Vadim PoV
Bulgae lunged forward, his crimson flames compressing around him as he drove his claws straight for my chest.
Even thrust his hand forward, and the air rippled like disturbed water. Bulgae's plunge hitched, his limbs dragging through the distortion for a fraction of a second before his heat burned clean through the temporal drag.
That brief stall was enough.
The cloaked replica raised the lantern spear, snapping a lattice of geometric seals directly in front of the incoming fist.
BANG!
The shockwave rattled my teeth as fractures raced across the barrier.
I dropped beneath Bulgae's elbow, slipping behind his shoulder. Flower light surged through Aventine, burning away the dark aura until the steel hummed pure white.
"Take this!"
I swung the crescent blade down with both hands.
