Ariana stood over Rylan, her heart racing, her breath shallow.
He lay still, his chest rising and falling in a weak rhythm.
Blood matted his hair, and his face was pale.
She felt her hands trembling as she gently placed them on his shoulder, shaking him.
"Rylan... please get up," she whispered, her voice shaking with fear.
But Rylan didn't stir, his body too broken to respond.
She looked up, her eyes landing on Noah.
Or what had once been Noah.
The Noah she had known was gone, replaced by something darker, more terrifying.
His red wings of ice stretched behind him like a demon from a nightmare, glowing faintly in the dim light.
His once gentle eyes were now a fiery red, filled with a cold, calculated malice that chilled Ariana to her core.
His beauty, though still striking, had an otherworldly, dangerous edge to it now.
She swallowed hard, knowing that it was up to her now.
There was no one left to protect her, no one left to stand between her and the demonic disciple Noah had become.
She had trained for years, studied alchemy, mastered the art of potions and elixirs.
She had even contracted with a spirit animal, a gift that was rare for someone her age.
And yet, none of that felt like enough when she looked at the monstrous figure that Noah had become.
"He's not the same," she whispered to herself, trying to steady her breathing.
But there was no more time to think, no more time to hesitate.
Noah wasn't waiting.
He began to move toward her, slowly, methodically, as if savoring the moment.
Ariana's heart raced even faster as she fumbled for her pouch of potions.
Her hands shook as she pulled out a small vial of glowing liquid, uncorking it with a trembling hand.
She downed the potion in one swift motion, feeling a surge of energy flood through her body.
In the game, Ariana Snow had always been more of a side-main character, someone who supported the main cast with her alchemy and healing magic.
She didn't play that much role in the storyline but was rather a support to them.
She had never been much of a fighter, relying on others to protect her while she brewed her potions and healed their wounds.
But she wasn't just a simple healer.
She was a prodigy.
Ariana had always excelled at alchemy, even from a young age.
She had been praised by her teachers for her innovative potions and quick thinking in dangerous situations.
And, most importantly, she had contracted with a spirit animal—a high-level one at that.
With a deep breath, Arianna raised her hands, summoning the spirit animal that had been her companion for years.
A soft, glowing light began to form in front of her, slowly taking shape.
From the light emerged a large, ethereal wolf with shimmering white fur and glowing blue eyes.
The spirit wolf let out a low growl, its gaze fixed on Noah, as if sensing the danger he posed.
"Fenris," Ariana whispered, her voice steadier now.
"I need your help."
The wolf nodded, its glowing eyes never leaving Noah's form.
Ariana could feel the bond between them strengthening, her own power being amplified by the presence of her spirit companion.
Noah paused for a moment, his red eyes narrowing as he watched the wolf materialize.
A flicker of recognition crossed his face, though his expression remained cold and detached.
In the game, Ariana's spirit wolf, Fenris, had always been a formidable ally.
It had helped the main characters countless times, its strength and agility making up for Ariana's lack of combat skills.
But even with Fenris at her side, Ariana had never been a fighter.
She had always stayed behind the frontlines, letting her spirit companion do the fighting while she provided support.
But this time, there was no one else to fight for her.
It was just her and Noah.
Fenris lunged forward, its fangs bared as it charged at Noah with lightning speed.
Noah didn't move, his expression unchanging as the wolf closed the distance between them.
At the last moment, Noah raised his hand, and with a flick of his wrist, a sharp icicle shot out of the ground, aiming straight for the wolf.
Fenris dodged the attack with ease, its movements fluid and graceful as it darted to the side, circling around Noah.
Ariana could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she watched, her hands still trembling.
The wolf leaped again, aiming for Noah's throat this time.
But Noah was faster.
With a simple motion, he summoned another sharp icicle from the ground, this one larger than the last.
The icicle shot upward, catching Fenris mid-leap and knocking the wolf back with a yelp.
Ariana's heart sank as she watched her spirit companion fall to the ground, its body flickering with faint blue light.
"Fenris!" she cried out, rushing forward.
But Noah wasn't done.
Before Ariana could reach her companion, Noah raised his hand again, this time summoning a blast of dark energy that shot toward Fenris like a bolt of lightning.
Ariana barely had time to react.
She needed to do something, and fast.
"Come on, Arianna," she whispered to herself, her mind racing.
"Think."
She had more potions, more tricks up her sleeve.
But none of them would be enough to stop
Noah, not with the kind of power he was wielding.
Then, an idea struck her.
Arianna reached into her pouch once more, this time pulling out a small, crystal vial filled with a deep blue liquid.
It was a potion she had been working on for months, one that she had never had the chance to test.
She uncorked the vial, holding it up to her lips as she whispered a quiet incantation.
The potion began to glow, its deep blue color shifting to a bright, ethereal white.
Taking a deep breath, Ariana downed the potion in one swift motion, feeling a surge of energy flood her body.
Her senses sharpened, her magic amplified.
With renewed determination, she raised her hands, summoning another spirit companion—this time, a large, majestic eagle with shimmering gold feathers.
The eagle let out a piercing cry as it soared into the air, its wings glowing with radiant light.
Noah's eyes narrowed as he watched the eagle circle above him, its sharp talons gleaming in the moonlight.
The eagle swooped down from above, its talons aimed directly at Noah's head.
But Noah didn't flinch.
With a simple motion, he summoned a wall of ice, blocking the eagle's attack with ease.
Fenris leaped forward, but Noah was ready, sending a wave of dark energy toward the wolf that knocked it back once more.
Ariana's heart sank as she watched her spirit companions struggle.
Noah was too powerful.
And she was running out of time.But she couldn't give up.
Not yet.
"Just a little longer," she whispered to herself, her hands trembling as she prepared another potion.
Just a little longer.
Noah stood, his cold red eyes fixed on the two summoned spirits circling him.
The eagle screeched as it dived toward him again, but he raised his hand, summoning more ice to block its attack.
The wolf charged, only to be knocked back by another wave of dark energy.
He barely felt tired.
The demonic energy coursing through him was immense, his senses heightened, his strength beyond anything he had ever imagined.
Noah could feel the fight tipping further in his favor.
Ariana was faltering, her spirit animals weakening with every passing moment.
Victory was near.
But just as he was about to strike again, Noah suddenly froze.
His eyes widened.
A sharp, searing pain shot through his chest.
He coughed, feeling something warm and metallic rise in his throat.
Blood.
Noah gasped, coughing up more blood as his vision blurred.
Slowly, he gazed down at his chest, and there it was — the gleaming edge of a long sword, piercing straight through him.
His breath caught in his throat as he realized what had happened.
The cold tip of the blade glinted in the dim light, dripping with his blood.
Everything around him began to fade.
The ice, the dark energy — all of it slowly dissipated into ashes and dust, vanishing into the night as if they had never been there at all.
With what little strength he had left, Noah turned his head, his red eyes dulling as they met the figure behind him.
Maya stood there, her face calm, her eyes filled with resolve.
She held the hilt of the sword tightly in her hands, her gaze locked on his.
Noah's lips parted, a faint whisper escaping his mouth.
"...You stuck to the plan after all..."
His voice was barely audible, the words weak as his consciousness began to slip away.
Everything was growing darker.
Colder.
As his vision dimmed, a familiar system message flashed before his eyes:
[Ding!]
[■As the final boss of the first act, you have failed!]
A bitter smile tugged at Noah's lips as the message burned into his mind.
But just as everything began to fade completely, another message appeared.
[■Bad Ending 1 has been prevented]
Noah's eyes flickered one last time before everything went blank.
And then, there was nothing.