The hallway lit up with blue-white light, canceling out the shadow arrows.

Akura Mercy shot her arrows in a steady river, mixing all her book abilities into them.

Eithan ran across the ceiling and walls, his bloodline ability helping him effortlessly dodge. Mercy ran after him, sticky shadow madra attaching her feet to the walls and ceiling, when suddenly Eithan turned and released a spear of pure madra.

Mercy jumped over it, a net of shadow madra catching her before she could land on the blades of pure madra sticking underneath her on the floor. She Forged lines of shadow madra that covered the entire hallway, trying to slow the Underlord down as she raised her bow. Eithan ran through, his hands glowing with pure madra as he cut his way to Mercy. Behind him the webs snapped, breaking away and flailing.

Eithan raised his hand and a wave of pure madra washed around Mercy. It circled around her, trapping her in a dome. Mercy found out why as the blades of pure madra underneath her elongated, about to stab her. At the same time, a warning in her spirit warned Mercy as she looked up, a seething cluster of Forged stars circling. They drove straight down, right into the area she was about to dodge away from the blades. Each star had the power to pierce through her spirit.

Instead of shattering her channels, they reflected off her Akura armor.

She had summoned her crystal armor, diving through Eithan’s wall of pure madra. Her purple-clad fingers emerged first, her helmet and arms next.

Mercy breathed deeply inside, sweating.

“That was a close one.”

She had called upon her armor at the last minute. Her violet crystal armor fed on her madra, but it should protect her from Eithan’s attacks. Pure madra could not affect physical matter.

While still in the air, she flipped as she fired a hail of black arrows. Eithan’s Forged stars whistled forward, cutting each arrow in half, and reaching Mercy, splashing against her armor. One of the stars reflected off and hit the ground behind Eithan. Immediately, the ground began to dissolve into chunks in that area, the madra that held that area destabilizing.

Spears of pure madra followed the stars, spitting soulfire as they reached Mercy.

Eithan’s attacks were cutting the Strings of Shadow as he neared Mercy, the webs falling and clinging to the walls. A String of Shadow caught Mercy’s wrist and pulled her out of range of Eithan’s spears, landing behind Eithan and Forging Strings of Shadow connecting his back to the collapsing ground.

Eithan was pulled back into the ground by the weight of the falling sand, but with a pulse of pure madra he was free, thrusting a sword of pure madra into Mercy’s helmet. It flared with soulfire, and its power knocked Mercy through the hallway, ripping through her webs with snapping noises, about to hit the end of the hallway at full speed.

Mercy Forged a String of Shadow from her chest to the other end of the hallway. The tension of the rope slowed her fall, stopping her just as her back lightly kissed the wall. Then the shadow string pulled her back to Eithan, her bow shooting arrows as she returned.

A whirlwind of pure madra swirled around Eithan as he turned his hands, spinning the madra around his body. It caught the arrows and hurled them back at Mercy.

As Mercy came crashing through the webs, lines of shadow began to stretch out from her body, attaching to the walls. They pulled on her, and she shot to the right to dodge her arrows. Eithan appeared on the ceiling next to her, carrying a spear of pure madra, and the strings pulled Mercy down away from him.

In the closed hallway space, Mercy had the advantage. The Strings of Shadow attached to her limbs, even to her fingers. They pulled on her limbs, increasing their speed. The ones on her fingers increased her speed of firing arrows. She was a blur to Eithan’s eyes, bouncing through the hallway.

She landed behind Eithan, who turned knowing she would be there, his fist closing in. She ducked Eithan’s punch with quicker speed, her reflexes increased as she punched up, the strings pulling on her fist, and uppercutting Eithan. The Underlord may be able to see everything with his bloodline ability, but Mercy was too fast for him. Eithan’s body was too slow to keep up with his own mind.

Eithan’s head snapped back as looked at her out of the corner of his eye, watching as Mercy Forged a String of Shadow connecting his body to her leg, retracting the string, and pulling Eithan closer. With the strings all around increasing her reflexes and with the shadow string pulling Eithan closer, her kick hit his leg almost instantly, faster than thought.

The force snapped his leg, and Eithan’s body tumbled down the hallway. Mercy began to fire her arrows after him.

The sand clone looked up as Mercy’s arrows shot everywhere, ricocheting off the walls.

The plan instantly backfired on Mercy as Eithan Forged spheres of pure madra. They floated in the hallways like suns, spinning balls of pure madra. When the arrows hit them, the balls caught the arrows and fired them back on Mercy. In seconds, she had a wall of arrows closing in on her from all directions.

Mercy’s increased speed wouldn’t matter if she had nowhere to run to.

She turned to the ceiling, raising her bow. Suu growled as Mercy shot a Nightworm Venom arrow, blowing the ceiling open and leaving a steaming hole. That backfired on Mercy also, revealing the room above was full of acid.

Eithan smiled, having known all along.

The arrows and acid rained down Mercy’s armor, straining her madra as she forced herself to keep it on. If she let it off even for a moment, she was done for.

As she endured, she Forged a line of shadow to pull her away. Eithan was there in a second, cutting it. Mercy was even faster than him, her armor glinting with acid as she shoved her bow into Eithan’s face and fired her Nightworm Venom.

The arrow shattered across Eithan’s face, never hitting his skin. The Underlord had called upon his Hollow Armor, a suit of pure madra that covered every inch of his body.

Mercy was pulled away just as Eithan released a pulse of pure madra. Every speck of shadow madra was washed away, including the Forged strings attached to Mercy. She fell to the floor, right under the waterfall of acid still falling.

The Akura princess felt her armor strain her madra as she rolled away, knowing Eithan was playing with her.

They were a bad match for each other. Mercy’s attacks could not hit Eithan due to his Hollow Armor, and he could not hit Mercy due to her crystal armor. As long as she kept her armor, Eithan couldn’t hurt her.

Eithan’s plan must be to tire me out until I can’t hold my armor anymore, thought Mercy. Well, lucky for me, I have one of the best controls over my armor! I might actually win!

The thought brightened her mood, and she squeaked out a tiny cheer.

I’m going to beat Eithan, she chanted. Yay!

Eithan smiled as he skipped over and jumped to the ceiling above Mercy. His body lit up in a beam of pure madra, shining through the ceiling. It canceled out the madra holding the structures above together.

Mercy wiped the smile off her face as Eithan waved goodbye.

The hallway collapsed on top of Mercy, the entire room above releasing a lake of acid. Eithan stood out of the danger as he shot pure madra straight up in a beam, destroying rooms of sand above, all collapsing on Mercy in an avalanche.

It overwhelmed her armor, forcing her to let go as she was crushed by the weight, her bones snapping. She gasped for air, closing her eyes.

She couldn’t die here. She had to go and save Yerin.

Mercy activated her Night Icon, and the hallway was dunked in darkness.

Mercy transformed with her Night Icon. As the torches died and cast the tunnel in pitch black darkness, she walked out of the rubble and acid, shadow madra pouring from her pores and lifting everything away from her like an umbrella. Her hair glowed purple, having crystalized to reinforce the shadow madra roof over her.

Her skin turned black, earrings of crystal in her ears. Her Night Icon would allow her to predict Eithan’s movements, dream madra steaming from her eyes. Her Archlord lens began to elongate, covering both her eyes in a horizontal floating purple glass bar.

She could win if she played this safely. She just had to make sure to avoid his pure madra.

The aura in the room suddenly turned dangerous, and Eithan vanished. With her dream aura, Mercy saw what would happen. She turned around, too slow.

Eithan stood behind her, his smile telling her everything. He could have defeated her any time he wanted to.

Eithan reached over slowly, his fingers reaching out. Mercy tried to back away as Eithan’s pure madra filled the room. She couldn’t let him touch her, seeing what would happen if Eithan did. Yet her dream madra predicted he would.

Eithan placed his hand on Mercy’s head, and a massive pulse of madra exploded out, collapsing the rest of the hallway.

Mercy sank to her knees, her Night Icon blasting away. The night exploded away in a wave, light returning to the ruined hallway.

Her skin returned to normal, her Archlord lens falling to the ground. Her hair streamed purple behind her, shortening and turning black.

Mercy’s black hair stopped floating and dropped down her back, her eyes wide in horror, and her mouth stretched open in a frozen silent scream. Her core and channels were shattered, her lifeline diluted out by the pure madra, diminishing.

Then her eyes rolled up, and she fell to the floor.

***

Yerin and her Blood Shadow watched as the wall crumbled in front of them.

Yerin lifted a hand to cover her face, unable to get up. Her Blood Shadow ran forward, shooting red crescent slashes of crimson madra.

Eithan’s sand clone walked out, carrying a limp Mercy over his shoulder. Her hair dangled down past her lifeless fingers.

Yerin stared, her body shaking.

Hollow Armor covered his body, Yerin realized, as her Blood Shadow’s Rippling Swords shattered across the sand clone’s body. But she barely noticed, her eyes only on Mercy.

Eithan dropped Mercy, her head hitting the floor with a loud crack, body laid out on its side.

“What have you done?” Whispered Yerin. She breathed heavily. “What. Have. You. Done.”

If the sand clone had killed her, she was going to personally destroy Xorrus and Seshethkunaaz. She didn’t care if she was only an Underlady. She didn’t care if they were stages above her in power, able to kill her without even moving. She didn’t even care that Seshethkunaaz was the oldest and most likely the strongest Monarch. Yerin would not rest, making it her life mission to get stronger so that she could get her revenge.

Yerin found the strength to rise to her feet, her sword-arms hanging limply. They twitched as she poured madra into them, willing them to rise.

Yerin steadied herself with her sword. She was not in her top shape, and this wasn’t fair.

But when is life ever fair, Yerin reminded herself. No one was going to wait nice and pretty for Yerin to catch up on some beauty sleep. No, the world wouldn’t wait. And Yerin wouldn’t either.

She dashed forward with her Blood Shadow.

Eithan ducked as Yerin’s sword passed over the sand clone’s head, his leg casually leaning out and tripping the Blood Shadow. Eithan yawned as he jumped over Yerin’s sword, landing on an outstretched sword-arm. The Blood Shadow jumped to Eithan, its sword swinging for him. Under him, Yerin was already swinging up with her own sword.

Eithan jumped over the Blood Shadow as the blade slipped through his sand hair, his fist punching the flat of the black blade. The force of his punch pushed the black sword down on Yerin’s sword. Both swords clashed against each other, sparks flying as Yerin and the Blood Shadow fought to orient themselves.

As Eithan flipped in the air, the Blood Shadow’s sword-arms stabbed for the clone. Eithan knew where they would end up, angling his body to dodge all of them.

He grabbed one of the sword-arms and pulled. Eithan flung the Blood Shadow through the air, throwing the blood clone to where Yerin was about to jump back.

As predicted, Yerin jumped back and was hit by her Blood Shadow. They fell and landed on their hands, pushing off to land on their feet, only to find Eithan in front of them. Both of his fists were outstretched, punching into their noses.

They ducked, their sword-arms stabbing forward. Eithan had gotten close, and that would be the sand clone’s mistake.

Forged pure madra fists shot out of Eithan’s chest, hitting them in their face.

Their sword-arms fell limply as it lost madra, never hitting Eithan. Both Yerin’s fell at his feet, unable to channel their madra. The Blood Shadow’s skin shifted, losing its structure. It hissed at Eithan, but the Underlord raised a foot and squashed its face in. Blood splattered, Eithan moving back to avoid getting any on his body.

If it weren’t for his Hollow Armor, Eithan would not be able to touch the blood madra as it affected living bodies directly. But the sand clone still didn’t want to ruin his clothes.

Yerin rolled away, regaining her madra. Her madra was on its last dregs now. The sword-arms were no longer responding, hanging down her body. She couldn’t even retract them into her body.

The atmosphere grew painfully heavy as if full of water. Yerin found it hard to move, and her Blood Shadow screamed as it melted into a red puddle.

Yerin surrounded herself in the Endless Sword as she blasted it out at Eithan’s clone.

Pure madra was wonderful for attacking and defending the spirit, but it could not interact with the physical world. Since Eithan could not defend against the forces of nature, Eithan was powerless against Ruler techniques.

The Endless Sword rushed at the clone, about to hit. One second Eithan stood there. The next, Yerin could no longer sense where Eithan had gone.

Her perception told her where Eithan would show up, and she stabbed out where the clone would appear. Her sword bit empty air as Eithan caught her wrist, turning it past his body as he turned sideways with it. Wind shot out from the speed of Yerin’s sword, sand flying away from them.

Yerin stared into Eithan’s face as the clone raised one finger. It glowed with soulfire, pure madra balling up at the tip. The clone pointed it at Yerin’s core.

Her eyes widened as the bar of pure madra shot through her core, shattering it.

Yerin flew backwards, her arms and legs out in front of her. She tried to scream, but nothing came out. Her spirit felt cold, the sharp pain getting worse. She shot through the air, feeling the world fading away. The sand clone raised a hand, Forging a cloud of stars. They would finish her off.

The Sword Sage’s disciple tried to move her body, to do anything. But her madra would no longer return. She could no longer call herself a sacred artist. Mercy was laying on the ground, possibly already dead. And soon Yerin would be too. She would never see Lindon again, never getting to meet his family in Sacred Valley. Yerin didn’t want to give up, but there was nothing she could do.

The sand clone winked at her as he shot the Forged cloud of stars, glittering like glass as they closed on her fast. She grimaced, knowing this was about to hurt.

I’m sorry, Lindon.

She thought to Adama, who had first rescued her. Who had taken pity on her even though she held a fragment of a Dreadgod’s power. He had raised her, postponing his marriage with the Winter Sage just so he could train her in Sacred Valley. It had gotten him killed, living Min Shuei alone.

I’m sorry, master.

Yerin felt tears of frustration and anger in her eyes, closing them, not wanting this sand clone’s smiling face to taint her last memory.

Just when Yerin was about to give up, she saw a flash of light out of the corner of her closing eyes. She turned to the wall next to her, opening her eyes.

A line of blue-white madra shone, cutting through the wall like a laser. Yerin realized it was someone’s finger cutting through the sand. It was in the shape of a circle.

Slowly, when the light completed, the circle of sand fell, clattering on the ground and dissolving.

The figure dashed inside, rushing at Yerin. She felt herself get whisked away as the figure grabbed her in his arms. They landed away from the sand clone, near the hallway entrance.

She looked up weakly, a small smile tugging the corner of her lip up despite her best efforts.

“Oh, its you.”

The real Eithan’s sparkling blue eyes met her. “Why’d you run off like that? You wanted to avoid talking to me that bad?”

Yerin had never wanted to stab and hug Eithan at the same time as now.

“Took you long enough.” She finally grumbled, her face turning red. “But thank you.”

Behind them, the cloud of stars reverted course, shooting for Eithan’s back.

Lindon landed in front of Eithan, the stars crashing against his Hollow Armor harmlessly.

He ran at the sand clone, pure madra exploding in a wave as they grabbed each other’s hands, straining against each other. Lindon’s body was stronger from eating the Silverfang Carps in Ghostwater, and he began to push the sand clone back.

Yerin and Eithan appeared next to Mercy. He knelt, smiling sadly.

“Is she…” Yerin couldn’t say it.

Eithan turned back to the hole he had entered. “We could use your help.”

Akura Fury walked in, shadow madra steaming from his body. He appeared next to Eithan in a flash, looking at Mercy. His fists closed, his red eyes glinting. His black hair swirled faster in the air, his breathing increased.

“Oh… Mercy, what have they done to you?”

He waved his hand over her, and his Authority reverted her to life. Mercy shot up, letting out a gasp of air. She looked around, her eyes blinking.

“Woah, what, how, where am I? Who am I?”

She looked up at Akura Fury, her eyes blinking.

He frowned down on her. “Is your mind alright? Do you have your memories? Um…. Let’s see, do you remember the night of your engagement?”

Mercy slowly smiled. “Akura Harmony publicly humiliated me after I defeated him in a swordsmanship match in front of a crowd. He shattered a statue and denounced me publicly, saying I was a pig and that he would never marry a show-off like me, and that I would always be alone.”

Fury sighed. “Phew, thank goodness you’re okay.”

Mercy let out a squeal.

“Uncle Fury! You came!”

Fury smiled as he ruffled her hair. “Hey there, kiddo. You doing alright?”

Mercy laughed, grabbing his wrist as he tousled her hair. “Woooaahh. Never better now!”

The Akura princess stopped and looked up, noticing Yerin. Her eyes widened, tears appearing.

“Yerin…” She said, the corners of her mouth turning down, her bottom lip trembling.

Yerin smiled. “Glad to see you’re still kicking—”

Mercy’s hair fluttered as she hugged Yerin, standing up. “You’re alive.” Mercy cried. “I’m so glad. I would never hurt you, you know that? We’re friends, always.”

Yerin blinked, not realizing she had tears in her own eyes as well. She hugged Mercy back. “Of course.”

Fury walked over, frowning as he scanned Yerin’s spirit. “You too? Golly, why so weak?”

Yerin glared at him from Mercy’s shoulder. Eithan shook his head. “I ask myself that every day.” One of Yerin’s sword-arms managed to prick him in the ribs. Eithan took it with a big grin, the only hint of pain being his twitching eye.

Fury used his Authority to heal Yerin’s channels and core, her power returning in full. Mercy continued to hug Yerin.

Eithan stood uncomfortably, still holding onto Yerin. He patted Mercy’s back. “Ah, there, there, child. There, there. Yes, hug. Hug it all away. Cry until you….”

He stopped talking when he realized Fury was staring at him. “You know, you kinda suck with children.”

Eithan coughed. “It’s a good thing then that I’m not a teacher of any students or anything! Haha, ha ha….Oh hey, is that a Herald dragon coming down? I think it has your name on it!”

Fury turned as the ceiling exploded, Xorrus roaring as she filled the entire room with a burning sandstorm.

“Fury! You do not have permission to be here!”

Fury looked up, raising his hand. Twelve handprints of black hands, each bigger than a cloudship, shot out. It struck Xorrus’s body, not cracking her scales but seeming to sink into her spirit. The sandstorm blasted away.

Fury turned to Eithan. “Get the kids out of here.”

He looked back up, black madra flickering through his body. A wave of shadow shot from his body, filling the room with suffocating aura. His eyes glowed red, crouching his legs.

“Xorrus, I’m feeling lucky today.” He said dangerously.

He vanished in black smoke, and Xorrus and he crashed into the ceiling, fighting in a room high above where their Herald power wouldn’t immediately destroy everyone.

Lindon gave a shout. Eithan, Yerin, and Mercy turned around to see the sand clone had taken hold of Lindon’s ankle and was now slamming him repeatedly in the ground, flinging him around like a doll.

“A. Little. Help.” Groaned Lindon.

Eithan waved his hand, smiling at Mercy and Yerin. “He’ll be fine.”

Mercy tied her hair back into a ponytail. “Don’t worry, Lindon! Yerin can’t help, but I can! Eithan, take my friend Yerin. She deserves a break. As princess of the Akura clan, I order you—”

“Nope!” Eithan said in a sing-song voice as he picked her up on his shoulder. “Your uncle would kill me!”

“Let me down!” Wailed Mercy, hitting his back with her fists, her legs kicking. Yerin tried to escape, but Eithan sent a small pulse of pure madra to quiet down both Yerin and Mercy.

“I’ll be back Lindon! Don’t worry. Just stay alive, and you’ll be fine.”

[Well, that reassuring.]

“EITHAN, GET BACK HERE!”

Eithan jumped out of the hole with Yerin and Mercy, reaching the shadow portal in the room that Akura Charity had made for him and Fury.

“HELP ME!” Lindon called from behind.

Dross added in his sentiment.

[Help! Help! Someone call for order number one, Eithan Arelius, to fight his evil twin brother! Eithan, we’re talking to you. I thought we were close! Don’t leave me, brother. I’m your biggest fan!]

Yerin called out Lindon’s name one last time, her arm outstretched, as Eithan stepped into the portal.

***

[Well, we’re dead. Any last words you want me to tell your family?]

Lindon switched to his Blackflame core. The Burning Cloak sprang around him, and he kicked away from the clone’s grip, skidding on the ground.

Dross, where are we?

[Why are you asking me? What do I look like, a handy-dandy mind-spirit?]

Dross!

[Okay, okay! You should at least have some humor before you die. Uh, it looks like a room of sand. Oh, maybe we’re in a sandcastle!]

Lindon brought up his hand, throwing a bar of dragon’s breath. The sand clone walked through it. Blackflame split past the clone’s body in streams, untouchable due to the pure madra armor.

Okay, what are my advantages? I am physically stronger than Eithan. I can use Ruler techniques with Blackflame.

[Don’t forget good looks and unfathomable fashion. Wait, are we talking about his or yours?]

I also have you.

[Aw, you didn’t have to say that. Now you made me fell bad….Okay, I have a battle plan. You will 100% die if the real Eithan does not get here, but it should do the job until then.]

Thank you.

[‘By getting the job done’ I mean not dying. This is not going to end well.]

Lindon evaded a blast of pure madra, throwing dragon’s breath around. The sand clone ducked as expected, but Lindon had a different goal. He began to pour Blackflame around the room, radiating fire and destruction aura. It gathered above in the air as Lindon swirled it, preparing his Ruler technique.

The sand clone sent Forged stars and spears of pure madra, and Lindon was only able to avoid them thanks to Dross and the explosive speed of the Burning Cloak. It helped him to stay on top of the Arelius bloodline ability.

Will my Empty Palm even work on another pure core?

[Probably not. I don’t think you can cancel pure madra, but at least your pure madra techniques won’t be canceled out by his. Even if you could, I don’t think you could do much damage to his ocean of power.]

Lindon nodded. Eithan had been practicing the Heaven and Earth Purification Wheel cycling technique for longer than him. While Lindon’s cores were as deep as lakes, Eithan’s must have been an ocean with no end in sight.

[Yeah, heads up, he’s about to come on your left… LINDON GET DOWN NOW!]

The aura in the room turned dangerous as Lindon hit the floor, the room shattering as a whip of pure madra spun through the room. It hit the walls, making them lose their madra, the sandy structures flowing downwards.

Eithan whipped down on Lindon, who managed to summon his gray turtle shell shield. The whip cracked against the shield, unable to affect physical matter.

Lindon rolled to Eithan, making a claw, and swiping up. The Dragon Descends formed on his hand. Eithan kicked it down, the claw vanishing away. Lindon jumped up, only for his face to meet Eithan’s foot. The sand clone kicked Lindon back.

Eithan appeared behind Lindon, punching him in the back. Lindon roared as he caught Eithan’s punch, Dross increasing his reflexes to twist around and kick the Underlord in the chest. That was when the sea of stars hanging in the ceiling shot down, and Lindon switched to his pure core.

His pure madra spun the Hollow Armor through his whole body. It protected him from the stars as they hit him, but they were still filled with Eithan’s soulfire, and they blasted Lindon into the ground.

He switched to the Burning Cloak, jumping up to Eithan. The sand clone caught his punch. Lindon dropped his shield and punched with his other hand, but Eithan caught that too. Lindon’s strength was greater, and he shoved against the sand clone, about to barrel him over.

A pulse of pure madra shot out, and Lindon lost his Burning Cloak. Eithan began to push down on him, his Enforced hands crushing Lindon’s own. His bones began to snap, sinking to his knees as he groaned.

[Soul Cloak! Soul Cloak!]

Lindon called on his other pure madra Enforcer technique, the blue-white madra flowing around him in a haze. It billowed around him like steam, steady and calm strength pooling into his body. Pure madra helped his Bloodforged Iron body heal him better, sped up even more by the Iron Heart gift he had gotten from the Arelius clan.

He looked up at Eithan and activated the hunger binding in his Remnant arm.

It began to absorb Eithan’s Hollow Armor, taking his madra. And this madra Lindon cycled into his own pure core, increasing his own Enforcer technique. Lindon jumped up, kicking the sand clone in the stomach, then punching into his body.

Lindon had barely taken anything from Eithan. He had only taken a small fraction, the Hollow Armor still flowing strongly around Eithan.

[I don’t think you have any chance of draining him. Focus on your Ruler technique.]

Lindon called upon his soulspace, and his Archlord weapon appeared in hands. The blade was sheathed with Forged madra. He withdrew it, and with a touch of his madra, Wavedancer floated over his shoulder.

Wavedancer had a double-edged blade that was wide and tinged with a light blue color. Runes covered the blade, looking like crashing waves. The hilt and guard were a green pale in color, looking like wind aura, and was carved with images of powerful gusts. Lindon kicked up his gray turtle shield from the ground, catching it.

With his weapons ready, Lindon charged down Eithan.

As Lindon fought with Eithan, he would often switch to this Blackflame core, turning the fire and destruction aura around their heads. Little by little, he got his Ruler technique ready. On the rare cases when Lindon made contact with Eithan thanks to Dross, he would suck more of Eithan’s power, adding it to the Empty Palm he was slowly building up.

He alternated between both cores, scythes of Blackflame bringing Eithan closer, only for him to switch to pure madra and get close enough to take Eithan’s madra.

Dross helped him predict where Eithan would move, controlling Wavedancer to try to cut off Eithan’s escape route. It wasn’t as effective as Eithan’s bloodline ability. But it helped Lindon not die instantly.

[Hurry up! This clone is not taking this fight seriously. If he wanted to, he could destroy you like he did to Yerin and Mercy. He would just need to use two fingers this time to destroy both of your cores…. well I don’t know if your pure core would survive, probably not, but your Blackflame core would definitely not.]

Thank you for your encouraging words.

[Wait, was that a joke?! Am I influencing you? Heaven’s above, I might not hate you so much anymore!]

When Lindon switched to his Soul Cloak, his movement were more controlled. It felt like his body moved in a dream, his movement smooth, easy, and perfect, his brain having absolute control over the tiniest change in balance.

Thanks to Akura Charity’s training in martial arts, Lindon was able to use complex patterns, his hands and feet flowing with Blackflame whenever he switched to that core. He used his skills to engage in hand-to-hand combat with his master’s clone.

He caught Eithan’s punch in the crook of his arm, kicking the Underlord in a graceful movement. Eithan grabbed his ankle as he punched aside Wavedancer, kicking out Lindon’s other leg. Lindon landed on the flat of Wavedancer, the flying sword carrying him away.

[Ugh, you’re so heavy. I told you not to eat that extra plate this morning.]

Eithan Forged a spear and stabbed down on Lindon, who blocked with his shield. The soulfire-infused spear pushed Lindon off Wavedancer, his body sinking into the burning sand floor. The shield was sent up spinning into the air.

Lindon lifted his body off the ground with one hand, balancing on it as his other hand punched away Eithan’s kick, the Soul Cloak giving him the elegance to do so.

Eithan stepped aside as Lindon switched to the Burning Cloak, letting out a burst of dragon’s breath as he jumped to his feet. The clone kicked Lindon’s wrist up, his foot spinning around and kicking Lindon in the chest twice, then raising up to kick his face. Lindon stumbled backwards, reverting to his Soul Cloak to more gracefully avoid Eithan’s attacks.

Or so that was the idea as a whip of pure madra wrapped around Lindon’s leg and pulled him into the air. Eithan grabbed Lindon’s neck, flipping Lindon over and slammed his face into the ground.

Lindon grabbed Eithan’s face and switched to Blackflame, his dragon’s breath roaring. It split past Eithan’s Hollow Armor, but at this distance the explosive power shot Eithan into the ceiling.

There was enough fire and destruction aura now, and Lindon grasped it. He caught his turtle shield as it fell. His eyes finished turning black and red, meeting the clone’s eyes.

“Try to cancel this out.” He growled.

The Void Dragon’s Dance filled the room, an inferno of fire swirling around, licking the walls and roaring. Pure madra would be unable to affect Ruler techniques. Eithan had no way of stopping this.

When it faded away, Lindon looked around. “Did we get him.”

[Ha, ha. That’s a good joke. No, really, coming for you, great job!]

The sand clone’s hand gripped Lindon’s foot from the ground. Eithan emerged from underneath, having hidden in the room below.

[Well, we had a good run. It was nice knowing you.]

Eithan’s pure madra shot into him, wiping out his Burning Cloak. The clone jumped up, slamming Lindon’s face into the ceiling.

Lindon landed on Wavedancer on his feet; it flew him away from Eithan as Lindon balanced on it. Eithan sent stars after Lindon, crashing into the walls as Dross controlled Wavedancer to dodge.

The clone smiled, speaking for the first time, sounding like Eithan’s voice. But it was wrong at the same time, having a sinister, bloodthirsty tone.

“Very nice, my student. How about I show you some pure madra techniques now? Are you sure you can handle them?”

[….That is really creepy, and I will always have nightmares now.]

The air turned heavy as pure madra rushed out of Eithan’s body, Forging into thousands of spears and stars. They rushed at Lindon with no hesitation, thundering into his shield.

Lindon was blasted off Wavedancer, crashing into the walls. Still the Striker techniques kept coming, overwhelming his shield. Wavedancer came in to bat the pure madra away, but it too was overwhelmed.

Eithan walked forward, his barrage of techniques not letting Lindon breathe. He had to use both of his hands to hold the shield, triggering the binding to make a gray wall to protect himself.

Dross… void key.

[Got it!]

Dross controlled the flying sword to poke inside of Lindon’s pocket, bringing out the void key. Lindon activated it and it opened.

While the Striker techniques still fired, Lindon switched to Blackflame. The Burning Cloak pushed the sand around him as he dashed forward, his strength overpowering the Striker techniques as he bolted to Eithan.

Wavedancer shot out under his shield, carrying a bag of explosives. It dropped the bag above Eithan as they exploded, but the clone had already anticipated that.

As Lindon reached him, the clone kicked up Lindon’s shield, letting it hang over Eithan to block the explosives.

He ran to Lindon, who quickly switched to the Soul Cloak as Eithan punched him in the chest. Lindon stepped back, layering the Hollow Armor on top as more Striker techniques flowed from the clone. They didn’t penetrate his Hollow Armor, but the strength of Eithan’s soulfire hurt his bones, his body having to be constantly healed by his Iron body.

Eithan smiled as he rushed in, kicking Lindon in the face, going low to kick Lindon off his feet, then kicking Lindon back up into his fist. Lindon grabbed the fist, wrapping his legs around Eithan as he tried to get the Underlord in a chokehold. He had to use his strength to his advantage.

Eithan grabbed Lindon’s feet, blocking it, as Lindon landed on his hands. Lindon spun his legs around, escaping Eithan’s hold, jumping back to his feet. Lindon’s punches came in quick as Eithan dodged them all, turning them all aside and landing in kicks, sending Lindon’s face rocking back multiple times.

Eithan jumped over Wavedancer as he spun around, his kick sending Lindon’s face turning, saliva and blood coming out of his mouth. Lindon stumbled back as Eithan’s punches hit his throat and eyes; he smashed his fist into Lindon’s stomach, causing the boy to double over, allowing Eithan to knee him in the nose.

Eithan’s strikes were weaker than Lindon, but the problem was Eithan was actually landing hits, while Lindon was missing most. Even with Dross helping him, it wasn’t enough, Lindon thought as Eithan caught his wrist, breaking it, at the same time swinging a spear of pure madra around. The spear slammed into his kneecap, shattering it, sending Lindon falling to the ground.

The whole time, Lindon’s shield was still falling in the air from when Eithan had kicked it up to block the explosives. Wavedancer crashed into it, allowing Lindon to catch it as Eithan slammed his foot down, blocking Eithan’s foot.

Wavedancer flew at Eithan’s face, but the clone grabbed its hilt.

[Ah! He caught my sword!]

Lindon raised his shield, crouching as he pulled out the canon from his void key.

Just then, Eithan used Wavedancer to stab into the shield, splitting it in half just as Lindon was pulling the weapon out.

Lindon fired the canon as he stood up, knowing it was futile. Eithan would survive with his Hollow Armor. But maybe this would weaken him further.

Eithan tapped his shoulder, standing to his left.

Lindon turned with the canon, but Eithan stabbed Wavedancer into his hand, making him drop the canon. Lindon desperately made the Empty Palm he had slowly been building up, a handprint the size of Orthos flaring to life as he struck Eithan’s core.

Nothing. Not a dent was made to Eithan’s titanic core.

The clone tsked. “Well, that was embarrassing.”

Lindon screamed as the clone grabbed his hand, breaking it. A cluster of Forged stars shot down from the ceiling, blasting the boy into the sand. And they kept coming, shoving him deeper and deeper into the sand.

The clone flung Wavedancer aside, looking down as Lindon drowned in pure madra, his Hollow Armor starting to crack as his pure madra started to run out from the strain.

“What’s that? You need more pure madra?” The clone smiled as he knelt, patting Lindon’s bruised forehead. “Don’t worry. A teacher always shares with his student.”

The Striker techniques finally faded away, leaving Lindon smoking in the sand. His Hollow Armor and Soul Cloak ran out, revealing a battered and broken body. His bones stuck out in places, his skin was covered in bruises, and his mouth was bloody.

Lindon turned his bruised eyes to the clone, channeling Blackflame in his eyes. He was too weak to use the Burning Cloak, but he raised his fist, his teeth gritted as tears of pain flowed out of his eyes. He spoke through his broken jaw.

“The…..Dragon……Advances.”

The sand clone sneered. “Not this one.”

He grabbed Lindon’s face.

Eithan’s imposter began to pour his madra into Lindon’s body. It ran through his channels, Lindon desperately cycling it into his own core. It overloaded his core, reaching its limit. Still it came on strong, his core growing so big it began to dwarf his Blackflame core, beginning to get diluted away.

“No!” Screamed Lindon. He used the clone’s madra to Forge a giant Empty Palm, so big it covered the entire room, smashing into the sand clone’s body.

The clone grinned as the Empty Palm hit harmlessly, breaking down the madra and pouring that back into Lindon’s throbbing core.

The clone’s soulfire poured into Lindon’s body, burning his channels. Tears started to appear in his channels, his pure core beginning to crack and letting out flares of power.

“NOOOOOOO!”

The pain was too much for Lindon to bear. He was going to die here, alone.

I have to save Sacred Valley! I can’t die here! I WON’T!

Lindon screamed at the clone, roaring like a dragon. The clone was lucky Lindon couldn’t move, or he would tear the throat out with his own teeth. He would break the head off, burning the body into dust.

The clone smiled at Lindon’s screams, laughing as he squeezed Lindon’s head, beginning to crack the skull as Lindon’s body weakened.

[Oh, thank the heavens! WE’RE OVER HERE!]

Lindon was too much in pain to sense what Dross had meant.

Back in the portal room, the dark portal swirled with shadow. Out of that shadow, a man’s fingers poked out. Arms followed, then a torso and legs.

A man with long blond hair stepped out.

He wore fluttering robes, his hands in fists, his blue eyes cold and murderous. Pure madra flowed around his body, making the room shake in his power.

The Underlord was no longer smiling.

END OF PART 4