Grey Speed 4

However, even as Regis was talking, I sensed something and moved my body accordingly. I spun on my front foot, pivoting to the right and grabbing the space in front of me with my left hand.

A slight prickle on my cheek told me that I wasn’t able to dodge completely but what surprised me more was the fact that I was able to react to the humanoid beast that had attacked me at all.

Aside from the fact that it was deadly fast, it seemed to be invisible. Even with the fact that I was able to see aether with my eyes, the beast simply looked like a faint blur of purple with two bladed arms and four legs.

“Regis.” I tightened my grip around the bladed beast’s arm as it struggled to pry free. “Be careful.”

My companion’s eyes widened at what he saw and hid behind me.

With my right hand out of commission, I tried throwing the beast off of the platform but it hit an invisible wall.

Imbuing aether into my left arm, I unsheathed my dagger and struck the humanoid beast underneath its chin and severed its head.

The entire platform shook from the impact and the headless beast slumped into the ground without a trace of blood leaking from its wound.

As soon as the beast died, details formed underneath its camouflaging shroud of aether.

“How’d you even see this thing?” Regis asked as he hovered over what could only be described as some sort of reptilian centaur.

I touched my cheek, wiping a bead of blood from the wound that had already healed. “I didn’t…I just sort of knew and reacted to it.”

“I wonder if it’s because of your new body,” Regis pondered.

“I’m not sure. I didn’t feel this way when I first woke up to this body. Even while fighting the chimeras and the millipede—I don’t think I would’ve been able to react this fast back then.”

My mind spun, trying to think of what could’ve changed. Maybe by forging my aether passages, the aether was further acclimating to my body internally, strengthening my nerves to enhance my perception and reflexes.

The sight of the reptilian centaur fading into nothingness snapped me back to reality. Soon after, the platform dimmed to its usual color and the stairs returned to its usual state, connecting this platform to the one after.

Regis tilted his head. “I guess…that’s it?”