The blade responded, its light flaring brighter with each pulse. The orb shuddered violently, its surface cracking as the energy within struggled to contain itself. The spectral forms froze mid-attack, their hollow eyes turning toward me as if sensing the shift.
"I think you're making it mad!" Ji Ho called, ducking behind a crumbled pillar.
"Good," I said, pouring more energy into the blade. "Let it get mad."
With a final surge of power, the orb exploded, releasing a shockwave that sent us both flying. I hit the ground hard, the divine blade clattering from my hand. When I looked up, the orb was gone, replaced by a towering figure of pure light and shadow. It had no discernible features, only a shifting, humanoid form that radiated an overwhelming presence.
"Well," Ji Ho said, coughing as he got to his feet. "This just keeps getting better."