Zar quickly scanned his surroundings, his eyes darting to the spot where his equipment bag and horse stood, untouched and still at the same distance as before he read the chants. Without hesitation, he sprinted toward them, pulling out the book with urgency. His fingers flipped through the pages until he found the phrases he sought. Taking a steadying breath, he began to recite: "I do incline mine head upon thy knees, that I may render unto thee the honour thou dost rightfully merit; spare thou mine life and vouchsafe unto—" Before Zar could finish, a venomous shard, sharp as a blade and dark as the void, tore through the air with blinding speed, aimed directly at the book. Zar's reflexes saved it from complete ruin—only the cover and a few pages bore the brunt of the attack. But the shard struck his horse, the beast collapsing instantly, its lifeless body hitting the ground with a dull thud. From atop the floating terrace, Orestes's deep, resonant voice thundered across the surreal dimension: "Even if thou dost abase thyself to kiss the very earth beneath mine feet, no mercy shall be granted unto thee. Thy daring to tread upon this sacred dominion is a blasphemy unforgivable, and thus, thy life is forfeit. None who enter this realm leave with their breath intact—thou art naught but another fool destined to perish beneath mine wrath." Zar maintained a calm, composed demeanor, carefully concealing the fear that gnawed at him inside. He stood unwavering, his stance exuding confidence, though his thoughts raced. "So, he's a Mentifer adept in shards... judging by the venomous one he cast, he might have mastered the third-tier shard. Losing my horse is a problem, but survival comes first." Resolute, Zar reached into his bag and retrieved his equipment. He pulled out a staff capable of splitting into two weapons, donned gloves designed to amplify his magic, and slipped on a heavy, leather-like jacket engineered to offer partial resistance to magic. Above him, Orestes descended from the castle with a chilling grace, his movements as silent as shadows, the air around him distorting faintly with his malevolent aura. He floated downward, his robe rippling like whispers of death, his presence suffocating the atmosphere as though the land itself recoiled from his approach. Zar stood firm, gripping his staff, dividing it into two and spinning each piece effortlessly in both hands. He began channeling his energy into the weapons, their edges glimmering faintly with power. He whispered to himself, "You've got this, Zar... no need to panic." His expression remained stoic, his focus sharp, as he locked eyes with Orestes, ready for battle. Mentifery, one of the five revered magics of Xandria, grants select sorcerers the power to command shards—an extraordinary ability classified into four stages. The progression through these stages depends on the sorcerer's innate skill, discipline, and mastery over time. To this day, most mentifers with shard abilities never surpass the second stage, even after dedicating their entire lives to honing their craft. Currently, only about 13 mentifers in the world are known to have achieved third-tier shards, while the legendary fourth tier has been reached by only five sorcerers in recorded history. A mentifer wielding second-tier shards can manipulate them telekinetically, propelling them at speeds rivaling sound itself. These shards possess such lethality that they can cleave through most beings with ease, sparing only those with exceptional resilience or magical protection. Considering the devastating potential of second-tier shards, the power of third and fourth-tier shards defies imagination. Orestes, a rare third-tier mentifer, wields shards of such advanced potency that their very presence exudes a sense of impending doom. Orestes conjured a larger, sharper shard in his hand, its edges gleaming with deadly precision. Zar's eyes locked onto it as Orestes launched the shard with blinding speed. Reacting quickly, Zar placed his hand, still gripping the spinning staff, against the shard. The radiant energy flowing through the staff's spinning form reflected the shard off course, sending it hurtling into the distance. Seizing the opportunity, Zar leaped forward with long strides, aiming to strike Orestes with the second piece of his staff. Just as he was about to land the blow, Orestes condensed energy into his palm, releasing a distorted, reverberating sound that momentarily slowed Zar's movements. In the same instant, Orestes unleashed a telekinetic blast from his hand, throwing Zar against a boulder with such force that his body was deeply imprinted in the rock. Without hesitation, Orestes raised the boulder, Zar still embedded in it, and hurled it toward the base of a nearby mountain. The boulder shattered upon impact, triggering a landslide as chunks of the cliff above came crashing down on Zar. Buried beneath the rubble, Zar gritted his teeth, thoughts racing. "This magic-resistant jacket is useless if all he does is use telekinetic powers against me." Buried beneath the rubble, Zar summoned balls of charged energy in his palms, releasing them onto the ground. The impact caused a surge of white, sparkling energy to radiate outward, affecting a large radius around him. With a determined motion, Zar hurled the surrounding stones away with a massive energy blast, clearing the area and creating an energy-charged surface beneath him. The moment he stood, his eyes began to glow white, and the ground beneath him shimmered with power. The energy he had cast allowed him to move at an astonishing speed, almost as if teleporting from place to place. Zar raced across the terrain, his movements so rapid that even Orestes struggled to track him. As he moved, Zar unleashed a series of energy blasts, each one aimed at Orestes, but the sorcerer deftly dodged each one, floating in mid-air with unnerving ease. Zar, determined to land a hit, charged a larger blast into the ground, propelling himself into the air with a sudden boost. In mid-flight, he fired a continuous energy beam directly at Orestes. With calm precision, Orestes conjured a mirror-like shield of energy, its surface shimmering like liquid silver. The energy beam collided with the shield and was instantly reflected back toward Zar. The redirected beam slammed into him with overwhelming force, sending him hurtling backward. However, Zar managed to regain control in the air, landing with one hand on the ground to steady himself, his body aching but resolute. Zar knew the speed of Orestes's shards all too well, so he focused on keeping his reflexes sharp. As an experienced professor known for multitasking, Zar had trained himself to stay this focused under pressure. Orestes began launching multiple shard pieces in rapid succession, and Zar responded by hurling large energy balls at them, using the force of the blasts to deflect the deadly projectiles. However, Orestes wasn't just relying on shards. He conjured a telekinetic blow, one that appeared like another shard due to his reality-bending abilities. The blow struck the ground in front of Zar, catching him off-guard. The force of the impact sent Zar skidding backwards, struggling to maintain balance. As he slid, a sharp shard spike suddenly pierced his calf from behind. Zar gasped in pain, crying out, "AAGHHH!" His vision blurred with pain, but Zar forced himself to focus, scanning for Orestes's position. In that moment, Orestes deactivated his invisibility, barely a meter away. Before Zar could react, Orestes delivered a brutal punch to his face. The force sent Zar reeling, spitting blood as he staggered back, the pain blurring his senses. Zar, grimacing, slowly reached down and gripped the large shard spike lodged in his calf. With great effort, he yanked it free, the agony coursing through his leg as the flesh and bone resisted the removal. As he struggled to stay on his feet, he muttered to himself, "I'm clearly being humbled by this man... he isn't even at his full potential yet." Zar and Orestes engaged in a fierce hand-to-hand combat, though the exchange was heavily one-sided. Orestes landed blow after blow, while Zar, struggling to maintain his focus, failed to connect even once. The poison from the shard that had pierced his calf was rapidly sapping his strength, clouding his vision and dulling his reflexes. He could barely track Orestes's movements, his arms a blur as they closed in. Amidst the flurry of punches, Orestes abruptly channeled telekinetic energy into his fist. When his next strike landed, it unleashed an explosive force that hurled Zar through the air, slamming him into the ground at a distance. Groaning in pain, Zar staggered to his feet, his body aching from the relentless onslaught. His gaze fell on his equipment bag lying nearby. "....This is exactly what I needed," he muttered to himself. From within the bag, Zar retrieved a vial containing a shimmering potion of purification. He uncorked it and downed the liquid in one swift motion, feeling the poison's grip loosen and dissipate almost instantly. From across the battlefield, Orestes's deep, resonant voice echoed, dripping with disdain. "Hast thou no greater resolve, pitiful one? Was this feeble show thy mightiest effort? Truly, thou art unworthy to stand before me!" Zar remained silent, his focus unwavering as he retrieved a radiant white orb from his bag. Without hesitation, he pressed the orb against his wrist, watching as it dissolved into his veins and began coursing through his body. The transformation was immediate. White and blue energy sparkled from his skin, his veins illuminated and visible along his neck and face. His feet lifted from the ground as he began to levitate, a side effect of the orb's immense power. The surge of energy heightened Zar's confidence. Knowing the effects of the orb would only last for five minutes, he wasted no time. With a swift motion, he summoned over ten energy balls, scattering them across a wide area around Orestes. He launched them all simultaneously, creating a barrage that filled the air with streaks of dazzling light. Orestes moved with unnerving agility, dodging nearly all of the blasts. A few struck him, but the impact seemed negligible, leaving him unfazed. Undeterred, Zar intensified his assault, summoning and launching wave after wave of energy balls. As the onslaught continued, Orestes's expression darkened. He finally raised his hand, summoning a sharp thread-like weapon crafted from several shards strung together like an unholy necklace. With a flick of his wrist, he launched the shard-thread at Zar with blinding speed. Yet, the energy radiating from Zar's body shielded him. The shards bounced harmlessly off the shimmering white aura surrounding him, unable to penetrate its protective force. Orestes paused momentarily, his gaze sharpening as he took stock of the situation. He silently acknowledged Zar's newfound strength and adapted his approach, ceasing his shard attacks. Instead, he focused solely on evasion, his movements fluid yet calculated, waiting for an opportunity to exploit the limits of Zar's fleeting power. Orestes distanced himself from Zar, summoning several boulders around him with his telekinesis. One by one, he hurled them at Zar, each projectile crashing through the air with devastating force. Zar retaliated with precision, shattering each boulder with powerful energy blasts. His relentless actions made it clear that he was pouring every ounce of strength into the fight, refusing to back down. Suddenly, Orestes levitated a much larger boulder, its sheer weight and size evident in the strain of his movements. With immense effort, he launched the massive projectile at Zar. This time, the boulder was too large and dense for Zar to destroy in the same manner. It collided with him, driving him into the ground with bone-rattling impact. Seizing the opportunity, Orestes activated his camouflage technique, disappearing from view as he closed the distance between them at incredible speed. Zar, momentarily disoriented, failed to notice Orestes until it was too late. Before he could react, Orestes clasped his skull in an iron grip, attempting to collapse his mind with a powerful technique. But Zar's reflexes kicked in just in time. He grabbed Orestes's wrist, the energy radiating from his body intensifying. With a surge of raw power, he yanked Orestes upward and hurled him forward, sending the sorcerer tumbling across the battlefield. Orestes staggered to his feet, his movements unsteady. Before he could fully recover, Zar spotted a piano lying nearby, its presence incongruous amidst the chaos. Channeling energy into his limbs, Zar lifted the piano effortlessly, infused it with radiant particles, and hurled it at Orestes with all his might. Orestes, still sharp despite the blow, summoned a shard and cleaved the piano in two mid-air. However, the piano's destruction triggered an unexpected reaction. The energy Zar had imbued within it erupted, resulting in a blinding explosion. The force of the blast sent Orestes flying backward, crashing into the ground. As Orestes struggled to rise, a whirring sound caught his attention, but it was too late. A spinning segment of Zar's staff, charged with energy, came flying from behind and struck him squarely on the head. The impact caused Orestes to stumble, his balance faltering. The telekinetically levitating stones around him lost their hold and came crashing to the ground, signaling a momentary lapse in his concentration. "Finally," Zar thought, his sharp gaze locked onto Orestes. "This is where he falters. Telekinesis demands immense focus, and this man is pushing it to its absolute limit. He can't possibly defend himself against multiple, varied attacks at the same time. His head... that's the key." Zar clenched his fists, determination sparking in his eyes. "No way... I've actually got a chance to bring down this god-complexed tyrant." Zar called back the second piece of his staff, joining it with the first to form a single long weapon. He began spinning it with precision, channeling radiant energy through its length. Meanwhile, Orestes's expression darkened; his demeanor shifted to one of pure menace, signaling he was done toying with Zar. With a flick of his wrist, Orestes dropped a shard onto the ground. The shard emitted a golden-white glow, spreading rapidly across the floor and forming a shimmering domain of shards that encased both combatants. Within this barrier, Orestes gained the ability to summon massive spikes of shards from any point in the space, creating an overwhelming and perilous environment for Zar. His intention was clear-this time, there would be no escape. Zar steeled his reflexes, swinging his charged staff with full force to shatter every incoming spike. The relentless attacks tested his endurance, but he pressed forward, leaping closer to Orestes with each broken shard. After several evasive moves, he closed the gap and swung his staff with all his strength. Orestes, however, caught the weapon mid-swing, gripping it tightly in one hand. The two locked in a brief stalemate. Orestes attempted to land punches with his free hand, but Zar dodged nimbly. In a desperate maneuver, Zar lifted his leg and delivered a powerful kick to Orestes's face, forcing him to release the staff and stumble backward. Before Zar could regain his footing, a massive shard, twice his size, shot toward him from behind. Zar narrowly dodged the attack, but the spike ripped through his magic-resistant jacket. Realizing the garment was no longer effective, Zar tore it off, revealing his battered form beneath. Determined to turn the tide, Zar conjured a small, table tennis-sized energy ball in his palm. The sphere pulsed with densely compressed energy, and when he hurled it into the domain, it moved with such speed and force that it nearly broke the sound barrier. The energy ball ricocheted wildly within the barrier like a lethal ping pong ball, its unpredictable trajectory a constant threat. Orestes's focus shifted as he struggled to track the ball's movements, knowing a single hit could pierce through him with ease, potentially ending the fight. Exploiting the distraction, Zar lunged at Orestes once more, wielding his staff with precision. Orestes responded by summoning two shards, gripping them like daggers in each hand. The clash turned into a frenzied melee, with Orestes unable to rely on his telekinesis for fear of losing concentration on the deadly energy ball still careening through the domain. The shards Orestes wielded as daggers were far sharper and sturdier than those he had used earlier. Their prolonged combat reached a critical point when the strength of Orestes's daggers shattered Zar's staff in two. The unexpected blow caught Zar off guard, and Orestes seized the opportunity, delivering a crushing punch to Zar's stomach. The impact hurled Zar out of the shimmering domain, leaving him sprawled on the ground, trembling and gasping for air. As Zar struggled to rise, he felt the effects of the orb dissipating. The glow in his veins faded, his enhanced strength vanished, and the energy ball that had been ricocheting through the domain dissipated along with it. Vulnerable and exhausted, Zar was out of options. Orestes, now standing at the edge of the broken domain, prepared to deliver the final blow. His gaze was cold and unyielding as countless spikes began forming around him, aimed directly at Zar. Zar, on the other hand, slumped to the ground, his mind racing with despair. "So this is it?" Zar thought bitterly, his breathing ragged. "No, this cannot be it. I am the only one in this world who can prove the existence and value of Umbraxis. I cannot die here." Before Orestes could unleash his deadly barrage, the earth beneath them trembled violently as a separate chunk of land collided with theirs, triggering an earthquake. The tremors drew Orestes's attention, momentarily halting his attack. Amid the chaos, a loud, childlike roar echoed through the area, its sheer volume reverberating in their ears. Then, without warning, a massive bedrock-larger than anything Zar had ever seen-hurtled through the air and struck Orestes with catastrophic force. The impact sent Orestes flying into the horizon, disappearing entirely from sight. Though it was uncertain whether Orestes had been defeated for good, Zar could feel the oppressive aura of the shards vanishing with his departure. Zar remained on the ground, stunned, his wide eyes darting across the landscape. Relief, confusion, and disbelief coursed through him as he tried to process what had just occurred. For five long seconds, he simply stared, his mind a blur of thoughts. The faint sound of a cage rattling drew his attention. Turning his head, Zar spotted a small animal cage in the distance, inside which a baby rock golem was imprisoned. The creature's body emitted a faint purplish aura, a clear sign it was under the influence of some foreign energy. Zar rose unsteadily to his feet and launched an energy blast at the cage. The impact shattered not only the cage but also the ornate object binding the golem. Freed from the possession, the golem's aura faded, and it emitted a soft, curious chirp as it sprinted toward Zar. The creature stopped before Zar, its eyes wide with innocent curiosity. Zar knelt to its level, smiling faintly. "So you were the one responsible for all that," he said, his voice tinged with amusement. "I've got to say, you saved my life today, little one." The golem replied with a series of incomprehensible sounds: "Khwawaka akwawaakkhaa akwwakhhka." Zar chuckled. "It's okay, I've got you." He reached out, resting a hand lightly on the golem's smooth, rocky head. "Hey... would you like to join me on my journey?" The golem stared deeply into Zar's eyes, its expression unreadable but captivated. Zar grinned and gave a soft laugh. "I'll take that as a yes. From now on, you're my assistant... Gorath." He stood, glancing at the creature with a smirk. "I've given you a pretty cool name, don't you think? Hope you're grateful."