As the blade passed through Valerian's figure, the man's lips curled into a victorious smirk.
Easy, he thought in triumph. Now all he had to do was take care of the other enemy.
Too easy…
As the man saw the little gray cat's body cleaved in two and blood spraying outward, his smile faltered ever so slightly.
His strike had cut through the beast without resistance.
It was easy. Way too easy.
A hint of foreboding crept inside his heart. And in the next moment, as if to confirm his suspicions, Valerian, whose face had turned pale from shock and fright, suddenly looked toward him and sneered.
The Haynam Magus's eyes slowly widened as he realized what it was.
An illusion!
A finely crafted illusion. Not just of Valerian's supposed death, but of everything that came with it. The split body, the strands of gray fur, blood spilling outward, and even the shadow it cast as it fell.
Every detail was there. It was precise, convincing, and very real.
