As Dave's unconscious body crumpled onto the ground, the enemy loomed over him, ready to deliver the finishing blow. The superhuman, a towering figure wrapped in a dark aura, lifted his hand, gathering energy to obliterate Dave once and for all. His lips curled into a smug grin, satisfied by the pitiful state his opponent was in.
"Pathetic… You thought you could challenge someone like me?" the enemy sneered, his voice dripping with disdain.
But before he could finish his attack, a sudden and overwhelming presence crashed down on him like a tidal wave. His body froze, and for the first time in years, a flicker of fear sparked in his eyes. An indescribable pressure weighed on him, making his limbs tremble involuntarily. He stumbled backward, his gaze snapping to Dave's limp form as a brilliant light began to emanate from his body.
"What the hell is happening?" the enemy murmured, taking several shaky steps back. The intense light pouring out of Dave grew brighter and brighter until it became blinding, searing into the enemy's eyes.
"Impossible… what is this power?" He threw up his arms to shield his face, squinting through the radiant glow. Just then, he sensed movement. There was someone—no, something—else in the light. As his vision adjusted, the enemy gasped.
Standing protectively over Dave was a figure of unimaginable beauty and terrifying power. A woman with long, flowing hair the color of starlight and eyes that seemed to pierce through his very soul. Her presence was suffocating, more intense than anything he had ever encountered. Even though she appeared no older than 25, the aura she exuded was ancient, filled with a strength that defied comprehension.
"Who… who are you?" the enemy stammered, his voice faltering as the woman turned her icy gaze toward him. Her expression was calm, almost serene, but beneath that tranquility lurked something deadly.
"Who am I?" she repeated softly, her voice carrying a strange echo that reverberated through the battlefield. "I am someone you should never have crossed paths with."
The enemy gritted his teeth, trying to muster the courage to speak. "W-what kind of joke is this?! He's just a weakling! He can't be—"
In a flash, the woman moved, closing the distance between them in an instant. Before the enemy could react, her hand shot out, grasping his throat with an iron grip. His eyes widened as he felt the crushing force of her strength.
"You tried to touch my husband?" she whispered, her tone sweet and dangerous. "I won't allow that. No one—god or otherwise—can lay a finger on him."
The enemy's mind spun. Husband? He hadn't even sensed her presence before. How could she be this powerful and yet so completely hidden? His thoughts were interrupted as she tightened her grip, lifting him off the ground with ease. Pain shot through his body, and he clawed at her hand, struggling for breath.
"Let… let go…!" he choked out, thrashing wildly, but she remained still, her gaze unblinking and devoid of mercy.
"You don't deserve mercy," she said softly, her eyes glinting with malice. "But I'll make sure you understand the consequences of your actions."
She raised her other hand, and dark tendrils of energy erupted from her fingertips, wrapping around the enemy's limbs. He screamed as the tendrils dug into his flesh, tearing through skin and muscle like hot knives. His body convulsed violently, blood spraying from the wounds as Bella's power seeped into him.
"Stop… please… STOP!" he begged, his voice a desperate wail. "I didn't know—!"
Bella tilted her head, her expression one of curious indifference. "You didn't know? So that's your excuse?" She leaned in closer, her lips brushing against his ear as she whispered, "Ignorance doesn't absolve you."
With a flick of her wrist, the tendrils tightened, stretching the enemy's limbs at unnatural angles. Bones cracked and splintered under the pressure, eliciting another guttural scream from him. Bella watched with cold fascination as his body contorted painfully, his face twisted in agony.
"Please… just… kill me…" he whimpered, tears streaming down his face.
"Kill you?" Bella mused, feigning surprise. "Oh, no. That would be too kind." Her fingers tightened around his throat, and she smiled—a smile devoid of warmth or compassion. "I'm going to make sure you remember every second of this."
She released his throat, letting him drop to the ground. The enemy lay there, gasping for breath, his body shaking uncontrollably. But Bella wasn't done. She raised her hand once more, and a searing white light enveloped him. The enemy screamed again as the light burned through him, his skin blistering and peeling under the intense heat.
"Don't worry," Bella murmured soothingly. "I'm not going to kill you… yet."
She stepped closer, her gaze never leaving his face as the light intensified. The enemy's screams grew weaker, his voice cracking under the strain. He struggled to speak, but all that came out were broken, incoherent pleas.
Bella crouched beside him, her fingers gently brushing against his forehead. "You'll remember this pain for eternity," she whispered, her voice soft and comforting. "Every moment of it. Every shred of your sanity will crumble, piece by piece."
With that, she plunged her hand into his chest. The enemy's eyes bulged, and a strangled cry escaped his lips as Bella's power invaded his mind, tearing through his thoughts and memories like a raging storm. He convulsed violently, his body arching off the ground as Bella sifted through his consciousness, ripping apart everything that made him who he was.
"Please… stop… I'll do anything…" he sobbed, his voice barely a whisper.
Bella's smile faded, replaced by a look of cold determination. "There's nothing you can offer me," she said flatly. "You're just a stain that needs to be wiped away."
With one final surge of energy, she shattered his mind completely. The enemy let out a pitiful whimper before his body went limp, his eyes staring vacantly at the sky. Bella stood up, dusting off her hands as if she had just finished a trivial task.
"Goodbye," she murmured, raising her hand. A swirling vortex of energy appeared, and the enemy's body began to disintegrate, piece by piece. Within moments, there was nothing left—no trace of his existence.
Bella stared at the empty space where the enemy had been, her expression unreadable. Then, slowly, she turned her gaze back to Dave's unconscious form. Her eyes softened, and she let out a sigh.
"I won't let anyone harm him… not again… not ever," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion.
With a gentle touch, she placed her hand on Dave's chest. A warm, soothing light enveloped him, healing his wounds and restoring his energy. She leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead.
"Sleep well, my love," she whispered, a sad smile tugging at her lips.
Bella straightened up, her gaze lingering on Dave for a moment longer before she dissolved into a shimmering light. Her presence melded back into his body, leaving no trace of the fierce, terrifying power that had just been unleashed.
The battlefield was silent once more, the only evidence of the intense battle being the disturbed earth and shattered trees. And amidst the desolation, Dave's unconscious form lay peacefully, the woman who had protected him gone as if she had never been there at all.
But Bella's last whispered words hung in the air, a silent promise that reverberated through the empty battlefield.
"I will protect you… always."