The Devourer's Dominion

Aetheron barely had time to breathe.

The moment Lorien's wounds sealed, the air shifted—a pressure so immense it made the ruins tremble.

Lorien's silver eyes gleamed in the darkness, his blade humming with a force that felt… wrong.

Move.

Aetheron's instincts screamed, and he obeyed. He vanished into the shadows just as Lorien stepped forward—

BOOM!

Aetheron reappeared ten meters away, only to find Lorien standing right in front of him.

Impossible.

Before Aetheron could react, Lorien's sword slashed diagonally.

Aetheron twisted, barely dodging, but—

Pain erupted across his shoulder.

The cut was shallow, but it burned like fire. Not just his skin—his power itself recoiled.

Aetheron gritted his teeth, landing in a crouch. His shadows wavered for a second.

Lorien didn't hesitate. He stepped forward again, his movements terrifyingly calm.

"You rely too much on your ability," Lorien said, his voice even. "It makes you predictable."

Aetheron wiped the blood off his shoulder. "Yeah? And you talk too much."

Lorien's expression didn't change.

He vanished again.

Not speed. Not teleportation.

It was like he was erasing his presence from reality itself.

Aetheron focused, sharpening his senses—

Too late.

A sudden force slammed into his ribs.

He barely managed to block, but the impact sent him crashing through a stone pillar. Dust exploded everywhere as Aetheron tumbled, rolling to his feet.

Lorien didn't stop.

He was already above him, sword coming down—

Aetheron's shadows reacted on instinct.

A wall of darkness erupted between them—

Lorien's blade tore through it like paper.

Aetheron clicked his tongue, vanishing into the abyss again. This time, he reappeared above Lorien, his palm glowing with devouring energy.

"Let's see you erase this."

Void Burst.

The attack detonated point-blank. Shadows twisted violently, consuming the space around them—

But Lorien was unfazed.

The moment the energy touched him, the glow in his eyes intensified.

Aetheron barely saw it—a pulse, a flicker of nullification.

And then—

His attack collapsed.

The devouring energy was gone.

Lorien's blade was already slashing upward.

Aetheron barely twisted away, avoiding a fatal strike. But the blade nicked his side, and the burning pain returned.

Aetheron landed, breathing hard.

His mind raced.

This wasn't just suppression. Lorien was countering his power directly.

Aetheron clenched his fists.

He wasn't just fighting an elite warrior.

He was fighting a predator.

Lorien exhaled, lowering his sword slightly. "You're adjusting," he said. "Good."

Aetheron scoffed. "And you're still a smug bastard."

Lorien didn't react. Instead, his free hand rose.

The moment he did, the air stilled.

Aetheron's heart pounded. Something's coming.

And then—

Lorien's presence vanished completely.

Not speed. Not stealth. Something else.

Aetheron's instincts flared. He leaped back—

Too slow.

A searing shockwave tore through the battlefield.

Aetheron was hurled backward, slamming into the ground hard enough to crater it. His breath left his lungs.

His vision blurred for half a second—

Then Lorien was above him.

His blade descended.

Aetheron rolled, narrowly avoiding the strike. Stone split apart where the sword struck, the force carving a deep scar into the earth.

Aetheron pushed himself up, shadows flaring around him. His mind worked at insane speed.

Lorien isn't just suppressing me. He's actively rewriting the battlefield.

I can't rely on my usual attacks.

Fine.

Time to change the rhythm.

Aetheron's body twisted unnaturally.

Shadows coiled around him like a living creature, his form shifting in erratic, unpredictable movements.

Lorien's gaze sharpened.

Aetheron moved.

This time, there was no pattern. No repetition.

He blurred in and out of existence, his attacks coming from impossible angles. His footwork became erratic, weaving in ways that defied logic.

And for the first time—

Lorien hesitated.

Aetheron exploited it.

His fist shot forward—cloaked in the purest abyss.

Lorien moved to block—

Too late.

Aetheron's strike connected.

Not with Lorien's body.

With his aura.

Devourer's Dominion activated.

The battlefield twisted.

Lorien staggered. His silver glow flickered for a split second.

Aetheron didn't let up.

His shadows swarmed forward, latching onto Lorien's body, crawling up his arm—

Lorien's eyes flashed.

And then—

He moved faster than Aetheron had ever seen.

In one fluid motion, he sliced through the darkness, banishing the devouring energy completely.

Aetheron barely had time to react before—

A kick slammed into his ribs.

The force sent him flying, crashing through another pillar.

Lorien exhaled, lowering his foot. His silver aura steadied again, stronger than before.

"You're learning quickly," he admitted.

Aetheron groaned, coughing. "And you're still hitting too damn hard."

Lorien didn't smile.

Instead, he raised his sword again.

And Aetheron felt it.