The first blow came from the smaller creature.
Fast.
Too fast.
Kaelion barely had time to raise the sword.
The impact tore through his defense.
He was hurled across the layer as if he weighed nothing.
Before he could recover—
The larger creature was already above him.
The strike came down like a hammer.
The layer cracked beneath the impact.
He tried to breathe.
His essence vibrated.
Unstable.
The smaller creature appeared again.
A side attack.
He tried to follow the movement.
Failed.
Another impact.
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His body was dragged across the surface of the layer.
He tried to stand.
The larger creature appeared in front of him.
The strike came straight toward him.
He raised the sword.
This time he managed to block.
The impact was still brutal.
But not devastating.
He was pushed several meters backward.
Still standing.
The creatures stopped.
Watching.
Like predators analyzing prey that was taking longer than expected to die.
The smaller creature tilted its head.
“You still exist.”
The voice echoed directly inside his mind.
The larger creature added:
“Interesting.”
Kaelion tightened his grip on the sword.
His body trembled.
Not from fear.
From instability.
His essence was still adjusting.
The smaller creature vanished.
It reappeared beside him.
He tried to react.
Too late.
The strike hit his ribs.
He was thrown again.
The larger creature came immediately after.
Another impact.
The layer split beneath his body.
He rolled across the surface.
Tried to rise.
The two creatures were approaching again.
Calm.
Certain.
Confident predators.
He realized something.
If this continued…
He would not survive.
Strength was not enough.
Speed was not enough.
He needed both.
The words left him quietly.
Without challenge.
Without pride.
Only necessity.
“At this rate… I won’t survive.”
The creatures advanced.
The smaller creature began to accelerate.
“I need to become stronger…”
The larger creature raised its arm to crush him.
“…and faster.”
Silence.
No explosion.
No light.
But something inside him answered.
Something changed.
The smaller creature appeared where he should have been.
But he was no longer there.
He had moved.
Barely.
But he had moved.
The larger creature struck the ground.
Kaelion raised the sword.
Blocked.
The impact was still heavy.
But no longer overwhelming.
He slid backward.
Still standing.
The creatures stopped again.
The
layer rippled slowly beneath them.
Something had changed.
The first adaptation had begun.
