(Negary pov )
'It's only a matter of time now...' I thought as my sword danced through the emptiness of the hall, a rhythmic display of controlled power, as if painting strokes of arcane energy upon an invisible canvas. Each swing carried the potency of infused soul energy, resulting in a cascade of flying slashes that darted through the air, weaving a complex pattern as they homed in on their target.
The puppet, still reattaching its severed leg, faced the onslaught as well as it possibly could.
She attempted to dodge the relentless flying sword slashes with swift and acrobatic finesse. Pivoting on her remaining leg, she executed a graceful somersault in the air, narrowly avoiding the razor-sharp edges of the spectral blades.
Then, in a bid to increase the distance between us, she easily stabbed her bladed hands into the ground, using them as a lever to propel herself further away. Seeing no benefit in allowing her to rest, I walked forward purposefully, not pausing my assault even as I threw a small bundle of wildfire (courtesy of an unlucky alchemist in King's Landing) at the severed leg whom the Waif didn't get the chance to reattach completely.
It turned to ash almost instantly, which was impressive for some ordinary fire sprinkled with a bit of mana...
'The puppet master doesn't seem to be able to control its puppet's limbs after they have been cut off...but why take an unnecessary risk?'
Turning most of my attention towards my supposed enemy once more, I observed as she attempted to counterattack, judging her chances at dodging to be suboptimal.
The puppet's soulless eyes seemed to pulse with, ironically enough, soul energy as she crossed her obsidian blades. Their edge, dripping with chaotic power could make one almost forget they were wielded by a cripple.
'Acting strong when weak, hmm? Hopefully, she isn't hiding other trump cards...who am I kidding, of course she is...'
But then again...so was I...
And so we clashed, dark menacing slashes oversaturated with soul energy striking against ethereal purple ones. The collision unleashed an explosive spectacle, obliterating each other in mid-air as shockwaves reverberated through the hall. Each clash sent ripples of power coursing through the surroundings, leaving behind a trail of debris and disrupted echoes. The force was so intense that the faces adorning the walls found themselves torn apart, their silent expressions shattered by the chaotic echoes of our duel.
A duel whose fate was becoming more obvious with each passing second. The Waif puppet was fast and nimble, so much so that she would embarrass her alive counterpart easily, even while lacking a certain part of her body. She had a high amount of physical strength as well, enhanced as it was by the seemingly endless soul energy pouring from above. But her usage of that very energy was...sluggish... and that was putting it mildly.
Though imbued with soul energy, her attacks moved with an obvious delay, their trajectory not as swift and precise as one would expect. It was as if the puppet struggled to harness the full potential of the soul energy, a tethered connection that hindered the seamless execution of her prowess.
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'This spirit doesn't seem to be used to fighting like this...most likely its enemies didn't pose a challenge whenever it,,descended,,.
Each swing of the obsidian blades, though formidable, carried a hint of hesitation, a disconnect between intention and execution. And it wasn't long until bits and pieces of its body started falling off, cleanly severed by purple soul energy...a few fingers, a patch of skin...half of its torso...the attacks showed no mercy as they systematically dismantled the puppet's form. Each severed fragment, bathed in the haunting glow of the soul energy, scattered across the battlefield.
And yet the puppet pressed on, mechanical, unfazed by the disintegration of its form. The detached expression on its face remained an enigmatic mask, revealing no hint of distress or acknowledgment of its imminent demise.
If this weakness was caused by a simple lack of skill, or due to the distance between the puppet and its controller, I didn't particularly care...
'To be fair, this is by far the strongest being I have encountered, and while I'm not really close to my limit, escalating this could prove dangerous...' I thought as the puppet attempted one last trick, abandoning its offensive strategy and molding its impressive amount of soul energy and mana into a defensive structure, intent on stalling for long enough to heal.
An obsidian shield materialized before her, taking shape from her blades, and quickly enveloping her battered form, forming something akin to...an egg...
The ethereal structure emanated overwhelming darkness, an inky veil that seemed to absorb and devour the little ambient light that remained in the hall. The egg-like structure bore a scaly, sharp appearance, its surface adorned with angular patterns reminiscent of an otherworldly armor. The scales, etched with an obsidian sheen, seemed to shimmer with an eerie luminosity, casting an unsettling glow. The air around it quivered with an ominous energy, as if the shield itself possessed a malevolent consciousness. The sharp edges of the scales hinted at a formidable defense, yet there was an unmistakable undercurrent of menace—a latent power waiting to be unleashed...
'We are rapidly approaching the,,Run the fuck away,, territory, huh?' I thought sarcastically and yet not...because more than anything I had ever felt ever since arriving in this world...this thing exuded an aura of danger.
'Did she finally gather enough soul energy for whatever this is?' A small part of me wondered, but the greater part recognized the puppeteer's gesture for what it truly signified...
Slowly, without taking my attention away from the ominous egg sitting in the middle of the hall, I commanded my flesh golem to turn around and slowly walk towards the exit of the hall faces. I felt the pulse of the soul energy attempting to hinder my advance, a dark mist which attempted to envelop me. Yet, with a casual wave of my ethereal sword, I effortlessly severed the spectral bonds that sought to restrain me.
As my flesh golem approached the exit, I remained vigilant, ready to face any unforeseen challenges that might emerge from the darkness...but nothing more appeared.
'Hiding away, stopping its attacks, even though it seemed so aggressive in the beginning...what else could it mean if not surrender?'
The cage of soul energy surrounding the hall thickened in a futile attempt to impede my progress. However, with a single swing, I shattered the encroaching darkness, carving a path through the tainted mana.
The hall's empty faces, witness to the unfolding spectacle, remained frozen in their ghostly expressions as I approached the exit with a determined stride. The air was thick with the remnants of ethereal clashes, a haunting presence that lingered like a ghostly whisper in the once-grand hall. The fissures on the walls seemed to weave a tapestry of destruction, each crack telling a silent story of the intense battle that had unfolded within these sacred walls. Collapsed statues, once symbols of faith, now lay in disarray, their shattered remnants scattered like forgotten memories. The priests of the House of Black and White, the Faceless, were scattered around the hall, their broken bodies shattered from the fight of two greater beings. The poisoned fountain, in which so many had found the sweet release from life, was now empty...drained...its enchanting waters nowhere to be seen.
Amidst this desolation, the darkened egg stood as a focal point, pulsing with an ominous power that resonated with the silence...Not a single sound could be heard as the one who caused all this destruction stood a step away from freedom...
'But freedom is but a fleeting mirage, a comforting illusion crafted for the weak to cloak their insecurities and embrace a false sense of safety...so fuck it...I need information, even if it means tempting Murphy a little bit...'
And so I stood unmoving, even as the cage of soul energy regenerated, trapping me once more.
But the feral smile on my face didn't recede even a tiny bit...it was time to put my acting skills to another test...and so I spoke, my voice echoing throughout the emptiness.
"Before I take my inevitable leave, my dear friend...why don't we play a little game, hmmm?" The words, spoken with a sinister cadence, hung in the air like an ominous promise.
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A.N :
'Now, it's time to start training more seriously, to reach the peak means I have to sacrifice some things like personal enjoyment. But sacrifices are nothing to reach the peak, a power so vast you could alter reality on a whim, a power so incomprehensible infinity is a breeze to create, a power so unobtainable you could grant wishes akin to a god.' He thought, looking at the shining moon reflected on the river as if he wanted to attain the moon for himself.