Sorcerer… Cyborg???

Chapter 241: A Gambler and a Recluse

As Kothar was plunging into the very heart of the Aemos, a fierce battle continued within the void.

Qh'mros hurtled toward Xurha, its wings spread wide, a vibrant green glow surrounding it, and its jaws wide open, black fangs gleaming in the green glow. 

Xurha laughed as Qh'mros flew towards him, eager for the coming clash, now that both of them had transformed, Xurha knew the battle would be fierce.

Qh'mros dove right into the red glow surrounding Xurha, the green glow of its domain converging around it, creating a thick barrier of green light around it, whipping its head toward Xurha, who raised his spiked shield.

As Qh'mros' jaws closed over Xurha's shield, Xurha pulled in his domain also, concentrating it on his shield, thrusting out and trying to pierce through Qh'mros' domain, and into the soft flesh of its mouth.

Qh'mros roared in fury, frustrated at Xurha's resistance, it considered Xurha nothing more than an upstart, and to have to transform and actually battle him, was humiliating at the least.

Before Qh'mros could pull its head back, Xurha struck over his shield with his axe, but Qh'mros had already turned its head away, and the blow glanced off its branching horns.

[Where are you going, lizard! Come and taste my axe!] Xurha yelled out, the skin visible through his armor now covered with bulging green veins.

[Hssssssssss!] Qh'mros didn't use any words, but since they only communicated mentally within the void, the loathing it felt for Xurha was clear.

Again, Qh'mros dove at Xurha, this time, its domain was focused around its vicious black horns, charging towards him. 

Xurha clasped his axe with both hands, raising it up high, and slamming it forward to crash into Qh'mros' horns, utilizing every inch of his power.

His axe slammed into the horns on the right side of Qh'mros' head, almost all of his domain concentrated on his axe, the barest minimum around his body and keeping him aloft within the void.

This was virtually suicidal, it was rare for an Ascendant to devote so much of their energy to an attack, for almost all of them were wily old creatures, too fond of their lives after so long to risk everything on a gamble like going all out in one attack.

Qh'mros domain was focused around its horns, but not to the same extent as Xurha, a thick barrier of light still surrounded its body, it was a careful creature, and anything could happen in battle.

But Xurha's reckless gamble paid off, and his axe, flaring with red light, broke through Qh'mros' domain, shearing through one of the branching points of its horns, sending the piece of horn hurtling off through the void.

But the momentum of his axe was now gone and it bounced off of Qhm'ros' horns, the impact of the blows sending vibrations all up Xurha's arms.

[Hahahahaha! So, you can be hurt! A mighty old recluse lizard like yourself!] Right now, Xurha should have been completely dispirited, it had taken almost all of his power to barely break through Qh'mros domain and cut off a point on its horns, but instead, he was completely drunk with joy. 

For Xurha was a battle maniac, and nothing made him more satisfied than teetering on the edge of life and death, his life on the line, against impossible odds, a powerful opponent seeking after his life.

[Krrrrrrrasaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!] Qh'mros gave a completely bestial cry, with not even an attempt at communicating, it was furious. How could a puny upstart even manage to sever its domain, the power it had cultivated for thousands of years, how completely humiliating.

Qh'mros wrapped itself in its domain, if Xurha was going to gamble on his life with each attack, all it had to do was not give him even the slightest opportunity to attack.

It slid through the void, its body sliding from side to side like a serpent, its wings folded tightly against its back. 

[Again!] Xurha's eyes were gleaming in the darkness of the void, and his expression beneath the cage like mask of his helmet was an enormous grin.

Once again, he sent almost all his domain toward his axe, and it shone like a beacon in the darkness of the void, blindingly bright. 

But Qh'mros dove down, moving so quickly that it seemed as though it had disappeared right before Xurha's eyes.

Speed was one of its greatest abilities, it had yet to utilize its full power, as full of pride as it was, and Xurha looked all around, confused.

His eyes widened as he saw its ascending from directly beneath him, Xurha was extremely physically powerful, but things were different in the void, one had no footing to stand on, and would have to utilize their domain for the simplest of movements. 

Xurha had gambled, and had come up short, sending all his domain's power to his axe might have worked had Qh'mros continued to disregard Xurha's strength, but it had swallowed its pride.

Now Xurha could barely move within the void, and sending his domain's power back tow rap around his body would take all the time he had, not giving a chance to  move fast enough to attack Qh'mros as it approached.

From below Xurha, Qh'mros came winding upwards, its amber eyes shining with fury, hurt pride, and the slightest hint of respect. Even though Xurha was an upstart and a savage in its eyes, he had still injured it, and so it had to respect his ability.

Qh'mros body writhed though the void, wrapping itself all around Xurha, its body much more compact than before, and Xurha now much larger.

Its claws and wings were wrapped around Xurha's torso, holding tightly, while its tail wrapped all around Xurha's legs. 

Only Xurha's head was out in the open, his eyes glaring daggers at Qh'mros, if he had pulled his domain back from his axe a moment later, he would have been completely crushed by this attack.

But Xurha had fought countless battles in his life, he was a creature that had been forged in battle, and so he survived a moment longer.