The doors to Xelthar's quarters slid open with a metallic hiss, revealing a cavernous, dimly lit room filled with ominous displays of weaponry and symbols of his authority. Ethan stepped forward, his movements tense and calculated. The air buzzed with a low hum, an almost suffocating pressure that seemed to twist and pulse around him. Though he felt the faint pressure from the mind-control weapon still operating somewhere nearby, Ethan's mind remained steady, protected by whatever strange power resided within him.
Xelthar stood at the center of the room, encased in heavy, gleaming power armor that pulsed with faint energy fields. The armor's imposing frame was reinforced at the joints and seams, while the shoulders and chest were fitted with enhanced plating designed to withstand heavy fire. His eyes narrowed as he took in Ethan's unaffected state.
"So," Xelthar sneered, his voice muffled through his helmet's speakers but still carrying a tone of disbelief. "You're not just here for a noble sacrifice, are you? No one should be able to resist the weapon's effects, yet here you stand."
Ethan remained silent, his grip tightening on his plasma dagger and laser pistol. His thoughts weren't on explaining anything to Xelthar. They were on Lyra, incapacitated and likely fighting for her life in the hallway. He didn't have time for games.
"Nothing to say?" Xelthar jeered, his tone shifting to mockery. "You come here to confront me alone? What did you think was going to happen? That you'd somehow survive?"
Ethan's silence was unsettling, his calm demeanor an unusual sight for someone in such a high-stakes situation. Xelthar, clearly irritated by the lack of response, took a step forward, his armor's energy field flaring as he clenched his fists.
"Let me show you the difference between a true leader and a misguided fool."
With a sudden roar, Xelthar lunged forward, and Ethan responded by raising his laser pistol, aiming for the weak points in the armor, the joints, the neck, and any exposed seams. He fired several shots, each one landing precisely where he aimed, but they only left faint scorch marks on the thick plating. Xelthar's armor was designed to withstand far more than laser fire.
Xelthar laughed, his voice echoing in the chamber. "Is that all you've got? You'll have to do better than that!"
Without missing a beat, Ethan sidestepped, moving in close with his plasma dagger, aiming for the softer areas around the armor's joints. His dagger flickered with a deadly glow as he struck, but Xelthar's power armor responded with defensive energy fields that absorbed the brunt of the attack, deflecting his blade.
The warlord countered with a brutal swing, his armor granting him enhanced speed and power. Ethan barely had time to dodge, feeling the air shift as Xelthar's armored fist whooshed past him, narrowly missing. However, the force of the swing threw him off balance, and before he could fully recover, Xelthar brought a heavy boot down on the floor, creating a shockwave that reverberated through the ground.
The shockwave hit Ethan squarely, forcing him to stagger backward. His HUD flashed with alerts, warning of minor damage from the impact. He quickly reset his stance, his mind racing to find a strategy. Clearly, brute force wouldn't work here.
"Already struggling, are we?" Xelthar taunted, amusement lacing his voice. "You really thought you could challenge me? This armor has crushed better men than you. You're nothing more than a small nuisance."
Ethan's jaw clenched, his focus unwavering despite Xelthar's taunts. He shifted his grip on the plasma dagger, considering his next approach. Xelthar's armor was resilient, but no defense was impenetrable. He needed to identify patterns, watch for the momentary lapses in the armor's energy fields, and exploit them.
Xelthar launched into another flurry of attacks, each swing of his armored fists and reinforced gauntlets designed to crush anything in their path. Ethan moved with precision, dodging and weaving around Xelthar's brutal strikes, each movement a testament to his recent training and enhanced reflexes. Though a few glancing blows connected, he managed to keep himself largely unscathed, his body anticipating each attack just enough to avoid taking critical damage.
Ethan saw an opportunity and lunged forward, aiming his plasma dagger at the armor's neck seam. But Xelthar twisted, blocking the blow with an armored forearm, and retaliated by slamming his fist into Ethan's side. The impact sent him sprawling, pain flaring through his ribs as his HUD blared damage warnings.
Ethan forced himself to his feet, shaking off the pain. Xelthar's mocking laughter filled the room.
"What's the matter, mercenary? Did you think this would be easy?" Xelthar sneered, his voice laced with satisfaction. "I have entire legions bowing to my power. And you're nothing but another fool who thinks he can stand against me."
Ethan steadied his breathing, his gaze focused as he locked onto Xelthar's every movement. Brute strength wouldn't be his path to victory here, but his training and agility gave him the advantage of speed and timing. He circled Xelthar, watching the slight shifts in his armor as he prepared to attack again.
"Still not giving up, are you?" Xelthar growled, irritation creeping into his tone. "What is it with you and that ridiculous desperation in your eyes? What drives you?"
Ethan's calm façade finally cracked, and he met Xelthar's gaze. "The only thing driving me is ending this," he said, his voice cold, "so you won't harm anyone else."
Xelthar chuckled darkly, but Ethan had already launched forward, his movements faster than before. He moved in close, slipping under Xelthar's guard and striking at the armor's joints with his plasma dagger, each strike probing for weaknesses. He landed a hit on the armor's shoulder, creating a small crack in the plating.
The warlord roared in frustration, swinging wildly as he tried to shake Ethan off. But Ethan was relentless, pressing his advantage as he found weak points and struck with precision. He was careful, avoiding the powerful energy fields and using his enhanced agility to stay one step ahead.
But the strain of the fight was wearing on him, and Xelthar's next strike connected hard, sending Ethan crashing into a display case against the wall. Glass shattered around him as he struggled to regain his footing, his breathing labored.
Xelthar advanced, a triumphant glint in his eyes. "You can't keep this up. All that effort just to survive a few minutes longer."
Ethan forced himself up, using the adrenaline coursing through him to ignore the pain. He needed to end this, and fast. Studying the armor's movements, he began to see a pattern. A slight delay in the energy fields around the waist and neck, vulnerabilities he could exploit.
As Xelthar swung again, Ethan dodged, rolling beneath the attack and coming up with his plasma dagger aimed at the warlord's waist. He drove the dagger forward, sinking it into a gap in the armor's plating. Sparks flew as he twisted the blade, the energy field flickering in response.
Xelthar bellowed in rage, trying to shove Ethan off, but Ethan held his ground, driving the dagger deeper. Finally, he pulled back, seeing a dent where the armor had weakened. He aimed his laser pistol at the damaged area, firing a concentrated burst that caused the armor to spark and short-circuit slightly.
Ethan felt a surge of hope. Xelthar's armor was showing signs of damage, and he was finally gaining the upper hand. But he knew he couldn't let his guard down.
Xelthar, visibly frustrated and furious, launched another barrage of attacks, his movements more erratic. Ethan dodged each swing, his agility allowing him to stay just out of reach as he continued targeting the weakened points in the armor.
Ethan narrowly dodged a powerful swing, feeling the gust of air as Xelthar's armored fist whooshed past his head. He steadied his breathing, his muscles tense, eyes locked on Xelthar. The warlord's armor sparked at its weakened points, a sign that his relentless strikes were finally making an impact. But Ethan could feel his own limits pressing in. The weight of exhaustion creeping up with each move, the sting of bruises and impacts making his body ache.
He tightened his grip on the plasma dagger, forcing himself to stay sharp. Xelthar's rage-filled eyes glinted through his visor, and Ethan knew he couldn't afford a single misstep. Lyra's life depended on how fast he could finish this. He readied himself for the next assault, his mind and body aligned on one goal: end this, no matter what it took.