The air around me danced along my skin, crackling and charged with an invisible intensity. My heartbeat became louder in my ears, and I could feel my pulse quicken. The world around me seemed to tremble the moment I said the command—Release. My chest erupted with an uncontrollable energy that rippled through still water like waves.
As a newfound power ignited through every fiber of my being, I gasped for air.
The Dracus immediately sensed the shift, their fierce snarls quieting into cautious growls. Their predatory gazes shifted subtly, exchanging wary glances with one another. Gone was their arrogant certainty; now replaced by hesitant calculation.
Without warning, they launched forward again, this time with more deliberate caution. But to my enhanced perception, their swift movements appeared slower, as if they were moving underwater. My mind dissected every subtle shift, every flex of muscle, and every twitch of their deadly claws before their strikes fully formed.
One lunged at me first, claws extended toward my chest. With barely a conscious thought, I twisted my body smoothly aside, the attack missing me by mere inches. I pivoted fluidly on my heel, slashing upwards with my dagger and cutting deeply into its side, sending arcs of thick, black blood splattering across the cold stone.
Another approached from my blind spot. Instinct surged through my limbs as I ducked low, sweeping my leg against its ankles. The creature stumbled momentarily, losing balance. The adrenaline coursing through my veins intensified my movements, making me faster and more precise. A powerful excitement surged within me—this newfound strength felt intoxicating.
I started moving more naturally, fluidly slipping between their attacks. Each motion felt instinctive, my reflexes heightened by the adrenaline pumping through my veins. My dagger flashed with swift precision, cutting cleanly through their thick, armored scales. Flesh tore beneath my blade, leaving trails of dark blood splattered on the stone. Each strike landed decisively, my confidence growing with every successful hit.
Yet my dominance was fleeting.
A sudden, intense pain ripped through my side as a clawed strike pierced my guard. My ribs screamed in agony, the sharpness of the wound nearly blinding me with pain. I slammed violently into the wall, the stone cracking under the force of my impact. My lungs emptied violently, air forced from my chest in a painful rush. My vision momentarily blurred, disorienting me.
Taking advantage of my vulnerability, another Dracus slammed its powerful fist into my abdomen. Pain exploded through my core, forcing me to stagger backward. Bile rose in my throat, my stomach lurching from the sheer violence of the blow. Before I could recover, another strike collided brutally with my shoulder, the audible crack sending fresh agony through my bones.
The essence I had summoned was consuming me from within, the power turning against me as violently as it had empowered me moments ago. My body wasn't accustomed to wielding this force—every muscle felt strained beyond its breaking point, every nerve ending burned, and my bones threatened to shatter beneath the overwhelming energy.
Clenching my jaw against the pain, I forced air into my lungs, fighting through the blinding agony. I knew I had to recalibrate, to find a balance between harnessing this essence and protecting my body from its destructive backlash. My movements slowed momentarily, more defensive and cautious as I adjusted my stance and steadied my grip on my weapon.
Sensing my waning strength, the Dracus charged forward, determined to bring me down. As they closed in, their confidence was restored and their snarls filled the air. However, I wasn't prepared to give up.
I refocused and changed my strategy. I became more accurate and less careless. I started to anticipate their movements, reading their intentions from the smallest muscle twitch or flicker in their gaze, and avoided their attacks by the narrowest of margins. I gracefully sidestepped when one lunged too forcefully, severing tendons and muscles as I cut deep into its leg.
It collapsed with a roar, writhing in agony.
The second lunged toward my throat. I ducked and stunned it by slamming my open palm upward into its jaw, then stabbed it in the shoulder with my dagger. The creature screamed and backed away a little as it nursed its wound, blood dripping thickly from it.
The Dracus, however, were relentless. They changed strategies and tactics quickly. After watching my movements and noting my responses, they prepared their attacks. It sent shivers down my spine to realize that they were more than just ruthless monsters; they were cunning hunters who could alter their strategy in the heat of combat.
One feinted an attack to the left, causing me to shift defensively. In a split-second realization, I knew I had been deceived. Its true strike came from the right, claws slashing cruelly across my ribs. Warm blood spilled down my side, the sting of it sharp and distracting. Gritting my teeth against the pain, I drove my dagger desperately into its forearm, forcing it to recoil momentarily.
My limbs were clawed by fatigue. Now, instead of empowering me, my essence felt heavy and depleted. I gasped in ragged breaths of desperation. I was aware that I couldn't keep up this pace for very long.
But I felt driven to continue even though it was uncomfortable. Connection and profound environmental control, not just strength or speed, were essence. I felt the power radiate outward once more as I reached inward and summoned what little focus I still had.
My command caused the area around me to tremble with energy. The Dracus hesitated for a moment, their ruthless faces displaying a hint of uncertainty. All I needed was their hesitancy.
I leaped forward and stabbed the closest Dracus in the chest with my dagger.
Stumbling back, its eyes wide with shock and hatred, it screamed. My legs shook from fatigue and agony, but I stood resolutely, challenging the others to move forward.
Then a shadow moved from the edge of my field of vision.
The girl in the cloak had at last found her balance. Her hooded eyes were staring at me from the edge of the battle.
I couldn't discern whether her expression held awe, fear, or something else entirely. But it didn't matter now.
Because this fight was far from over.
The Dracus were rallying once more, regrouping for another assault while I was also doing the same.