Chrysalis

Invidia and Allocrix hovered above the fray and looked down on the wreckage below them. In the midst of the billowing clouds of dust and smoke stood Mongu'nin, the massive demon's frame covered in wounds that already showed signs of healing.

"AHHHHHHHH!" the mighty demon roared to the heavens with a feral grin plastered across his face. "I KNEW YOU WOULD BE WORTHY ALLOCRIX!"

A flicker of emotion ran through Invidia, a faint whisper which so rarely occurred that he looked at it, paid it attention. There was more than just a burning desire to possess the kind of regeneration that the war demon displayed, along with a background need to have everything he could see. That was a constant for him. Instead, this new feeling that welled up expressed a different sort of need, the need for greater strength.

Once again he drew on the vast powers of his mind and drew forth the mana that rested within his core, weaving and shaping it into a series of detonations that ignited mere centimetres from their opponent’s body. The concussive force of the explosions was enough to rock the massive demon from side to side, but not enough to cause any major damage to him. His toughness, regenerative speed and strength were simply more than the envy could surpass.

Allocrix was less limited in his offence.

The burning eye pulsed with mana, the sheer volume of energy that radiated from him was enough to force the air around his form into an indistinct haze. Invidia felt a surge as Allocrix compressed and shaped the mana in an instant, causing a concentrated beam of pure fire to lance down onto their foe. The moment it touched the war demon, an enormous ball of fire erupted, the burst of heat rolling through the air and forcing Invidia to blink lest his eye dry out.

Even the ants below were forced to draw back another ten metres. In a few seconds they had reformed their lines almost a hundred metres away and resumed the long range acid barrage that had rained down on Mongu'nin almost constantly from the moment the battle had begun. It still wasn't enough. Though the force was enough to send the giant form of the war demon sprawling back, he recovered and planted his feet beneath him again. Invidia watched closely at the claws of his opponent as they began to glow bright, a sure sign of a Skill activation. He went to work the instant he saw it, forming barriers around Allocrix and himself as fast as he could.

Mongun'nin slashed out with both hands, his claws rending the air itself and sending crimson waves of energy towards them that screamed of wrath and ruin the

firm,] the calm voice of Allocrix rang

coursssseee,] he hissed

stop this strike. It would cut through all the barriers he could muster and

[Hmmm,] Allocrix rumbled.

from within. As it grew it crushed the shields Invidia had prepared before it impacted against the claw strikes. There was a calamitous boom in the air that forced Invidia backwards as the air pushed against

to prepare for a number of scenarios. Energy began to be focused in his eye even as he wove shields and detonations

he grated

calm the

true. Far above them the war demon hung in the air like a horrific idol of destruction, claws aglow once more. He must have leapt to that height somehow after using the claw strike and Allocrix's response as

the peak of his strength and seeks to end the battle in one decisive strike,] Allocrix

isss thiss possible? Hiss strength hasss

but it is more accurate to say that he has allowed himself to be pushed to the brink. Now that he believes he has reached the apex of his strength, he seeks to

[Thisss isss our chance!]