Ralnor stepped forward with complete confidence. His massive werewolf body moved with extraordinary agility, each of his steps shaking the ground beneath him.
Nyssa, badly wounded, staggered as she struggled to stand. His claw had just struck her shoulder, tearing through part of her armor and leaving a deep wound that bled heavily.
Nyssa's breath was ragged, pain spreading throughout her body. But it wasn't just the physical injuries Ralnor's overwhelming strength weighed heavily on her mind. She knew that if she continued fighting with her usual power, there was no hope.
One more step from Ralnor, and it could all be over.
Ralnor didn't give her any time to think. "This will end soon," he said with a mocking smile. He lunged forward, claws ready to strike Nyssa.
At that moment, Nyssa realized she had no other choice. "I have to use that power… even if it costs my life." Her lips trembled as she spoke. Nyssa's eyes locked onto Ralnor as he drew closer.
She closed her eyes for a brief moment, taking a deep breath, feeling the energy buried deep within her the power she had kept hidden, reserved only for dire situations.
This power required immense resolve but also put her very life at risk. Her body began to glow, dimly at first, but then brighter with each passing second. The light was no ordinary glow it was the aura of starlight.
Ralnor halted, his fiery red eyes staring at Nyssa in bewilderment. "What are you doing?!" he growled. But he couldn't hide his shock. Nyssa's weakened body was now enveloped in a brilliant, almost blinding light.
"Starlight Ascension."
That was the name of Nyssa's hidden power, a force drawn from the stars that she had spent years mastering, yet always avoided using due to its dangers.
The starlight began to encase her, making her appear like a celestial being descended from the heavens. Her hair lifted in the air, surrounded by the pure energy flowing from her body, and her wounds began to heal on their own.
Every breath she took now carried immense strength, even as the weight on her soul grew heavier.
Ralnor roared in fury. "What kind of power is this?! You think this will save you?!"
He charged again, his massive claws poised to obliterate Nyssa in one strike. But something unexpected happened.
Nyssa moved with a speed far greater than before. In an instant, she leapt to the side, easily dodging Ralnor's attack.
"Now it's my turn," Nyssa said calmly, her voice filled with newfound strength. The light around her body shone even brighter, as if the night itself was illuminated by the stars gathering around her.
With one swift movement, Nyssa raised her sword high. It too began to glow, surrounded by swirling starlight like a vortex. "Meteor Slash!" she shouted, swinging her sword toward Ralnor.
Her sword cut through the air, but what followed was no ordinary attack. From her blade, a beam of starlight shot forward like a meteor, speeding toward Ralnor with tremendous power.
The attack struck his massive body right in the chest.
Ralnor let out a deafening roar of pain that echoed across the battlefield, his body flung backward by the force of the blow.
A massive wound opened in his chest, black blood gushing from it. The wound wasn't just physical it had been inflicted by the very essence of starlight, striking his soul. Though Ralnor still stood, he was visibly weakened, his eyes wild and his body trembling from the unbearable pain.
But Nyssa didn't stop there. She knew that one strike wouldn't be enough to take down a creature as powerful as Ralnor.
Her body glowed even brighter as she summoned the last of her energy. "Stardust Fury." This time, Nyssa unleashed a flurry of attacks, each strike radiating with starlight, raining down on Ralnor like falling stars. Every hit landed hard, causing small bursts of energy upon impact.
Ralnor, once so powerful and confident, could no longer withstand the relentless assault. His massive body recoiled again and again, each blow from Nyssa breaking through his once-impenetrable defenses.
He tried to fight back, swinging his claws at Nyssa, but his strikes were weak, no longer carrying the full force they once had.
In mere moments, the battle, once seemingly one-sided, had turned completely in Nyssa's favor. Now wrapped in the power of the stars, Nyssa had become an unstoppable force.
Ralnor, who had been so sure of his victory, was now reduced to a howling beast, overwhelmed by a power far beyond his comprehension.
Finally, with one last mighty slash, Nyssa cut through Ralnor's body from head to chest. The starlight enveloping her sword cleaved through him, splitting his body perfectly.
Ralnor let out one final, agonized roar before his body collapsed heavily to the ground, lifeless and drenched in his own blood.
Nyssa staggered, her body slowly losing its starlight. The last attack had drained nearly all of her energy. Tof, who had been watching from a distance, rushed toward her, filled with both awe and concern.
"Nyssa, are you… are you okay?" Tof asked, his voice trembling with worry.
Nyssa gave a faint smile, though her breath was labored. "I did it… but… this power… it's too dangerous," she muttered softly before finally collapsing to her knees. Her body felt weak, and though Ralnor had been defeated, she knew she wasn't entirely out of danger.
The power of the stars she had drawn on had taken much of her life force.
"I hope Ethan can finish this…" Nyssa thought as everything went dark.