The ground trembled with the crackle of scorched roots. The air vibrated between two opposing forces: the cold darkness emanating from Lyssara's body and the blazing fury that wrapped around Serenya like a solar storm.
Kaelith hid behind a fallen tree, powerless.
—"Don't do this!" —she cried— "This isn't the place!"
But neither of them listened.
Serenya struck first.
Her body vanished in a golden blur, appearing right in front of Lyssara with her sword raised high. The blade came down with brutal speed, wreathed in spiritual fire. Lyssara barely had time to lift her arm, summoning a barrier of liquid shadows.
The impact scattered dark sparks into the air, like dying stars.
—"Still holding back?" —Serenya spat— "Fight, monster!"
Lyssara slid backward, her silhouette cloaked in black mist. Her eyes glowed, and her voice echoed like something ancient.
—"I don't want to destroy you."
—"Then you'll die!"
Serenya spun in midair and unleashed a wave of fire in the shape of a golden phoenix. The flaming spirit shrieked as it tore across the field, leaving a burning trail behind it.
Lyssara snapped her fingers.
From her shadow rose a wolf of darkness—made of smoke and hunger—which lunged at the phoenix. The two creatures collided in a savage dance, explosion against void.
Meanwhile, the two warriors clashed again in close combat. Every strike from Serenya burned. Every move from Lyssara tore through the light.
The clash of their gazes was fiercer than their weapons.
—"Why do you hate me so much?" —Lyssara asked as she dodged a thrust— "What made you believe I'm your enemy?"
—"Because you were her everything," —Serenya whispered, her eyes alight— "And she left with you. She never looked at me the way she looked at you."
That confession hit harder than any flame.
Lyssara faltered for a moment. Long enough for Serenya's blade to graze her cheek, leaving a glowing line—not of blood, but of shimmering violet light.
—"You loved her?" —Lyssara asked, this time unguarded.
—"I love her." —Her voice trembled— "But she's gone. And you're still here."
The fire around Serenya dimmed slightly. Her breath was uneven. Her rage was giving way to grief.
Lyssara didn't strike back. She only looked at her.
—"Then… don't fight me. Help me remember who I was. Help me understand what we lost."
A heavy silence fell between them. The flames around them danced softly.
Serenya lowered her sword, though her hand trembled.
—"If you're lying… I'll kill you."
—"If I'm telling the truth… you might kill me anyway," —Lyssara replied, smiling sadly.
Two enemies.
Two open wounds.
Two souls bound to intertwine… in a way neither of them fully understood.