Its molten gold plating ripples like liquid, its jagged crystalline limbs shifting unnaturally as it towers over him.

Ezra wastes no time.

Skyfall glows brightly as he channels his energy, the blade blazing with a fusion of fire and lightning.

He charges, his first strike aiming for the aberration’s pulsing core.

The creature shifts, its molten chest forming a shield that absorbs the blow.

Letting off a light beam, Ezra braces himself by tapping off the floor and swerving, already prepared for the attack as it whizzes past him.

The aberration retaliates, its whip-like arm lashing out with blinding speed.

Ezra ducks, the appendage slicing through the air above him.

He counters with a sweep of Skyfall, the blade crackling with lightning as it cuts into the Aberration’s side.

The wound seals almost instantly, molten gold flowing over the gash like water.

Ezra grits his teeth in pain while simultaneously grinning.

Just as he had expected, this wasn’t going to be easy.

The battle intensifies, with the chamber echoing with the clash of energy and crystal.

Ezra weaves through the aberration’s relentless attacks, his movements sharp and precise.

He targets its limbs, hoping to dismantle its appendages one by one.

While he goes against the aberration with his life on the line, another entity spectates.

Ezra weaves through the aberration’s relentless attacks, his movements sharp and precise.

He targets its limbs, hoping to dismantle its appendages one by one.

But the creature is unyielding.

Detached segments of its body form smaller constructs that fly towards Ezra from all sides.

He dispatches them with swift strikes, Skyfall glowing brighter with each swing.

Then, an opportunity.

The aberration’s chest opens, revealing the pulsing core within.

Ezra lunges, Skyfall infused with ice and darkness as he drives it toward the exposed crystal.

But the Aberration reacts faster than he anticipated.

Its chest closes around the core, the molten gold plating sealing it within its body.

Ezra’s blade scrapes against the surface, the impact sending a jarring vibration through his arms.

The glowing crystal, once exposed, is now encased within layers of jagged crystal and molten gold.

Ezra halts his assault, his eyes narrowing. "Hmm!"

The aberration’s actions reveal an intelligence far more than accounted for.

It had been baiting him, luring him to attack the core while preparing a countermeasure.

The realization sends a chill down his spine.

The aberration isn’t some semi intelligent creature; it is a full on predator that is adaptive and cunning.

—----------

Somewhere within the Realm

The mage mastermind smirks, watching the intruder’s struggle, with his energy ebbing with each passing moment.

"You fight valiantly," Alvric murmured, his voice filled with mockery. "But it’s futile. My guardian is far beyond your capability"

His crimson eyes gleamed with satisfaction. "Let’s see how long you can last before despair consumes you"

Despite saying and acting like such, the mage bony index finger kept tapping the staff he currently leans on, utilizing it as a walking stick.

"Even so" he mutters. "You’ve surprised me twice already...it wouldn’t be unideal to expect a third occurrence..."

To this, the man’s eyes glow, radiating wickedness.

"In that case" he nods, nonchalantly speaking. "I should be prepared to deal with you myself"

Making this declaration, the mage continues to spectate, watching and studying his prey from the shadows.

—----------

Despite its new defenses, the core remains visible—a noticeable bulge beneath the aberration’s warped exterior.

It shifts with the creature’s movements, its pulsating light sparsely visible through the thin layer of black and gold skin.

A plan forms in Ezra’s mind, aimed to exploit this vulnerability.

The fight drags on, each exchange of blows leaving both combatants worse for wear.

The aberration’s attacks grow more erratic, its form distorting further as it stretches its skin, shaping it into a variety of weapons.

Ezra’s body screams in protest, his energy reserves dwindling.

Blood trickles from a gash on his forehead, blurring his vision as he presses on.

He targets the bulging area with relentless strikes, forcing the aberration to stay on the defensive.

The creature responds with unrelenting aggression.

Its detached limbs and constructs attack in unison, a coordinated effort to overwhelm Ezra.

He counters with bursts of ice, ensnaring the smaller constructs in ice upon contact and shattering them.

The aberration lashes out with its whip-arm, aiming for Skyfall once more.

Ezra anticipates the move, dodging deftly and retaliates with a sweeping strike that cleaves through the appendage, to which it splatters across the chamber floor, sizzling.

Finally, an opening.

The aberration lashes out with its whip-like arm, overextending in its desperation.

Ezra sidesteps the attack, his movements fluid despite his exhaustion.

Instinctively, Ezra snaps Skyfall into its twin swords form, and channels a massive amount of energy into one of them as he drives the blade toward the core’s bulge.

In response, the aberration shapes his skin into a spike that shoots towards Ezra’s face, looking to skewer his skull.

Closing in, Ezra uses the left sword to parry this spike, creating sparks as both edges grated against each other, allowing him to close in.

Using the right sword, the strike lands with a deafening crack as the blade pierces through the molten plating and into the crystal within.

The aberration screeches and immediately leaps backwards, retreating to a safe distance.

Its body visibly convulses as cracks spread from the point of contact.

But the crack doesn’t spread to its entire body, covering only about half of its skin.

Evidently, Ezra had failed to inflict a blow large enough to shatter the crystal in one go, much to his frustration.

While the strain on his body had certainly increased, Ezra estimates that the aberration isn’t further off either.

But as he would resume the battle...

A sound reverberates throughout the cove.

A clapping sound.

Instantly, Ezra is on guard for whichever entity aimed to intrude in their fight.

It doesn’t take long for the newcomer to identify himself.

Shedding of the darkness concealing him as he walks out of a tunnel, the light of the cove illuminates his body, showcasing his appearance in full.

His appearance strikes an unsettling balance between grace and decay.

Long, silver hair cascades over a gaunt face with angular features that hint at elven ancestry, yet his complexion is sallow, almost corpse-like, as if drained of vitality.

Crimson eyes gleam with a malevolent light, glowing faintly against the pallid skin of his hollowed cheeks.

A faint, bluish energy pulses beneath his translucent skin, tracing veins that twist and turn like rivers of corrupted power.

His robes, though meticulously maintained, flow like liquid midnight, their edges adorned with faintly glowing runes that seem to ripple in the chamber’s dim light.

A high collar frames his thin neck, the fabric pristine but suffused with an aura of menace.

"Pardon my intrusion. But just as I expected, you are quite the spectacle" the mage begins, his voice smooth yet hollow, like the resonance of a bell struck in an empty hall. "I did have doubts. But to think you could actually destroy a heart of perdition"

He claps slowly, the sound echoing unnaturally through the chamber.

"To force my creation into such a state—it is a feat worthy of respect."

Ezra freezes mid-step, Skyfall glowing dimly in his hands.

His breath comes in shallow gasps as he steadies himself, his gaze locking onto the intruder.

That voice, while with a lower pitch, was unforgettable.

Ezra recognized him immediately.

"So you’ve finally decided to stop hiding"

"What?" The elf retorts with an incredulous expression, covering his face with his palm as he lets off bursts of laughter before parting two of his fingers to reveal a glaring crimson eye.

"I was never hiding"

Taking his palm off his face, the smile had been wiped clean off, leaving only a condescending gaze radiating palpable rage.

Like a lie, the tension dies out instantly, reverting the atmosphere to a light state.

The mage’s crimson eyes flit briefly to the aberration, then back to Ezra.

He tilts his head, studying the young warrior as though inspecting a peculiar artifact.

"But you misunderstand," he continues, a faint smile curling his thin lips. "This fight is not yours to win"

Ezra tightens his grip on Skyfall, sweat dripping from his brow. "Says who?"

"I’ve been watching you" The mage declares, snickering a sound like that of a dry rasp.

"Every step, every strike—it has been fascinating, truly. But I cannot allow you to destroy my masterpiece"

He gestures toward the aberration, its form still writhing as it struggles to repair itself.

"Do you have any idea how long it took to perfect that creation? How many failures paved its path?"

"You say that like I’m supposed to care" Ezra responds, spitting out the blood in his mouth.

"No matter" the elf responds. "Your death is already set in stone"