Arzoth studied Arisa's face, searching for any sign that would reassure him she was still there, still Arisa. He sensed something was wrong, or perhaps everything was wrong.
Skor's arm was still bleeding, staining his once elegant clothes, which no longer deserved their name, yet his focus remained solely on Arisa, his body tense and on constant alert, mirroring Arzoth's.
Arisa's system flushed its screen in front of her, purposefully visible.
[System]
[User:Arisa Valkyra Draven]
[Inventory]
[Double-sided scythe extracted]
The metallic weapon was held in her right hand, featuring curved, heavy blades at both ends of the shaft. Each end was finished with pointed, spear-like extensions. The blades emanated a glow from Arisa's energy, illuminating the entire surrounding forest.
Arisa moved faster than the eye could catch, before Arzoth could realise or Skor could feel the pain, the top spear-like extension of Arisa's scythe stabbed into Skor's ribs. It was only when Arsia twisted her blade inside him, Skor winced in pain. His hands came up to grip the shaft of the scythe in a desperate attempt to get the blade out of his body, but his attempts were futile against Arisa. She pushed the blade more firmly in her gut, curling the blade once again.
There was another sudden movement. The cat-like creature lashed at Arisa, catching her off guard. Her empty eyes widened at the rapid movement. The small beast, despite its size, got between Skor and Arisa before launching a strong kick to Arisa's stomach, forcing her body away from Skor's. Her Scythe got pulled out of his body in that instant, making Skor gasp and collapse on the ground.
The force of the kick was so intense that when Arisa crashed against the trees behind her, the dry trunk couldn't withstand the impact with which she was thrown away, causing the tree to split in two. Arzoth was the next to move at the same speed. She stood up instantly, poised to pounce at Skor again, like a conscience lacking.
Arzoth moved faster, with surprising speed, his sword clashed with her scythe, and wasted no time pushing her away. His gaze was unreadable, and a deep frown formed on his face as he tried to make sense of her changed demeanour.
"Arsia! What are you doing?!" He yelled.
CLASH!
Arisa threw relentless attacks at Arzoth, her small body showing unbelievable strength and flexibility. Her movements were wild and ruthless. Arzoth stopped it with his sword, but could not put any distance between them as she speared no second for Arzoth to do so. He was forced to stay on constant defence. This did nothing to stop Arisa. She kept her relentless pace of her striking attacks, each one more brutal than the last.
Arzoth marvelled at how he could block each of them, easily keeping up with Arisa's pace. His amusement was short-lived as Arisa's scythe radiated immense mana, and her grip on the shaft tightened. Her eyes shone with a dangerous light. Arzoth's body was quick to adjust, unlike his mind.
"Arisa! Stop it!"
His words fell on deaf ears; her eyes betrayed no hint of recognition, as if she were bound by some unseen force. Frustrated, he realized he couldn't reach her. In a flash, Arzoth unleashed his mana through his sword, but her next strike struck him instantly. The clash was explosive, sending shockwaves rippling through the ground, as both their mana-infused blades collided with a ferocity that shook the ground beneath.
Arzoth's basic sword couldn't withstand the weight of his mana, and with Arisa's constant blows, it was only a matter of time before it would be snapped.
He had to move faster before his sword gave out completely. The moment he found a narrow opening in Arisa's attacks, he countered her next strike with his own to pierce her calf. But the mana-burning metal met nothing but the cool air.
She was gone.
It was only then that he saw the green magic circle that looked hauntingly familiar. It shrank until there was nothing left of it. Arzoth straightened up immediately, his eyes scanning the area with the corner of his eye. There was no sign of her.
"Where did she go?!"
"Why a magic circle?"
The mana radiating off him still lingered on his form and weapon. He had no idea of why and how he was able to pull this stunt off, but there were more important matters to look after. He turned his attention to Skor, noticing his blood-drenched body. He rushed towards him. Crouching down, he said,
"Skor! Are you alright?!
He was anything but alright. The blood from his wounds refused to stop, and he winced in pain. The stab was deep and wide. It was only then that Arzoth noticed the purple marks forming around the dragon's wound.
"It's poison," the small beast observed.
Arzoth's head snapped at the small beast next to Skor's body, glowing with the same mana energy as the prince's, which made him feel an odd connection to this alien creature. He looked at Skor's wound, the poison was rapidly spreading in his body, making it difficult for him to move.
"Poison? Was it on Arisa's blade?"
"How do we stop this from spreading?" Arzoth asked. His mind was racing with thoughts.
A deafening thud echoed through the depths of the forest, sending a jolt through Arzoth's tensed body. An unsettling silence followed, pushing their teeth on edge.
The prince tightened his grip on his sword, infusing his immense mana into the weapon unconsciously. It was only seconds later that his basic sword could no longer handle any more pressure from his mana. The cracked metal ultimately snapped, shattering into pieces on the dry ground.
"Shit!"