The battlefield was eerily still, as though the air itself hesitated to move in the presence of the two figures standing at its center. Val—or rather, Deleo, now in full control—stood shrouded in swirling tendrils of shadows, his obsidian-rank pin glinting faintly against the stark black of his cloak. Across from him, Obsidian loomed, his Void-tainted energy pulsating like a living thing, distorting the air with its toxic malice.
Deleo's voice crackled over the Mind Link, sharp and resonant.
General Luis, instruct the soldiers to retreat immediately. This is not their fight.
At HQ Command, General Luis nodded curtly, his sharp gaze fixed on the holoscreen. "Understood. All units in the central sector, fall back to the outer perimeter. Reinforcements, hold your position. No one advances unless ordered."
The command relayed swiftly, and on the battlefield, the soldiers began their retreat. Their movements were quick but cautious, their eyes darting nervously between the two towering presences. The oppressive aura emanating from both combatants was suffocating, a force that made even the most seasoned among them falter.
One officer hesitated, glancing back at Deleo. His voice was shaky but resolute. "Sir, are you sure—?"
Deleo's shadowed form didn't turn, but his voice cut through the question with finality.
"Go."
The officer stiffened, then saluted hastily before falling back with the others.
Within moments, the battlefield was empty save for Deleo and Obsidian, the tension between them crackling like a storm waiting to break.
Obsidian tilted his head, a cold smile spreading across his face.
His Void-tainted energy surged outward, creating an aura of chaos that writhed like flames. The ground beneath him blackened further, the corrupted energy pulsing with every step he took toward Deleo.
"So, the true face of the ARM user reveals itself," Obsidian sneered. His voice carried the weight of arrogance, amplified by the distortion of Void-tainted resonance. "Or should I say… whatever you are. You speak of power as though it belongs to you. But look around—your power bends to my will, not yours."
Deleo stood motionless, the shadows around him coiling tightly, as if sensing the gravity of the confrontation. His voice rumbled, deep and resonant, cutting through the tension like a blade.
"You defile the Void with your arrogance, mortal. You wield what you do not understand, what was never meant for hands as unworthy as yours."
Obsidian's laughter echoed, cold and mocking. "And you presume to lecture me? Power is taken, not given. You of all beings should know that."
With a sudden burst of motion, Obsidian lunged forward.
His movements were impossibly fast, a blur of Void-tainted energy that distorted the air in his wake. To the soldiers observing from afar, it was an instant, a mere blink. But for Deleo, the attack unraveled in slow motion.
The tendrils of Void-tainted energy snaked toward him, jagged and pulsating with malice.
Deleo's perception, honed by millennia of existence, saw every movement with crystal clarity. He sidestepped with precision, each motion fluid and deliberate, as though choreographed.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
Obsidian's attack struck the ground where Deleo had stood, erupting in a thunderous blast that sent debris soaring into the air. Shadows flickered and warped as Deleo reappeared several meters away in a seamless Void teleportation.
Obsidian snarled, his expression twisting with irritation. "Running already? Is that all your power amounts to?"
Without waiting for a reply, Obsidian vanished in a blur of dark energy, reappearing directly behind Deleo. His hand crackled with Void-tainted force, aimed to strike with lethal precision.
Deleo spun, his shadows lashing out like whips to deflect the attack. The tendrils collided with Obsidian's strike, sending a shockwave rippling outward. The force carved deep fissures into the ground, the sound reverberating like a clap of thunder.
The two figures stood momentarily locked, their energies clashing in a brilliant display of power. Then, with a sudden burst of force, Deleo dissipated into shadows, reappearing a safe distance away.
Obsidian's grin widened, his voice dripping with mockery. "Surprised? Did you think you were the only one who could command the Void?"
Deleo's shadows writhed more aggressively, responding to his simmering rage. But instead of retaliating, he remained still, his voice cutting through the air like a blade.
"You mimic its power, but you will never master it. Your every movement reeks of desperation, of fear disguised as strength."
Obsidian's Void-tainted energy flared, his movements becoming increasingly erratic yet devastatingly effective. He unleashed a barrage of tendrils, their jagged edges slicing through the air with terrifying speed and precision.
Deleo's evasion was almost effortless, his shadowed form flickering in and out of existence as he teleported across the battlefield. Each movement was calculated, each sidestep measured to avoid wasting energy.
But Obsidian's ferocity escalated. He appeared directly in Deleo's path, slamming a concussive wave of Void-tainted force into the ground. The resulting shockwave shattered nearby debris and sent tremors rippling outward.
Deleo's shadows surged upward, forming a barrier that absorbed the impact. The collision sent fragments of energy spiraling into the air, their brilliance illuminating the desolate battlefield.
Obsidian lunged again, his laughter echoing across the wasteland. "You hide behind tricks and illusions! Fight me, you coward!"
Deleo didn't respond immediately. He sidestepped another blow, his movements still impossibly precise.
Obsidian's next strike was met with a flicker of shadow that redirected the energy harmlessly into the ground.
When Deleo finally spoke, his voice carried the weight of millennia.
"You misunderstand, mortal. This is not evasion. This is observation. A creature like you does not deserve the satisfaction of a hasty demise."
Obsidian roared, his frustration evident as he unleashed another devastating wave of Void-tainted energy. The pulse consumed the battlefield, its raw power obliterating anything in its path.
Deleo raised a hand, and the shadows responded, rising like a tidal wave to meet the onslaught.
The energies clashed violently, the resulting explosion sending a deafening shockwave across the battlefield.
Obsidian's fury reached a boiling point. With a guttural roar, he slammed both hands into the ground, sending tendrils of Void-tainted energy spiraling outward. The ground fractured violently, the air filled with the sound of groaning earth and cracking stone.
Deleo's shadows surged, forming a towering barrier that absorbed the destructive energy. The collision created a brilliant explosion of light and darkness, sending debris and dust spiraling into the air.
When the dust settled, Deleo stood unmoving, his form an unwavering silhouette against the chaos.
Obsidian's taunts faltered, his grin replaced by a grimace of frustration. He steadied himself, his Void-tainted energy flaring wildly. "You're stalling," he growled. "Do you think it will save you?"
Deleo took a single step forward, his shadows rippling with renewed intensity.
"No, mortal. I stall to understand. To see how far you have fallen. To see the depths of your corruption."
He took another step forward, his shadows rippling with renewed intensity.
"And now I see it clearly. You are not a wielder of power. You are its slave."
Obsidian's grin faltered for the first time, his expression flickering with something close to uncertainty. He steadied himself, his Void-tainted energy flaring as he prepared for another assault.
Deleo's voice carried on, a rumble of finality that seemed to echo through the very air.
"This is how my power is wielded—not by unworthy hands, but by the chosen heir. And you, mortal, are nothing but an abomination."
The battlefield fell silent, the tension thicker than ever. The air itself seemed to hold its breath, the next moment poised to erupt into a storm unlike any before.