The power of Space and Time
I wasted no time as the match began.
"Blitz, let's go!" I shouted.
My Void Hawk, already circling high above the arena, responded instantly, diving down with razor-sharp feathers glowing with energy.
"Spatial Precision," I commanded, and Blitz's wings beat in a rhythm that seemed to bend the air itself.
From his talons, he unleashed a barrage of energy-infused feathers, each one twisting through space as if it had a mind of its own. They curved, swerved, and accelerated at impossible angles, a vortex of piercing light aimed directly at Xander's beast, Pixie.
Xander didn't flinch. A dark, ominous aura gathered around him as his aura rose, intensifying by the second. Shadows rippled across the arena floor, swirling in an eerie dance that transformed the entire space into a twilight landscape.
Pixie crouched low, melting seamlessly into the shadows like a wraith. Just then, a translucent barrier appeared around her—a Twilight Barrier, deflecting Blitz's attack back toward us.
I knew this shield. It was a skill that absorbed and reflected attacks, often with greater force. "Chrono Howl, Sirius!" I ordered, signaling my second beast.
Sirius Chrono Wolf, let out a haunting howl that echoed through the arena, the sound reverberating in a way that seemed to slow time itself.
Everything around us appeared to decelerate—the reflection attack from Pixie, Xander's movements, even Blitz's feathers mid-air.
With Sirius's howl in effect, Blitz had the time to pull back and prepare for another assault. He beat his wings, releasing a Gravity Pulse, an energy wave that created a protective zone around him.
The reflection attack from Pixie's barrier fizzled out just before it could hit, our Gravity Pulse creating a pocket of space that neutralized her counterattack. But even with the shield breakdown, I knew we were in a stalemate.
Every time Blitz launched a long-range Spatial Precision strike, Pixie absorbed part of its power and sent it back. She had a five-second cooldown on that shield, while Blitz's Spatial Precision took ten.
I was at a clear disadvantage, fighting uphill, and, to make matters worse, Xander wasn't even using his second beast.
I remembered his remark earlier, about how he wasn't fully able to control the power of his second summon yet. "Guess I'll need to push harder if I want to win this."
Suddenly, Pixie's eyes glowed a fierce violet, and a low, menacing growl escaped her throat.
I felt a cold shiver as her Abyssal Gaze locked onto both Blitz and Sirius. Even my two Astro Beasts, bred to be fearless, hesitated, visibly thrown off by the energy radiating from her.
That brief moment of hesitation was all Xander needed. He moved, faster than I'd anticipated, his daggers flashing as he closed in on Blitz, each strike infused with an ominous energy.
"Umbral Surge," Xander whispered, and his darkness-based power surged through the air, connecting with Blitz.
I could feel Blitz's energy ebbing away, absorbed by Xander's daggers. It was like watching a predator siphoning the life force of its prey, each touch of his weapon drawing more energy out of Blitz.
The draining attack reminded me of my own Ophiuchus Binding Chains. I cursed under my breath, frustrated that I couldn't use my signature skill here due to the rules.
Just as Blitz's energy was waning, a pulse rippled through my senses—Sagittarius Future Sight, my passive ability, activated.
In that split second, I saw it. Pixie preparing her next move. Dusk Flame.
"Space Expansion," I whispered, my hands glowing.
The distance between us stretched abruptly, the space between me and Pixie dilating so her attack fell just short. Black-and-white flames spiraled from her maw, missing us by inches, distorted by the warped distance.
Xander's eyes widened in surprise. I caught the glint of excitement in his gaze, his lips curling in a smile. He was enjoying this.
"Ready, Sirius?" I asked, feeling the adrenaline pulse through me.
Sirius growled, and Blitz reoriented himself in the air, awaiting my next order.
"Alright, let's go!" Blitz launched another Spatial Precision attack, while Sirius readied his Chrono Howl.
"Hey, little buddy!" Xander called out with a grin. "You should know by now, attacking us while Pixie's Twilight Barrier is active only sends it right back at you."
I grinned, knowing full well what I was doing. This time, I had a plan.
"You're forgetting something, Xander," I replied. "I've got dual elements—Time and Space."
As soon as Blitz's feathers made contact with the Twilight Barrier, I activated Time Dilation. Everything around Pixie and Xander slowed down. In this bubble of stretched time, I now had ten whole seconds to act, while they experienced only a heartbeat.
With Time Dilation active, I activated Temporal Leap, moving effortlessly past their attacks. I commanded Sirius and Blitz to strike again, this time using Void Trap, which created pockets of stasis around them, holding them in place like suspended moments in time.
For Xander and Pixie, everything happened in a blur. Time resumed, but they found themselves immobilized, caught in our Void Trap. Both of them were effectively frozen, unable to defend.
With no way to block our attacks, I commanded Blitz and Sirius to unleash their strongest moves. Blitz released a concentrated Spatial Beam, while Sirius charged in with a feral growl, delivering a Temporal Bite that siphoned energy directly from his prey.
Pixie's barrier shattered, and the feedback was too much for her. Both Xander and his beast were knocked back, sprawled across the arena floor as the dust settled.
I stepped forward, extending my hand with a grin.
"Looks like I won," I said, offering him a hand.
Xander took it, chuckling softly. "Guess you did." he replied with a grin.
From the sidelines, Aira's cheers reached my ears, and I caught sight of Kairos giving me a thumbs-up, his face beaming with pride. Master Savius gave a nod of approval, while Master Zovran's smirk showed he was genuinely impressed by the outcome.
Just when I thought the next match was starting, Xander surprised me by saying, "I forfeit the next round. You've proven yourself, and besides, your beasts aren't the only 'little monsters' in this team."
He grinned, the respect clear in his eyes. "That was the best fight I've had in ages. Let's do this again sometime."
I smiled, relief and exhilaration mingling within me. Just as the thrill of victory washed over me, a thought crossed my mind. Xander's other beast—one he hadn't even unleashed. If I wanted to be the best, I'd have to be ready to face that one day too.