Thanatos met the Black Knight in mid-charge, their movements almost perfectly synchronized.
They collided, their fists connecting in a thunderous strike.
The impact sent shockwaves rippling through the chamber, the force of the collision shaking the very foundations of the room.
The two combatants exchanged blows with a blinding speed, their movements blurring into a haze of crimson and black.
With each punch and counter, the force of their strikes caused the ground to tremble and the walls to shake, as if the room itself couldn't withstand the fury of their fight.
Thanatos and the Black Knight let out primal screams, their battle cries piercing the chaotic air.
The screams mingled with the sound of their fists connecting, blending into a deafening roar that echoed throughout the chamber.
The two combatants pressed their attack, each unleashing a torrent of punches with blistering speed.
Their fists met in a flurry of blows, each hit pushing them back slightly as they traded damage.
The air crackled with energy as the fight reached a fever pitch, the intensity of their struggle threatening to tear the room apart.
In a flash of crimson and black, Thanatos and the Black Knight unleashed a final, simultaneous punch.
The collision was cataclysmic, the shockwave radiating outwards in a blinding flash of energy.
Thanatos and the Knight were thrown backward from the force of the impact, their bodies hurtling through the air like projectiles.
They crashed to the ground, the dust settling around them as they struggled to regain their footing.
Breathing heavily, the two combatants stood, their eyes locked in a battle of wills.
Thanatos took stock of his injuries, each crack on his bones a testament to the viciousness of the fight.
'That last barrage of attacks really damaged me,' he mused grimly. 'I don't know how much more of this I can take. I need to finish this quickly.'
But just as Thanatos steeled himself for the next phase of the battle, he caught a movement from the corner of his eye.
Thanatos turned his head, his crimson gaze falling upon the battered form of the Black Knight he'd previously struck down.
To his surprise, the Knight was stirring, slowly picking itself up off the ground.
'So you're still alive,' Thanatos thought, his expression darkening. 'You're more resilient than I anticipated.'
The Knight, sensing Thanatos' gaze upon it, locked its eyes on the Undead Knight and began to slowly approach.
The battle was far from over.
Thanatos stood his ground, his crimson aura flaring to life once more.
He could feel it—the culmination of the battle was at hand, the final blows that would determine the victor.
The first Black Knight, still reeling from their previous exchange, took up a defensive stance.
The resurrected Knight circled Thanatos with predatory precision, readying itself to strike at the perfect moment.
Thanatos continued to face off against the Black Knights, his focus unwavering.
'It should be ready anytime now,' he thought, his mind racing as he analyzed his next move.
The Knights, seemingly in perfect harmony, continued to circle Thanatos.
Their movements were calculated, deliberate.
They knew that one wrong step could spell defeat, but it was if they could tell that he was hiding something, a trump card of some sort.
With each second that passed, Thanatos stood his ground, defiance etched into every fiber of his being.
The Knights sensed his stance, and, as one, they charged, their movements a blur of steel and shadow.
Just as they reached point-blank range, Thanatos cried out, single word, a name, a command. "Charlotte! Now!"
At his command, Charlotte's arcane adhesive material sprang into being, cocooning Thanatos and the Knights in a web of shimmering, unbreakable strands.
In the wake of the sudden immobilization, the ground beneath their feet pulsed with an eerie blue light.
Runes of great power, hitherto unseen, flared to life, their intricate designs illuminating the chamber in a brilliant azure glow.
Emerging from the shadows like a hunter stalking her prey, Charlotte stepped into the azure light of the Runes, her grimoire open to a specific page.
Her eyes shone with a fierce determination as she began to recite the incantation, her voice ringing out clearly amidst the eerie stillness of the chamber.
"Light of the heavens, heed my call. Unite with the fury of the stars and cast out the darkness. I beseech thee, descend upon our enemies with the force of a thousand suns and shroud them in a blinding light."
The knights began to struggle as best as they could to escape the binding, but the adhesive was strengthened by the runes, making it much denser.
"Let no shadow escape thy judgment, Lumenflare!" Charlotte's voice rose to a crescendo as she finished the incantation.
A blinding white light exploded from her palm, expanding outward in a wave of searing energy.
The incandescent force enveloped Thanatos and the Knights, and for a moment, the room was washed in a pure white brilliance.
As the brightness slowly receded, the chamber fell back into relative darkness, the shadowy forms of Thanatos and the Knights revealed in its wake.
The Knights, once a threatening duo, were now still, their blackened forms slumped to the ground as if their vitality had been sapped from them.
Thanatos, still ensnared by Charlotte's adhesive, turned his crimson gaze upon the enemy, scanning them for signs of life.
But it was clear that the battle had been won. The Knights were defeated, reduced to mere remnants of their former selves.
Charlotte's breathing grew ragged and shallow as her body, weakened by the exertion of the spell, began to fail her.
With a groan, her legs gave out, and she began to slump towards the ground.
But before she hit the stone floor, Thanatos, his own strength nearly spent, broke free of the adhesive.
Despite his fatigue, he managed to move with a speed belying his exhaustion, catching Charlotte in his arms just before she fell.
He cradled her gently as they both sank to the ground, the tension of the battle dissipating as he held her close.
With Charlotte cradled in his arms, Thanatos anxiously scanned her face for any signs of life.
His heart pounded as he waited, his breath catching in his throat.
But, slowly, he realized that her breathing was even, her features peaceful as she slept. A heavy sigh escaped his lips.
'She pushed herself too far, but her spell was what sealed our victory.'
Thanatos thought to himself. He rested his head against the back of his hand, his crimson aura dimming as he held Charlotte close.
"Ah, it's finally over," Thanatos murmured as he stared up at the dark, silent ceiling of the chamber.
The fight was over, the room was silent, and for a brief moment, Thanatos allowed himself to rest, his thoughts finally free of the weight of combat.