The battlefield trembled as Xalin and Roylen stood at its heart, their auras rippling through the air like clashing storms. Xalin's chest heaved, his body alive with the energy of the Luminary state, but he felt it—the surge in Roylen's power, growing stronger by the second.
"You feel it, don't you?" Roylen's smooth, mocking voice carried easily over the chaos. He raised his hand, gripping a silver ring that glimmered faintly against his pale skin. "Do you know what this is?" His crimson eyes locked onto Xalin's. "It's a suppression ring. Without it, I can't fully stretch my limbs."
Xalin's eyes narrowed as Roylen slowly slid the ring from his finger. The moment it fell, the world seemed to stop. The sound of the ring hitting the ground echoed like a thunderclap, and then—
BOOM.
A surge of power erupted from Roylen, dark and oppressive, consuming everything around him. The torn remains of his clothing disintegrated as black armor etched with jagged fangs and ancient runes shimmered into view. The air around him warped, crackling with his immense spiritual pressure. It was as if the weight of the universe itself had descended upon the battlefield.
Xalin staggered as the oppressive force washed over him. He clenched his fists, his glowing white markings flaring in resistance. Roylen smiled, baring sharp fangs, his voice low and chilling. "Impossible. No one should have power like this, not even you."
Lira and Kell, still recovering at the edge of the battlefield, froze in terror as Roylen's spiritual pressure surged further, its intensity cracking the ground beneath them. Lira's voice shook as she whispered, "What… what is he?"
Kell growled, his body trembling despite his berserker state. "This… isn't normal. They're both monsters now."
---
The Luminary Awakens
Xalin closed his eyes, shutting out the chaos around him. He reached deep within himself, searching for the source of his power. In the depths of his soul, the elemental spirits appeared: the swirling torrents of water, the roaring infernos of fire, the unyielding earth, the boundless air, and the shadows that lurked between light and dark.
They circled around him, their energies chaotic and unbalanced. But then, a figure emerged from the flames—a spirit clad in molten onyx, its form sleek and ferocious. Onyxrazor, the fire spirit, stepped forward. Its voice boomed with authority. "You cannot defeat him as you are. Balance is the only way. Let us unify."
One by one, the spirits merged, their energies intertwining with Onyxrazor's fiery essence. Light and dark, chaos and harmony—each came together to forge a perfect equilibrium within Xalin.
When Xalin opened his eyes, his usual aura was gone, replaced by a column of flame that shot into the sky, burning brighter and hotter than anything before. His power was no longer wild or unfocused. It was a perfect, serene storm, balanced between light and darkness. His eyes, once pure white, now swirled with a hypnotic blend of light and shadow, like twin galaxies spiraling in harmony.
Roylen's smirk faltered, replaced by a look of intrigue. "So, this is the true power of a Luminary?" He chuckled, his crimson eyes gleaming with excitement. "You're finally worth my time."
---
The Dance of Titans
The ground cracked as Xalin and Roylen moved simultaneously. Their clash began with a blur of fists and feet, each movement precise and devastating. Xalin struck with calculated ferocity, combining fire and shadow to amplify the force of his punches. Roylen countered with unmatched speed and power, his blows reinforced by the overwhelming pressure of his spiritual aura.
Xalin twisted his body mid-air, delivering a spinning kick wreathed in flames. Roylen raised his armored forearm to block, the impact ringing out like a hammer striking an anvil. Sparks erupted, and the force of the blow sent both combatants skidding backward.
"Flame Beheader!" Xalin roared. A thin line of fire flickered at his fingertip before erupting into a massive stream of compressed flames. The attack roared forward, consuming everything in its path with destructive intensity.
Roylen didn't move. The flames collided with his spiritual pressure, crashing against the invisible barrier like a tidal wave against a cliff. Despite the fire's power, it couldn't break through.
Roylen smirked. "Impressive... but not enough." He surged forward, slicing through the flames with ease. His fist, glowing with dark energy, rocketed toward Xalin.
Xalin ducked, twisting to the side and countering with a palm strike aimed at Roylen's chest. The blow connected, sending a shockwave rippling outward. Roylen stumbled, but quickly recovered, retaliating with a spinning backhand that Xalin barely dodged.
---
A Masterclass in Combat
The two warriors moved like forces of nature, their combat a symphony of destruction. Xalin relied on his perfect balance of elemental techniques, weaving fire, air, and shadow into his strikes. Roylen, on the other hand, fought with primal ferocity, his movements a blur of raw power and precise strikes.
Xalin leaped into the air, summoning a pillar of wind to propel him higher. He spun, creating a vortex of flames that descended toward Roylen like a burning tornado. Roylen raised his hand, and a dome of crimson energy formed around him, dissipating the attack effortlessly.
Roylen countered by vanishing from sight, reappearing directly behind Xalin. His knee drove into Xalin's back, sending him hurtling toward the ground. Xalin twisted mid-fall, landing in a crouch and retaliating with a burst of shadow energy that lashed out like a whip.
Roylen dodged, but the shadows grazed his armor, leaving faint scorch marks. His grin widened. "Finally, someone who can keep up."
Xalin didn't respond. He surged forward, closing the distance between them. Their fists collided, creating a shockwave that shattered the nearby trees. Each strike carried the weight of their immense power, the ground crumbling beneath their feet with every exchange.
---
The Collision of Auras
As the fight raged on, their auras began to clash more violently. Roylen's spiritual pressure, dark and oppressive, consumed the space around him, while Xalin's balanced energy pushed back with equal force. The collision of their powers created a vortex of energy that swallowed the battlefield, forcing Lira and Kell to retreat further.
"This is insane," Lira whispered, her voice trembling. "Their power… it's beyond anything I've ever seen."
Kell's expression was grim as he watched the two titans clash. "They're not just fighting. They're rewriting the rules of what's possible."
Roylen's smirk turned into a full grin as he deflected another of Xalin's strikes. "Show me more, Luminary! Prove to me that you're worth destroying!"
Xalin's eyes burned with determination as he lunged forward, his movements faster and sharper than ever. "You wanted a real fight? Then I'll give you everything I've got!"