Elliott intercepted one of Celosia's strikes, parrying her blade with a sharp clang and using the recoil to vanish from sight. In a flash of purple lightning, he reappeared behind her, spinning his blade around his torso before slicing toward her lower back in a sweeping arc.
Celosia reacted with fluid precision, ducking low and weaving past the strike. In an instant, her form flickered with a burst of lightning, disappearing entirely before rematerializing behind Elliott. Her blade descended in a powerful, downward slash aimed at his shoulder.
Elliott reacted just in time, raising his sword overhead with both hands to block the attack. The clash sent a shuddering vibration through his body, the sheer force testing his endurance. He retaliated with a quick kick to her midsection, forcing her back and buying himself a moment to recover.
Regaining his stance, Elliott skidded across the electrified terrain, his legs spread wide for balance while he held his blade at the ready, its edge trembling in his grasp.
The two stood locked in a tense standoff, sizing each other up with the unspoken respect of seasoned warriors. Blood trickled from their weapons, droplets sizzling against the charged ground as they flicked it off with a sharp motion.
"Not good..." Elliott muttered under his breath, his eyes glancing at his blade. Faint cracks ran along its steel, a grim reminder of its growing fragility. His grip tightened as he murmured, "One more strike like that, and this sword won't hold out."
Elliott gripped his blade tighter, his knuckles white as the realization of his weapon's fragility dawned on him. His breaths came in heavy bursts, his body aching from the relentless pace of their duel. Yet his determination flared brighter than the purple lightning coursing around him.
Celosia, though composed, carried a visible weariness in her stance. Sweat trickled down her temple, and her chest rose and fell heavily. Her blade gleamed under the charged atmosphere, unblemished despite the battle's ferocity.
Without warning, Elliott launched forward, his body a blur of lightning. He zigzagged unpredictably, reappearing at Celosia's side with a horizontal slash aimed at her ribs. She twisted her body, the blade narrowly missing its mark, and retaliated with a quick upward strike.
Elliott spun to his side, deflecting her blade mid-air, the clash creating a thunderous crack that sent a ripple through the ground. Using the recoil of their clash, he vaulted backward to create
The two warriors stepped back, creating a gap between them as their swords crackled with ferocious energy. Electricity coiled and twisted around the blades like living rivers of power, each zap and spark amplifying the tension in the air. The ground beneath them trembled from the raw force radiating off their weapons.
Celosia took a deep breath, her chest rising and falling heavily. Despite her calm demeanor, fatigue crept into her voice as she addressed her opponent. "How about we settle this properly? One final strike to determine the better warrior."
Her grip on Denjin tightened, the blade's electrical aura flickering in response to her dwindling stamina. She glanced at the weapon, a faint grimace breaking through her usual composure.
Denjin is relentless, draining me dry with every swing. It demands more than I can afford to give... My blood, my strength—it's devouring me just to maintain its power. I can't call upon its full potential if I have nothing left to offer in return.
She raised the blade before her, its edge sparking as though reflecting her resolve. "So let's finish this. One final clash, and may the stronger will prevail."
Elliott, though battered and bruised, mirrored her determination. He felt the weight of the moment—the culmination of their struggle, the chance to prove himself not just to his crew, but to himself. Wiping blood from his brow, he steadied his breath, his sword humming with its own vibrant energy, ready for the decisive strike.
Elliott's eyes sharpened as he studied Celosia's movements. Something about her power didn't sit right with him. Her stamina was depleting far too quickly for someone of her caliber—a seasoned warrior wielding a divine blade. The contradiction nagged at him, but he pushed the thought aside. Whether it was the sword draining her or something deeper, one thing was certain: this next attack would likely destroy his own blade. Yet it could also be the key to fulfilling his promise to his crew.
Placing his second hand on the hilt of his sword, Elliott brought it before his abdomen, the crackling tip aimed directly at Celosia. Purple electricity surged around him, intensifying with each passing second, almost as if the blade itself shared his resolve. His body ached, his breath was labored, but his spirit was steadfast.
"If that's your wish as a warrior, then I'll accept," Elliott declared, his voice steady despite the chaos surrounding them.
Celosia remained composed, though her labored breathing and faintly trembling grip betrayed her exhaustion. Denjin's sparks seemed to flare in response to her dwindling strength, as though demanding more from her already drained body. Her stoic gaze locked onto Elliott, and she gave a faint nod.
"It is," she replied simply, her voice calm but resolute.
The air between them seemed to thicken as they prepared for the final clash, both warriors gathering their remaining strength for one decisive strike. The battlefield crackled with tension, electricity rippling through the air like an invisible storm. Neither moved, their gazes locked as the anticipation built.
This was it—one final exchange to determine the outcome of their brutal battle.
Elliott and Celosia stood across from each other, eyes locked with unwavering intensity. The thunderous noise of the storm above seemed to part around them, as if the sky itself held its breath. The battlefield was alive with crackling energy; the air between them was electric, the ground beneath them shifting as their power vibrated through it. Elliott's pulse roared in his ears, and he could feel the purple lightning coursing through his veins, pushing him past his limits. Celosia, the enigmatic warrior with eyes as cold as frost, prepared herself with the same resolve, the hum of her blade resonating with an almost sentient force.
With a sudden burst, they lunged forward, moving faster than the eye could follow. Elliott closed the distance in a heartbeat, the muscles in his legs straining as he pushed off the ground. The wind whipped past him, carrying the scent of ozone and raw energy. His sword, now glowing with crackling purple lightning, sliced through the air in a wide arc, aimed directly at Celosia's midsection.
But Celosia was ready. Her movements were precise, a dance of practiced grace and deadly intent. She sidestepped to her right, a blur of motion, and brought her blade up in a fluid, diagonal sweep, meeting Elliott's attack head-on. The clash of their weapons sent a shockwave through the air, a dazzling eruption of energy that sent sparks flying in all directions. The force of their meeting shuddered through Elliott's arms, radiating up to his shoulders, making his muscles tremble with the strain.
They pulled apart only to collide again, faster, more brutal. Celosia's eyes shone with a fierce, almost predatory glint as she spun, using the momentum to launch herself into the air. She arced overhead, the tip of her blade coming down like a guillotine aimed for Elliott's neck. He ducked and rolled, barely managing to avoid the strike, but Celosia's feet found the ground in an instant, pivoting to follow up with a side slash. The wind it generated brushed against Elliott's face like the touch of a blade's edge.
Elliott reacted on pure instinct. He pivoted, drawing his sword up to meet her strike, sparks flying again as their blades collided. This time, he pushed forward, forcing her back a step. His eyes were locked on hers, searching for an opening. Celosia's face was serene, almost bored, as she met his relentless assault with a calm precision that made every attempt feel like a battle against an unyielding wall.
Elliott's body moved as though he was fueled by the storm itself. He brought his blade around in a vicious horizontal cut, but Celosia parried and countered with a quick lunge, aiming for his chest. Elliott's eyes widened as he twisted sideways, narrowly avoiding the blade that whispered past his ribs. The pain of near impact sent a shiver down his spine, but he powered through, using his momentum to spin and unleash a high kick that threatened to knock her off balance.
Celosia leapt back, the lightning surrounding her blade sputtering as her energy waned. Elliott noticed it, the way her stance faltered just slightly, how the sharpness in her eyes dimmed for a brief moment. He pressed the advantage, leaping forward with an explosive burst of speed, the world blurring around him as he moved. His sword slashed out, cutting through the space where Celosia had just been, before she reappeared behind him in a flash of lightning.
"Too slow," Celosia whispered as she sliced downward, forcing Elliott to twist in the air and guard his head with the blade. The force of the impact drove him to the ground, his arms shaking, muscles searing with pain. But before he could recover, she was already on him, spinning in a graceful arc to deliver a crushing strike that nearly sent him flying.
Elliott rolled away, landing on his feet in a crouch, eyes blazing with defiance. His sword was dimming, the purple lightning sputtering as if it, too, was gasping for breath.
"We're not done yet," he said, voice hoarse but unyielding.
With a sudden, wild roar, he launched himself forward again, using every ounce of strength to propel him. He met Celosia's charge head-on, their blades locking with a crackling explosion that sent shockwaves rippling out, knocking nearby rocks and debris loose. The raw power of their clash sent an arc of lightning streaking across the sky, illuminating the fury in their eyes.
Celosia's blade met his, sparks flying, the metal straining with the force of their blows. Elliott's heart hammered in his chest as he pushed against her, his muscles screaming in protest. For a moment, time seemed to halt. There was only the echo of their breath, the heat radiating from their bodies, and the relentless hum of their weapons.
Then, with a sudden, brutal crack, Elliott's blade shattered. Shards flew in all directions, some embedding into the dirt, some dissolving in a faint wisp of purple light. Elliott stumbled back, his eyes narrow as he already understood. His weapon was meant to break in this battle.
But Celosia's movements paused, her blade slipping from her fingers as exhaustion claimed her. She looked at him, eyes filled with a mixture of respect and regret. The energy that had been surging around her faltered, sputtering out like a dying flame.
With a final, shuddering breath, and a smile Celosia collapsed to her knees. "You... fought well," she whispered, eyes dropping to the dirt.
Elliott stood tall, his chest heaving, the pain in his body a dull thrum compared to the rush of victory. His gaze locked with hers, the battlefield still and silent, as if the world itself were waiting to see what would happen next.
"Thank you...," he said, his voice barely audible over the crackling of fading electricity.
Celosia managed a weak smile before her vision went dark, the weight of defeat finally taking its hold. She dropped her blade, a symbol of her surrender and the recognition of his victory.
To be continued...