The sudden onslaught took Zelda by surprise for a fraction of a second, but it was all the time she needed to sharpen her focus. In the blink of an eye, she regained her composure, a cold resolve settling in her gaze. Her eyes, once wide with momentary surprise, hardened into the steely focus that had earned her the title of family protector. Chaos didn't fluster her—it only fueled her.
Her breath slowed, heart steadying with the rhythm of her thoughts. The world seemed to blur around her, but within this maelstrom, she found clarity. Every movement felt like it was unfolding in slow motion, each muscle primed, every fiber ready for the next strike. This was her element.
With fluid precision, she blocked the incoming strike. The force reverberated through her body, but her stance held firm. She absorbed the impact, her movements crisp and confident, the kind of instinctive defense only years of experience could produce. A sly smirk curved her lips, a gleam of excitement dancing in her eyes.
"Not bad," Zelda purred, her voice smooth as velvet, yet with an edge, like the ringing of steel on steel. "You almost had me there."
The man opposite her said nothing. His lips pressed into a thin line, his eyes narrowing, a silent fury simmering in the depths of his gaze. Without warning, the atmosphere around him shifted. The air grew colder, denser—as if something within him was beginning to awaken. A sharp aura unfurled from his form like a storm, wrapping around him, suffocating the space. The air vibrated beneath his feet, a chilling herald of the Lethal power he was about to unleash.
"Sword Domain: Man Becomes Sword," he declared, his voice like a blade, cutting through the tension. His words echoed in the air, leaving a trail of freezing silence in their wake.
The change in him was immediate and almost unnatural. His form shimmered as if coated in metal, every inch of him gleaming with the sharp radiance of steel. His presence, once human, now radiated with the chilling, unyielding aura of a weapon—a being of death. His transformation was complete, and it was clear: he was no longer just a man. He was a living weapon.
Zelda's grin widened, eyes lighting up with a fire that hadn't been there moments before. This—this was the kind of challenge she'd been waiting for.
"Now, this..." Her voice dropped low, the thrill of the fight bubbling up from within her like the roar of a beast eager to pounce. "This is what I've been craving. Show me more!"
Before the words could even fully leave her lips, she shifted into a stance that seemed to pull the darkness from the very air itself. The shadows around her began to writhe, like living things. The temperature plummeted, the air groaned under the weight of the energy gathering at her feet. The sky above seemed to darken, clouds swirling violently as if answering the call of her power.
"Sword Domain: Asura!" Zelda's voice thundered, her words breaking through the air with an authority that seemed to shake the heavens themselves. The air vibrated as her domain descended, thick with the smell of blood—sharp, metallic, overpowering.
Her appearance was no longer the woman who had entered the battle moments ago. Her once-white hair was streaked with black, her eyes glowing with a malevolent energy, and every inch of her presence now exuded an aura of finality, of death. The shadows around her rippled like sentient creatures, obeying her every command. Even the earth beneath them seemed to groan under the weight of her power.
The clash between their two domains was nothing short of cataclysmic. The air split with a deafening roar, as if the world itself held its breath in the face of such immense power. The air around them struggling to maintain it self, the very fabric of reality strained as their energies collided—sharp, fluid, and elegant against chaotic, all-consuming darkness.
Zelda's grin, once playful, now twisted into something more primal. "Now this is what I live for," she growled, her voice a low, guttural sound, full of anticipation.
In the blink of an eye, she was gone.
No sound, no warning—Zelda vanished, her speed so blindingly fast that the world seemed to freeze in place. It was as though time itself stuttered. Before the man could even react, she reappeared in front of him, a blur of motion, her fist imbued with all the fury of a storm crashing down.
The collision was devastating. Her punch hit with the force of a meteor falling to earth, slamming into his defenses with an explosive shockwave that cracked the ground beneath their feet. A shockwave rippled outward from the impact, sending a tremor through the land. Dust and debris exploded into the air, clouding the already chaotic battlefield.
The man, though quick, was no match for her. He slashed with unnatural speed, his hand caoted in her energy looking like a sword but the attack was doged by zelda. Zelda was already one step ahead. She feinted a punch, and as he instinctively blocked, she used his distraction to strike at his leg, sending him off-balance. In that split second of vulnerability, Zelda followed up with a vicious uppercut that sent him flying upward.
Her senses heightened as she anticipated his next move, every detail of the fight flashing in her mind. Without skipping a beat, she appeared beside him, her foot connecting with his side in a crushing blow. The force sent him skidding back several paces, his aura flickering as he struggled to regain his footing.
"That hurt," he muttered, his voice strained but calm, the first sign of doubt creeping into his demeanor. "I thought I could take you on in this state, but I was wrong."
Zelda's eyes locked onto him, her focus unwavering. The fire in her gaze burned with the intensity of a thousand suns. She wasn't satisfied yet—far from it. She hadn't even begun to truly unleash her power.
With a flick of his wrist, the man unsheated his sword. It hummed with energy, a blinding light emanating from the blade, burning the very air. This weapon was not just a sword—it was a manifestation of his power, his will, his essence. The very force of it seemed to carve through the air itself, demanding reverence.
He slashed, his blade moving faster than the eye could follow, a blur of deadly intent. But Zelda was prepared. She countered with a flurry of punches, each strike powered by her own will, cracking the air with the force of each impact. Stone shattered beneath her blows as the two forces collided in a violent exchange.
Despite her relentless assault, the man's blade continued to press forward,. Zelda dodged just in time, but the blade grazed her shoulder, a thin line of blood dripping down her arm.
The sting only made her grin wider, the taste of battle awakening something deep within her. She felt alive in a way few ever could understand. Her blood was pumping with an adrenaline that only intensified her resolve. Pain was nothing but fuel for her fury.
Before she could react, a massive force slammed into her from behind. The shockwave sent her hurtling toward the protective barrier Sam had created. She was falling fast, her body unrestrained . A moment of weightlessness swept through her, but her focus remained sharp. She was ready to regain control.
Lara, watching from the sidelines, spun toward Sam, her expression filled with mounting concern. Her muscles coiled, ready for action, but there was no time. The battle was escalating faster than she had expected.
"Sam!" she barked, her voice thick with urgency.
Sam, however, was oblivious. He raised a hand lazily to shield his face, then peeked one eye open. His gaze fell on Lara, her expression a mix of frustration and fear.
"Reinforce the barrier! It won't hold much longer!" she ordered, her voice now tinged with desperation.
Sam yawned, completely unconcerned. "It will hold, darling," he said, the words dripping with laziness. "You doubt me too much. I'm stronger now. Just wait."
Lara's patience was gone. "Now's not the time for your laziness, old man," she snarled, her tone low and dangerous. "Reinforce the barrier, now!"
Sam, still half-asleep, rolled his eyes but couldn't help the flicker of affection in his gaze. "I'm doing this for you, old hag," he muttered, knowing full well that despite his exhaustion, his barrier would stand strong.
"And who are you calling 'old'?" Lara's voice dropped to a dangerous growl, sending a chill through the air.
But before Sam could respond, the ground trembled beneath them. An explosion of raw energy erupted from the battle, shaking the very earth. The shockwave sent ripples through the air, and the land itself seemed to quake with the force of the blast. The intensity of the energy surged outward, knocking loose stones and debris from the earth, sending them crashing into the distance.
Sam and Lara exchanged a look, their petty quarrel forgotten in an instant. The world around them seemed to hold its breath as the air vibrated with the aftermath of the explosion. They turned as one, eyes fixed on the source of the explosion.