56 Destruction
Fiona's body trembled at how effortlessly Kodi had managed to neutralize one of her most powerful attacks. The corrosive flames that she had unleashed were meant to be dangerous and unstoppable, a force that could consume anything in its path.
Yet, Kodi had managed to easily thwart it.
Her mind raced, she couldn't let Kodi defeat her so easily. She had trained and planned for years, honing her skills and mastering the Jadefire Clan's unique power. She refused to be put down by the supposed champion of the sect.
"Stand down, Fiona." Kodi commanded with a sharp gaze, "You and I both know it's over."
Gritting her teeth, Fiona ignored what Kodi had said and regained her composure. She couldn't let her anger consume her. She needed to be smart about this fight.
"Fine, Kodi!" She hissed through clenched teeth, "If you think you're so invincible, let's see how you handle this!"
As Fiona's voice resonated with power, the sky above them darkened, as if acknowledging the impending chaos that was about to be unleashed. Kodi frowned as wisps of grey energy shifted around his arms.
"Death's Embrace!"
Fiona unleashed another torrent of the same corrosive flames at Kodi, who retaliated with another powerful palm strike, quickly diffusing her attack.
By the time the exchanged happened, Kodi noticed something and looked up at the sky.
A profound hush settled over the battlefield, as the natural energy permeating the air crackled with electric anticipation.
Above, the sky had transformed into a beautiful tapestry of jade, as uncountable jaded-like potent stars materialized, their glowing brilliance casting a divine glow upon the battlefield.
The jaded stars clustered together, forming a swirling celestial dance that painted the sky with their vibrant luminescence. Each star was a masterpiece in itself, as boundless destructive energy seemed to fill each one of them.
The sheer number of jaded stars that dotted the sky was awe-inspiring, their presence blotting out the darkness that had enveloped the vast jungle. It was as if an entirely new galaxy had been born, one forged from the essence of emerald fire and divine power.
Such a move on a grand scale drew the attention of powerful cultivators from distant lands, who observed with mere curiosity.
"Smart move…" Kodi praised her thinking, as he donned a serious expression at the sky.
Fiona's emerald eyes gleamed with pure ruthlessness as she raised her hands, her fingertips pulsating with raw energy.
"Verdant Cascade!"
Wasting not a second, Fiona flicked her wrists, sending the torrential downpour of jaded stars hurtling towards Kodi down below.
*Whoosh*
The air crackled and sizzled as the stars streaked through the sky with blinding speed, their trajectory perfectly calibrated to strike their target, Kodi.
Despite the grand scene of what seemed like a star shower descending upon him, Kodi's countenance remained calm and serene, untouched by the impending danger.
Fiona's emerald eyes burned with a mixture of frustration and anger as she watched Kodi's composed expression. How could he remain so unperturbed in the face of her overwhelming power? It infuriated her.
Regardless of what it looked like, not even a second had passed since Fiona had unleashed her devastating attack.
*BOOM*
Upon impact, the jaded stars exploded into a cataclysmic burst of green flames, creating a chaotic display of light and sound. The force of the explosions reverberated through the surroundings, causing the very ground to tremble beneath Fiona's feet.
The once tranquil jungle transformed into a battlefield of destruction. Trees were engulfed in a tempest of green fire, their trunks igniting and succumbing to the relentless assault.
The ground cracked and fissured, swallowed by the unyielding fury of the jade flames. The air itself seemed to hiss and churn with the corrosive effect of the flames, as if nature itself recoiled from their destructive power.
The jade flames consumed everything in their path, leaving behind a surreal tableau of destruction and beauty. The heat radiating from the flames was palpable, searing the air and casting a fiery glow upon the battlefield.
The sound of destruction had echoed for thousands of miles, a symphony of chaos that reached the ears of those unaware. In that moment, it felt as though the world had become a mere stage for the clash of titanic forces.
As Fiona poured every ounce of her being into the relentless barrage of jaded stars, her own strength waned with each passing moment.
Beads of sweat trickled down her forehead, mingling with the dust and grime that clung to her skin. She gasped for breath, her chest heaving with exertion, as the immense energy required for the attack drained her to the core.
Fiona's heart pounded in her chest as she strained to catch a glimpse of Kodi amidst the continuous barrage. The deafening cacophony of detonations made it impossible for her to discern his fate.
Her emerald eyes flickered with a mixture of anticipation and trepidation, her body tensed with both fear and excitement.
"Did I get him?" she muttered under her breath, her voice laced with a hint of desperation. Fiona's mind raced with thoughts of victory, but doubt gnawed at the edges of her confidence.
The jaded stars continued their merciless descent upon Kodi's position, their fiery brilliance painting the battlefield in an explosion of emerald hues. Time seemed to stretch agonizingly as the assault persisted, the relentless assault of jaded stars showing no signs of abating.
The once-pristine landscape had transformed into a scarred and inhospitable wasteland, marred by the corrosive aftermath of her attack.
*Pant*
With each passing second, Fiona's energy waned further, her body growing weaker and more exhausted. She staggered, her legs threatening to give way beneath her.
Her vision blurred, a result of both physical strain and the swirling clouds of dust that obscured her surroundings. But amidst her weariness, a glimmer of anticipation sparked in her eyes.
The anticipation of Kodi's fate.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the onslaught of jaded stars ceased. The explosions subsided, the acrid smoke and swirling dust settling down like a shroud upon the battlefield.
Fiona's heart pounded in her chest, a mixture of exhaustion and exhilaration coursing through her veins. She anxiously scanned the scarred landscape, her eyes desperately searching for any sign of Kodi.
"…"
*Crackle*
Silence hung heavy in the air, broken only by the faint crackling of smouldering embers. Fiona's breath caught in her throat as her frantic gaze swept across the desolate expanse.
*Thump-Thump*
Her heart pounded in her ears, drowning out all other sound. A glimmer of hope danced in her eyes, mingled with a growing sense of triumphant glee.
As the smoke and dust settled, a smirk began to form on her face. There, amidst the wreckage, was no sign of Kodi. The ground lay scorched and broken, bearing witness to the immense power of Fiona's attack. The landscape bore the scars of her move, a testament to the devastation wrought by the jaded stars.
"Did…Did I truly kill him?" Fiona's voice trembled with a mixture of glee and exhilaration, the weight of her accomplishment sinking in.
She had done it. She had achieved the unimaginable.
She had vanquished the Number 1 Prime Disciple of the Celestial Nirvana Sect.
She had dared to undertake what others had only whispered in awe and fear.
A surge of triumph coursed through her veins, bolstering her confidence as she revelled in her victory. She was the one who had summoned the cascade of jaded stars, who had unleashed destruction upon Kodi and left an indelible mark upon the Iwernia Continent.
"I did-"
"Who are you looking for? Maybe I can help." A calm voice resonated from behind, shattering her euphoria like fragile glass.
The familiar tone and voice pierced the chaotic aftermath of destruction, leaving Fiona frozen in her tracks. Her hands trembled in shock, and her face drained of colour as disbelief washed over her.
"No…"
"This can't…"
Incoherent mutterings of denial escaped her lips, an attempt to grasp onto a reality that was rapidly slipping away.
Slowly, with hesitant movements, Fiona turned her body to face the source of the voice. Her eyes widened in disbelief, witnessing the silhouette she had thought obliterated by her devastating assault.
A pair of blank white eyes locked with a pair of distraught emerald eyes.
There stood Kodi, his figure imposing and his countenance serene, his arms crossed casually as though he was savouring a spectacle.
Fear began to creep into Fiona's mind, intertwining with the remnants of her exhaustion, as she stared at him with wide eyes.
Fiona stood as a solitary figure, her body weary and her energy depleted from the colossal effort she had exerted. The toll of her formidable display of power was etched upon her face, mingling with the disbelief that clouded her thoughts.
The gaze she directed at Kodi was a mix of awe, terror, and confusion.
"H-How…?" As the realization of Kodi's survival sank in, Fiona's mind raced with questions. Had her attack been in vain? Was Kodi's realm beyond what she could have comprehended?
"You are supposed to be dead. How can you stand before me…now, unscathed from all of that?" Fiona managed to utter, her voice laced with a tremor of disbelief and a tinge of apprehension.
Kodi's gaze bore into her, steady and inscrutable. He declared with a commanding aura, carrying the weight of an untamed tempest, "They call me the Voidwalker, for I have not merely awakened the space element, but because I have mastered the arts of traversing the very space itself. There is none in this world that is capable of seamlessly navigating through the void, apart from me. I hail from its ethereal depths, and my footsteps leave no trace upon the mortal plane."
As Fiona's eyes widened in trepidation, Kodi's gaze briefly shifted, sweeping over the desolation wrought by her devastating assault.
"Just moments before your jaded stars could descend upon me, I silently teleported to a vantage point behind you. From there, I watched everything unfold as a mere spectator." His voice, calm and measured, cut through the tense silence like a blade through the darkness.
The weight of Kodi's words hung in the air, stirring a whirlwind of emotions within Fiona. She had believed her attack to be her ultimate technique, a move that would bring about his demise.
Yet, he had defied her expectations and played her like a fiddle.
Suddenly, a sinister voice whispered into the darkest recesses of Fiona's mind with a nefarious allure.
"Use…me…"
