Grey Spatium 5

The start of our battle was marked by the explosive charge of the Gray Four Fists.

Pushing aether into my legs, I shot forward as well, dipping under its muscular arm as it tried to grab me.

Just as my aether-clad fist was about to reach under its ribs, my opponent’s body blurred and I was barely able to guard its strike to my knee.

I flew back in the air from the impact, the wind knocked out of my lungs, but I was able to see what had happened. It used the same spatium technique that one of its brethren had used to swing in the air, but instead, used the aether as a handle to pull itself forward, giving it incredible momentum.

I ignited God Step and, without the time to determine which path to take, I utilized one that would simply get me out of the way.

The world blurred and I found myself a few feet higher than I had been. Quickly reorienting myself in the air, I channeled aether into my arms just in time for the gray Four Fists to snap out of its initial surprise and create another aether handhold to fling himself back toward me.

Our fists met, but without the aid of Gauntlet Form to strengthen my attack, our clash was no longer as one-sided as it had been before.

I could feel the bones in my arm splintering even through the thick layer of aether protecting me as the impact caused both of us to crash back to the snowy ground.

Leaping up to my feet, I didn’t even wait for my arm to heal before I ignited God Step once more. This time, I was able to find the path I was looking for just as my opponent managed to haul himself out of the small crater of snow.

My world shifted perspectives as God Step placed me next to the gray Four Fists, just under its arms.

Every ounce of concentration was focused on maneuvering aether through my aether channels, letting it travel from my legs and hips and up my back and through my left fist in a perfectly timed fashion to match my final strike.

The result was devastating.

The gigantic ape-like beast crumpled as my fist sank into its side, and it was sent flying out of the ring of Four Fists, crashing into the side of the valley and causing a sheet of snow to break loose and cascade down over part of the battlefield.

Silence fell as I stood panting, looking down at my bloodied fist as aether still leaked out from the surface of my skin.