What's worse than fighting someone stronger than you?
Easy.
Fighting someone who knows you.
No matter how many Skills I may have attained, nor how far I've grown, Serafall has one undeniable advantage still. She knows my habits, my signs... my weaknesses.
I would feel flattered at just how far her observation of me went, were I not currently feeling the consequences of her attention.
Time has already stopped meaning anything to us. Perhaps an hour has passed. Perhaps only five minutes. I've been so focused on watching her every move that I've lost track of anytbing else in the world.
The battlefield itself is now closer to an ice skating rink than a forest, the world coated in a crystalline layer of her Mutated Clan Trait as I Sonido into her once again, poised to cleave her in two immediately after recovering from a blocked strike.
Another swing of the Rebellion, and yet another swing caught in the blades of her trident, her palm slamming into my chest and throwing me several meters back. The Doppelganger fares no better, torn to shreds by a set of jaws she formed along the ground with her Trait.
Just as my clone disappears into motes of Mana, I look down and see ice begin to crawl across my chest, growing rapidly as a result of her strike.
"Is that the best you got?" Serafall taunts, my neck snapping up at the sound of her voice, just in time to see her rest lazily against her weapon as it sits in the ground.
I find myself laughing under my breath at the sight, at the sickening familiarity of it, all against my best wishes.
An odd feeling of nostalgia washes over me, the world around us replaced with the familiar gardens of the Sitri Manor for just a brief moment.
-1700HP!
-1700MP!
A Freikugel against my own chest is enough to eviscerate the ice crawling up my back, the pain immediately dispelled by the wave of relief brought by the Prayer.
Exactly as I'd expected, Serafall goes on the offensive the second I cast my Prayer, having been watching for the moment I activated it. Without Caduceus in hand, I can't cast a Circle either.
She's been waiting for this. So have I.
"Just like old times, huh?" I mutter, repeating her words, words that have lingered on my mind this whole time as she dashes forward, tens of meters crossed in the blink of an eye.
"As if you ever gave a shit back then!" I cry out, throwing myself forward with the momentum of a Sonido and shattering her weapon as I stab through it with the Rebellion, faster than she could respond.
"Wha-"
She opens her mouth to respond, to cry out in shock, but her attention is quickly redirected to dodging the Rebellion's blade, Mana glowing along the edges.
Now on the backfoot, Serafall can do nothing but send out glacier after glacier of ice, each monument to her power shattered by my sword as it approaches.
"Do you even remember anything? A single conversation we had? Did you ever truly care about me, or was I just a tool for you!?"
Again, she is given no time to respond, another Sonido bringing me directly in her personal space, my hand lashing out and taking hold of her throat. Her eyes widen in shock, a thousand different stakes of ice forming in the air around me before I can slam her into the ground.
Thinking quickly, I form a Dread Mirror from her life force and throw her against the ground, her body bouncing back up as the ground shatters under the force.
The stakes crash against my shield without relent, my sight damn near blocked entirely under a sea of crystalline Mana constructs as I lift a boot to slam down upon Serafall's chest.
My foot lands against nothing, Instinct blaring in my mind a moment later as I Sonido to the side, barely in time to dodge a blade of ice the size of the Sitri Manor tearing into the ground I once occupied.
Floating in the air, her hands raised and Magic Circles utterly glowing with Mana, Serafall smirks at me. Her hair, once a pristine black, is slowly turning whiter by the moment, her arms now a deep blue.
For a moment, the battle pauses. I watch, and so too does she, the wind blowing softly in the air as I stand on unsteady feet. She shifts almost imperceptibly, but as I tense my knees in preparation, I find myself surprised as she makes no move.
"...You said you wanted to be a singer. I joked that you had sung for me that day-"
Her words are cut off midway through by the vicious clang of the Rebellion slamming into her hastily drawn guard, a crack forming along the edge of her enormous blade.
My own wing is now drawn, every ounce of my power used to press against her weapon, the crack deepening with every second as we stare one another down.
"Don't you dare try and pretend that you cared! Not after everything you've done!" I spit out, teeth gritted, my hand trembling with what I can only assume to be fury.
Serafall frowns, her eyes crinkling with pain as her free hand is thrown out to the side.
My eyes follow it closely, given less than a second to react as a storm of blades falls down upon me from several hundred Magic Circles in the air.
I fly back and spin the Rebellion as fast as I can, shattering each construct inches before it can reach me, but some still break through my guard, cutting through my skin.
With my sword occupied on her thousandfold storm, the gigantic blade she used prior is left entirely free, something Serafall quickly capitalises on.
Grimacing, I summon the Doppelganger urgently, my clone quickly taking over to block the shards as I take a deep breath and stare at the building sized blade as it approaches rapidly.
Serafall watches like a hawk. Her intrigue quickly shifts to concern as I grin.
CLANG!
The Rebellion sings with glee as I Parry her floating blade with all my might, sparks flying along the Demonic sword as it grinds against her own. Serafall frowns, pressing down even harder with the construct, a bone shattering pressure taking hold of my arms as I struggle against it.
All or nothing.
"Blood Sacrifice!"
-9000HP!
9000/9000 HP
In the blink of an eye, half of all the blood in my body is expelled violently, shooting out from my pores in all directions.
It coats the ground, the trees, the ice. It rains down on the both of us as my HP is now capped at 50%... but my Stats are increased by the same value.
My grin rapidly widening, I push back against her blade, throwing it up slightly from the power of my efforts. Immediately, I dismiss the Rebellion, bracing my shoulders as I grab hold of her construct with both of my hands, fingers digging into the ice.
Serafall grunts in confusion, the Doppelganger's defense growing in intensity to match her redoubled efforts to distract me. Her eyes drift, glancing to the spectral Doppelganger for just a brief moment.
Taking the chance I've been given, I grit my teeth and put every ounce of strength in my half-breed body to use as I lift the construct, Serafall's control over it faltering. She gasps, immediately trying to take back ownership of her weapon, but by now it's too late.
A moment of weakness was all I needed.
Grinning, I rear back the blade in my hands, pushing against her control of it, and cry out with triumph as I swat her out of the sky like an insect with the pommel.
With the momentum firmly in my favour, I follow on after her as she's flung through the air, the Devil righting her position a brief second later.
With her focus re-established, Serafall immediately takes notice of my approach, a hammer forming in her grasp to slam against my fist as it crashes into her, the wind kicked up around us and a shockwave uprooting several trees in our vicinity.
Now panting, both in pain and excitement, Serafall licks the blood from her lips and grins at me, pushing back against my fist with equal vigor.
Once again though, I find myself unable to stop the words I've long since held from spilling out as we stare one another down.
"Doesn't this bring back memories? Then again, the positions were different last time, weren't they? Must be difficult, going against someone who can actually fight back!"
Her grim dims down slightly. She opens her lips to respond, but by then I've already continued to speak.
"You know, when I was in that pit, shackled to the ceiling and terrified for my life, I thought of you... It kept me going through all the torment."
She stares at me, mouth slightly agape.
"Every swing of Bidleid's fist, every insect that dug into my skin, it all meant nothing when I thought of your smile, of how happy you'd be to hear of my success!"
Her strength falters, my fist now mere inches from her face as she struggles against it with all her might, grimacing in exertion.
"Did you ever even stop to think of what I'd gone through in that city? As you crushed my chest, shattered my ribs beneath your boot, did it ever cross your mind that I too had suffered, just as you had?"
Another inch, my grin now widened enough to compensate for her pained frown as she pushes back against me.
"Of course it didn't! You only ever think of yourself. You never gave a damn about me, never cared beyond what usefulness I had. All those late night chats, all the calm dinners and soft laughter; worthless!"
The handle of her hammer cracks.
"I was a fool to think I mattered to you. So much pain, so much fear, and what was my eternal reward? What was it, Serafall?!"
Her strength returns to her in an instant, far beyond what it had been prior as she shakes her head.
"Shut up! Just- just shut up!"
-1120HP!
My fist is thrown aside by her newfound vigor, her boot crashing against my chest to send me flying into the ground in a sickeningly nostalgic fashion.
Embedded into the thick layer of ice across the forest bed, grunting in pain as I lift myself to one knee, I can do nothing but watch as she cradles her head in her hands.
"I've told you I'm sorry! Again, and again, and again! Why won't you listen to me!?"
Her fingertips turn a deeper blue than ever before. The tips of her hair almost begins to turn crystalline. Mana swells around her form as she stares at me, her eyes bloodshot.
"Why can't you understand that you hurt me as well!?"
Her words register in my ears, give me pause for one brief moment, but do nothing to stop the swell of excitement in my heart as she draws her weapon once more and blurs through the air to continue her assault.
I meet her half-way with a Sonido, the Rebellion drawn back into my hand as we go on to exchange countless blows, my soul practically glowing with overwhelming satisfaction at the knowledge that I am keeping up with her every strike.
All the growth, the Skills, the Stats, it's all been building up to this.
Our weapons clash constantly, the air filled with the sound of demonic steel against frigid ice, as we jump between trees, dash along the frozen ground, never once faltering in our clash.
Mana continues to ebb and flow around her, the air charged with power.
Yet, despite all the heated words, all the emotional outbursts and the hoarse cries we've exchanged... She and I both share the same burning, deepening flicker of excitement in our hearts.
All the grudges in the world couldn't stop the grins that form on our lips as we continue our brawl, because at the end of the day, this is what we know best.
We're two sides of the same coin.
I can't stop myself from smiling as we stare into one another's eyes, evenly matched and evenly loving every moment of our duel. The outside world, Ars Goetia, the Civil War- none of it matters.
This moment, this battle, is the only thing that either of us are focused on.
No more masks, no more Demi-fiend bullshit, just her and I, and the weapons we hold.
...Our own little slice of paradise.
------------------------------------
[Grayfia Lucifuge]
There are some things in life that you truly never do expect to see.
This is, regrettably, one of them.
"Father! I... I didn't expect to be seeing you on this day."
Rosalia speaks out in mild shock from my side, having turned her head upon hearing a whisper in the wind from the servants and been left stunned.
"Lord Phenex. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I was not aware that you would be joining us."
My curtsy, though rigid, still bestows enough respect to ensure the Lord is not offended.
It does not, however, bring with it an explanation for his sudden appearance, one that I am most desperate to attain.
"I didn't think I'd have need to. Clearly I should do better at keeping my house in order... To think my wife would go behind my back to cut a deal with the Demi-fiend."
Yes, stood before me now, suited in all the black and crimson silk of the noble Clan Phenex, is the abrasive Lord himself.
A man who I have no doubt would sooner see my Master hung from a spike than ever indulge this deal willingly.
Strangely, he never even paid mind to Rosalia's greeting, nor did he acknowledge it in any way. More interesting is the clear acceptance in her eyes. As though such an occurrence was commonplace.
...Today was supposed to be much like the one prior. Negotiations, banquets, peaceful rapport and my own veiled subterfuge when the celebrations end.
Evidently, that plan has taken quite the shift. Though, perhaps it may be quite the fortunate one as well.
"Should I take that to mean that these negotiations were done without your blessing, Lord Phenex?"
He turns to me, far quicker than I'd have anticipated to dissuade such ideas.
"Without my blessing? No, I'm certainly not against coming to an agreement with the half-breed. Without my knowledge? Yes. That is where my grievances lie."
His words don't match his actions. Perhaps I can catch him out.
A thousand year old politician he may be, but so too is he a man with an ego, a very fragile one as well if he shares the same characteristics as his kin.
"You seem to dislike my Master, Lord Phenex, yet you're quite quick to make an agreement with him. Are you perhaps worried about competition on his part?"
He grimaces, as if pained. Rosalia watches my every move like a hawk.
"I'd be stupid not to be. If he ever manages to bottle up his Magic, we'd be out of business. Ars Goetia would sooner take a chance with him if it meant getting rid of us."
...interesting.
It's the same mentality as Rosalia spoke of. A paranoia that Ars Goetia would seek to tear the Phenex' own riches and status from them in favour of the Demi-fiend. Perhaps it is a rehearsed sentiment on the Phenex' part, to endear me to Rosalia's words.
Unfortunately, it is not as incriminating as I would hope. It is, after all, a rather common thought as well.
I'm sure my Master himself has no doubt explored methods of distribution, more-so out of spite to the Phenex than his own ideas of profit, but I digress.
Frankly though, the commonality of those very words may just be evidence against Rosalia's conspiracy as well. After all, Lord Phenex would never be so silly as to outline his grievances with Ars Goetia directly in front of me if he were-
...if he were.
But what if he isn't?
What if they never saw fit to include Ruben Phenex as a part of the scheme? His visit here has already proven a surprise to the servants, and Rosalia seems to have not been expecting him.
Though, if that is the case, then who among the house saw fit to tell him of this meeting if not her? It couldn't possibly be the staff, not only for fear of losing their tongues, but for fear of losing occupation in one of the illustrious noble houses.
Perhaps it is a further deception on Rosalia's part? The coincidental nature of this meeting is already bordering on the unbelievable, as the Lord of this house just so happened to stumble upon Rosalia and I, talking amongst ourselves in the lounge, instead of seeking out his wife.
...perhaps I've looked too far into that angle though. It may very well be that Lord Phenex was not included on this scheme by nature of his own proximity to the High Council, and the fear that he may let slip his family's secrets. His prejudice against my Master certainly does not help.
It could be nothing more than a precaution.
It could, however, also be the result of a retaliatory action against me.
If there were one suspect I could place at the forefront of this sudden development, it would be Ruzera Phenex. I would not put it past that fragile wretch to have told Lord Phenex of this deal in attempts to sabotage it, having been made aware of the Lord's own lack of knowledge and exploited it.
His inadequacy has already left me concerned that there truly is a house-wide plot against my Master.
His attempts to demeanour the Demi-fiend, and sway me too his own side, could very well be seen as either the childish flirtations of an egotistical moron, or a hint at his expectations that my Master would not be serving as a problem to him should such a... rendezvous ever occur.
The list of my problems has grown twofold. If Ruzera has harboured this grudge, and Lord Phenex is unaware of this scheme, then there are four separate bodies I must keep my eyes on, including the Lady Phenex and Rosalia herself. Four angles of attack.
...Hm. I've pondered long enough. A few seconds of silence thought it may have been, but it was a few seconds too many to the outside world.
"What makes you believe Ars Goetia would sooner invest in the Demi-fiend's power than your own, Lord Phenex? Do you not appeal to different medicinal circumstances with the uses of your magic?"
Again, he grimaces. Rosalia continues to watch on with rapt attention. Perhaps she too is seeking to probe the Lord.
"Sure. For now. Everyone with a pair of eyes has seen how fast the Demi-fiend has grown in power. At any moment, he could find a way of making his own alternative to the Tears. It could be never. It could be within the next century. It could be tomorrow."
...again, a rather understandable sentiment for the Lord Phenex to hold. Nothing suspicious. For all their worries and deception, the Phenex are right to believe that Ars Goetia is hoping for my Master to uproot their place in society.
Every Lord and Lady sat upon the Council are no doubt crossing their fingers in the hope that the Demi-fiend can break the hold House Phenex have over the economy, and thereafter fall under their own hold. Lord Bael and his favourite... 'ass-kissers' would all but rule the Underworld without House Phenex, and with my Master's magic under his command.
They truly are so unsubtle in their desires.
"I see. Then, if that is the case, I hope this agreement between our Houses allows for such worries to leave you, Lord Phenex."
He smiles.
"A man can dream."
Lord Phenex leaves immediately after, barely a word spared to us as he searches for his wife. A small privilege of being the Lord, not needing to announce his intentions and make excuses for his actions.
The idea that he need search for her is already concerning. With just a thought and some Mana, two Devils can communicate from anywhere in the Underworld.
Speaking of which...
"You never mentioned the Lord Phenex would be a part of this."
Rosalia sighs, turning to me from her previous position of staring at the door her father left through balefully.
"I was hoping he wouldn't be."
I raise a brow, intrigued. Rosalia thankfully understands by now what a cue is.
"His presence... complicates things. If he finds out about the plot, then he'll either run to Lord Bael, or disavow us all immediately to ensure himself safe from any consequences it may bring."
Immediately, I see something concerning in her explanation.
"Lord Phenex would disavow several of the most powerful members of his own family? Leave his position even weaker against that of my Master's?"
She shakes her head.
"The price of not doing so is a long, long holiday in Cain's Throne. The advent of the Demi-fiend's rapid growth has brought out a fire in the Lord Bael. Even if he didn't know, or didn't want to take part, not telling Lord Bael would be incriminating enough."
Again, I raise a brow.
"I suppose this means that I am liable for service in Cain's Throne now, for having not reported this plot as soon as possible?"
Rosalia grins. It is a small triumph for her.
If she is expecting me to trust her, then she has done a terrible job of it thus far. Either she is far less cunning than one would expect, or she truly believes that I am firmly on her side in this matter.
"I figured I'd put you at the same risk as me. Now we both have a lot more at stake, and a lot more to gain. You can't go leaving me here with a job unfinished. There's more than enough proof of you being here now."
Hm.
This doesn't change very much. If anything, her absurd confidence and naivety almost makes me believe Rosalia is telling the truth. Surely no cunning schemer, the likes of which would pit her unknowing family against the Demi-fiend for her own gain, would make such amateurish decisions.
...maybe she wants me to be underestimating her.
At the very least, I can quite easily get around this little... catch-22 of hers by simply proving to the Lord Bael that I had been acting in subterfuge here on my Master's orders.
No matter what decrees or wishes that Zekram may have, my Master's will stands above all else, a fact he should know intimately given his friendship with Father.
"I had no intentions of leaving without a bounty for my Master to claim, Rosalia. Whether that be your hand, should he accept it, or a crack in these pristine walls."
She blinks, both in shock and indignation.
"Why would a man like the Demi-fiend ever say no to marrying me?"
Ah. There is that signature Phenex pride. I had been wondering when it would appear. Again, it seems to be misplaced. A beautiful woman you are Rosalia, no doubt, but... my Master could do so much better than you.
"If this plan of yours succeeds, then you will be next in line to Lady Phenex, yes... but what would that matter?"
Rosalia tilts her head, but says nothing as she listens with rapt attention.
"With your house in disrepair, the opportunity for my Master to exploit your weakness would become more apparent than ever. He would serve to gain the same pedigree your Clan once held, and as your position among Ars Goetia would become unstable, your worth to him as a marriage prospect all but vanishes. It would be far more beneficial for my Master to leave you to the wolves, and not allow himself to be absolved into a weakened Phenex."
For the first time, her signature smirk has disappeared entirely.
"Did you truly believe yourself special enough that the offer would be irrefutable? Did you think I wouldn't see such an offer for the blatant power grab it was? Oh, I'm sure there are many men who would accept it wholeheartedly... but what purpose could you possibly serve my Master beyond that of a unique flavour of bed-warmer?"
Rosalia remains silent. She stares at me, unable to form a word as I rise from our shared seat and move to a nearby window, seeking some fresh air.
I do not often delight in the suffering of those opposed to me, however... the notion that this conniving woman would ever be worthy of wedding my Master has made me uniquely malicious it seems.
"Fret not, Rosalia. You shall still have your title of next in line to the Lady Phenex. Whether it will be worth anything at all when that day arrives is another matter entirely."
With my final piece spoken, I offer a curt goodbye to Lady Rosalia, leaving through the same door her father had...
Though not before taking one last glance at the window and making sure it had been opened far enough. My eyes can only track so many people at once.
How fortunate then, that I have a second pair at my disposal.
------------------------------------
[Sirzechs Gremory]
Another day. Another piece added to the rapidly growing infiltration board, two separate columns across a large pinboard now having been made for the assault on Agreas, and the Judecca mission.
Ajuka doesn't like the name I had been so kind to give him, but I'll be damned if I ever call it a 'pre-planning and organisational prospect chart' with a straight face.
"I can hear what you're thinking, Sirzechs."
His voice cuts through my thoughts like a knife, and I have to resist the urge to pout.
"Then you should know exactly why I'm not calling it that."
He sighs, a hand to the bridge of his nose.
"I'm not saying you have to call it the PPOPC. I'm saying that's what it is. You could call it the Nice Day Out chart for all I care. As long as you understand the uses of it, then I will not complain."
I'm glad we've come to an agreement. I'm sick and tired of terrible names following me around like a curse. Architect of Ruin, Ruin Prince, Red Haired Prince of Annihilation.
Why does nobody have an idea that doesn't involve Ruin? Why couldn't I get something short and sweet like Demi-fiend?
...Ruin-fiend? Giga-devil? Destr-irzechs?
Man, this really isn't as easy as I thought. I guess I'll just come up with one later.
"Say, Ajuka, you said you got a spare 'pair of wings' to help get into Agreas, right? You mind explaining what that means?"
The Mindflayer (why couldn't I get a badass title like that? It's not fair that his is cool and mine isn't!) turns to me, his brow creased ever so slightly.
"I never told you? My apologies. As of the moment, I've employed the help of the Dragon King, Tiamat for this-"
"-The fucking what!?"
...a moment of silence passes.
Ajuka stares at me for several seconds as I clear my throat in embarassment, both at my language, and how loud I had been with it in such a confined room.
"...it seems the Demi-fiend has been a bad influence on you, Sirzechs."
I blink in shock, if only for a brief moment as my incredulity quickly returns.
"Wha- I think a little bit of crass language is warranted here, Ajuka! How the hell do you know the Dragon King, Tiamat!?"
He shrugs his shoulders, affixing another part of the map to our board as if this were anything close to a casual thing.
"I happened upon her some years ago during my travels. She had need of my aid, and so I gave it to her. As of now, she remains in my debt."
Again, I find myself blinking.
"That- that's it? Really?"
He nods his head, again treating it as nothing more than a simple matter.
"That's all there is to it. I've used this little arrangement of ours to call upon her aid for breaching the Kármán Line into Agreas."
...
"Can I see her?"
He turns to me, now thoroughly confused at both my words and the smallness of them.
"What was that, Sirzechs? I must have misheard you."
"No, no, you heard me right. I want to see the Dragon King. In her Dragon form."
For another long, silent moment, Ajuka stares at me. I almost feel small under the pressure of his gaze.
I feel even smaller when he speaks.
"Sirzechs, I respect you, and I consider you to be the one true friend I have in this world, so I will do you the courtesy of being blunt. If you believe I will push the limits of a tentative alliance with one of the Dragon King's themselves and summon her to my side exclusively for the sake of your own childish amusement, then I am afraid to say that you are simply mistaken and should heavily consider where your priorities lay."
...You know what, I should've expected that.
"Fine. Next time, though, yeah?"
Ajuka smirks and raises his brow, but says nothing further on the matter as he shakes his head, and we return to our pinning.
At least, that's what I would have liked.
A beat passes, and suddenly the air shifts. All across my body, the hairs begin to raise.
The world then shakes, no, trembles slightly with an overwhelming expenditure of Mana, enough to make me blink in shock as the Spell's casting reaches us all the way here.
It is a brief, almost imperceptible thing, but undeniable in its existence as Ajuka's neck snaps Northward, his senses far more honed than my own.
Immediately, he comes to the same conclusion as I have, the same conclusion that I had been hoping beyond hope wouldn't come to pass.
"Hereward."
In an instant, my familiar is perched atop my raised finger, a crow I've long since been contracted to since I were a boy and raised for most of my adult life.
Sighing, I look my familiar in the eyes and give it the most worrying command I've ever given in my career as a General, the avian tilting his head as if he could feel my pain.
"Go... go make sure Alistair and Serafall aren't trying to kill eachother. Please."
With a single echoing caw as the only response he gives, Hereward vanishes into the skies of Lilith through a Teleportation Spell, journeying to the Northern front.
With a single wave goodbye all I can offer, I then turn back to Ajuka at my side, and find him frowning.
Before I even ask, he's already speaking.
"You should know that the tremble we felt a moment ago was from Serafall's Mana-"
"Please stop talking, Ajuka. You're only making my headache worse."
------------------------------------
[Alistair Mammon - Five Minutes Prior]
Hours have passed by now, all following in the same routine. No breaks, no relenting. Neither one of us is willing to admit defeat, nor are we willing to put an end to this.
My heart never once loses the vigor that swells within as we trade blows again and again. Another swing, another block. Another swing, another block. Routine actions, but so sickeningly enjoyable.
This time, my fist grazes Serafall's arm as she redirects the blow, grinning toothily as her own fist is thrown forward into my chest a moment later.
My knee slams up against it, throwing her arm away and replacing it with my own as I throw my fist forward into her jaw in response. She leans back, dodging the strike by an inch as she falls back slightly.
I almost think I've found an opportunity to catch her out, but then she does a one-handed cartwheel and weaves away from my fist as it slams into the ice she once stood on, the floor shattering for several meters around us.
I turn to her immediately after, and find my frustration growing as she smirks at me, a statuesque copy of her formed from ice handing a trophy of the same material to her.
A Sonido is all it takes to bring me into her proximity yet again, my fist slamming into her guard and batting aside her spinning kick barely a moment later. Grinning, I summon the Doppelganger to my side-
Serafall doesn't allow it. Damn near instantly after summoning him, her hand lashes out, another of those disgustingly large blades forming in the air and cleaving my duplicate in twain before he could even move.
"That same old trick? Don't you have anything different up your sleeve, Serafall?" I say, my fist lashing out to the side and shattering the construct from where it lay embedded in the frozen earth.
She scoffs, arms folded as she lifts herself into the air and suddenly one, two, five, twelve of the same blades quickly appear and form an array around her, the size difference almost comical were it not so terrifying to be on the receiving end.
A single one of them would cost me somewhere between 4700 to 14700 MP to make. She made twelve in the blink of an eye. Mutated Clan Traits are absurd.
Unfortunately, I'm not quite in the mood to be dealing with it. Perhaps it's cheap of me to do such a thing, but one benefit of the Blood Sacrifice is that it spills enough blood so quickly that it makes the Flesh Parade a whole lot easier to form.
This rendition, while hastily made and far less powerful than that which killed Mordred, is more than enough to even the scales, a Sonido bringing me far enough away that we stand at a few hundred meters distance.
Serafall's intrigue quickly turns to shock as I raise into the air, a tangled mass of my own flesh and blood trailing alongside me as it slithers and undulates, as though breathing with absent lungs and beating with a non-existant heart.
Her swords flow in tandem with her will, the point of each blade staring me down as they form a crescent around her, glowing with Mana as a Magic Circle forms on the tip of each one.
Expecting yet another clashing of Mana Beams, I grin in glee and raise a hand to the air, conducting my parade yet again as the mounds of flesh begin to charge the Freikugel Vernichtung once more...
I am not so lucky this time around.
Mana continues to swell in the sky around her, almost being drawn from the world and into her soul. The colour around her begins to blur, the air turning dull and grey as she the Mana begins to glow and burn rapidly, power ebbing across her every vein like electricity as every ounce of strength is put into this one final Spell.
The power to fell a country, pointed solely at me. I can't stop myself from smiling.
Serafall, her hair now completely white and her arms almost looking to be made of the same ice that she forms with her Clan Trait, lifts her eyes to meet mine, her words nothing more than a whisper but louder than the sound of a bomb going off.
"Ice Age."
In the blink of an eye, each sword at her back shifts, blade pointed at the ground as they then stab into the earth beneath us one after another.
Recognising the threat for what it is, I throw my arm forward, the Freikugel Vernichtung barely a hair away from firing...
...but then the Mana in Serafall's body explodes, and everything goes white-