The Veil Echo charged, forming claws of swirling black fog. It swiped at Qingsai, sending him skidding across the crystalline floor. A second swipe came—he ducked, rolled, and raised a glowing hand just in time.
> Flash.
A sudden burst of pure, radiant light exploded from his palm.
The Echo reeled, hissing as its form distorted under the brilliance. For a moment, Qingsai saw flickers of its true nature—an ancient corrupted warrior, long dead, trapped in eternal memory.
> "You see now," Lucen called from the edge. "Lucentia doesn't just harm—it reveals."
Qingsai pressed his palm to the ground, channeling the light deeper. From it bloomed a dome of illumination—a sanctuary of clarity that weakened the Veil Echo's essence.
The Echo lunged again, but this time Qingsai didn't run.
He stepped forward.
> "Your shadow is heavy," Qingsai whispered. "But I… carry light."
With a motion of both hands, Qingsai formed his first true Lucentia weapon: a spear of crystallized sunlight, humming with ancient will.
He threw it.
> Impact. Explosion. Silence.
The Echo dissipated into drifting stardust.