The temple was crumbling down but neither Oriane or the Inquisitor cared.
This was the one fight Oriane didn't want to lose and the Inquisitor made a point to crush her spirit.
"...Give up. You can't win this."
"We don't know that yet. I might just come about with a miracle."
"Hah! Such big dreams for one so blind." She flinched. He was mocking her once more for her loss of sight. Lowering her head she mumbled something. He waved his hand. "Enough playing."
The shadow arrows rose up and came raining down. Oriane wasn't able to dodge all of them so some of them were lodged on her back.
She raised her head up. "'Belittle not the weak, the old, the maimed and the sick; fortune shines upon those who are blessed by those who are unfortunate'."
The Inquisitor narrowed his eyes. "What use is there in preaching those texts?" His upper lip curled into a sneer. "I suppose you wish to fulfill the duties of a Saintess till your last breath."
"...Yes. But I have just one question."
He lowered his hand. "Speak."
"...Blakeley Anderson. You told him about the 'Thousand Blood Human Sacrifice.' You told him about if he did that on Gull's Island we would come. If the Arbitrary Abstractions want to destroy the world, why call upon the Saints to rescue one of their strongholds?"
He tilted his head. "You are mistaken. Though I said we were acquainted it was not I who instructed Blakley Anderson. It was…." He looked away in fear. "...I dare not say their name…but I will say this…they are already…present… already moving."
"Moving? What do yo-" A smack of water sent her reeling back.
"It was just one question. And besides, I know better than to question their plans."
Oriane got up and stood firm, her sword at the ready, as she faced off against the Inquisitor in the once glorified temple now falling into ruins. The Inquisitor smirked, his eight long legs moved with eerie grace.
The fight begun once more.
The Inquisitor relied on his shadowy magic to attack, and Oriane had already narrowly dodged several of his strikes.
He lunged forward, his claws glinting in the dim light, and the saintess raised her sword to deflect the attack. But as she did, the monster vanished into the shadows, reappearing behind her in a burst of dark magic.
Oriane spun around, her sword slashing through the air, but the Inquisitor was too quick, and dodged easily. The Inquisitor struck with a flurry of blows, his claws slicing through the air, and the saintess struggled to keep up.
The Inquisitor lunged forward, his legs moving with lightning speed. Oriane dodged and weaved, narrowly avoiding his razor-sharp claws. But the Inquisitor was quick, and managed to land a glancing blow that sent her tumbling to the ground.
Undaunted, she leapt back to her feet, her sword flashing in the darkness. She charged forward.
For every attack Oriane made, he had a countermove, and soon she found herself overwhelmed.
It also didn't help her loss of sight played a major part in her losing. Her aura detection wasn't much of a help either if he kept hiding and re-appearing out from his shadows. Also the Inquisitor's shadowy magic seemed to be sapping her strength, and her movements became slower and more sluggish.
Oriane was starting to falter, her breath coming in ragged gasps, when the Inquisitor launched a final, devastating attack. She tried to block it, but her sword was knocked from her grasp, sending it clattering to the ground.
The Inquisitor closed in, its claws poised to strike, and she braced herself for the final blow.
"ORIANE!!"
She glanced out from her shielded hands and it proved to be a fatal mistake.
Arrows and swords pierced into her.
"....Kegu…!"
The Inquisitor gazed at where the voice came from. Shulia was standing down below with a heavily stunned Sylvester leaning on top of her. He tried to get free from her iron grip while her face had a look of pure horror and rage.
"...Well, well look who joined us," he whispered. He crept forward to the kneeling Oriane, harshly grabbed the top of her hair and pulled her up. He drew her face near his. "See this…your pathetic state is what will cause their downfall." He harshly pulled her again when she refused to meet his gaze.
"Egh!" Blood spilled out from her lips.
"Because you are so pathetic, so utterly weak that you need someone else to protect you despite being a saintess is what will cause their deaths!"
She looked up her gray iris showing fear; not for her own death but rather someone else's.
He looked disgusted. "Tsk! Don't pity those who have taken pity on a lowlife like you." Then a thought crossed over his mind. He grinned viciously.
"Yes…I wonder now…yes, that's right…" The Inquisitor leaned in and pressed his palm over her eyes. "...Huh?"
"I will return your sight temporarily…" He leaned in closer and whispered in her ear. "...So that you may see how I tear open your so-called friends."
A power surged inside her. She head butted him and broke free. The Inquisitor tumbled back. "Ugh!"
He glared up. "Why you…!" Summoning his power he crushed the entire temple.
Pillars crushed down.
"Get away!" Oriane yelled out. The Inquisitor's shadow formed a blade and stabbed directly at her heart. "Keuk!"
"Oriane!" Sylvester finally broke free and tried to run up to her only to be stopped by a falling pillar.
She glared at them. It was the first time she ever did so towards them. "NOW!" Tears were stinging her eyes whether from tears of pain or sadness none of them could tell.
Sylvester gaped at her in horror. Another pillar fell, this one going to crush him. However, before it could fall on him someone pulled him away. "We need to leave."
"But-"
"It's too late." Shulia pleaded, tears glistening on her face.
His face hardened. "I am not leaving without her!"
She inhaled sharply and knocked him out. Vision blurring Sylvester mumbled, "..it..is nev…er..too..late…"
Shulia blinked back fresh tears as she thrust herself under his arm and shambled out.
Oriane's scream echoed behind her as the Inquisitor chuckled darkly. She glanced back only to turn away.
Multiple swords were sticking out from Oriane's shivering body. The Inquisitor loomed over her. He cast his gaze at the two saints at the exit. "...Might as well finish them too…" He started to walk towards them when someone graded his leg. He looked back in both annoyance. "...Still kicking? What a spitfire."
Blood dribbled out her eyes and mouth. "...Heh…It's people like you who always underestimate people weaker than you…"
He frowned. ''...What do you mean?'' He had a feeling of unease.
Slowly she looked up. The strange markings on her body reappeared from their last fight.
He scoffed. ''That is useless. This entire space-this Void maze- was created precisely to counteract that Celestial Heavens power.''
She giggled softly. ''... Senior, you are funny. Nothing can stop this power. The more you suppress it, the stronger it will get.'' The runes engulfed her.
A silent sign left her lips.
'For as long as I can remember, more than anything I wanted to be normal.'