As my astral shield shimmered into existence, deflecting the dark energies that Lucian hurled toward us, I could see the disbelief and frustration contorting his features. His face flashed a mix of shock and anger as his eyes narrowed, and then a sly smile took its place.
"Ah, Magnus," he chuckled darkly, his voice dripping with malice. "It seems you've surprised me once again. But do you truly believe you can stand against me?"
I held his gaze steadily, refusing to waver in the face of his taunts. "I've faced your darkness before, Lucian," I replied, my voice filled with determination. "And I've emerged stronger every time."
I heard Lucian's laughter fill the room, and it sounded wicked and cruel. It made me feel uneasy and scared. "Stronger, perhaps," he conceded, his tone mocking, "but strong enough to defeat me? That remains to be seen."
With a flick of his wrist, he unleashed another barrage of dark sorcery, his every movement fluid and precise as he sought to break through my astral defenses. But I refused to yield, channeling the power of the Eldorian shard into my attacks, pushing back against the darkness with a force that matched his own.
As the clash of energies between us reached its peak, I summoned forth the full extent of my astral powers, weaving them into a swirling vortex of energy that enveloped Lucian and me. With a surge of concentration, I created a subspace—a pocket dimension where the laws of reality were mine to control.
Lucian's eyes widened in surprise as he found himself trapped within the confines of my astral creation, his movements slowed by the sheer magnitude of my raw power. For a small moment, I could see a flicker of uncertainty in his gaze—a rare vulnerability that sent a triumph coursing through my veins.
"Welcome to my domain, Lucian," I declared, my voice echoing through the ethereal expanse of the subspace. "Here, your darkness holds no sway. Here, it is my will that reigns supreme."
Lucian struggled against the astral bindings that held him in place; a twisted smile curled upon his lips, his eyes gleaming with an unsettling mix of defiance and amusement.
"Ah, Magnus," he crooned, his voice covered with malice, "you may think you've bested me, trapped me within this feeble construct of your own making. But do you truly believe you hold sway over me?"
His words echoed through the ethereal landscape of subspace, a chilling reminder of the darkness that lurked within him. Despite being bound by my astral power, Lucian displayed menacing confidence. It seemed like he was waiting for the perfect opportunity to make his move.
"You may have me at a disadvantage for now," he continued, his tone taunting, "but mark my words, Magnus—I am not so easily defeated. The darkness within me is but a fraction of what lies beyond your comprehension, a mere glimpse of the true power that awaits."
I just stared, not letting his petty conceit get to me. "Your threats hold no power here, Lucian," I declared, my voice filled with conviction. "In this realm, it is my will that reigns supreme."
But Lucian only chuckled darkly, his laughter echoing through the space like a sinister melody. "Oh, Magnus," he murmured, his voice with amusement, "you truly are a fool if you believe you can control the darkness within me. But fear not, for soon enough, you will understand the true extent of my power."
With that ominous warning hanging in the air, Lucian fell silent, his gaze locked with mine in a silent battle of wills.
A few seconds later, Lucian began to smile. I shouted as I summoned my astral blade, "What are you smiling for!?"
Suddenly, I felt my control of the subspace slip away. Lucian's laughter echoed through the subspace, and a surge of darkness rippled outward from his form, spreading like tendrils of shadow that engulfed the very fabric of reality.
The walls of my astral creation began to tremble and warp, bending to his will as he sought to expand his domain and break free from my control.
I gritted my teeth, summoning every ounce of astral power to push back against the encroaching darkness. But try as I might, I could feel my strength waning, the sheer magnitude of Lucian's power threatening to overwhelm me.
"You see, Magnus," Lucian taunted, his voice echoing through the chaos that surrounded us, "your feeble attempts to restrain me are but a temporary setback. Soon, this entire subspace will be mine to command, and there's nothing you can do to stop it."
With a fierce determination, I poured every bit of energy into reinforcing the astral barriers that surrounded us, fortifying them against the onslaught of darkness that threatened to consume us both.
But even as I fought to maintain control, I could feel the subspace slipping from my grasp, the boundaries between reality and illusion blurring as Lucian's influence grew stronger by the moment.
The darkness continued to spread, I felt a surge of frustration welling up inside me. Lucian's power seemed limitless, his control over the subspace growing stronger with each passing moment.
"Your power may be great, Lucian," I replied, my voice tinged with defiance, "but it will never match the strength of my will."
Lucian chuckled darkly, his eyes gleaming with a sinister light. "Ah, but you forget, Magnus," he sneered. "I am not like other adversaries you have faced. I too am a descendant of the weaver, blessed with the same innate power that flows through your veins."
His words sent a chill down my spine, a sense of dread settling in the pit of my stomach. If what he said was true, then he truly was a formidable opponent—one whose strength rivaled my own.
But even as doubts gnawed at the edges of my resolve, I refused to yield. "We may share a lineage, Lucian," I retorted, "but that does not make us equals. I will not let you bend this subspace to your will."
With a surge of resolve, I focused my energy, channeling the raw power of my astral abilities into the very fabric of the subspace itself. The darkness recoiled as my presence grew stronger, pushing back against Lucian's malevolent influence with a force that seemed to shake the very foundations of reality.
The walls of the subspace began to shimmer and warp, bending to my will as I asserted my dominance over the domain. Threads of astral energy wove themselves into intricate patterns, forming a lattice of light that radiated with an otherworldly brilliance.
Lucian's eyes widened in disbelief as he beheld the spectacle before him, his control over the subspace slipping through his fingers like grains of sand. I used a quick motion of my hand to push back the darkness that was creeping in. In its place, a beautiful display of colors emerged, swirling and dancing before my eyes.
"This is my domain, Lucian," I declared, my voice echoing through the expanse of the subspace. "Here, my will reigns supreme, and there's nothing you can do to stop it."
With each passing moment, my control over the subspace grew stronger, my influence spreading like ripples on a pond. Lucian's attempts to resist were futile; his powers were no match for the sheer magnitude of my astral abilities.
As the subspace shifted and transformed under my command, I felt a sense of exhilaration coursing through my veins. This was my domain now, a realm of endless possibilities where I was the master of my own destiny.
And as I looked upon Lucian's defeated form, a sense of triumph washed over me.
I couldn't help but laugh, the sound echoing through the subspace like a victorious battle cry. The sheer exhilaration of my newfound dominance surged through me, filling me with a sense of power unlike anything I had ever known.
"Did you really think you could challenge me, Lucian?" I taunted, my voice resonating with a mixture of triumph and amusement. "You may be descended from the weavers, but even they cannot compare to the raw power of my astral abilities."
Lucian's expression twisted in a mixture of disbelief and frustration, his once confident demeanor crumbling before my overwhelming display of strength. "This cannot be," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. "I am the descendant of the weavers, destined to wield their power."
I shook my head, a smirk playing at the corners of my lips as I regarded him with disdain. "Destiny means nothing in the face of true strength," I declared, my tone dripping with superiority. "And right now, you are nothing compared to me."
I was about to destroy him before me. He shouted as his eyes locked at mine, "Rowan is alive."
My heart skipped a beat at Lucian's unexpected revelation. "Rowan... alive?" I repeated, my voice tinged with disbelief.
Lucian nodded solemnly, his expression grave as he met my gaze. "Yes," he affirmed, his tone carrying an air of sincerity that I found difficult to ignore. "I may be many things, Magnus, but a liar is not one of them."
Despite my initial skepticism, a glimmer of hope began to stir within me—a flicker of possibility that threatened to extinguish the darkness that had clouded my heart. Could it be true? Could Rowan truly be alive?
"Show me," I demanded, my voice trembling. "Prove it to me."
With a nod, Lucian raised his hand once more, conjuring forth another shimmering projection that materialized before us. As the image unfolded, my breath caught in my throat at the sight that greeted me—a figure, battered and bruised, but unmistakably Rowan.
Tears welled in my eyes as I beheld the familiar face of my friend, alive and seemingly unharmed. Relief washed over me like a tidal wave, lifting the weight of despair that had threatened to consume me.
"It's... it's him," I whispered, my voice choked with emotion. "Rowan..."
Overwhelmed by a surge of intense emotions, I attacked Lucian with all my might, driven by a deep sense of anger and desperation. My fists pounded against him, each blow fueled by a potent mixture of rage and disbelief.
But to my surprise, Lucian seemed to revel in the onslaught, a twisted smile playing at the corners of his lips as my fists connected with his form. Despite the pain that undoubtedly coursed through his body, he made no move to defend himself, instead allowing my blows to rain down upon him with a sickening rhythm.
"Is that all you've got, Magnus?" He taunted, his voice full with a perverse sense of amusement. "I expected more from someone as powerful as you."