Vadim PoV
"We don't change fate," I spat through gritted teeth. "We carve it!"
A point-blank blast of dense light detonated between my wrist and his gauntlet. The shockwave blew us both backward, sending him skidding thirty yards through the air. Black smoke hissed off his scorched palm.
He snickered, displaying his pointy canines. "Much better, hero. That spark of rage suits you far more than the self-righteous speeches."
I didn't give him the chance to finish the thought. Black wings snapped wide as I closed the distance in a single beat, Aventine already burning with Taeyang light. The bronze blade carved a rising arc aimed at his throat. Bulgae twisted, claws flashing up to meet the edge. Sparks of abyssal fire and primodial light exploded between us.
"You talk like someone who's already won," I growled, pressing harder against his guard. "But every second you waste on me is another second Amelia reaches that throne."
