“How sad….”
Lucavion mumbled as he stepped closer, his eyes cold and mocking. “In the end, you ended up just like these…” He said, pointing to the skulls all around. “And now you are going to become my meal.”
The Lesser Abyssal Wyrm, now stripped of its once-impenetrable scales, lay exposed and vulnerable before Lucavion. Its flesh, pale and almost translucent, pulsed with the last remnants of the abyssal energy that had once made it so fearsome.
Without its protective armor, the creature no longer looked like the mighty beast that had terrorized the forest. Its body was long and sinuous, covered in patches of raw, bleeding flesh where the scales had been torn away.
The Wyrm’s eyes, once glowing with a malevolent light, were now dull and glazed, filled with a mixture of pain and fear.
The creature’s elongated maw, lined with jagged, broken teeth, gaped open as it struggled to breathe. Its massive claws, which had once raked through the earth with terrifying force, now twitched weakly, scraping against the rocky ground in a pitiful attempt to defend its freeωebnovēl.c૦m
Lucavion watched the Wyrm’s futile efforts with a detached expression, the coldness in his eyes reflecting the fate that awaited the beast.
It was no longer a monster to be feared—it was just a pest, a dying creature that had been stripped of its power and dignity. The sight of the wriggling, pitiful mass before him stirred no sympathy in Lucavion; instead, it only solidified his resolve.
“As a mere beast, you have already achieved quite a lot,” Lucavion said with a smirk, his voice mocking. He raised his estoc, the blade gleaming in the dim light, and took a step closer to the Wyrm. “But in the end, you became nothing but a stepping stone.”
The Wyrm’s body convulsed, a final, desperate spasm of life as Lucavion approached. Its tail lashed out one last time, but the movement was slow and weak, easily avoided. Lucavion didn’t flinch; his focus was absolute, his mind clear as he prepared to deliver the final blow.
With a swift, decisive motion, Lucavion plunged his estoc deep into the Wyrm’s exposed flesh, aiming for the creature’s heart.
The blade sank in smoothly, meeting little resistance as it pierced through muscle and bone. The Wyrm let out a final, shuddering gasp, its body going still as the last of its life force drained away.
Lucavion watched as the light faded from the Wyrm’s eyes, the once-terrifying beast reduced to nothing more than a lifeless husk. He pulled his blade free, wiping it clean on the creature’s pale flesh before stepping back.
“It’s over,” he said, his voice steady despite the weariness that now settled over him. He could feel the toll the battle had taken on his body, the strain of pushing himself beyond his limits. But the sight of the dead Wyrm at his feet brought him a sense of satisfaction—he had won, and the power he sought was now within his grasp.
Vitaliara’s voice broke through the silence, her tone filled with concern. [Lucavion, you need to rest. You’ve pushed yourself too hard, and these injuries—]
“I know,” he interrupted, his voice soft but firm. “But first, I need to finish this.”
Lucavion knew he couldn’t just reach out and absorb the death energy by pushing his hand.
The energy in this place was different—denser, more potent. It required a different approach, one that would allow him to fully harness the chaotic power that surrounded him.
Ignoring the pain that wracked his body, Lucavion lowered himself to the ground, crossing his legs as he assumed a meditative posture.
He closed his eyes, shutting out the world around him, and focused on his breathing. Each breath was slow and deliberate, drawing in the cold, dark air of the crater and releasing it in a steady rhythm.
The death energy in the crater was thick, almost tangible. It clung to the air like a heavy mist, seeping into every corner of the barren landscape. The Lesser Abyssal Wyrm’s presence had left an indelible mark on this place, its abyssal energy mingling with the residual death energy from the countless creatures it had slain.
This place was like a nexus of death, a perfect environment for Lucavion to strengthen the [First Vortex].
‘I’m walking a fine line,’ he mused, his mind swirling with the dark energy that filled the crater. ‘Balancing life and death… creation and destruction… it’s not something that should be taken lightly.’
As he continued to breathe, Lucavion could feel the energy beginning to respond to him. It was subtle at first, a faint tingling sensation at the edge of his consciousness, but it grew stronger with each passing moment. The death energy began to flow toward him, drawn by the [Flame of Equinox] within his core.
Lucavion remained perfectly still, his focus unyielding. He allowed the energy to gather around him, letting it seep into his body with every breath.
‘Don’t stop now. Such an opportunity will never come again like this.’
The process was slow and methodical—he couldn’t afford to rush it, not with the injuries he had sustained. But despite the pain, he persisted, knowing that this was the only way to fully harness the power he needed.
‘Ignore the pain.’
As the energy flowed into him, Lucavion could feel the [First Vortex] within his core beginning to stabilize.
‘Slowly.’
The black flame that represented the Flame of Equinox burned brighter, fed by the death energy that now surged through his veins.
Lucavion visualized the vortex as a whirlpool, its spiraling layers growing more distinct as the death energy was drawn into it. Each layer represented a new level of mastery, a deeper connection to the abyssal power that now resided within him.
He could feel the first layer forming, solidifying, as the energy flowed smoothly into place. It was still rough, still incomplete, but it was taking shape, becoming more defined with each breath.
‘Keep the control…..It is becoming more and more chaotic.’
The pain in his body began to recede, replaced by a growing sense of power, a feeling of control over the chaos within him. The energy of the Wyrm, combined with the death energy that saturated the crater, was exactly what he needed to push the vortex to the next level.
‘Just a little more…’ Lucavion thought, his mind focused entirely on the process. He could feel the vortex nearing completion, the first layer almost fully formed.
The energy swirled faster, tighter, condensing into a powerful force that threatened to break free of his control.
But Lucavion held firm, his will unyielding as he guided the final strands of death energy into place.
The vortex spun wildly, the black flame of the [Flame of Equinox] burning brighter and colder, but it held together, its form solidifying into something more than just a chaotic swirl of energy.
“Huffff…”
With a final breath, Lucavion felt the vortex click into place, the first layer complete. The energy within him stabilized, the wild chaos settling into a steady, controlled rhythm. The [First Vortex] was finished, a powerful storm of life and death, creation and destruction, all held in perfect balance within his core.
Lucavion slowly opened his eyes, feeling the energy thrumming through his veins. The exhaustion was still there, but it was overshadowed by the sense of accomplishment, the knowledge that he had taken another step toward mastering the power that now resided within him.
The crater around him was still; the death energy drained from the air and absorbed into his being. He had done it—he had conquered the Wyrm, absorbed its power, and completed the first stage of his new technique.
“Haaaaah…Haaaah….”
His breathing was rough as he could feel the energy inside his core.
But then he noticed the scene before him.
“What the hell happened?”
It was a scene of utter destruction.
********
As the [First Vortex] stabilized within Lucavion’s core, the energy that had been swirling wildly settled into a harmonious rhythm, a perfect balance of life and death, fire and frost. Lucavion let out a long breath, the tension in his body releasing as the chaotic storm within him finally came under control.
But just as he was beginning to savor the success of his breakthrough, the atmosphere around him shifted.
The air grew heavy, charged with a palpable tension that seemed to ripple outward from where he sat. Lucavion didn’t notice the change, his focus still inward, but Vitaliara, perched nearby, felt it immediately.
Her sharp eyes widened as she saw something extraordinary. Above Lucavion’s head, a pitch-black star began to form, shimmering into existence like a tear in the fabric of reality itself. The star was small at first, a point of darkness that absorbed all light around it, but it quickly expanded, its presence growing more oppressive, more intense.
[What…?] Vitaliara’s thoughts raced as she watched the star pulse with a raw, chaotic energy unlike anything she had ever encountered before. The black star seemed to resonate with the vortex inside Lucavion, responding to the energies he had just harnessed. It was as if the very forces of the universe were bending to his will, drawn to the power he had cultivated.
The star continued to expand, and then, without warning, it began to disperse. The darkness unraveled, stretching outwards until it took the form of a massive, swirling hurricane of black energy.
The air around Lucavion twisted and distorted, the environment bending under the immense pressure of the phenomenon that had been unleashed.
Vitaliara’s concern deepened. [This is more than just a breakthrough… It’s like the energy is out of control!]
The hurricane of black energy spun faster and faster, the ground beneath Lucavion cracking and splintering as the forces at play grew more volatile. The entire crater seemed to tremble, the earth groaning under the strain of the energy Lucavion had unwittingly summoned.
Vitaliara tried to call out to him, but her voice was lost in the deafening roar of the hurricane. She could only watch in alarm as the situation spiraled beyond anything she had anticipated. This was no ordinary breakthrough—this was something far more dangerous, more chaotic.
And then, in a blinding instant, the hurricane contracted, collapsing in on itself with a force that sent shockwaves ripping through the air. The explosion that followed was immense, a detonation of pure energy that erupted from the center of the crater, sending debris flying in all directions.
Vitaliara was thrown back by the force of the blast, tumbling through the air before she managed to regain her footing. She landed a distance away, her fur bristling as she tried to process what had just happened.
When the dust and debris finally began to settle, Vitaliara forced herself to her feet, her eyes scanning the destruction left in the wake of the explosion. The crater had been deepened, its walls shattered and scorched, and in the center, where Lucavion had been meditating, a thick cloud of black smoke swirled ominously.
Vitaliara’s heart pounded in her chest as she approached cautiously, her senses alert for any sign of movement. [Lucavion… Are you—]
Before she could finish the thought, the smoke began to dissipate, revealing Lucavion’s form within.
He stood in the center of the chaos, breathing heavily but with a satisfied face. But then, upon seeing the scene, he could not help but look surprised.
“What the hell happened here?”
———————–
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