Zariel's eyes narrowed, and she tilted her head slightly. "Interesting. Another one who thinks they can stand against me." However, when she sensed that she only has the strength of a rank 5, her mood dropped, "A little kitten standing up to a tiger? The audacity!"
Skyler didn't respond. She focused on her qi circulation, her aura intensifying. Zariel smirked and lunged at her, the Moonlit Blade slicing through the air. Skyler seeing the attack met her attack head-on, their swords clashing with a deafening ring.
Bang!
The force of Zariel's strike pushed Skyler back with a staggered steps, but she held her ground. Her face was covered by cold sweat as the strength of Zariel wasn't a joke, if she failed to defend from it, she could've heavily wounded, Zariel followed up an attack and Skyler countered with a flurry of strikes, each one aimed with deadly precision. Zariel parried her attacks effortlessly, her movements almost lazy in their grace.
"You're good," Zariel said, her voice a mix of amusement and respect. "But not good enough."
With a swift movement, Zariel broke through Skyler's defenses! She lifted her leg up and forcefully stepped on the upcoming attack from Skyler immobilizing her attack completely! Zariel then swung her sword cutting a shallow gash across Skyler's arm. Skyler hissed in pain but didn't back down. She launched another attack, her strikes faster and more desperate!
Despite her best efforts, Skyler was being pushed back. Zariel's skill with the Moonlit Blade was unmatched, her every move calculated and deadly. Skyler could feel her strength waning, the wound on her arm sapping her qi, the demonic qi from her body is like a vampire, sucking her remaining qi stored within her body.
Just as Zariel was about to land another blow, a powerful burst of energy erupted from Victor. He struggled to his feet, his eyes blazing with determination.
"Skyler, get back!" he shouted, his voice filled with worry as he launched a powerful palm strike towards Zariel.
Skyler obeyed, leaping back quickly to avoid getting hit by his palm strike, just as Victor unleashed a powerful attack. An ethereal palm and the pressure of a rank 8 shot toward Zariel, forcing her to defend herself. The impact sent shockwaves through the courtyard, creating a momentary silence.
Victor quickly leaped right beside Skyler, "We can't win this," Victor said, his voice strained. "We need to retreat, get injured elders first away from here."
Skyler nodded, understanding the gravity of their situation. Together, they began to fall back carrying the wounded elders and disciples, covering each other as they retreated. The demons army finally arrived in the Grey mountain sect and surged forward, but Victor and Skyler fought their towards safety, buying time for the remaining disciples to escape along with the injured elders and core disciples.
As they reached the edge of the courtyard, Zariel's cold voice echoed through the air. "Run while you can, humans. This sect will soon belong to us, and soon the world!"
…
When the last disciples carrying the last wounded elders as they leave the sect, behind Skyler and Victor, a gloomy aura came from their backs. As they turned around, they saw Zariel casually walking out from the debris, her royal robes remained pristine and elegant, she walked up to them as if nothing had just happened.
The pressure she released made Skyler and Victor stunned as cold sweat dripped down behind their backs, her aura was still the same as ever! Victor's lethal attack hadn't damaged nor did anything to her at all!
Skyler looked at Victor right beside her and he did the same. Both nodded, "I'll try distract her, sect master should prepare another strike." Skyler suggested, she then lifted her sword chest high, pointing into the sky. Her eyes closed, "I'm going all out." She whispered, her blood began to boil and soon her aura exploded, it's very sharp and formless!
A sword qi!
"Profound Sword Art: Celestial Cleave!" Skyler cried out, her voice ringing clear above the chaos!
Her sword descended with blinding speed, a brilliant arc of energy slicing through the air toward Zariel. The demon princess eyes widened, sensing the attack, but she was not quick enough. The force of Skyler's strike knocked Zariel's veil aside, revealing her true face!
Skyler, seeing her face… her breath caught in her throat, her eyes widening in shock. The face staring back at her was not that of a demon, but of a young woman she knew all too well. Jessica Lee, her beloved and youngest disciple, the one she had treated like a daughter.
"No… It can't be," Skyler whispered, her voice trembling. "Jessica?"
Jessica's eyes, once filled with warmth and kindness, now burned with a cold, demonic light. Her lips were dark purple, her eyelids had a dark shadows on them, she possessed an eerie, otherworldly beauty that was both captivating and terrifying. Her once gentle eyes now glowed an unsettling red, hinting at the demonic power within her. The transformation had enhanced her striking features, sharpening her cheekbones and giving her an ethereal, almost haunting allure. Dark, ethereal energy swirled around her, adding to her ominous presence. Her once-soft hair now shimmered with an unnatural sheen, cascading down her back like a dark waterfall. The contrast between her delicate, petite figure and her demonic transformation was shocking.
'Jessica' looked at Skyler eye to eye, but for Skyler, there was no recognition in them, only a cruel amusement as she looked at her.
"You… You're not my Jessica," Skyler said, her voice breaking. "What have you done to my disciple!"
Zariel, or Jessica, smiled wickedly. "Oh, so you're the master of this fellow, no wonder I have a strange feelings seeing you, but, Jessica Lee is dead. I am Zariel Ravencrest! daughter of the Demon Emperor!"
Zariel introduced herself with a proud smile on her stunning face, as she stared at Skyler's surprised look. Memories of her arrival in this mortal world resurfaced. The demon emperor had punished her for wreaking havoc within the demon realm. Her punishment was severe: first, she lost her physical body, and second, she was banished from the demon realm. The chaos she had caused was enough to warrant such a harsh punishment, as she had killed multiple royal family members of her clan, including her siblings and their parents, who were members of the emperor's harem, which incited the demon emperor's wrath!
As her body exploded into dust, the strength of the demon emperor was so terrifying that the control of his power was so great that he had left Zariel's soul untouched after destroying her body in an instant!
But because she was talented and strong within the clan, she didn't receive a capital punishment, but banished instead to spread the demon influence outside the demon realm.
When she arrived in the mortal world, in this case, in the world of Celestia. She appeared on the portal that was guarded by demons protecting the growing portal away from human experts that might disrupt its growth. She arrived as a soul, as she searched for potential body, her sight caught an attention where near within the Frostfall forest, a grave has been buried under the rubbles of rocks, and when she saw what was within, a beautiful young lady lay within, covered by the terrifying black ice, preserving the body within!
Seeing this, she had ordered the demons to get the body out of the black ice because her soul wasn't able to penetrate such unique ice. That ice was so unique it terrified her, it took countless effort for the demons to remove the body out of the black ice using the strength of a rank 7 elder who had just arrived in the mortal world to assist the princess.
After recovering the corpse, Zariel quickly possessed the body, making it her new vessel. As the body was revived, so too was the previous soul. A small strand of Jessica's soul had remained trapped within the black ice, leaving a part of Jessica's essence within the body. This presence shocked Zariel when she entered the body, unaware that a fragment of Jessica's soul still lingered. But it was too late; Jessica's soul fragment and Zariel's soul began to merge. As a result, Zariel inherited a portion of Jessica's past memories, though only a small part of them.
But the result had changed Zariel's personality forever. Though she remained ruthless, she became more reasonable, Her habits and tastes shifted as well. Despite being a demon, she was not fond of the demons and their actions. But as Zariel's soul is still dominant, her pride as a demon is intrinsic to her demonic nature, and her will to fight remained strong as she will fight for the demons and live as a demon forever.
…
The words "Jessica Lee is dead" struck Skyler like a physical blow, her mind reeling. She had loved Jessica like her own child, and now she was faced with this cruel mockery of the girl she once knew. Her heart ached with a pain she had never felt before, her resolve wavering as the sword in her hand trembled.
"Snap out of it, Skyler!" Victor's voice cut through her daze. "Focus in the enemy!"
Stunned, Skyler shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. She couldn't afford to break down now. Their survival needed her, and there was still a battle to be fought. She tightened her grip on her sword, her eyes locking onto Zariel's.
"I don't know what happened to you, Jessica, but I will save you. Even if it means cutting through this demon form," Skyler declared, her voice steadying, hoping that everything was false, that Jessica is still alive, and that the soul of a demon is forcing her to act.
Zariel heard this and laughed, a cold, mocking sound. "Funny, you're welcome to try, Skyler. But you will fail miserably."
"Shut up!" with a fierce cry, Skyler launched herself at Zariel, her sword clashing against the demon's blade! Her aura was so sharp that even a rank 8 strength had to be careful, as sword energy ignores the boundary of the limits of reality!
Sword energy is formless without an element, no element can be infused within, clear and precise, and such energy can only be achieve through sword path, the path of the sword is different compared to any cultivation, it only requires meditation and understanding of the sword to unleash its potential, and such potential is the sword energy itself!
The courtyard was filled with the sound of their battle, the clash of steel against steel, and the crackling of energy as they exchanged blows. Skyler's movements were precise and powerful, driven by a desperate need to save her disciple.
Victor joined the fray, his attacks adding pressure to Zariel. Together, they fought with all their might, their combined strength pushing Zariel back. But the demon princess was formidable, her demonic powers giving her an edge that was hard to overcome.
Thorn roared whose slightly injured from the fight earlier, trying to aid his princess, but Victor, managed to hold him at bay after striking him once more with a palm strike, throwing him farther away. The battle raged on, the air thick with the scent of blood and the cries of the wounded.
Skyler's heart ached with every strike, her mind flashing back to memories of Jessica. The girl who had trained under her, who had laughed and cried on her, was now a twisted demon. It was almost too much to bear, but Skyler knew she couldn't give up.
"I will bring you back, Jessica," she whispered, her voice filled with determination. "No matter what."
As the battle continued, Skyler found an opening. She poured all her remaining qi into her sword, burning her blood as it poured out! Forcing her blood to transform into a formless sword energy, Preparing one final, desperate attack.
"Profound Sword Art: Heavenly Redemption!" she shouted, her blade glowing with an intense light.
Zariel's eyes widened as Skyler's sword flashed. The attack struck true, sending a shockwave through the air and knocking Zariel back. The demon princess stumbled, her aura finally flickering!
Stab!
Skyler fell to her knees, exhausted. She stabbed her sword onto the ground to support herself from falling, she had given everything in that final attack, her body trembling with the effort, blood poured out of her cherry lips.
Rumbles
The destroyed mission pavilion rumbled as a petite figure, finally have her clothes damaged, revealing her soft white skin somewhere around. Her aura might've weakened but her facial expression says an absolute wrath!
Skyler looked up, hoping to see some sign of Jessica within Zariel's eyes.
But the demon princess anger turned into a sneer, her demonic aura flaring back to life. The pressure was so strong that it made the weak Skyler tumble back and be caught by Victor. "You're strong, Skyler, but unfortunately, you're fighting an entity that even the demons in the demon world are afraid of."
Skyler's heart sank, but she refused to give up. She would fight to her last breath, for Jessica, for the sect, and for herself.
The courtyard was a chaotic battlefield, the ground littered with debris and the wounded. Skyler and Zariel's clash was a fierce and desperate struggle, each of them pushing their limits. The skies above were darkened by the ominous red-wine clouds, and the demonic qi filled the air, adding to the oppressive atmosphere.
Despite weakened and her blood running out, Skyler's strikes were powerful and precise, her sword moving with a grace and speed that came from years of training and battle experience. But Zariel, with her demonic enhancements and pure bloodline, matched her blow for blow. Their swords clashed, sending sparks flying, and the sound of metal against metal echoed across the courtyard.
"Amazing! Amazing, burn more!" Zariel taunted, suddenly her voice dripping with malice. "But you're out of your league now."
Skyler gritted her teeth, the taste of her blood was the sign of her body is slowly giving up. She couldn't afford to lose focus, not now. "I will save you Jessica, my dear... I will rip that demon out and bring you back, even if it kills me!" She shouted, she threw more attack at Zariel who's been defending from the deadly strikes.
Zariel laughed, a chilling sound that sent shivers down Skyler's spine. "You're delusional! hahaha Jessica Lee is no more, and you are nothing but a false memory on me!"
Skyler's eyes flashed with determination. "Then I'll carve that memory into your very soul and make it real!"
With a burst of energy, Skyler launched herself at Zariel, her sword glowing with a fierce light. She struck with all her might, each blow aimed to break through Zariel's defenses. But the demon princess was relentless, she parried Skyler's attacks effortlessly, her own strikes forcing Skyler to retreat step by step.
The battle raged on, neither side willing to give an inch. Skyler's swordplay was masterful, but Zariel's demonic strength and agility gave her an edge. The courtyard was filled with the sound of their struggle, the air thick with tension.
Suddenly, Zariel feinted, drawing Skyler into a trap. With a swift and brutal motion, Zariel's sword cut through Skyler's defenses, slashing across her torso. Skyler gasped in pain, stumbling back, her hand instinctively going to the wound.
"AH!"
Zariel didn't give her a moment to recover. She pressed her advantage, her sword flashing as she aimed for Skyler's head. Skyler barely managed to block the strike, but the force of the blow sent her sprawling to the ground.
"You're weak," Zariel sneered, standing over her. "You can't save anyone. Not even your precious disciple."
Skyler struggled to her feet, her vision blurred by pain. Her left arm hung uselessly at her side, blood dripping from her fingers. But she refused to give up. With a determined cry, she raised her sword again, ready to continue the fight.
Zariel's eyes narrowed. "Stubborn to the end. Very well, I'll end this."
In a blur of motion, Zariel's sword cut through the air, aiming for Skyler's heart. Skyler tried to block, but her movements were too slow. The blade pierced her side, and she cried out in agony.
"Elder Skyler!" Victor saw everything, his body was planted onto the ground, bleeding and dying. He wasn't able to push more of his strength to save Skyler, he laid there, he could only watch her fate.
Summoning the last of her strength, Skyler swung her sword in a desperate attempt to disarm Zariel. Zariel caught it, but Skyler suddenly let go of her sword and touched Zariel's soft and cold cheeks.
"Jessica," Skyler whispered, tears streaming down her face. "Please, remember who you are."
Zariel's expression hardened, an unknown feeling rising within her emotions, she shook it off and coldly looked at Skyler right into her eyes. "Goodbye, Skyler."
Skyler noticed her quick change of expression before returning back in instant, her eyes flashed hope, however…
With a swift and merciless strike, Zariel's sword sliced through Skyler's arm, severing it at the shoulder! Skyler screamed, the pain overwhelming. She fell to her knees, her vision darkening as blood poured from the wound.
As she lay on the ground, struggling to breathe, Zariel raised her sword for the final blow. "Farewell… Master."
Just as Zariel's sword descended, two appeared in the courtyard, seeing everything unfolding, one of them quickly released an ice cold energy!
A wave of black ice qi travelled into the air towards Zariel, sensing the familiar ice. A dreadful and terrifying feeling made her alert, she gave up giving the last strike on Skyler as she leaped back and floated into the air away from them, avoiding the surprise attack.
Below, Serana and Gabrielle stood, drawn by the commotion, arrived just in time to witness the horrifying scene. Serana's eyes widened in shock as she saw Jessica Lee, her best friend, standing over her fallen master almost giving her the last strike to kill her.
"Jessica? No, it can't be!" Serana cried, her voice filled with disbelief and horror.