The air was still.
Kuina stood in silence with the other girls. A quiet murmur rippled through them like a question they had never thought to ask before.
"Kylie Kagila?" Mira raised an eyebrow.
"That's her last name?" Lika blinked.
Kuina smirked from the corner of her mouth. "Cute last name, honestly. So, girls… tell me. What are your last names?"
Lika perked up. "Oh, mine's Felix."
"Felix? Huh." Kuina nodded. "That's interesting."
Piper leaned against Kuina's shoulder, voice soft and sultry. "I want your last name, baby…"
Kuina burst into laughter. "You really want my ridiculous last name? Tiyorkin? I've been wanting to get rid of it since forever."
"Then take mine," Piper whispered. "Monica… that's my last name."
Kuina's smile softened. "Wow… that sounds modern. I thought names like that only existed in the old world I came from."
Clara tilted her head. "Old world? What was it like?"
Kuina's expression dimmed. "Boring. Just… full of bad memories."
Mira stepped forward, a hand on her hip. "I get you, baby. I'm not letting you leave. You're staying right here, with us. Forever. And my last name is Fireheart."
Kuina raised a brow. "Fitting. And you, Clara?"
Clara giggled. "Hihi… I don't really have one. Just call me Clara Angel. Or your kitten. Whichever you prefer." She winked.
Mortis rolled his eyes. Then suddenly, a loud PPPPFFFFT echoed.
"Ahhh… finally. That was stuck in there all day," he groaned.
Piper slapped him across the head. "Are you out of your damn mind?!"
Kuina laughed so hard her eyes teared. "I freaking love you, Mortis."
Piper shot her a betrayed look. "My goddess! How can you condone this fart?!"
Still cuffed, Kuina reached out and patted Piper's hair gently. "Haha… I needed that laugh."
Piper blushed instantly, biting her lip.
Mortis chuckled.
But the laughter didn't last.
The scene shifted.
In the arena below, the crowd roared, waves of cheering rising into the violet skies.
Ortus stood with regal poise, a violet aura radiating from her skin. Across from her, Kylie trembled slightly, her golden heels planted firmly on the stone floor. Her hands shook.
She whispered to herself, barely audible. "Shit… she's going to erase me from existence."
Ortus raised her chin. "You disobeyed orders, Kylie. You didn't listen. You ran away for her. I made sacrifices for both of you. But now… the punishment comes."
Kylie's voice cracked with desperation. "I'm sorry, Ortus. I really am. I just… I couldn't hold that information any longer. Kuina had to know. She deserved to."
Ortus tilted her head, her expression unreadable. Then she smiled. A sharp, sadistic smile.
Without warning, Kylie charged.
"Take this!" she yelled. "FINGER LASER!"
A red beam of energy burst from her finger and slammed into Ortus's forehead.
It didn't even make her flinch.
Ortus blinked. "That's it? Is that what I taught you? A pathetic laser?"
Kylie didn't answer. She snapped her fingers.
Golden energy exploded around her. Her hair turned luminous, her wings extended like polished blades of sun. Her aura shimmered like molten gold.
Golden Bitch Kylie had returned.
Ortus grinned. "Ahh… I haven't seen that form in years. Straight to the point, huh?"
Kylie raised her hands. "No other choice…"
She kissed the air.
But this time, it wasn't playful.
"GOLDEN PASSIONATE KISS — ATTACK!"
Dozens of massive golden hearts launched from her body toward Ortus.
From the railings, the girls cheered.
"Go, Kylie!" Piper shouted, fists clenched.
Kuina exhaled. Her eyes were wide. "She's… beautiful like this."
Ortus replied with her own attack. A slow, sensual kiss released a flood of purple hearts.
The two forces clashed mid-air. Hearts collided. A massive explosion rocked the arena, a shockwave rippling into the sky.
Without pause, Kylie took flight. Her lips glowing, she began to unleash a storm of kisses — golden energy bursting with every peck into the air.
Arrito stood and shouted, "Let's go Kylie! You're so sweet! Ortus, have mercy on the girl!"
Lysia laughed, eyes sparkling. "Wow… Kylie's attacks are so… erotic. Fascinating."
James remained silent, seated in lotus position. Eyes closed. Meditating.
But Prestik's seat was empty.
A cutaway revealed him in a distant part of the realm — a crumbling, abandoned cathedral hidden behind mountains of broken stone. There, in the middle of it all, lay Molly's body.
Prestik knelt beside her.
"This is where you'll rest for now," he said softly. "Soon, they'll bring you back. I'm… sorry this happened, Molly."
He stood, disappeared into light.
Back in the arena…
Ortus didn't move. Every one of Kylie's attacks passed through her. Unbothered. Untouched.
She smiled faintly. "Cute."
She vanished.
In less than a blink, she reappeared behind Kylie.
Her hand pierced straight into Kylie's stomach.
Kylie gasped. Blood spilled from her mouth. She froze. "Wh… what…?"
Ortus leaned closer. "That was too easy. But don't worry. I'm just getting started."
She yanked her hand out, then delivered a brutal uppercut to Kylie's jaw.
Kylie crashed to the ground.
From the railing, Kuina screamed. "KYLIE! Shit! She started her torture routine…"
Ortus began to stomp. Again. Again. Her boots slammed into Kylie's abdomen, crushing her ribs. Kylie shrieked. Blood poured from her mouth.
"This!" Ortus shouted. "Is punishment! For traitors!"
She grabbed Kylie by the throat and lifted her high.
"Witness this, crowd! This is what happens to those who betray me!"
She sank her fangs into Kylie's neck.
Kylie screamed.
Ortus licked the blood from her lips.
"Mmm… I forgot how delicious you are, baby."
She kept punching. Scratching. Clawing at Kylie's glowing skin.
The crowd watched in stunned silence. The girls were frozen in horror.
Kuina struggled against her cuffs.
"Shit! She's going to kill her!"
Mira stepped forward. "Let me try! You're bound. I'll go!"
She leapt… and slammed into a barrier.
Invisible. Immense.
"Fuck!" Mira screamed. "She trapped us in!"
Lika backed away in panic. Clara and Piper stood frozen. Mortis looked like he had seen a ghost.
Kuina shook her wrists. "Shit… these cuffs… they block my power… Break them! Break them now!"
Down in the ring, Kylie's voice was barely audible.
"I… surrender…"
Ortus covered her mouth.
"No. You won't."
She punched her again, harder, and hurled her across the arena.
Kylie crashed and rolled, her golden form flickering. Her body battered.
The form finally broke. The gold faded.
She was back to normal.
Ortus stepped forward. "We just started, Kylie."
The gods watched. No one spoke.
Mira summoned a flaming sword. "Sorry baby. This might sting!"
She slashed at Kuina's cuffs. Again. And again.
Ten times. No break.
"Why won't these break?!"
Kuina fell to her knees. "This… can't be happening…"
Kylie tried to stand. Her body trembled. Her arms and legs dripping blood.
"For you… Kuina…"
She took off in slow motion. Dragging her wings behind her.
Ortus didn't move.
"You're still standing? Impressive."
Kylie reached out her finger.
She whispered, "Slash."
A clean diagonal line sliced through Ortus's arm.
It hit the ground.
Ortus's face twisted. "Ah… your slash technique. Not bad."
But then her arm regenerated instantly.
She raised her hand.
Kylie began to float.
Ortus clenched her fist.
Kylie screamed in pain.
"Agh… shit…"
Her bones creaked.
Lika yelled, "Kylie! No!"
Kuina rammed the barrier. Again. Again.
"Fuck! Come on! You damn wall!"
Piper and Mira joined her. It was useless.
Kuina fell to her knees. "Kylie… I'm sorry… I can't…"
Ortus squeezed. Kylie coughed blood. Her ribs cracked.
"I… please… Ortus… stop… I surrender…"
The crowd shouted. "STOP! She surrendered! She gave up!"
Ortus shouted back. "Shut your mouths! This fight is not decided by surrender! Only by death!"
Kylie's eyes fluttered.
She was close.
Bruised. Bleeding. Broken.
Ortus twisted her wrist.
KRAK.
Kylie's arm broke.
She screamed.
Kuina slammed her cuffs again. Her voice cracked. "ORTUS! Let her go! Please! I'm begging you!"
Ortus smiled.
KRAK.
The other arm broke.
KRAK. The leg.
KRAK. The other one.
Kylie hung limp. Her body dangling midair.
She whispered through tears, "I'm… sorry…"
Ortus raised a finger to aim at her skull. "Time to end this…"
Kuina screamed. "Wait! Please! Do not kill her! Think about her! This is my fault! I made her tell me everything! Not her! Don't kill her!"
Ortus trembled. Her expression flickered.
"Why do you care about her so much?" she snapped. "She's nothing but a seductive witch who worked under me and betrayed me. Are you even sure she loves you? What if she's just using you?!"
Kuina's entire face darkened. Her voice dropped.
"If there's one thing Kylie never does… it's play with my heart."
Her eyes burned.
"And even if she's just a seductive witch… I love her. I love her just the way she is. And I won't let you kill her."
Ortus let out a bitter laugh.
"Cute speech."
She hurled Kylie into the air.
"Judgment has already been passed!"
She charged a purple energy sphere.
Kuina screamed again. "She means nothing to you?! She said you raised her! Taught her everything! And now you kill her like this?!"
Ortus froze. The smile dropped from her lips.
Kuina shouted louder. "She loved you! She feared you! She cried because of you! She didn't want to fight you! She just wanted a peaceful life! And my only goal… is to give her that peace!"
The energy sphere dimmed.
Ortus stared at the girl falling from the sky.
Kylie's broken body crashed onto the floor.
She didn't move.
Blood pooled around her.
And in that moment… Ortus saw it.
A vision.
A little girl. Ten years old. Eyes full of wonder. Fear. Hope. Staring up at Ortus like she was the entire universe.
Now, that same girl lay in pieces.
"What… have I done?" Ortus whispered. "Kylie… my sweet… my little girl…"
She dropped to her knees.
Silence fell.
Even the gods didn't breathe.
Kylie's eyes blinked once.
Then shut.
In the final second, in the void of her mind, Kylie remembered a single moment.
A rainy night.
Kuina is holding her. Protecting her. Whispering, "You're crazy, but. You're mine. And I'll never throw you away."
Kiss.
Then darkness.
To be continued.