"Bellona Finley will be alone in the end."
These words echoed within her mind every time she entered a nightmare. Bellona's eyes opened, and strong gusts of wind whipped her face. The air was thin and cold atop the flat mountain peak.
In an instant, hours of information were directly input into her mind. The scene of an underground battle appeared, followed closely by an army of demons. The final scene is an outer perspective of a flattened mountain peak; two figures circling one another along its edge.
The scene then melded with the sight before Bellona.
She had been circling the edge of a makeshift battleground with a mysterious figure. It wore some light leather armor underneath a billowing, tattered cloak. A thick and heavy hood rested on the figure's face, and a single, long, stonelike horn protruded from within.
[What's wrong, princess?]
The figure asked above the wind with a deep, grating voice that was painful to hear.
Bellona spoke up, saying, "Nothing." Before she continued to circle around her foe.
'Another demon.' She thought to herself.
Bellona was afflicted with a curse of entering a nightmare every time she fell asleep. In her nightmares, she faced a formidable foe, often leading to her death and subsequent awakening. Every victory achieved in the nightmares always led to a more difficult one to follow.
[Getting cold feet?]
The demon lifted his hood, revealing a hideous face that made Bellona gag. Several long scars and festering wounds decorated the demon's face, which, tied with the demon's natural wretchedness, made for a grotesque combination.
When Bellona saw the creature's face, she grimaced and took a step closer toward the edge. A twisted, cracked smile formed on the demon's lips, and it continued to speak.
[How flattering.]
Hearing the demon speak almost made Bellona cover her ears out of annoyance and pain. 'I need him to shut the hell up.' She thought.
However, Bellona had different words to speak, "Let's finish this." She announced.
She then grasped the hilt of a claymore and pulled it out from its sheath with a familiar tinkling of metal against metal. Bellona grasped the hilt of her blade with slightly trembling hands.
The claymore had runic inscriptions along the middle of its blade reaching halfway from the hilt before stopping. They glowed blue as the entire sword was engulfed in swirling gray and purple flames.
The demon crossed its arms, and the ground rumbled. A longsword made of some white material materialized from the ground, floating into his right hand. A dagger in the form of a karambit made from a black and red rock floated into his left hand.
[Sure thing, princess.] The demon replied as his smile widened, reaching the range of horrific.
He pointed the longsword in Bellona's direction while crossing his other arm over it, the demon's karambit pointing her way as well.
In one heartbeat, the two stopped circling one another, in the next heartbeat, they were already making great distance in a wild rush. In a third heartbeat, the two had locked blades.
Bellona and the demon seemed to be of similar strength, with the two struggling equally to overpower the other. Then, Bell felt as if she were losing power in the battle.
The demon used the extra leverage granted by his karambit to push Bellona's blade back. Bellona took a step backward, but as her foot as at the apex of its height, the demon's strength exploded.
She was forced into an opening, and the demon slashed downward onto Bellona's chestplate.
His blade bounced backward, and Bellona deflected the demon's follow-up attack with the flat of her claymore.
Bellona then leaped backward and upon landing, exploded forward with her claymore raised. Then, she unleashed an attack with plenty of momentum readied to sever the demon in half.
But just before her claymore met his body, the demon vanished into thin air, only leaving an afterimage of his cloak. He had moved at speeds beyond Bellona's vision, with the sounds of fluttering fabric appearing behind Bellona.
Bellona then raised her claymore behind her back, and a deep reverberation filled her sword and arms.
In the next instant, Bellona leaped forward and twisted around to see her foe. The demon pursued Bellona with his karambit already on its way to reap her life.
Bellona leaned backwards a small bit, just avoiding the blades attempt to sever her throat.
However, the demon continued further.
The two had touched the ground, allowing Bellona control over her body, the demon raised his longsword, ready to slash downward. Bellona was unable to defend this attack, so she moved so that the blade would only make impact with her armor.
Her shoulder groaned in response to the attack that landed on the armor above it.
Immediately after his attack landed, the demon leaped backward.
Bellona leaped backward in a similar motion, then retreated a bit further to make distance.
[You're good, at least.] The demon said, his voice brought Bellona only more pain, and she almost felt as if her ears were going to bleed if he spoke any longer.
She smiled and replied, "We've barely even started, save the compliments for later."
The demon then smiled and announced.
[Well, I shall no longer take you lightly.] He bowed. [My name is Abaddon, a Demon Arbiter of the sixth ring.]
Bellona bowed in response, with the hidden intent of living just a bit longer.
"My name is Bellona Finley, Warrior." She announced.
However, deep within her mind, she thought, 'People just call me Bell, though.'
The two entered another walk around the mountain peak as if they were yin and yang. The demon, Abaddon, looked as if he were simply waiting for any momentary wavering of Bell's will.
They continued around their staredown, both examining the most minute details of one another. On their twelfth pace, Bell faltered slightly, and Abaddon rushed forward with an attack raised.
Bell raised her claymore in defense, and the two locked their blades. This time, the terrain underneath Bell's feet gave her the slightest edge in the struggle, allowing her to push Abaddon backwards.
With this opening, Bell slashed against the chest of the demon, and he groaned as the leather and fabric protecting his chest was severed. Deep crimson blood evaporated on the flames of Bell's claymore, and she continued her attack.
Unfortunately, the demon leaped backwards before Bell's claymore could land another attack. Upon landing, he began chanting and performing various hand signs.
Bell rushed forward with her sword readied in an attempt to intercept the demon from casting whatever spell he had in store.
A curtain of dark crimson flames erupted from the ground before Bell was able to reach him, and she halted her advance in response.
Bell raised her claymore in a defensive stance, readying herself for whatever attack that Abaddon had in store.
After a moment, the curtain fell, revealing that the demon was several meters backward and wielded a giant spear in his hand.
In the next moment, he lunged forward, releasing the spear in Bell's direction.
She evaded the rapidly approaching spear by leaning to the side. A blast of wind pushed against Bell, who stumbled backward one step.
In an instant, the demon appeared once more with his longsword poised to attack. Bell raised her claymore to defend herself, but was too slow, and her chestplate took the brunt of another attack.
Bell had the wind knocked out of her and nearly fell to the ground due to the lack of oxygen.
But she stood, nevertheless.
However, she rapidly grew weak and relied on her claymore to stay upright.
[Maybe you aren't as good as I thought.] Abaddon creaked. [Get up, we aren't done yet.]
Bell took a deep breath and shot upward with newfound strength in her legs. She punched the demon in the jaw with her free hand, and he recoiled back with a grunt.
Abaddon took a step backward, then lunged forward with a crooked smile, his cracked lips starting to fill with dark blood.
[Excellent.] He whispered with a raspy voice. [I like your spirit, girl.]
Bell didn't pay attention to the words, instead readying her claymore in a neutral stance.
Abaddon readied his two blades while saying. [I'll enjoy seeing you in Hell.]
Then, he began wildly striking Bellona, attempting to find any opening and exploit it to its fullest.
Bell was able to deflect and evade the first few swings, but as he rapidly ramped up in speed, Bellona was being pushed back.
With every step that she took backward, he only moved faster and faster, with Bell failing to even see some of the attacks being launched her way.
Her entire body began protesting her movements due to the aching pains that covered it. Every attempt at a block, deflect, or attack resulted in pain shooting down her limbs.
Bell's breathing became heavier and her stamina rapidly drained.
Then, she was forced into an opening due to a mistake she made. In the next instant, she felt numb.
Bell fell to the ground and looked up, rapidly losing control over her body.
[Ahh...] Abaddon said, looking down upon Bell. [I wonder what I'll do with you in Hell... maybe you'll be my personal training target. I like that idea.]
Bell's body started to grow cold, and she was unable to think properly, her mind slurring and her vision growing fuzzy.
[It's a shame, really.] He continued. [You didn't even make me pull my trump card. Well. I'll see you in a while, after I conquer this realm.]
And her vision went black.
The echoing words filled her ears once more.
"Bellona Finley was alone in the end."
When Bell opened her eyes again, she was in her bedroom, rays of golden moonlight passing through the window.
She then thought to herself, 'It's just another bad dream.'