Crack.
A sound like splitting stone tore through the clearing as the abomination's blow descended—a thunderous strike meant to crush bone, to pulp flesh.
But that wasn't what it met.
At the last possible moment, an ethereal light began to exude out of Theon. The soft, radiant glow emanated from his chest, spreading outwards in gentle waves. The light was warm and soothing, casting a serene, otherworldly ambiance within the decaying room. It grew brighter and more intense, illuminating the dark corners and chasing away the shadows.
The [Aetheric Mirage Ward] of the Ouroboros Ring had activated.
'Finally.'
As the light intensified, it began to coalesce around Theon, forming a delicate, shimmering barrier. The barrier started as a thin, translucent film, pulsating with an inner luminescence. It gradually thickened, becoming more substantial and defined. The surface of the barrier shimmered like liquid crystal, reflecting the light in a dazzling array of colors.
A wave of warmth flooded Theon, a dizzying rush as raw energy surged from the Ouroboros ring. His torn muscles knitted, the sharp aches in his bones faded, and the exhaustion that had weighed him down evaporated, leaving him feeling as if he'd just awoken from a deep, restorative sleep. Like a dried sponge thrown into the middle of an oasis, his being absorbed everything it could to recover.
Another strike. Another deflection. The ward held, but the air around it screamed with strain. The abomination's rage mounted, each blow weaker, clumsier—yet Theon knew.
This was borrowed time.
The ring's power was waning. He had to use this opportunity to end the battle once and for all. His daggers were shattered when being used to slow his fall, Theon's only choice was what he had in his spatial rings: his only weapon was Emeric's saber. The others? Useless. They were far too powerful for him.
Theon exhaled.
A saber. Of all the damned weapons in his spatial ring, this was what he had left.
He'd trained with nearly every weapon—longswords for versatility, axes for raw power, even polearms for reach, before eventually settling on dual blades for efficiency—but sabers? They sacrificed the versatility and survivability of a blade for sweeping cuts, trading defensive capability for flashy cavalry charges. Too curved for proper thrusting, too light for powerful chops - a specialist's weapon that wasn't even the best at its specialty.
And yet.
His fingers tightened around the hilt.
A blade was still a blade. Edge. Weight. Momentum. The fundamentals were the same.
He could work with that.
The abomination lunged first, its six arms swinging in a coordinated assault. Theon parried the initial strikes, his saber clanging against the creature's claws. Each impact sent shockwaves through his arm, but he held firm, dancing back to avoid a swipe aimed at his head. The creature's movements were powerful, each strike heavy with deadly intent.
Theon countered with a series of rapid slashes, aiming for the abomination's exposed joints and softer flesh, only for his blade to skitter off armored flesh. One strike found its mark, cutting deep into a sinewy arm, but not only did the wound barely slow the abomination, it was healed in a mere instance.
The abomination retaliated with a vicious backhand, which Theon narrowly dodged, the wind from the blow ruffling his hair.
The battle was a blur of motion and steel. Theon ducked under a sweeping arm, slashing upward to carve a deep gash in the creature's torso. The abomination roared, pain and fury mingling in its guttural cry. It lashed out, and Theon parried, but the force of the blow sent him stumbling back, nearly losing his footing on the uneven ground.
Panting, Theon realized that Formless Lightning was not enough.
It was akin to moving uphill in a swamped waterfall, every effort wasted, every strike futile.
Whatever attack he managed to land was immediately mended with the death Lu. The abomination was simply too resilient.
Something needed to change, and it needed to change now.
He sucked in a ragged breath, focusing on the dying embers of Formless Lightning within his meridians. It was fading, almost gone.
'Now.'
This was his chance. With a desperate surge of will, he crushed the last vestiges of Formless Lightning, forcing it into submission.
And now the Voltaic Blaze Lu surged freely.
It responded like a starved predator, thrashing through his meridians with unbridled fury, overpowering the remnants of the Formless Lightning. He gritted his teeth, unable to fully control the volatile energy, and directed it toward his palms, channeling it into Emeric's saber.
The weapon responded instantly, its blade glowing with a menacing mix of dark blue and violent red as it absorbed the rampant energy.
BOOM!
Theon rolled to the side, dodging as the abomination struck down with its body weight, causing the earth to tremble and for dust and debris to kick up. No more counterattacks—just dodging, biding his time and energy while the Voltaic Blaze Lu writhed like a live wire in his veins.
It was slipping. The Voltaic Blaze Lu recoiled from his control, fighting against his will.
'Alright, new approach.'
Theon slowly but surely barricaded the Voltaic Blaze Lu into his right arm by partially blocking his meridians. Azure veins erupted across his skin, pulsing with trapped energy as a crimson stain spread like blood in water.
This was only possible because Theon's additional meridian pathways could still circulate his Lu, normally one could not simply stop the circulation of Lu on a whim.
The difference was catastrophic.
His arm moved too fast, nearly meeting the abomination's next strike head-on. Pain blazed as he wrenched it back, tendons protesting the unnatural speed.
Next: a current. Theon funneled neutral Lu from shoulder to palm, pressuring the Voltaic Blaze Lu forward. It resisted—he poured more in, starving his other limbs of circulation until his legs trembled from weakness.
But ultimately, his efforts bore fruit. He felt a surge of power flow through his arms and unleash out of his palms as the saber hummed with newfound power, its blade surrounded by a corona of blue sparks. The Voltaic Blaze Lu lashed out, crackling against the floor and the abomination, causing char marks to appear and for the abomination to spasm.
Theon launched himself at the abomination with renewed vigor. Every strike sent lightning coursing through rotting flesh. The abomination convulsed, its muscles spasming under the electric onslaught and its skin burning under the fire.
Alas, the abomination was far from defeated. It rallied its dark energy clashing with Theon's electric fury. The creature's strikes became more frenzied, its claws slashing through the air with terrifying speed. Theon dodged and parried, but the relentless assault began to take its toll. A claw grazed his side, tearing through his clothes and drawing blood. He gritted his teeth against the pain, refusing to back down.
The abomination lunged, and Theon sidestepped, slashing at its exposed back. The saber bit deep, electricity crackling as it struck, but the creature whipped around, one of its arms striking Theon in the ribs and sending him sprawling. He rolled to his feet, gasping for breath, the impact leaving him momentarily dazed.
Theon knew he needed something more potent, more destructive. Desperation clawed at the edges of his mind. The lightning Lu was not enough to bring down the abomination. He needed to change tactics.
Reaching into his spatial ring, he pulled out several fire Lu pills and Lu crystals.
His plan was dangerous, but he had no other choice.
The abomination's claw grazed his ribs as he twisted away. He barely felt the pain as he pivoted and launched himself onto the creature's heaving back. His knees sank into putrid flesh as the beast arched violently, but Theon locked his thighs around its torso like iron bands and jammed his entire left forearm deep between rows of jagged teeth with fire Lu pills and crystals clenched tightly in his fist.
The creature's gullet convulsed as the volatile energy sources scraped down its throat. Theon could feel the pills beginning to react, their heat building even through the creature's thick hide.
Then—
The abomination's jaws yawned wide—
CRUNCH!
—and slammed shut.