Price of Conviction

Esra drew her sword back, preparing for another attack. Her cold, calculating gaze locked on Jirak, who stood casually, his nonchalant demeanor unshaken.

THA-BOOM!

Esra blasted forward with incredible speed, her movement leaving a streak of glowing red energy in the void.

"Nuh-uh, you already had your turn," Jirak muttered, stepping forward as yellow energy began swirling around his clenched fist.

DRAGONIC WRATH!

Bright yellow energy erupted from his hand, forming into the shape of a roaring dragon that coiled around his arm, emanating a deadly power.

Esra appeared before him in an instant, her sword raised high, glowing with an intense blue aura. She swung down with lethal precision. Jirak thrust his fist forward to meet her strike head-on.

But instead of stopping her blade, it passed right through his hand, as if his hand didn't exist. Time seemed to slow as the sword continued downward, cutting into his shoulder and dragging through his chest.

CHINGGG!

Blood splattered into the void as Jirak sped backward, clutching his wound with a grimace. He panted, his usual calm demeanor faltering as he tried to process what had just happened.

What the hell was that? he thought. That attack… it seems to be able to warp space—it even bypassed my scales entirely. Even worse, with my innate ability to heal my wound should be almost fully healed by now but my wound isn't healing.

Esra smirked arrogantly, wiping blood from the corner of her mouth. "Confusing, isn't it?"

Her voice carried a sharp edge as she lifted her blade. "This sword's ability, Conviction, cuts through all I deem wicked. Nothing will be able to stop the advance of my sword and no force will erase the wounds it inflicts. Your regeneration? Your scales? Meaningless."

From a distance, Sinith observed the exchange, her gaze drifting toward Jirak while she relentlessly toyed with Heven, slashing at him just enough to keep him in agony. "That doesn't sound so good, big bro," she taunted with a smirk.

"How about you focus on your own battle and butt out of mine?" Jirak shot back, his voice tinged with irritation.

AHHHH!

Heven's cloak tore open, revealing a swirling void of darkness as dozens of squid-like tendrils lashed out at Sinith.

SWISH!

Sinith dodged the attack with ease, her expression unchanging. "Seems he's not going to just roll over and die," she remarked before darting back into the fray.

Jirak's attention returned to Esra, who stood tall and defiant, her arrogance betrayed by the blood dripping from her lips and the faint tremble in her body. Jirak straightened himself, a cruel grin spreading across his face.

"It seems your power your using is taking a heavy toll on your body," he said coldly. Without warning, an enormous wave of flames erupted around him.

BOOM—FWOOSHHHH!

"Let's see how long you can last before it kills you."

Esra clenched her jaw, tightening her grip on her sword as she steadied herself. "Don't worry about me," she spat. "The time I have left is more than enough to take your head—and the Star Eater's—back to the empire."

Jirak inhaled deeply, drawing in all the flames surrounding him. The area grew still as his chest expanded, his gaze fixed on Esra.

DRAGONIC BREATH—SCATTER!

FWOOMMMMM!

A massive torrent of scorching orange flames erupted from Jirak's mouth, consuming the void in their path and surging toward Esra with overwhelming heat.

Esra's sword released the bright blue energy once more, glowing. She dashed forward to meet the flames head-on, her helmet reforming around her face mid-flight.

SWISH!

The two forces came close to colliding. With a deafening roar, Esra swung her blade downward, splitting the flames in two. 

FWOOM!

The fiery waves rolled past her harmlessly as she charged straight for Jirak.

"USELESS!" she shouted, swinging her sword in a wide arc, aiming to cleave him in half.

FWOOSH!

Jirak vanished just as the blade passed through where he stood. Esra's instincts screamed danger. She pivoted mid-swing, her eyes snapping upward to see Jirak hovering above her, a swirling orb of multicolored energy forming in his hand.

With a sharp thrust, Jirak hurled his fist with the orb at Esra's head.

Jiraks fist passed harmlessly through her as if she wasn't there. 

"WITH MY VOID ARMOR, ALL HARM WILL PASS THROUGH ME! I AM ONE WITH THE VOID!" she declared, rotating her body, aiming her sword toward Jirak.

Jirak's lips curled into a sly grin. "If you're one with the void, I don't have to worry about this attack missing."

Draconic oblivion orb… EXPAND!!

FWOOMMMMM!

The orb detonated, releasing a gravitational force so intense it began to suck in heverything around it, tearing apart space itself. Esra's confident expression faltered as the pull of the orb overcame her.

"NO—!"

In a blink, Esra was consumed, her body and armor disintegrating into the void as the orb collapsed in on itself. The area grew eerily silent as the sphere dispersed, leaving behind a fractured, shattered void with a look that felt unreal for a moment then the void slowly began to repair itself.

Jirak floated in place, panting heavily as his wound finally began to heal, now that Esra was no more.

"Took you long enough."

Jirak turned to see Sinith behind him, holding Heven's severed head in her hand. Her expression was cold and detached.

"Sentinels: 3. Stars: 0."