BOOM!
The clash between sword and claw erupted once more, the sound shattering the stained-glass windows as Ben and Damien collided at the center of the room.
Their auras swirled like dueling storms, light and shadow dancing across the cracked marble floor.
Ben's blade slashed in a brilliant arc—FWSSHH!—but Damien met it with a graceful sidestep, claws raking across Ben's side—SKRRRCH!—tearing fabric and drawing blood.
"Tch—" Ben grimaced, stumbling back.
Damien chuckled, rolling his neck as if he were merely warming up.
"Still predictable."
Ben's eyes narrowed, but his breathing remained steady. He couldn't afford to lose—not here. Not now.
The stars in his chest pulsed in rhythm with his heartbeat, a steady thrum of power waiting to be unleashed.
"Alright then..." he muttered under his breath, adjusting his grip on the hilt. "Let's try this."
A glow erupted around his body—not explosive but focused. A faint silver shimmer, like moonlight, coalesced around the blade.
