Claude watched with amusement as the void energy streaked through the sky, a lance of condensed darkness cutting through the frozen air toward its target.
'Finally everything will be over… fuck you saint and the chruch that wanted me die.'
Aether barely had time to react.
Instinct took over. A burst of golden energy erupted around him, forming a radiant barrier just in time to intercept the Void Strike.
The collision sent a shockwave rippling through the barren wasteland, scattering snow and ash into the sky.
Cracks spiderwebbed across Aether's shield before it shattered completely, the force sending him staggering backward.
Claude clicked his tongue.
"That should have killed you, yet here you are, still standing," Claude mused, slow claps echoing through the tainted air.
"Impressive. Even with all the poison seeping into your veins, you refuse to fall."
His lips curled into a smirk. "Such determination."
Aether coughed violently, his breath ragged, each inhale more labored than the last. "Shut up, you filthy Daemon! This is where you die!"
His golden eyes burned with fury. "I'll prove I was right!"
But even as he shouted, his body betrayed him. The poison had sunk deep, dulling his senses, sapping his strength.
Every spell he cast drained him further, his once-radiant aura flickering like a candle on the verge of being snuffed out.
Yet he remained standing. He had spent two years hunting this man, sacrificing everything—his dignity, his honor, his humanity.
He couldn't stop now. He wouldn't.
Claude chuckled. "Still so stubborn."
Without another word, he vanished into the shadows, the air cracking with the force of his movement.
In an instant, he reappeared above Aether, his fingers curling as dark energy coalesced, taking the shape of a sword—an obsidian blade forged from condensed void magic.
Theo had spent six years drilling this technique into him, molding him into a warrior worthy of their bloodline.
It was a shame his father wasn't here to witness the moment he finally mastered it.
Aether barely chanted for another barrier but summoned his bow instead.
The moment his bow clashed with his blade, a deafening shockwave erupted between them, splitting the ground beneath.
Claude pressed down, forcing Aether to his knees, his crimson eyes gleaming with satisfaction.
"Is this all the Everbright's Saint can muster?" Claude sneered. "How pathetic."
Aether gritted his teeth, golden mana flaring from his body in defiance. "Shut up."
With a surge of effort, he shoved Claude back, his palm flashing with divine sigils. "Luminis Arrow!"
A giant arrow of pure radiance shot forth, illuminating the battlefield like a second sun.
Claude twisted his body midair, narrowly evading the searing projectile.
The lance struck the ground behind him, detonating on impact. A pillar of light erupted skyward, vaporizing the skeletal trees and leaving behind a smoldering crater.
He clicked his tongue in mild irritation. "Still have some fight in you?"
'What a pain in the ass, I thought this would end fast.'
Dark tendrils curled around Claude's form as he extended his fingers. "Then let's see how long you last."
A pulse of darkness erupted from Claude, consuming the light itself. The world dimmed as shadows thickened, writhing unnaturally like living serpents slithering toward their prey.
Aether's breath hitched. The tendrils coiled around his limbs, constricting, draining—infecting his holy power with void's corruption.
His skin burned where they touched, his very essence rotting from within.
Claude's grin widened, his crimson eyes gleaming with cruel satisfaction. "How does it feel to be trapped like I was two years ago?"
His voice was laced with venom. "Do you remember how you killed my father?"
He tilted his head, mockingly. "Why don't I return the favor?"
Aether thrashed, golden light sputtering as it clashed against the creeping darkness.
The weight of corruption bore down on him, suffocating, dragging him deeper into the abyss.
Claude took his time, savoring the sight of the so-called holy warrior faltering, drowning in despair.
This was it. The end was within reach.
He soared forward, obsidian sword poised for the final strike—
Claude's instincts screamed.
A pressure unlike any other crashed down upon him, suffocating, absolute. His breath hitched.
The last time he had felt this… was during their first battle.
Aether's power surged.
Claude's grip tightened around his blade, a cold dread creeping up his spine. He made his choice in an instant—retreat. But he wasn't fast enough.
The spell was already in motion.
Aether's eyes, once dull with exhaustion, sharpened. His lips moved, whispering words Claude had never heard before.
The temperature dropped—not from the cold of Malgrave, but from something far worse.
Claude's amusement vanished. His gut clenched. He had seen countless spells—but this… this was different.
Light swirled around Aether, coalescing into an unstable maelstrom.
The ground beneath cracked and splintered, a golden flame!
Claude barely had time to react before a pulse of pure devastation erupted outward.
The force struck like a celestial hammer, sending him hurtling through the sky. His ears rang, his body seared by holy fire unlike anything he had ever encountered.
He twisted midair, stabilizing himself just in time to see the chaos unfold below.
Aether stood at the center of the devastation, his hands trembling, his expression grim.
The battlefield had changed. The ashen earth was scorched with blackened craters and glowing fissures.
Claude landed, his boots sinking into the unstable ground.
He ran his tongue over his teeth, wiping a smear of blood from his lip.
"Well… that was unexpected."
Aether didn't respond. He simply lifted his weapon, his stance unyielding despite the way his body trembled.
Claude exhaled sharply, rolling his shoulders. The initial thrill of an easy victory had vanished, replaced with something far more exhilarating.
He grinned. "Alright, Saint. Let's see how long you can last."
And with that, the battle began anew—this time, on equal ground.
'This time, I will make sure he dies in this battle, no more mistakes,' he thought, ready to fight.