Cycles of Eternity

The room was completely silent. Only the sound of the skeletal sorcerers' boots echoing as they retreated broke the frigid stillness. Their lifeless faces showed no emotion as they dispelled the spell that had kept Eriri's lower half suspended.

With a dull thud, her lower half fell to the ground, sliding a few feet before stopping in a dark pool of her own blood. It seemed everything had concluded, Eriri's life apparently extinguished by her ruthless adversary. The skeletons, satisfied with their victory, turned to resume their march.

But then, something changed.

From Eriri's inert heart, a faint spark of energy began to emerge. It was black, dense, and pulsing, as though darkness itself had found a new vessel. That energy spread slowly, flowing like a dark river toward her other half. The severed parts of her body began to emit a faint, shadowy glow, and the edges of her divided form started drawing closer, as if attracted by an invisible force.

The skeletons stopped abruptly. Their hollow eye sockets turned in unison toward Eriri's body, and a sense of alarm seemed to ripple through them. At first, they merely watched with unease, but when the two halves of her body began to fuse rapidly, they reacted.

In synchronized motion, they raised their staffs and began casting spells in her direction. Fireballs, lightning bolts, and ethereal energies surged toward Eriri's body in an attempt to halt whatever was happening.

However, every spell that struck her was absorbed by the dark aura enveloping her, as if that unknown energy devoured the magic. Instead of halting the process, it accelerated it. Eriri's wounds closed at an unnatural speed, and her skin, once pale and cold, began to regain color.

The skeletons attacked frantically, multiplying their efforts to increase the barrage, but it was all in vain. The darkness consumed their magic and grew stronger with each attempt, surrounding Eriri like a protective shroud. Within moments, her body was completely healed.

Suddenly, her eyes snapped open.

Her left eye burned with a furious blue glow, surrounded by an ethereal flame that seemed alive. With no expression on her face, Eriri rose slowly, her movements fluid and precise, as though guided by an otherworldly force.

Without warning, Eriri extended a hand toward the void. The black aura surrounding her began to condense, spiraling densely around her palm. In an instant, the energy solidified, taking the form of a black katana.

The blade was as dark as the night, reflecting a spectral sheen, and its hilt was adorned with a chain that swayed as if it had a life of its own. The energy surrounding her seemed to flow into the sword, fueling it with overwhelming power.

Eriri raised her gaze toward the skeletons. Her eyes, devoid of any emotion, conveyed a single intention: to annihilate her enemies.

Without hesitation, she lunged at the nearest skeleton.

The skeleton raised its staff to cast another spell, but it had no chance. With a swift motion, Eriri slashed the air with her katana, sending a dark wave that destroyed the spell before it could form.

The blade sliced through the skeleton's body, shattering its bones into fragments that crumbled to the floor like ashes. As the skeleton collapsed, its energy was absorbed by the katana, which seemed to hum with newfound power.

Eriri felt that energy flow into her, strengthening her muscles, sharpening her senses. There was no pause; her movements were quick, precise, and merciless.

The remaining skeletons tried to surround her, casting spells from every direction. Yet every attack was either absorbed or destroyed by the dark aura now more intense than ever.

With a swift turn, Eriri swung her sword, unleashing a wave of energy that obliterated two of her enemies instantly. Their bones scattered like dust, and more power surged into Eriri.

One skeleton attempted to strike her from behind, but the katana's chain sprang to life, coiling around its neck and slamming it to the ground before it could get close. Eriri decapitated it with a single strike.

One by one, the skeletons fell to her fury. The battle was brief but brutal. The few that remained attempted to flee, but the katana's chain lashed out, dragging them back to face their inevitable end.

When the last skeleton was destroyed, Eriri stood motionless at the center of the room, surrounded by the remains of her enemies.

The black katana vibrated one final time before dissolving into a cloud of dark energy, which slowly dissipated into the air. The blue aura surrounding her left eye vanished as well, leaving Eriri on her knees on the ground.

She was breathing heavily, her body exhausted after channeling a power she didn't understand. Gradually, her expression began to shift. The coldness and lack of emotion in her eyes gave way to a mix of confusion and fear.

"What… what was that?" she murmured, placing a hand on her chest, where the remnants of that dark energy still lingered.

She looked around, the remains of the skeletons scattered across the room. The weight of what had just happened hit her like an avalanche. She hadn't just defeated her enemies—she had destroyed them in a brutal manner, something completely out of character for her.

She tried to stand, but her legs trembled, nearly giving out beneath her. That was when a lock of her hair fell across her face, catching her attention.

A small section of her normally blonde hair had turned a deep black.

Eriri touched it carefully, her mind flooded with questions.

"What is happening to me?"

Despite her exhaustion, she knew she couldn't stay there. She forced herself to her feet and took a few steps toward the room's exit. Slowly, her resolve returned: she had to move forward, no matter what this change in her meant.

With one last glance at the chamber, Eriri left, unaware of the small black marks left on the ground where her katana had disappeared—scars etched into the stone.

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.

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The room was vast, its dark walls seeming to absorb the light, illuminated only by the glimmer of the wyvern's scales as it stood majestically before Shirogami. Its muscular body, protected by a scaly carapace, shimmered with faint glints, and its crimson eyes sparkled with a predatory intelligence. Surrounding it was a faint mist, barely perceptible but deeply unsettling.

Shirogami, unmoving, analyzed every detail. His posture was tense yet controlled, his hands ready to react. The mist worried him; his instincts, honed to razor sharpness, screamed that he shouldn't touch or inhale it. Each time the wyvern moved, the mist seemed to intensify, as though alive, slowly poisoning the air.

Before he could devise a strategy, the wyvern acted.

With a swift beat of its wings, the wyvern vanished from its initial position. Its speed was shocking, almost impossible to follow with the naked eye. Shirogami barely had time to sidestep as the beast's massive jaws snapped shut on the spot where he had just stood.

The impact of its fangs snapping together echoed throughout the room, shaking the ground beneath them. The wyvern immediately spun, unfurling one of its powerful wings with tremendous force, striking Shirogami square in the chest. The impact hurled him against one of the stone walls, leaving deep cracks behind.

Shirogami collapsed to the ground, rolling to his feet, but the wyvern gave him no reprieve. Its chest began to glow with intense heat as it inhaled deeply. A torrent of searing flames burst from its mouth, but there was something different about these flames—they were laced with a corrosive substance that consumed everything in their path, leaving scars on the floor and walls.

Shirogami managed to dive aside just in time, rolling to avoid the attack. However, his left arm wasn't quick enough. Part of the corrosive breath grazed him, and the tissue of his skin began to disintegrate instantly.

The flesh on his arm dissolved, exposing blackened bones charred by the corrosive fire. A wound that would have left anyone else screaming in agony. Yet Shirogami made no sound. His face remained as expressionless as ever, not a single grimace of pain crossing his features. 

The wyvern watched him, its crimson eyes reflecting a mix of curiosity and disdain. It was as if it were studying its prey, wondering why he didn't react like the others. 

Despite his injury, Shirogami stood once again. His breathing was heavier, but his posture remained firm. 

The wyvern advanced once more, its movements quick and lethal. Its claws slashed through the air with ferocity, filling the room with a deafening cacophony as they scraped against the walls and floor. 

Shirogami dodged each strike, moving with precision and timing. He knew that a single mistake would mean his death. But his movements were slowing. 

The mist surrounding the wyvern, now thicker, had begun to take its toll. Though he had tried to hold his breath as much as possible, the poison had seeped into his lungs. A bitter taste flooded his mouth, and soon he started to cough. 

A trickle of blood escaped his lips, staining the stone floor as his legs wavered. 

The wyvern seized the opportunity. With a deafening roar, it swung its tail toward Shirogami. The impact struck his abdomen, sending him crashing to the ground once more. This time, his body failed to respond. His arms and legs felt like lead, and every breath was sheer torment. 

Lying on the cold stone floor, Shirogami tried to move, but his muscles betrayed him. The poison had spread too quickly, corrupting his internal organs. Each heartbeat grew slower, and his vision began to blur. 

The wyvern approached, its gaze triumphant as it loomed over its motionless prey. It seemed to savor Shirogami's slow agony, as though his suffering was part of a macabre spectacle. 

Shirogami's gaze shifted to the ceiling of the chamber, his eyes beginning to dim. The world around him faded slowly, and the sounds of the room grew more distant. 

With a final heartbeat, his heart stopped, and his eyes closed as the wyvern raised its head and roared, proclaiming its victory. 

Silence returned to the chamber, broken only by the distant echo of the wyvern's triumphant cry. Yet, in that silence, something began to stir. Something deeper and darker than the poison that had consumed him.