Dawn's muscles screamed as he staggered back, barely maintaining his footing on the uneven, moss-covered ground. The celestial tree loomed behind him, its towering presence casting long, jagged shadows across the battlefield. He could feel the pulse of its energy, the strange, unearthly hum vibrating through the air, but it was no use. Every movement, every strike, every desperate dodge seemed to only make the situation worse.
The Eclipse Warden stood before him, a massive, imposing figure forged from the essence of celestial darkness. Its form was a blend of shadow and starlight, the edges of its body flickering in and out of existence like a mirage. The creature's head was adorned with a crown of radiant lunar shards, its eyes glowing with an eerie, silver light that bore down on him with an oppressive weight.
Its size was monstrous. Towering over Dawn, it seemed to absorb the very light around it, leaving only a void where its true shape should be. The long, sinewy arms ended in clawed hands that glinted with stardust, each swipe leaving ripples in the air, like the wake of a celestial comet. The Warden's chest rose and fell with the deep, rumbling growls, an unnatural sound that echoed through the forest, shaking the very ground beneath Dawn's feet.
He couldn't keep up.
No matter how fast he moved, no matter how deftly he used his abilities, the Warden was always a step ahead. Its massive claws sliced through the air, narrowly missing Dawn's torso as he ducked and weaved. Each attack was like the crash of a falling star—forceful and precise. The celestial energies radiating from it were suffocating, every wave of power pressing against his chest, making it harder and harder to breathe.
Dawn's Vast Sky Pattern flared, the celestial markings on his skin glowing faintly as he tried to resist the pressure, but the Warden's oppressive power seemed to warp the very space around him. His Celestial Will, usually a force of natural harmony, felt off-balance in this crushing atmosphere. He attempted to summon the Astral Eyes, but the pressure was too much; the stars in his vision were becoming obscured, blurring into nothingness.
The Eclipse Warden advanced, its steps slow but purposeful. It didn't need to rush—Dawn was already in its grip, trapped between the towering celestial tree and the beast that seemed to be the very embodiment of celestial darkness. Each step it took created tremors in the earth, and the oppressive aura intensified, pressing against his every fiber.
He can't keep this up.
His rapier-whip hybrid weapon felt like a mere toy in comparison to the Warden's monstrous claws. He lashed out with it, the blade cutting through the air with precision, but the Warden twisted its body, effortlessly evading his attacks. The whip wrapped around its arm, but the creature barely flinched. It jerked its arm free with a flick of its wrist, sending Dawn sprawling across the forest floor.
A sharp pain shot through his side as he hit the ground, but he forced himself to stand. The Silver Tide passive ability was working in the background, channeling celestial energy through his body, but it wasn't enough. The Warden wasn't just physically powerful—it was everywhere, its presence filling the space around him, suffocating him.
Dawn gritted his teeth, sweat dripping from his brow as he gathered his strength. He couldn't keep relying on sheer power—he needed a strategy. He needed to think. What was this creature? Why wasn't it finishing him off?
He charged again, attempting a quick feint to the Warden's right. His rapier whipped out, slashing at the creature's side, but it was only a distraction. The Warden's massive clawed hand shot out, faster than he could react, and grabbed his arm in a vice-like grip. The force of the hold sent a shockwave through his body, and the celestial energy coursing through his veins felt as if it was being smothered.
No… I can't let it end like this.
His mind raced, searching for a way out of this nightmare. Dawn's body burned with fatigue, his strength rapidly draining, but his eyes remained focused. The Warden growled, lifting him off the ground with ease, its grip tightening with every passing moment. The creature's other hand raised high, ready to strike with its claws.
Think! Think!
Dawn's pulse quickened, a sudden realization crashing into him like a thunderbolt.
It's holding back.
He could feel it now—something was off. The Warden's overwhelming power wasn't being fully unleashed. It was stronger than anything he had ever faced, yes, but it wasn't fighting with everything it had. No, it was… containing itself. The strikes that should have killed him with a single blow were instead leaving shallow gashes. The beast wasn't using all of its might. The pressure wasn't as intense as it could be.
Why?
Dawn's mind worked furiously, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he twisted in the Warden's grip, forcing his weapon into position. The celestial markings on his body hummed softly, the Eternal Twins ability activating to enhance his reflexes, but even with the extra speed, the Warden's hold was too powerful. It was as if the beast were waiting for something.
The realization hit him like a wave. This thing—this beast—it's not real.
The thought was so absurd, so impossible, that for a moment, he almost dismissed it. But the longer he fought, the more it made sense. The creature wasn't using its full strength, wasn't finishing him off, wasn't pressing its advantage in a way that a true celestial guardian would. The battle felt too... constructed.
His eyes snapped to the sky, and his senses stretched out. The forest around him, the towering celestial tree, everything seemed to be reacting to the Warden, but there was no celestial pull, no resonating energy. The air, thick with power moments before, now felt strangely hollow, as if the very ground beneath him was an illusion.
What is going on?
He struggled in the Warden's grip, trying to push the thoughts away. But as he focused his celestial perception, he began to notice the cracks—the faint, shimmering distortions in the air around the Warden's form. It wasn't solid. The light around it wasn't reacting the way it should.
Dawn's pulse quickened as he pieced it together. It's an illusion.
The beast—this creature—wasn't real.
He had no time to process this revelation. The Warden's other clawed hand swung down, aiming to crush him. But with a burst of instinct, Dawn channeled his energy, using the Astral Eyes ability. A sharp, piercing light exploded from his vision, revealing the beast's true form—a mirage, a warped reflection of celestial energy.
His mind reeled as the illusion flickered, distorting around him. The Warden's form rippled, warping like a heat haze, revealing a ghostly shadow that barely resembled the beast he'd fought.
What is this thing?
The creature hesitated, its once-mighty presence faltering as Dawn's perception shattered the illusion. But that was when he realized—he was not out of danger yet. The thing that had been before him was not the real threat. The real enemy was still lurking, hidden behind the veil of deception.
And as the illusion flickered one final time, Dawn knew—he wasn't just fighting a celestial guardian. He was fighting something far more dangerous.