[SHADOW DUNGEON]
[2 DAYS BEFORE]
"So you are coming with us too?" Arsha asked Thalia after she completed her daily workout with Ammut.
"Yes, the IHA President allowed it." Thalia replied.
"That's good…very good…listen I want to talk to you about your power." Arsha said softly.
"My power? What about my power?" Thalia asked confused. The two had spent plenty of time together and had managed to build a semi-friendly relationship…but it was rare for Arsha to be forward about anything.
"I would like to try something…do you mind? Ok…I need you to use your Void skill. Ok, good…now let me try something." Arsha said.
She continued, "good…very good…its just like I thought. Your Void skill is not a dimensional skill like we all thought…otherwise my void insects would be able to follow you."
"What do you mean?" Thalia asked.
Arsha explained, "Monarchs, Rulers, Itarim, and any other powerful creature may be able to create dimensional tears, tunnels, or bridges….what you call gates. However, not everyone is able to do it as effectively as others."
"Think of it this way…a dog, cat, human, fish, and Black Marlin can all swim in water. How fast, how long, and how far varies depending on the creature. If these are all thrown into an ocean…well, the Black Marlin would easily win."
"Of all the beings in existence, I am unequal in terms of traveling and navigating through space and the void. I am known as the Monarch of the Void after all. However, even I can't reach you when you use your Void skill."
"I can tell you skill is still incomplete…but its very powerful even in its current state. You have a unique ability to create a space that does not exist. In essence, you are creating your own reality."
"Why are you telling me this?" Thalia asked
"Because you must understand your strength if you wish to wield it…otherwise it wields you." Arsha said solemnly.
[MAIDEN'S VOID]
[Planetary Devastation skill used by Itarim Lycus]
"Die you rats!" Lycus shouted joyfully as he hurled a giant meteor. It landed with devastating force…enough to wipe out an entire army.
To his surprise, there was no one there…his attack landed on top of an empty space. He looked around and quickly realized he was no longer in his castle.
"I see…we are in your domain" Lycus mused. "Do you honestly think you can hold me here? I am Lycus the Itarim of Suppression…you can't hold me!"
Lycus tore at the dimensional walls…but to his surprise he was unable to exit.
"This is my domain…you won't be able to leave that easy." Thalia said firmly.
"Silly Itarim girl…I will kill you and devour your corpse…then I will kill the little God and devour him too." Lycus grinned widely.
"Good…this is good…now we can fight without worrying about killing innocent bystanders." Suho said in relief.
"Do you think you can win just because you separated me for my army…you fools!!! I am the army!!!"
[Soldier Creation skill used by Itarim Lycus]
Lycus raised his hand up…from his hand poured out thousands upon thousands of soldiers.
Suho grinned, "two can play that game."
Thousands of shadow soldiers materialized. The two sides clashed in a violent carnage of swords, spears, axes, claws, and magic.
Lycus laughed as he sprayed the entire area with deadly projectiles including light-beams, fireballs, rocks, boulders, and large meterors. These destroyed shadow soldiers and Empire soldiers alike. However, he did not care…these were just toys to be played with and broken.
Suho and Thalia dodged and blocked the smaller attacks…the larger ones they countered with shadow attacks and Astra light-beams.
The battle turned into pure destruction…countless objects being created and destroyed over and over. Furthermore, the battled had turned into a battle of attrition…the first side to run out of mana would lose.
"Range attacks are useless…he blocks and counters with thousands of projections. We need to change strategy." Thalia said.
"I agree, it's time to get close…let's run him down." Suho said with a playful smile.
Thalia nodded as the two lunged forward at incredible speed. The Itarim hurled an avalanche of projectiles including rocks, knives, boulders, and an array of sharp objects.
Suho and Thalia didn't bother to block or counter, they simply dodged with their incredible speed. Thalia reached Lycus first and unleashed a torrent of slashes and attacks with her cutlass.
The Itarim blocked, parried, and countered the onslaught of attacks with ease…pushing Thalia back.
At that moment, Suho delivered an incredibly quick and powerful thrust…but strangely his attack missed. Lycus countered with a powerful diagonal slash…caught off balance, Suho barely managed to block. The impact hurled Suho back leaving him wide open for range attacks.
Thalia quickly covered the onslaught of range attacks with a flurry of Astra attacks.
"Thanks…that was weird." Suho said.
Thalia thought, 'Suho is one for strongest fighters I have ever seen. He is very skilled and experienced in combat…there is no way he would miss. There is something else happening here."
"Suho…please try that again…I want to see something." She said with determination.
!ALERT!
[PERCEPTION skill activated]
Thalia watched carefully…she could see the ebb and flow of mana, every inch of space, projection, and every object.
Suho dodged the Itarim's range attacks and closed the gap between the two. He struck with a powerful diagonal slash. The same thing happened…it seemed as if Suho missed the timing of his attack which left him wide open for a counter-attack. Lycus took advantage of this "mistake" and slashed Suho deep into his left shoulder.