In the charged atmosphere of the moonlit clearing, Xavier's reflexes kicked in as he swiftly drew his short swords, his muscles tensed in preparation for the imminent clash. But before his blades could fully emerge, Aric had already surged forward with incredible speed, surpassing the limits of what Xavier had expected.
Aric's movements were a blur, his agility and physical prowess mirroring that of a seasoned Grade Three hunter, if not more. In mere seconds, he closed the distance between them, his movements an unsettling display of prowess and uncanny speed.
"Die!"
As Xavier raised his swords, a battle cry escaped his lips, but his strike found nothing but empty air. Aric's bizarre agility and speed allowed him to dodge Xavier's blade effortlessly, his grin widening as he revelled in the thrill of the confrontation.
The unsettling sight of Aric's glowing, golden cross-shaped pupils sent a chill down Xavier's spine. Before he could react, Aric seized the moment, his crazed smile belying his fierce intent.
With a swift, explosive kick aimed unerringly at Xavier's exposed center, Aric's boot connected with brutal force, sending a shockwave of pain ripping through Xavier's body. The impact drove Xavier backward with staggering force, his grip on his swords loosening as he was hurled mercilessly across the battlefield.
Xavier hit the ground hard, the force of the blow driving the breath from his lungs as he skidded across the earth. His short swords, dislodged from his hands, scattered in random directions across the clearing, out of reach and beyond his immediate grasp.
Pain lanced through Xavier's body, the impact leaving him winded and disoriented. But even amidst the searing agony, a steely resolve flickered in his eyes.
Xavier lay sprawled on the forest floor, a string of blood tracing the curve of his lip. The moon's soft glow illuminated the scene, casting an otherworldly pallor over the battlefield.
Aric stood over Xavier, an air of smug superiority enveloping him. His taunting words sliced through the tense silence like a razor.
"Did you honestly think, even for a moment, that you stood a chance against a disciple of the church?" Aric's voice dripped with disdain, his gaze fixed on Xavier with a haughty sneer.
Xavier, though battered and wounded, remained silent. With steely determination, he brushed off the blood staining his lip, his gaze fixed unwaveringly on Aric. Slowly, deliberately, he began to push himself up from the forest floor, his movements pained yet resolute.
Aric observed Xavier's struggle to rise with a twisted delight, his smug grin widening.
"I relish these moments," he taunted, his voice dripping with contempt. "Watching insignificant creatures like you struggle in the face of imminent demise."
As Xavier rose from the forest floor, he faced Aric, his eyes alight with a fiery intensity. With a deliberate motion, he extended his palms, summoning a torrent of fierce flames that erupted around his hands, casting an incandescent glow that pierced the darkness.
The sudden eruption of fiery energy left Aric momentarily stunned, a fleeting shock registering on his face as he instinctively took a step back. Xavier's display of newfound power was a revelation, catching Aric off guard.
Even though he knew Xavier was hiding something, after hearing him deny so much and even hunt normally, he was begining to have his doubts. Right now he couldn't help but acknowledge how sneaky and cautious Xavier is.
It was something even Aric considered commendable.
In the midst of the crackling flames, Xavier's voice cut through the tense air with a chilling calmness.
"I will kill you," he declared, his tone carrying an icy determination. "And I will reduce you to ashes with these flames."
Aric's initial shock morphed into a crazed smile, his golden cross-shaped eyes glowing even brighter than before. The eerie radiance of his gaze held an unsettling allure as he faced Xavier's threat.
"Now that you've revealed your secret," Aric sneered, a maniacal edge creeping into his voice, "you've made yourself worth killing."
"I will like to see you try!" Xavier called out furiously.
In a swift and calculated move, Xavier leaped backward, creating a distance between himself and Aric. With a commanding gesture, he released a torrent of searing flames from his palms, the intense heat billowing forth in a fiery display.
Yet, Aric, displaying an uncanny anticipation, sidestepped the onslaught with a dancer's grace, evading the flames effortlessly.
"I'll see how long you can keep this up!" Xavier snorted in disdain, a mixture of frustration and determination flickering in his eyes as he staggered back slightly.
His palms, now brought closer together, conjured a small, concentrated orb of fiery energy. With a decisive motion, he flung the orb towards Aric, his voice ringing out with a commanding intensity,
"Explode!"
The orb detonated upon command, unleashing a violent explosion that tore through the night air with ferocious might. Flames erupted into a fierce conflagration, creating a blinding burst of light and heat that engulfed the battleground in a whirlwind of chaotic energy.
The force of the explosion sent shockwaves rippling through the air, whipping Xavier's hair and clothes wildly in the torrential wind created by the detonation. The sheer force of the blast stirred the leaves of the surrounding trees and sent debris scattering in all directions.
The stillness of the night shattered as two gleaming daggers, their hilts formed in the shape of crosses, descended with lethal precision, piercing into Xavier's shoulders.
Pain seared through his body, causing him to reel back, a gasp escaping his lips as he grappled with the sudden assault. His mind raced, trying to discern the source of the unexpected attack.
Before Xavier could fully comprehend the situation, a thunderous bang echoed through the clearing, heralding Aric's arrival. The Grade Three disciple landed with an uncanny grace in front of Xavier, his eye's golden crosses shining with an eerie brilliance fixated on his prey.
Aric's maniacal smile stretched wider as he moved with lightning speed, seizing Xavier by the shirt and yanking him close. Their faces mere inches apart, Xavier found himself locked in a chilling gaze, captivated and horrified by the intensity of Aric's golden-crossed eyes.
"Resisting is pointless," Aric taunted, his voice a sinister whisper that sent shivers down Xavier's spine. "With these eyes, I can predict your every move before it even happens."
The proximity of their faces allowed Xavier an unsettlingly detailed view of Aric's unique eyes, the golden crosses pulsating with an otherworldly glow. The realization of Aric's eerie advantage sent a shiver of unease down Xavier's spine, his mind grappling with the chilling implications of facing an adversary with such preternatural foresight.