Overwhelming strengths of three beings shook the bridge. Half of the structure collapsed. The luminary was toe-to-toe against Fallon by himself, while Ethel kept a distance and gave her support. She could have run off while the mortal kept Fallon busy, but it would be a cowardly move.
This isn't good. Ethel noticed the shaky hands of the luminary. His chest was heaving heavier as fatigue took a toll on fragile flesh. Meanwhile, Fallon showed no sign of slowing down. His strikes grew fiercer and harder, pushing the mortal around.
Fallon, this is unlike you.
Sinner of Sloth was never passionate about doing things on his own. Fallon became weaker the more he exerted himself to do the labor. While he slept in his hiding and feasted on the languor, his little puppets of faithless slogged themselves under his command.
As the bridge tumbled down, both of them jumped out. Fallon watched them disappear within the clouds of dust. Rubbles crashed down to the bottom. Huge splashed of its impact echoed.
Just when the silence stretched over them, the wreckages of the ruined bridge flew in their direction. It came pounding at them. Arms materialized from her shadow, shattering the rubbles from crushing them. Between the coming rubbles on her way, she spotted a figure hiding behind one of them. Ethel leaped somewhere far as it crashed down in front of her. Fallon brushed the clouds away.
Her shadow slithered to hold Fallon's shadow. The Fiery Flame butterfly rested on her hand. She clenched her fist, igniting a fury crimson flame on his shadow. Fallon screamed, prying his armor open, but the fire was on his shadow.
Wings burned a darker shade of red flame. Flamescourge was its specialty. Using the hatred to burn the shadow.
Blood trickled down from her eyes, ears, mouth, and nose. The heat devoured her flesh, roasting her from inside. Hearing Fallon's scream, tugged a string in her chest. But she tightened her fist.
"It's useless if you don't hate what you see," Fiery Butterfly flew to her cheek. It flapped its wings to get her attention.
Ethel snickered. "What feeling do I have for someone who wished for my death? I feel nothing but hatred for those traitors who turned their backs on what we once vowed."
Quite ironic for the sinner of wrath to be burned by her own flame. Though it won't kill her, it was an embarrassing sight to show. No flame can burn her.
Fallon slammed Heartshatterer onto the ground. He used the sword as a pillar.
"Just like how Sloth becomes weaker as he exerts himself more into labor. You too become weaker if you do not harbor the hate for your enemy."
"So you're saying I care for my enemy?"
"Ethel—"
"Enough! This is my last warning before I lock you away in the abyss," she commanded.
The Fiery Flame Butterfly dropped its wings. It imprinted itself on her hand, departing away in silence.
The luminary grabbed her arm. When he touched her bare skin, he immediately yanked his hand away. It left a red print on his palm.
"Stay back."
Ethel kept the crimson flames engulfed on Fallon. His scream tugged at her into hesitation. She coughed out blood. Just give up, Fallon! Ethel begged as she watched the helmet on Fallon crumbled, refusing to go down with his own fate.
Fallon plunged the Heartshatterer deep into the ground. Their bodies slammed flat face. The pressure of the mountain crushed their whole bodies, rendering them from lifting even a finger. The arms of her shadow disappeared, wiping out the crimson flames on Fallon. She can't lift a finger. Vision of mortals filled her. A father tended the barren field under the scorching sun only to return home with little yield to provide his family. Knights patrolled through the streets without rest and with their master barraging them every day. It was all but a simple, mundane life. Time after time, their souls grew weak. Ethel tasted their rough labor with her own body, crushing her from inside. She shoved those memories away and burned them. Denying the mortals' struggles was the only way she could free herself. He dragged his sword over the ground as it left a red streak in its traces.
Your fire grew weak the more you tried to deny it. We cannot rewrite our fates. So why don't we just accept the fate as it is? Pride whispered at the back of her mind.
Just when she thought it was her loss. The luminary stood on his feet against the enormous burden on his back. He blocked Fallon's path from approaching her.
How can he move?
It couldn't be some luck. He was a luminary. A mortal who can create a miracle against the odds. Which reminded her, the young man hadn't used his miracle once throughout the entire battle. Similar to how the sinner has their own abyssal shadow, the luminaries have their miracle prayer.
The luminary swayed on his feet. He could barely keep himself still. Blood painted his face. The heavy strike must have caused a concussion. Fallon grabbed the mortal by the collar, guiding him to the edge of the cliff.
"Stop, don't kill him!" Ethel shouted.
No, if that mortal dies, it would mean a declaration of war.
Touching the pillar of hope will set everything to lose. Flood of blood will wash the land. To stop one, they will sacrifice countless souls.
Fallon threw the mortal to the back. He stood still, looking over to a distance at the hill. The pressure on her body dissipated. She could finally move.
"Go up there." Fallon pointed out to the hill with his sword. "Or he dies. The town fell into ruin."
Ethel glanced at the unconscious mortal. Without waiting for her answer, Fallon walked ahead first. She took a fistful of dirt in her hand. He knew how naïve she was. She would never have abandoned a mortal.
"Keep an eye on him." Ethel shredded the cloak of wrath from her body.
"But!" The Silk Butterfly flapped its wings in protest.
"I'll be fine." She breathed out. Her hands shaking. The wrath she consumed was all spent in one fight. You don't hate the enemy before you. She laughed at herself for lashing back at her own shadow. Fiery Flame Butterfly knew her. All of her shadows knew of her flaws. They were her echoes from the past, and she was their living shadow. Always going against fate.
The Silk Butterfly unlatched itself from her and flew to the luminary's side. Ethel cast a shadow on her back, snapping her spine back straight.
The thick mist subsided in the town and followed them into the forest. The sinners disappeared into the darkness.