"Pray tell, how did a mortal like you get through something that we had thought was closed for centuries?" The figure grasped its chin as it gazed at Claude, a dark grin spreading across its face, curiosity and bloodlust seeping from its gleaming eyes.

Claude's mind spun, but not from fear—instead, a mixture of confusion and irritation boiled within him. His breath came in controlled bursts as he tried to piece together the puzzle.

"You knew I was here…? No, you led me here…!" Claude muttered as the realisation hit him. "The two guards disappearing, the room with that crimson pool appearing out of nowhere, and the doors...they were all locked, trapping me here like a rat in a maze…"

Clap.

Clap.

The sound echoed through the dark chamber like thunder, each clap deliberate and mocking. "Colour me surprised; you figured it out!" It chuckled, a sinister glint flickering in his black sclera.

"You're right, of course. The moment you set foot in this castle of mine, I felt your presence like a whisper in the wind. Though, I admit, I am surprised you survived this long. You humans are usually...so fragile."

"Your...castle?" Claude repeated, a spark of annoyance flickering in his chest. He already knew the answer, but the fact that he was so easily manipulated grated on his nerves.

The monster's twisted smile widened. "Yes, my castle. You, poor soul, are in Limbo—a realm bridging the gap between your precious material plane and subspace." His voice dripped with amusement as if Claude's struggle was nothing more than a passing entertainment. "This place is no sanctuary, boy. It's a prison, and now...you are trapped."

Claude felt the weight of the situation pressing down on him, but instead of succumbing to panic, he clenched his fists, frustration building.

How had he allowed himself to be played so easily? He refused to let this creature see him as a mere pawn.

"And who are you exactly?" Claude asked, fighting to steady his breathing. Every second he could buy was a second closer to a plan forming in his mind.

"Ah, I see you wish to know the name of your executioner before the end." The monster rose from its throne, its lanky, towering form casting a long shadow over the chamber. "I am Ag'ourth, Reaper of a Thousand Souls, The Shadow of Despair... and a servant of the Shadowfiend." His voice boomed like a death knell.

Ag'ourth's claws gleamed as he stepped forward. "Now, mortal, how is it that you wish to die?"

Claude's lips pressed into a thin line. He forced a smirk, his annoyance leaking through. "Of old age?" His voice carried a note of sarcasm as if the situation was more of an inconvenience than a life-threatening danger.

The amusement drained from Ag'ourth's eyes, replaced by a cold fury. "Are you mocking me, human?"

Before Claude could even utter a response, Ag'ourth vanished. A blur of black and crimson appeared in front of him—those serrated, blackened claws aimed straight for Claude's throat.

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Instinct screamed at him to move, but his body refused to respond. It felt as though his blood was sluggish, bound by some invisible force. The Bloodborne... Claude's thoughts raced.

In the depths of his mind, information about the Bloodborne told by Karl floated into his thoughts.

The higher-ranked ones can control the blood of their enemies. That's what Ag'ourth is doing...

In a desperate attempt to survive, Claude summoned all his mental energy. His mind strained, and with a surge of will, a rotating dome of water burst into existence around him. The dome whirled at incredible speed, deflecting Ag'ourth's deadly strike.

Clang!

Ag'ourth's claws met the swirling water, recoiling with a metallic shriek. Shock flickered across the monster's twisted features. "What?! A mage? How did a mage escape from that cursed place? It's under a temporal lockdown!"

Claude's mind caught on the strange words, but there was no time to dwell. Ag'ourth clicked his tongue in annoyance and retreated several steps. Raising a hand, he summoned the blood from the crimson fountains around the room. It coalesced into dark, gleaming chains that shot towards Claude with terrifying speed.

Claude gritted his teeth as the shackles of blood wrapped around his water dome. Ag'ourth's voice slithered through the air, mocking him. "You don't really think this turtle shell of yours is impregnable, do you?"

The chains began to spin in the opposite direction of the water's current, tightening with relentless pressure. The dome cracked, groaning under the strain, until finally—

Shatter!

The sound was a sharp, glass-like explosion, as droplets of water scattered in all directions. Claude barely had time to brace himself as the force sent him stumbling back.

Ag'ourth moved with eerie grace, dodging Claude's desperate attempts to fight back and rapidly closed the ground between them. Spears of water collided with the blood chains in a relentless barrage, each strikes more desperate than the last.

At a certain point, Claude had condensed so much water he didn't need to make any more, now he just had to manipulate the water that had seeped onto the floor.

'This can help mitigate my consumption, but...'

Claude's breath grew ragged; his mental energy was nearly spent. He couldn't keep up this pace much longer. He knew he had to end it—now before his power completely gave out.

With a final surge of mental energy, he conjured a massive cage of water around both himself and Ag'ourth, the swirling tendrils closing in like a tightening vice.

Ag'ourth laughed cruelly. "A last, desperate move? What a fool! How dare you face me in close quarters? Come now, obediently surrender your life to me!" He lunged, his claws aimed for Claude's chest.

Claude's eyes widened as he saw the claws draw ever closer but at this point, a smile appeared on his face.

I got you.

Claude mouthed as Ag'ourth paused, his eyes wide with confusion. "What...what is this?!" he snarled. He pulled back, only to find his claws stuck, embedded in the ground in front of Claude. His strike had missed—entirely.

"How...?" Ag'ourth growled, enraged.

Claude gripped the wrist of the hand that had pierced the floor. His lips curled into a grim smile. "I may not be as strong as you, but at least I'm not as foolish," he whispered through gritted teeth.

With a flick of his fingers, a blade of water formed in the air. It condensed, sharpened, and in one swift, precise move—it cleaved through Ag'ourth's neck.

The monster's head toppled to the ground, his eyes wide with disbelief as his body crumpled beside it.

Claude collapsed to his knees, panting heavily, exhaustion and fatigue slowly climbing through his frame. He grimaced in pain but managed to smirk. "Luckily...I used the Air Telescope spell," he muttered.

Normally the Air Telescope spell was solely auxiliary in nature. Yet, in this desperate situation, Claude used it on Ag'ourth instead of himself.

By creating lenses of heated air to distort Ag'ourth's perception of distance, he managed to catch his foe off guard.

As Claude tried to catch his breath, the ground beneath him began to quake. The walls of the chamber groaned as if the entire realm itself was reacting to Ag'ourth's demise. This realm called Limbo was falling apart.

Claude clenched his fists, pushing himself to his feet. "Really...? I just can't seem to catch a breath, huh?" he muttered to himself. He had to find a way out—before this crumbling realm buried him along with it.