Lucian stood tall amid the shattered remains of the throne room, sword raised high as if daring the world itself to challenge him. Black aura spiraled violently around his body, twisting the air, cracking stone, staining the world with his malice. Power screamed off him in waves—corrupted, fanatical, desperate.
His grin was wide. Unhinged.
"You think you can take me without that blade?!"
Reider didn't answer.
He stepped forward calmly and drove his sword into the stone floor with one smooth motion. The metal sank deep, humming once before falling silent.
Lucian blinked.
Reider released the hilt, fingers opening without hesitation. His eyes were sharp, cold, utterly unimpressed.
"I don't need it."
For a heartbeat, Lucian stared—then sneered, rage crawling across his face.
"Arrogant to the end."
The aura around Lucian detonated outward as he launched forward, black lightning tearing across the floor beneath his feet. His speed was monstrous, beyond human, beyond reason.
"DIE!"
Reider didn't move.
He stood there, hands relaxed at his sides, expression bordering on bored—like a man watching a child throw a tantrum.
Lucian's blade came down in a brutal overhead strike meant to cleave him in half.
Reider sidestepped.
One smooth motion. No wasted movement. No effort.
Lucian's sword cut nothing but air.
Reider's hand snapped out and caught Lucian's wrist mid-swing.
Stopped cold.
"Too slow."
Lucian's eyes went wide.
"Wha—?!"
Reider twisted.
There was a loud, sickening crack as bone snapped unnaturally. Lucian screamed, pain ripping through him as his sword arm bent the wrong way.
Still holding him, Reider leaned back casually as Lucian swung his free hand, magic screaming toward his face.
The strike missed by inches.
Reider drove his knee into Lucian's ribs.
The impact detonated.
A shockwave blasted outward, pulverizing stone pillars as Lucian coughed blood and was launched backward, smashing through a column and crashing into rubble.
Dust rolled through the hall.
Reider stood straight as the debris settled, expression unchanged.
Lucian staggered to his feet, clutching his ribs, fury and disbelief warring in his eyes.
"You… bastard…"
He charged again, magic exploding around him, rage overriding reason.
Reider walked toward him.
Lucian swung wildly.
Reider caught the blade with his bare hand.
Steel screamed as sparks flew. The edge bit into his palm—and stopped.
Reider shoved him back with one push.
Lucian skidded across the floor, boots carving grooves into stone.
Sweat poured down his face.
He's not even trying…
Reider took a single step forward.
The ground cracked beneath his foot from sheer pressure.
Lucian panicked.
Black chains erupted from the air, lashing toward Reider in desperation.
Reider caught them mid-air.
Crushed them.
The magic collapsed like paper in his grip.
Lucian recoiled, terror finally surfacing as Reider kept walking toward him.
"I'M NOT DONE!!"
Reider vanished.
His fist slammed into Lucian's stomach with devastating force.
Lucian coughed blood, eyes rolling back as his feet lifted off the ground.
Reider grabbed him by the throat mid-air, lifting him effortlessly.
"You wanted to play god," Reider said calmly. "But you're nothing."
Lucian clawed at his hand, gasping.
"I'll… KILL YOU…"
Reider leaned in.
"No, Lucian. You won't."
He slammed Lucian into the ground.
Stone exploded outward, cracks spiderwebbing across the floor as Lucian lay broken and choking.
Reider stepped back, hand unclenching.
"Get up. We're not done."
Lucian laughed weakly.
Then screamed.
Dark energy engulfed him. Black flames roared to life, wrapping his body as his aura surged violently. His eyes turned pitch black, red irises burning within as veins bulged across his face.
"If I have to burn this world to kill you… SO BE IT!"
Lucian rose.
The air warped. Pressure crushed outward like a storm given form.
Reider watched, eyes narrowing slightly.
He's finally showing everything.
Lucian vanished and reappeared in an instant, fist colliding with Reider's.
The sky cracked.
Shockwaves ripped upward, tearing clouds apart.
Reider slid back a step.
"Not bad."
Lucian laughed madly, pushing harder, every punch detonating like artillery.
Buildings around the castle fractured. The city trembled.
Far away, Vael, Mei, and Eryndra stared.
"Are they trying to destroy everything?!" Eryndra shouted.
"At this rate, people will die…" Mei whispered.
Vael watched Reider closely.
"He knows."
Back in the clash, Reider caught Lucian's punch and glanced around. The destruction spreading. The danger.
Too dangerous here.
He grabbed Lucian by the throat.
Before Lucian could react, Reider leapt.
The ground exploded as he rocketed upward, carrying Lucian with him. A massive gust of wind flattened everything below.
They tore through clouds.
Higher.
Higher.
The world shrank beneath them.
"You can't escape me!" Lucian roared.
"I'm not escaping."
Reider spun mid-air.
He hurled Lucian with devastating force.
Lucian streaked through space like a comet, slammed toward the moon.
On the ground, everyone stared.
"Did he just… throw him into space?!" Eryndra gasped.
"Reider knew the battlefield here was too dangerous," Vael said calmly. "So he took their fight where no one can get hurt."
"He thought that far ahead…" Mei whispered.
"What even is he…?" Eryndra breathed.
Reider launched after Lucian, breaking sound barriers as he tore into space.
Kael grinned. "Guess the boss got tired of holding back."
"Our kind of monster," Elias said.
On the moon, Lucian crashed down, cratering the surface.
Reider landed opposite him.
Lucian stood, aura cracked and blazing like armor.
"Out here, you die alone, Reider."
Reider clenched his fists.
"Let's finish this."