Bonds of Darkness: Swordmen's Redemption

Chapter Fifty-One: Eclipse

"Show me what you have, Jingliu!" Terminus's voice boomed, setting the stars themselves aquiver. She surged upward, the cosmic dusts sparked and spiraled at her feet, propelling her into the celestial ballet of combat.

Jingliu, gripping her lightsword of frost, braced for the onslaught, her stance solid yet adaptable. The readiness in her eyes was palpable, but even that did little to prepare her for the Aeon's swiftness. Terminus descended like a comet, her form a blur aiming directly at Jingliu's core.

In an instant, Jingliu's Moonlit Guardian manifested, a dome of lunar energy seeking to shield her from the impending strike. The barrier, once unbroken against formidable foes, stood little chance; it shattered upon Terminus's contact, a foot alone carrying the force of a celestial storm.

The impact sent Jingliu hurtling backward, a ragdoll caught in the wake of a cosmic tempest, her body slamming against the rugged face of a rock. A cough splattered blood against the stone—a stark crimson against the abyssal backdrop.

Terminus, upon witnessing the result of her own might, grimaced with a tinge of regret. "Oh, I didn't expect that to actually hurt you. My apologies on that, eheh~" Her voice, sheepish yet tinged with the gravity of her oversight, fluttered across the expanse.

Gritting her teeth, Jingliu pushed herself up, using her lightsword to steady her stance. Blood smeared across her mouth served as a testament to her resolve, wiped away with a defiant gesture.

"Good, your will to live is strong," Terminus observed, admiration lacing her words as she witnessed the unwavering determination shining through Jingliu's eyes.

Harnessing her affinity for the moon, Jingliu summoned a cloak of healing energy, wrapping herself in a luminous veil that mended flesh and bone. The lunar energy, both her balm and armor, rejuvenated her spirit, embodying the resilience that had carried her through countless perils.

"To use the moon to heal yourself and your soul as your shield. A double-edged sword, but it is rather effective," Terminus commented, analyzing the dual nature of Jingliu's powers.

"I've faced death more times than I can count," Jingliu replied, her voice steady, "and each time, I've learned to harness my abilities more efficiently, creating techniques that leverage my full potential." Her guardian, now in its humanoid form, stood sentinel beside her, a silent vow to protect.

Terminus' grin, both exhilarating and daunting, promised a challenge that Jingliu had never before encountered. "Life and death, I see. Well then, I will show you the full potential of the Dark Moon."

"Dark Moon?" Jingliu echoed, the term alien yet filled with an ominous power that resonated with the very depths of her being.

"Let me demonstrate. Watch me," Terminus instructed, her arm lifting heavenward, cloaked in an amethyst energy that pulsed with a darkness deeper than the hue of twilight.

The dark moon that hung behind her ceased its celestial pulse, casting an ominous stillness over the realm. Jingliu, caught between awe and trepidation, watched as the Aeon became one with the cosmic entity.

Power burgeoned from the moon, resonating with Terminus and rippling outwards to envelop Jingliu, who clutched at her chest, feeling a void swelling within her—a presence growing, demanding acknowledgment.

Terminus's grin morphed into a knowing smirk as the moon began its reverse rotation. A secondary eclipse took shape, layering darkness upon darkness, a phenomenon that muted even the inherent blackness of the celestial body.

"The moon, as it eclipses, manifests in your form of vengeance, and the deeper the animus, the more devastating the attack," Terminus explained, her voice resonating with the authority of creation itself. The world trembled, the very atoms vibrating in response to the Aeon's release of power.