Bab 147: A Matter of Truth (3/3)

The enemy watched impassively as Ciprian lunged forward to choke him.

His fingers had barely connected with the enemy's neck before they snapped backwards, broken at the knuckles. Still he tried to squeeze, but his bones and muscles were incapable of doing anything other than cause him pain.

The Creature's presence strained toward the connection of skin on skin where Ciprian's palms pressed against the pale column of the enemy's throat. At the stirring of the foreign energy, the haze returned to those unnatural eyes, and Ciprian recognized an opportunity to peer behind them.

He flung out his magic, not expecting it to work in an illusion, but the window opened by the Creature's nonsensical excitement was just big enough for it to take hold. He used all his strength to push through the outer illusion, aiming instead for the inner one where the enemy's weaknesses lived, right there in his head.