The Scythe intent of Ethan's Moonflood Scythe met the iron chain with a ringing, crystalline sound that cut through the night air.
For a brief instant, it seemed as if heaven and earth itself trembled under the blow. But when the echoes faded, the chain remained—motionless, untouched.
Not even the faintest scratch marred its ancient surface.
The power contained in the scythe intent splintered, scattering like shards of moonlight. Pieces of its energy hammered downward, slicing through bluestone on the shore and sending shattered fragments and white foam spraying into the lake.
The water erupted in waves, and the aftershock reverberated across Echo Lake's surface, breaking the long silence of the night.
He steadied himself, breathing hard, and returned to the bluestone, the scythe retracting into his storage ring with a sigh of regret.
For a moment, Ethan simply stood in the quiet, measuring his own insignificance against the immensity of the barrier.
