As the sand‑woman tabled her attack to the cowardly yet mysterious figure of Diego, Diego acted swiftly in three set moves to neutralize the target. As she slammed head‑first at him, he braved himself for the damage by absorbing the energy contained in the atmosphere, channeling it into his veins and using it to enhance his body, making him akin to a wall of living steel as the full force of the sand‑woman was hurled towards him. A momentary confusion flickered across the sand‑woman's face as she wondered how Diego was still standing despite the crushing weight of her immense strength and momentum. Whether it was because she was bewildered at how Diego had withstood her assault or because his attacks were too fast for her to read, she didn't know. All she knew was that the next string of counterattacks Diego unleashed were so fast, so precise, that they blurred like lightning streaks across the battlefield.
First, immediately after Diego enhanced his body to absorb the force of her attack, he dispersed the energy gathered within him, making himself lighter, sharper, and able to move freely to prepare his next strike.
Next, he spun the whip he conjured over his head, the ethereal blue energy crackling as it carved arcs of light through the air. He then snapped it several times in half a second to increase the momentum gathered within the whip. When he sensed the momentum was sufficient, he lashed the whip at the target. The whip coiled and gripped the figure of the sand‑woman, but instead of binding the sand, it slid through and bit deep into the true body of the soul being hidden within the sandy shell she had crafted.
Lastly, Diego formed a fist and shot it straight into where the neck of the soul being would be, intending to end the battle in one decisive blow. Yet the sand‑woman, desperate and grim, finally caught on. Her hands and body were bound, her sand armor slowed her movements, and her only hope was to abandon the sand shield she crafted for herself and focus inward. With a grimace, she drew upon the energy contained in one of her necklace crystals. The crystal shattered a split second before Diego's punch struck, and for a heartbeat it seemed as though time itself froze.
In that frozen instant, the sand golem exploded outward, forcing Diego to step back for the first time. The soul being burst forth, freed from the whip's grip and the suffocating armor she had trapped herself in. She had survived by sending a mental command to form a brick in front of her neck, which Diego crushed with his immense blow. Using the crystal's power, she commanded the sand around her to erupt violently, creating distance and space from the dangerous figure before her, her survival bought by sheer will and desperate ingenuity.
The both of them exchanged glances among one another, putting their full awareness into the moment, silently measuring each other's intent and wondering what the next move might be. For now, they were locked in a tense stalemate, neither willing to falter, until either one of them made a decisive strike or a costly mistake.
Sensing Diego wouldn't be the first to act, and recalling how her previous reckless attempt had nearly cost her life, the soul‑being pondered carefully what action she could take. She had to move now, while the fading power of the shattered crystal still lingered within her grasp. Extending her hands outward, she erupted the grounds beneath, straining her mind to gather clumps of stone and dirt hidden deep below, shaping them into the familiar forms of small stone golems Diego had once overpowered. At first they came in tens, then in hundreds, multiplying until the courtyard swarmed with their presence. They clustered close to her mummy‑like figure as if she were their queen, loyal and unyielding.
Yet Diego, watching calmly, made no desperate attempt to cut down the gathering army or strike at their leader. He wasn't planning against her at all; he believed he could defeat her anytime, anywhere, even without strategy. Instead, sensing the soul‑being was preoccupied, he pressed forward step by step, aiming toward the far end of the inner courtyard, perhaps toward a change of scenery. Coincidentally, the soul‑being's army blocked the only path out, meaning sooner or later Diego would have to face her directly. Still, he did not mind—one figure against thousands of rock golems and their queen. To him - "The Odds were Great" and he welcomed them.
After summoning a few more golems from the earth, the soul‑being looked ahead, wondering if Diego remained hovering where he had been moments ago. But she had no need to search far—there he was, only a few steps before her. A sharp string of shock and fear pierced her as she realized his proximity. Though she commanded a vast numerical advantage, she felt afraid, knowing deep down that her summoned army was nothing more than dust before the domineering figure of Diego. In truth, she was alone in this fight. Yet despite the grim certainty gnawing at her, she hurled her troops forward, hoping they would buy her precious time to complete one final preparation before crossing paths with Diego in inevitable combat.