It struck.
Or at least... it should have.
Carter felt the impact, felt the moment his power collided with something.
But it wasn't Rune.
The realization hit him instantly. His attack hadn't pierced flesh, hadn't shattered bone, hadn't erased its target like it was meant to. Instead, it met resistance.
An invisible force stood between his strike and Rune - foreign, immense, and terrifyingly absolute. It didn't just block his attack, but consumed it.
The energy dispersed like mist under sunlight, unraveling into nothingness before it could leave even the faintest trace behind.
Carter's pupils shrank. And for a split second, he forgot to breathe. Because that... was impossible.
His gaze snapped toward Rune.
Did he do that?
It had to be the ring's power he had somehow stolen. It was the only explanation that made sense.
But the moment Carter truly looked, he realized Rune hadn't even noticed his attack.
