Veil of the Void

The moment the construct lunged, Elias reacted on instinct. He propelled himself backward with a burst of wind, barely dodging the beast's razor-sharp claws as they carved deep gashes into the forest floor. The creature, unlike the previous one, was built for speed. Its sleek, onyx-like body pulsed with shifting mana, and its piercing violet eyes locked onto him with an unsettling awareness.

Elias narrowed his gaze. This one was different. Stronger.

A whisper slithered through his mind, a voice from the Void itself. Move left.

He obeyed without hesitation, sidestepping just as the beast's elongated claws would have torn through his ribs. His grip on his sword tightened. The Void rarely spoke unless there was danger.

The beast didn't allow him time to strategize. In a blur of movement, it darted forward, twisting its body mid-air to strike at an angle. Elias countered with a quick sidestep, but even as he moved, the construct adapted. Its claws elongated, slashing toward his exposed flank.

Abyssal Storm surged within him. Lightning crackled at his fingertips as he twisted his wrist, unleashing an arc of electricity. The construct jerked violently as the current coursed through its form, but instead of collapsing, it absorbed the mana, its crystalline core glowing brighter.

Elias' eyes widened. "Tch. You feed off energy?"

The beast responded with an immediate retaliation. The energy it had absorbed condensed within its core before it discharged the excess mana in a volatile blast. Elias barely managed to erect a wind barrier in time to cushion the impact, but even then, he was thrown backward, skidding across the ground before regaining his footing.

"Alright, so direct attacks won't work," he muttered, rolling his shoulders. "Time to switch tactics."

Cut the core, the Void whispered. End it quickly.

Instead of waiting for another strike, Elias dashed forward, closing the distance. The construct swiped, but he anticipated it, ducking beneath the attack before conjuring a thin veil of water around his sword. With a precise slash, he severed one of its legs. The construct faltered, its balance disrupted.

A whisper from the Void slithered through his mind, cold and consuming. "Use me."

The words were more than a suggestion—they were a command, an irresistible pull that made Elias' heart race. He had learned to listen, to trust the Void's guidance in moments like these.

Without hesitation, Elias obeyed. His body moved faster than thought, and in the next instant, his form flickered, vanishing in the blink of an eye, the void itself stretching to answer his call. "Use the Void," it urged again, its presence pulsing like a dark heart in his chest.

He teleported behind the beast, his sword already drawn. The Void's power surged within him, pushing his body to unnatural speeds, allowing him to outpace the construct's movements.

The beast spun, claws slashing through the air, but Elias was already gone. He appeared to the side, slicing at the creature's leg, his sword wrapped in a thin veil of water. The strike was clean, cutting through the beast's defenses, but it was only a temporary disruption.

Elias gritted his teeth, feeling the strain of using the Void so liberally. His mana was already beginning to drain, but the Void's pull urged him onward. "You're not done yet."

The construct recoiled, its body shifting like liquid as it absorbed the energy from the blow, adapting to the threat. Elias' mind raced as he stood at the ready. The Void whispered again, this time more insistent, more hungry. "End it. Now."

The beast lunged at him with terrifying speed, but Elias was already ahead of it. This time, he didn't rely on wind or lightning. Instead, he drew upon the very fabric of space itself, twisting the Void's power to his advantage. In an instant, the construct's movements slowed to a crawl, its body frozen in time for a heartbeat.

With a sharp motion, Elias slashed downward toward the construct's core, the Void magic guiding his strike with unnerving precision. The blow connected, and the creature erupted in a cascade of shattered mana, its body disintegrating into vapor.

Elias stood there for a moment, his breathing ragged as the last remnants of the construct dissipated into the air. The Void's presence lingered, almost satisfied. "Well done."

Elias's heart pounded in his chest, but he knew the cost. He had drawn deeply from the Void's well, and though it had served him well, it came at a price.

He staggered slightly, the weight of the battle catching up to him. His chest tightened, his breath coming in shallow gasps. The toll of using the Void so recklessly was immediate. His mana felt like it was draining out of him, pulled into the abyss that had briefly answered his call.

Without warning, his knees buckled beneath him. He fell to the ground with a harsh thud, the forest floor seeming to spin around him. His head swam, the edges of his vision darkening as a sharp pain exploded in his side. He coughed, a thin stream of blood spilling from his lips.

The Void whispered again, but its voice felt distant now, its influence growing more insistent, more demanding. "You have only begun to tap into my power. Do not falter now."

Elias could barely focus on the voice. His body felt heavy, the magic he had wielded taking a harsh toll on him. His limbs shook as he tried to push himself up, but the weight of exhaustion was overwhelming.

He collapsed back down, gritting his teeth, his hand trembling as he wiped away the blood from his lips. "Not... yet," he muttered, though his voice was strained, barely a whisper.

The Void was calling, but Elias knew he couldn't answer again—not right now.

Elsewhere, Lucian Varian stood amidst a smoldering battlefield, his cloak billowing as small flames flickered around him. The remnants of mana constructs lay scattered at his feet, reduced to ash and slag.

"Is this all they have to offer?" he muttered, shaking his head. His fiery aura flickered with irritation. These creatures were nothing more than simple obstacles.

As if in response, a new opponent emerged from the shadows. Unlike the previous constructs, this one bore an almost humanoid shape, its body composed of obsidian-like stone with veins of molten lava pulsing beneath the surface. Its eyes burned with an almost sentient rage.

Lucian raised an eyebrow, his smirk returning. "Now that's more like it."

Without hesitation, he raised his hand, summoning a torrent of flames. The construct responded in kind, its molten veins surging as it lunged forward, its arm morphing into a jagged blade of pure heat.

The clash was intense, but Lucian was quick on his feet, dodging the construct's molten strikes with precision. He met its blows with controlled bursts of flame, careful not to overextend himself. As the construct absorbed the fire and retaliated, Lucian's expression sharpened. He wasn't dealing with a weak opponent.

"This one's a bit tougher," Lucian muttered, his fingers tightening as he summoned a concentrated fireball. It shot forward, exploding on impact and throwing the construct back, its molten form briefly destabilizing.

He narrowed his eyes. Not enough. Lucian snapped his fingers, causing the ground beneath the construct to ignite, creating a ring of fire around it. The construct shrieked as it struggled to break free, but Lucian wasn't done. With another gesture, the firestorm intensified, but this time, instead of raw fury, it was controlled, precise.

The construct writhed in the flames, its body cracking and splintering as Lucian maintained the pressure, watching it slowly melt into slag. The temperature soared, the very air shimmering with heat. When the smoke cleared, only a pile of molten rock remained, solidifying into lifeless husks.

Lucian wiped his brow, a satisfied grin spreading across his face. "Not bad for a warm-up." He looked to the distance, his eyes narrowing. There were tougher challenges ahead, but for now, this was enough to quench his thirst for battle.

Back in the forest, Elias pressed onward, weaving between trees as he advanced deeper into the battlefield. His mind remained sharp, but his body—his mana—was beginning to feel the strain. The aftereffects of the Void's power pulsed through him, like a weight dragging at his limbs. He couldn't afford to slow down, but the fatigue was undeniable.

A sudden shift in the air made him halt. He wasn't alone.

A group of three students emerged from the foliage, their weapons drawn. Their gazes flickered with recognition before settling into something more predatory.

"Raelith, huh?" one of them sneered. "Looks like we found ourselves an easy target."

Elias' breath was shallow, his hands twitching with barely contained power. His senses screamed at him to act quickly, but a sharp, almost dizzying wave of exhaustion swept over him. He steadied himself, forcing his mind to clear. He needed to be smarter, not faster.

"You sure about that?" he said, his voice low, but steady. He wasn't fully recovered. He was vulnerable.

The leader smirked. "Let's find out."

As the three rushed him, Elias braced himself, feeling his grip on his sword falter for just a second. Not yet. They were underestimating him, just like everyone else. He couldn't let that go unchecked.

But his legs felt heavier than before. The drain from his powers gnawed at his reserves. He would have to rely on more than just brute force.

The real challenge was only just beginning.