EUGENE SCHREIER
The clash of arms reverberated across the expanse, accompanied by brilliant streaks of white lightning that adorned the sky, a vivid backdrop to my relentless engagement with the invading forces. My resolute determination held them at bay, thwarting their attempts to retrieve the coveted fragment.
Leading the adversary ranks was a formidable Voidshade, whose leader was recognised by the name Peachith. Clad in crimson, her eyes gleamed with a fierce scarlet intensity, fueled by her evident ire over my adept evasion of her attacks.
Having been sightless since birth, the visual world has remained a mystery to me. Yet, within the confines of Limbo, I had harnessed the intricate techniques of gravity weaving. This mastery granted me the ability to discern the contours and dimensions of objects by perceiving their gravitational influences and extracting their distinct properties through this peculiar sense.
Augmented by bestowed blessings, I had honed my faculties of hearing and smell, culminating in an enhanced awareness of my surroundings surpassing that of most individuals.
Fatigue gnawed at my resolve, a momentary respite coveted after battling Peachith for an entire hour. The skirmish inched towards its climactic end, a saga of relentless combat that had left me nursing a broken leg and an array of debilitating injuries.
Despite inflicting several wounds upon Peachith, the crimson flow of blood from her injuries appeared paradoxically to invigorate rather than weaken her, an enigmatic phenomenon. Each inflicted wound seemed to stoke her strength, a perplexing occurrence demanding an alternative strategy.
Exasperation underscored Peachith’s voice as she lunged forward, her blood-soaked blade trailing a reddened aura of empowerment.
"I shall not succumb to your persistence!" her cry echoed as her blade exuded an aura infused with her lifeblood.
"I have no tolerance for such vile language from a maiden’s lips," I responded composedly, ascending into the air, my movements rendered weightless through the art of manipulating gravity. This seamless mastery allowed me to deftly evade the lethal crimson gusts generated by her blade’s frenzied strikes.
Undeterred, Peachith pressed on, her blade seeping further blood, augmenting the ferocity of her already formidable attacks.
An escalation ensued, resulting in gusts of wind far more potent than before, saturating the atmosphere with a ruddy hue. Swift anticipation guided my actions; assuming an ethereal form, a blessing bestowed upon me, I became transient like a specter. This spectral state, usable thrice a day, now saw its third and final employment, leaving me with but no remaining usage.
The blood-laden gales swept harmlessly through my intangible being, my form evading their onslaught. In a fluid motion, I propelled myself towards Peachith, our weapons converging in a vivid clash that birthed swirling plumes of smoke, concealing our entangled struggle.
Her crimson blade sliced through the space I had just vacated, a testament to the fluidity of my gravity-driven evasion. Swiftly, I redirected my trajectory, descending upon her from an unexpected angle, my weapon arcing with newfound momentum.
The ground quivered beneath us as I momentarily altered the gravitational pull in the vicinity. Peachith’s footing faltered, a fleeting imbalance that I exploited to launch a counterattack. With a swift swing, my blade connected with hers, the clash resonating like thunder and sending shockwaves through the air.
Capitalising on the disoriented state I had induced, I amplified the gravity around Peachith, momentarily increasing her weight and slowing her movements. It was a split-second advantage, but one that allowed me to land a precise strike—a well-timed blow that grazed her arm.
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Seizing this fleeting moment to my advantage, I clutched onto her sword, enduring the excruciating pain as the blade cut through my hand.
Peachith’s anguished scream pierced the air, her relentless struggle to free her weapon from my grip displaying her sheer determination. Yet I maintained an unwavering hold, driven by a calculated plan that had formed in my mind.
The concept of gravity transcended mere earthly confines; it held sway over the interactions of all matter. Drawing on this profound understanding, I manipulated the gravitational forces between Peachith and her cherished crimson sword. Through this manipulation, I weakened the bond between her and the weapon, enabling me to retain control for a fleeting few seconds. During this brief span, the sword became a conduit, a link to all the bloody wounds she bore.
Harnessing my unique powers, I orchestrated a swift and remarkable feat: the rapid convergence of her blood towards her sword. The once-imperceptible flow of the crimson fluid within her surged with astonishing velocity to her blade, lured by the compelling force I had conjured. My mastery over the attraction between the dense atoms of her blood and the blade facilitated this extraordinary phenomenon.
The result was a powerful jerk that caught me off guard, propelling me away from her as her newfound energy surged.
This calculated utilisation of my powers yielded both promising and ominous outcomes.
On one hand, the relentless flow of her blood towards the blade promised her eventual demise, as she would soon run out of it.
However, the flip side was evident in her rapid augmentation, her strength growing with each passing second due to the blood being utilized. This was vividly demonstrated in her forceful expulsion of my grip, a stark manifestation of her intensified power.
The weight of her scream reverberated as her stature expanded, her aura growing more potent with every heartbeat. She fought desperately to counteract the relentless draw of her blood, attempting to halt the inexorable process.
Yet her efforts were futile as the transformation unfolded, rendering her increasingly pallid and drained. Simultaneously, her form expanded exponentially, a tangible manifestation of the immense energy coursing through her.
In a remarkable twist, I had harnessed her very power against her. The tide of battle had shifted, and now the burden of her overwhelming might threatened to consume her from within. With the stage set, the final chapter of our confrontation unfolded—a contest of endurance, as I endeavoured to outlast her tempestuous surge of strength, relying on my resolve to weather the storm until her colossal power waned.
Midst her thunderous roar, a wave of force cascaded, impacting not only me but also the chaotic fray between void creatures and paladins.
The aftermath was a tableau of destruction, with void entities vanishing in a chaotic burst while valiant paladins succumbed to the overwhelming pressure. The battlefield quaked under the weight of her unleashed power, a testament to the fierce struggle that had now reached its crescendo.
"Fortunately, engaging in combat with you is unnecessary. My objective is simply to outlast you until your demise," I remarked with a subtle smile. The intense clash we had experienced had nearly depleted my reserves, leaving me teetering on the precipice of exhaustion.
Summoning the last dregs of my energy, I unveiled my ultimate trump card.
[3rd Divine Art : Ethereal Confinement]
In an instant, an ethereal cage materialised around her towering form, ensnaring her within its translucent confines. The cage bore the semblance of a cosmic galaxy, a breathtaking visual that belied its formidable nature. This intangible fortress served as a barrier against the relentless might of the Voidshade.
A visceral cry of frustration emanated from her as she launched herself at the cage, her colossal strength directed at shattering her ethereal prison. The cage quivered under the ferocity of her assault, its very essence trembling as it grappled with the unimaginable force of an empowered Voidshade. Her struggle mirrored the brilliance of a dying star, a final burst of luminescence before fading into oblivion.
Over time, fractures began to mar the previously flawless surface of the birdcage, filling me with a palpable sense of dread. Yet an unexpected transformation unfolded before my eyes. Her imposing figure diminished, reverting to its original proportions. A lifeless husk, she crumpled to the ground, her vitality drained by the relentless syphoning of her blood.
Her vacant, lifeless gaze bore into me, sending an eerie chill down my spine. My own strength waned, leaving me incapacitated and vulnerable. My loyal companions and disciples rushed to my side, providing much-needed support as I struggled to regulate my laboured breathing.
In a peculiar twist of fate, the synergy between my unique powers and her inherent vulnerabilities facilitated the downfall of the formidable Voidshade. The threat of Compound 003 had been averted, thanks to the culmination of my strategic prowess and the mastery of my extraordinary abilities.