Vir sized up his opponent the moment he stepped out from his waiting room. Like most Iksana, Nor wore only light armor, with a half helm that protected his head, a small chestplate, and small metal guards on his forearms and shins. Vir noted the demon was barefoot.
Unlike Aalok’Yar, who wielded a spear, Nor wielded a straight longsword that bore none of the distinct curve of a talwar, as well as two daggers that were sheathed on his hip. In his offhand was a small round dhol shield, similar to those Vir had seen warriors wield in both the Human and Demon Realms.
By his equipment alone, Nor was a demon who prioritized arts and mobility. This was corroborated by Vir’s understanding of Nor’s past fights—narrated to him by Cirayus. The giant had told him a great deal about this particular opponent, in fact. Everything from his style to his habits to his favorite opening moves.
Vir took a deep breath, centered himself, and prepared to open his Chakras on a moment’s notice.
“Go all-out,” Vir muttered to Shan, who stood beside him, teeth bared at Nor. “And be quick. Never linger in one place.”
Shan glanced up at Vir and barked. Vir returned a tight smile.
It wasn’t the Ashfire Wolf Vir was worried about.
“Combatants… FIGHT!”
Shan exploded forth, closing the gap in an instant, and was slashing and biting at Nor long before Vir caught up, Micro Leaping his way to the demon.
The Ash Beast acted so fast that even Nor seemed to have been caught off guard.
“Well, would you look at that, folks? That Prana Beast can move!”
Vir thought he heard Nor mutter something under his breath, eyes widening in surprise—and if Vir wasn’t mistaken—fear. “Not a prana beast…”
Then Vir was upon him, pummeling the Ghael with strike after strike. Unfortunately, while Prana Armor coated his body and was covered by Aida’s concealing tattoo, the same didn’t apply to his weapons. Thus, his strikes lacked prana augmentation, though Vir did Empower his arms, striking Nor’s shield with relentless fury.
Even so, against two opponents, the demon was forced onto the defensive, blocking, dodging, and parrying in equal amounts.
Vir attacked with both his katar and chakram, keeping it in his hand for now. Displaying its capabilities in the Ashen Realm had proven useful—many eyes had seen its destructive potential, and word had gotten around.
Zarak’Nor sometimes dodged his katar strikes, but he made it a point to always dodge the chakram. Vir didn’t know how long it’d be until his opponents learned of its limitations outside the Ash, but Vir intended to press that advantage as far as he could.
Slowly, Nor was driven back. Back—to the outer edge of the ring. Step by step, he was forced to give ground, unable to sink into the shadows. Doing so would prevent him from moving, putting him at a significant disadvantage for the short duration it took to enter the Shadow Realm.
Vir was intimately aware of that weakness, and so he kept up his assault, cycling Prana Current and Empowering each and every movement with as much prana as he could muster.
Despite this, the Iksana fought methodically, betraying no hint of panic. And despite Vir’s onslaught, not one of his or Shan’s strikes landed. Not one found flesh, despite Nor’s relative lack of armor.
It makes no sense, Vir thought, feeling his frustration mount. It’s as if he has a sixth sense. Like a…
Comprehension smashed into Vir. He did have a sixth sense. He had the Third Eye Chakra, which imparted supernatural awareness. Only a few demons had mastered this ability. His opponent, it seemed, was one.
Vir’s attack finally ended when the Iksana fired off two Warrior Chakra attacks. One aimed at Vir, the other at Shan. Not bound to Nor’s weapon, they came without warning.
It was all Vir could do to abort his strike and wrench away at the last moment. Lacking any defense against such an attack, it was his only choice.
Leveraging his feral instincts, Shan avoided the attack a bit more dexterously, jumping back out of harm’s way.
By the time Vir regained his bearings, Nor was long gone—sunk into his shadow.
Time stopped while inside the Shadow Realm. Vir had leveraged that opportunity on multiple occasions, and now, for the first time, he understood what it felt like to be on the receiving end.
There was no gap between Nor’s disappearance and his sudden reappearance within Vir’s shadow. And unlike Aalok, Nor’s blade was too small to catch. Even if he could, Vir didn’t know if Prana Armor would hold. If it didn’t, and with the prana coating Nor’s own blade, Vir would lose his fingers, or even a hand.
So instead of attacking, Vir hurled himself into the air, hoping to exploit one of the few weaknesses of Dance of the Shadow Demon.
His shadow disappeared, but instead of Nor’s severed limb, or even the blade of his sword, Vir found nothing. The Iksana was far too experienced to allow himself to be caught in such a way.
Vir found Nor standing on the other edge of the arena—the Colosseum’s many shadows providing ample entry points and exits.
“Shan. The shadows,” Vir said, pointing at the ground. Then he pointed at his eyes. “Find the shadow.”
This time, Nor didn’t bother attacking conventionally. It wasn’t his style of fighting. Like any wielder of Dance of the Shadow Demon, he fought with guile and deception.
Vir knew this. He just hadn’t known enough.
Nor popped out of Vir’s shadow, and once again, Vir jumped… Only to find Zarak’Nor, mid-flight.
Trust, Vir thought in horror. It was the name of Clan Iksana’s other Bloodline Art. The ability to form limited illusions. Vir hadn’t anticipated just how real they’d look. Nor had mastered this ability to its absolute limit. It fooled his eyes. It fooled Prana Vision, and now, Vir would pay the price.
Lacking any way to dodge while in midair, Vir blocked as the Iksana smashed into him, slashing with both his sword and the Life Chakra.
In the instant before Vir opened his Foundation Chakra, he was inundated with visions. Horrific scenes of death and torment. Iksana dying—being burned alive.
The visions cleared, but it was too late; the damage had been done.
Vir lay on the ground, bleeding. Nor’s prana-tipped talwar pierced through a gap in his armor, and while Prana Armor had blocked most of the impact, Vir’s moment of distraction had weakened it, and Nor’s weapon now gouged into his chest.
Even worse, his chakram and katar lay paces away, having been lost when he hit the stage.
Though it hadn’t penetrated his heart, and though Vir’s enhanced body prevented it from penetrating too deep, excruciating pain still bloomed in Vir’s head, threatening to take him over.
Simultaneously, Life Chakra attacks assaulted his mental defenses, forcing him to keep his Foundation Chakra open.
Immediately, Vir worked his blood, moving it away from the wound, ignoring the pain.
The only issue was that Nor’s weapon was still in Vir’s chest. It was an issue… but also an advantage.
“Shan! Now!” Vir shouted, grabbing Nor’s sword hand with both hands, clamping it in an iron grip.
The Ash Beast slammed into Nor’s back, and clung there, biting viciously into the demon’s exposed neck and activating his Aspect tattoo.