The Maledicta System

The winds howled as the sun cast golden rays over the vast, untamed forest. The air buzzed with tension, the atmosphere thick with the weight of the impending battle. At the heart of a massive clearing, Lycius stood before his mother, Lana, the Demon Queen, his golden eyes locked onto hers.

Lana had considered using her true dragon form, but she dismissed the thought—it would be too dangerous for Lycius to face. Even in her DragonBorn form—her humanoid state—she was already beyond overwhelming.

She was radiant in her combat stance, a towering and unshakable force of nature. Her midnight-black armor shimmered with an eerie glow, accentuating her sheer dominance. In her grip rested her greatsword, a colossal weapon that carried the weight of countless victories.

Lycius took a deep breath, his wings flexing behind him. His newfound strength surged through his veins, his body refined by the 400,000 stat points he had finally allocated. Every fiber of his being was honed for battle.

And yet—deep down—he knew.

Even with all this power, his mother was on an entirely different level.

The First Strike—

A heartbeat passed.

Lana vanished.

Lycius barely had time to react before—BOOM!

A shockwave detonated in front of him as Lana's sword slammed into his guard, sending him skidding back across the battlefield. His arms trembled under the sheer force.

She hadn't even used a fraction of her strength.

Faster. I need to be faster.

He retaliated in an instant, teleporting behind her with Aetherial Shift and launching a brutal roundhouse kick. The strike was precise, aimed at the back of her head—

But she caught his ankle without even turning around.

Then she twisted.

Lycius's body whipped through the air like a ragdoll before he was slammed into the ground, forming a crater beneath him.

He coughed violently, but before he could recover—

A shadow loomed over him.

He rolled to the side just as her greatsword descended, splitting the earth where he had been a split-second ago. The impact sent a shockwave tearing through the clearing, uprooting trees and sending debris flying.

This was a monster.

His mother wasn't just strong—she was a living calamity.

Pushing Beyond Limits

Lycius refused to yield.

He launched himself into the sky, his wings beating furiously as he unleashed Elemental Balance, summoning a torrent of flames that rained down like a meteor shower. The forest trembled as the firestorm engulfed the battlefield.

But from within the inferno, a figure emerged unscathed.

Lana walked forward, untouched by the flames.

And then—she was upon him again.

Lycius barely had time to cross his arms in defense before she drove her fist into his gut. His vision blurred as the force of the blow sent him soaring across the sky, breaking the sound barrier before he crashed through mountains of trees.

Everything spun. His body screamed in agony. His healing factor worked rapidly, sealing wounds, but the pain lingered.

Even after using all his stat points, he still wasn't enough.

He struggled to his feet, chest rising and falling with ragged breaths. He had never been pushed this far.

And yet—Lana stood there, arms crossed, not even winded.

"Come now, Lycius," she called, her voice smooth yet commanding. "Surely you have more than that?"

His pride demanded an answer.

With a furious roar, Lycius unleashed Aetherial Shift, teleporting beside her at lightning speed and swinging his claws toward her neck.

For the first time, he thought he saw an opening.

But in a single fluid motion—

She caught his wrist.

Lycius's heart stopped.

A split second later, her knee drove into his ribs with devastating force. The impact sent tremors across the land, and Lycius felt his entire skeleton shake.

Then—CRACK!

His body folded as he was sent flying once more, a crimson mist trailing in his wake.

He couldn't win.

No matter how many times he tried, he couldn't even land a hit.

Desperation Awakens Power—

His body screamed in agony, yet his instincts roared even louder. Something ancient and primal stirred within him.

A burning sensation spread through his throat. His wings trembled.

And suddenly—

A pillar of pure destruction erupted from his mouth.

A Draconic Breath.

The attack crackled with Dragonic Aether, the divine force unique to true dragons. His body, pushed beyond its limits, had forcefully triggered a power he hadn't yet learned to use.

Through sheer desperation in battle, Lycius had unlocked a ability that mimicked a Draconic Breath and wield Dragonic Aether.

The air shattered under the blast's sheer force.

But even that wasn't enough.

Lana tilted her head ever so slightly—

And then she blinked.

BOOM!

Before he could react, her fist slammed into his jaw, sending him straight into the heavens.

The world blurred. His ears rang. The sky spun wildly as he was flung higher and higher—

Before a shadow eclipsed the sun.

His mother had followed him into the sky.

And she was already above him.

Her silhouette descended like judgment itself.

Lycius barely managed to cross his arms in defense before—

Her greatsword struck.

CRACK!

Everything went white.

The force of the blow ripped apart the clouds, sending a hurricane across the landscape. Lycius was sent plummeting toward the ground, breaking the sound barrier before he crashed like a meteor, shattering the earth itself.

For a moment, there was only silence.

Dust and debris clouded the air. The battlefield was unrecognizable.

A Lesson in Power—

Lana descended gracefully, landing beside the crater. Her expression remained calm, yet her eyes held warmth.

From within the rubble, Lycius stirred. His body ached. Every muscle burned. Yet—he was still conscious.

Barely.

He staggered to his feet, his vision blurred but his pride unyielding.

Then—his mother spoke.

"You did well."

Those words—so simple—filled him with more pride than any victory could.

But as he looked into her crimson gaze, he understood something fundamental.

This was power.

True, absolute power.

And he was still so far from it.

Yet—he was not discouraged.

No.

He would reach it.

One day.

But for now…

His mother was an unbreakable wall.

And he had never been more proud to be her son.

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