Aiden barely steadied himself before Ivan pressed the attack, moving faster than before. The abyssal flames licking his greatsword crackled with raw destructive energy, each swing warping the air around it.
Aiden parried the next blow, but the sheer force behind it sent a tremor through his arms. He's stronger. A lot stronger.
Myne and Rick moved in, their instincts honed from countless battles.
"Myne, slow him down!" Aiden ordered, pushing back against Ivan's assault.
Myne's shadowmancy surged to life—dark tendrils erupted from the ground, twisting toward Ivan like serpents seeking their prey. But the moment they touched him, they burned. The abyssal flames consuming Ivan's body devoured her shadows like kindling.
"Tch," Myne clicked her tongue. "That's new."
Rick wasn't deterred. He moved into position, his gauntlets glowing with concentrated energy. "Then we hit him harder."