The caster, whoever that was, bestowed Leo the architecture of 'ash', but he didn't feel anything, or rather he couldn't feel it because of his sword. Everything about it was enigmatic, but this was far beyond his understanding. He could feel the magic an architecture would exude from the tip of the flames, but then again, that begged the question:
'How would it replace my architecture? Its a thing I'm born with... and it's not a distributed architecture either, otherwise it would sit ontop of mine. But I feel nothing there!'
Over the ages, due to the disparity between the people and magic and architectures alike, several methods were developed in order to bridge the gap between the nobles with wealth and the poor with nothing to their name. One of those methods included distributed architectures, where one could first 'loan' a small portion, monthly or annually, of a source. That usually being electricity generated by the empire, which was then sealed and protected, then put up for sale at a more than unreasonable price.
That's because a source was the core of all beasts, humans, architectures or simply magic. They all ran on it, but unlike the five rudimentary magics, architectures being the complex systems they were could not be used simultaneously with eachother or be learned.
In other words, the five magics were the core of the entire world, the rulers of the universe, they could mimick anything and everything as long as a source existed. But architectures were a 'master' that specialised on one set of magic, unique to every person, and often better than its magical counterpart by at least two ranks.
The second step of this plan would be making use a central brain, a 'Master Architecture'. Through the use of magic, each individual could also rent a spot on this scheme in order to use the abilities of the master architecture. For example, the empirial army makes use of the infamous lightning blade shared by all its foot soliders. Even though its magic counterpart can also coat a sword in lightning, the architecture solidifies it! Making the output at least ten times stronger, many that have witnessed the difference describe its brilliance like the sun was thundering down at the wake of dawn.
Though, Leo wasn't exactly sure how distributed architectures were possible beyond Lunas explanations.
So there was only one logical outcome to this – the source was evidently Glacialis, a place he arrived at through this perilous labyrinth. In addition to that, the sword raged with flames, something it did not do before.
'The sword is holding the architecture...'
But how? It wasn't a living being, nor was it a biological system. Leo looked at the impending danger infront rushing out with a crimson lust.
Regardless of whatever was up with the contract he'd just signed, there were more pressing matters at hand. Everything could lay in wait for after the battle, because if he didn't do something, he'd arguably meet a fate worse than that of the skeleton.
The icy grip on his sword slowly warmed as he adjusted to the feeling of his newly found architecture. The part between his palms and the metal making up the sword felt like two rivers trying to smash into eachother through an unatural tunnel, his architecture and the swords were clashing! His body was the tunnel and the two magics was the water, if he continued using this power for any longer... well, just like an unatural trail coursing with water would destroy the land around it, his flesh would begin to break away from the heavy pressure and tear him from the inside out. So whatever had to happen next, would have to be done fast.
Behind the cover of dust and the flames he held in front, the unmistakable sight undoubtedly the very same attack that took the skeleton out. Leo had seen its capabilities too closely to call him familiar with it, and now, it was coming right for him.
Just like earlier, it wrecked up a storm of lashing winds, snagging on all the food, debri and cloth that laid in ruin.
Ping.
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The red monster shot out from its head, flailing around violently as it weaved in the air, fluctuating as it begged for destruction.
'Dodge... dodge... I cant dodge it!'
Looking at its trajectory, the energy ball was so chaotic that there was no telling where it might end up, for all Leo knew, the thing was homing in on him! But that didn't matter, because as Luna loved to say:
~
"...even in the darkest cave, there will always be a shining light for you to sleep by."
~
However, this was just a gamble on his part. Wether the sword could whistand such an attack or not, was not up to him to decide. He would just have to trust that it could prove itself once more in these dire conditions as it got stuck with a total weakling for a owner.
Holding his sword infront and hoping it would win him the battle also wouldn't be enough here, for one, the energy was spiralling out of control as it got closer, if it misses the centre by even a little he could kiss his life goodbye. Secondly, and most importantly, the orb was bobbing and weaving violently – as it stood by Leos rough estimates, give or take, the chance of him intercepting it were...
'Five percent...'
The distance between him and the werewolf wasn't all that great either, around nine meters away. So there was no time for planning, because while all this thinking went on, the energy had already reached two thirds of the way through. If he didn't swing now, then it would all have been for nothing – his journey, his resilience, all gone!
With a more determined flame in his eyes, with the help of the sword, Leo closed his eyes and swung down!
It only took a moment for the two to clash, the violent spinning met the tip of the flames perfectly head on, splitting up into two lesser beams that tore through the air around, creating a circle around Leo's body then instantly shot and plunged through the walls that stood behind him. At the same time, his sword was left basking in the crimson residue expelled from its core, absorbing it with the chilly flames of Glacialis.
Leo's lips trembled, he did not wish to say another word, otherwise his composure might just crumble and turn to fear. The whole encounter was a stroke of pure luck, both bad and good. He wouldn't dare stepping forward through the rubble, there was hardly any place anymore that was level, so even a tiny step could send him off balance and right into the maw of the tiger.
In the meanwhile, while his eyes were drooping down with exhaustive sweat, Leo had to figure out how he was actually going to get out of the situation.
'...that was too close.'
Sweat flicked off his eyebrows, slightly obscuring his vision as they fell down. The worm was fast to react, grabbing the opportunity instinctually as it growled and jumped for him in the tiny window of blindness. All Leo could see was his own botched reflection in the drops of water, completely unaware of the imminent danger fast approaching.
But that was also okay, because not too long after, the two rivers clashing got even harsher, mixing the two magics violently. The runes ran down the sword and onto his hand as trhee lights on the dial structure remained steady at six. Leo could feel none of it, only because it happened so fast his brain wasn't allowed the time to process. But that little detail may just be what saves him.
As the drop of sweat allowed the light to bounce and warn Leo, it was already too late for it to make a difference. Its murky claws were right up in his face, as gross and beastly as ever.
'What...'
There was almost no time to react to something like that, his breath practically tickled its calloused hands and his sword was all the way down to the floor – still recovering from the previous attack.But despjte all that, keeping his eyes wide open and clenching down his trembling muscle, he prepared for the impending doom.
'Shit!'
Luckily, the runes, or perhaps the caster, anticipated the situation beforehand. The runes ran from his arms all the way down to his toes. Holding him so tightly that it looked like a serpent devouring its prey, only this one was helping, hopefully it was anyway.
Leo could feel this surge of power, it was very familiar, like he'd been using it his whole life. And so naturally, he relaxed himself, because that's what his body told him to do. From there on the runes would take their weirdly limited control of him, then probably disappear like they'd always do.
The runes were fast reacting, their dexterity unfathomable as the sword swung up, going not for the usual defensive parry, but instead going straight for the kill, for the worms head!
Claw and steel, the two were at equal distance from their targets, the only thing left now was to see who could reach there first and thereby named the winner. Leo's body was stuck in a fleeting daze as his faith rested upon the magic he'd just been bestowed, telling himself the advantage was all his.
Their speeds penetrarting the air, the race was on, half a meter to go. No particle in the way was spared, on one side the beast extended its claws to the maximum, on the other side the flames raged on in anguish as they help out their hands.
Not even a moment passed before the two grazed the skin of the other, and then:
!!!
Splatter!