The blinding light signifying the ritual pulsed like a heartbeat throughout the chamber, all the while Morgana's screams echoed louder and louder, each scream a stab to the heart of Ayame and Elektra.
The Superhero forced herself to her feet, ignoring the sharp pain in her side from Lucius' earlier attack as her pink eyes burned with determination as she stared towards Morgana,
"Akeno," Ayame muttered with a determined gaze, gathering herself as she held her fans which were blazing with Foxfire.
At her call, the light in the area shimmered, and an ethereal fox materialized beside Ayame. Unlike Akeno's previous appearances, this time she was fully sized, her height reaching Ayame's as her golden eyes held none of its usual playfulness, now gleaming with fury and determination.
"Break the chains," Ayame commanded, her voice resolute and Akeno obliged, lunching forward as its claws glowed with pure Foxfire, slashing through the enchanted chains like glass.
Lucius had tried to intercept Akeno's actions with an attack similar to his previous one, but Akeno was naturally immune to his actions, being a powerful Spirit much above the tier Lucius at his base power could handle.
The chains were ignited in the Foxflames instantaneously as well, melting the metal like wax, and Morgana fell forward helplessly, being gently caught by Elektra, who had also dragged herself up from the ground.
Lucius' eyes burned with fury as his head snapped towards Ayame, his icy blue eyes narrowed in fury as the light of the ritual dimmed whilst he stepped forward. Unlike before, his presence was now more dark and oppressive, more demonic and evil.
"How DARE you interfere?" He growled, his voice laced with venom as his gaze naturally shifted towards Akeno, who was now standing on guard in front of her partner, protecting Ayame from any attacks.
"A Spirit Contractor," he hissed, his voice low and dangerous, "So that's your secret." Lucius said as he clicked his tongue.
With more and more Spirits retreating to the Spirit World and abandoning the Mortal Realm, Spirit Contractors were becoming rarer and rarer.
Even in the glory days where Spirits and Mortals roamed the world in harmony, contractors were rare, as many Spirits naturally saw themselves above Mortals.
Although many Spirits helped Mortals, they were usually unwilling to bind themself to a single Mortal, making those who could contract Spirits rare even back then, nevermind current day with Spirits being scarce.
Meanwhile, Ayame didn't reply to his words, simply raising her glowing fans as Foxfire swirled around like a protective barrier, all the while her Spirit protected her.
Ayame didn't reply. Instead, she raised her glowing fans, the foxfire swirling around her like a protective barrier. Akeno growled beside her, its form solidifying further, its fur bristling with raw power.
Lucius's sneer twisted into a scowl, "You are quite the annoyance girl, I admire your will. However, my friend here would love a delicious Spirit for dinner, I hope that Fox of yours can hold on."
As he finished speaking, Lucius flicked his hands, and the shadows in the room began writhing before coalescing, forming into the grotesque figure of a Demon Ghoul.
The creature loomed tall, its gaunt frame shrouded in a dark, inky aura, crimson eyes that burned with malice and skeletal claws that twitched in anticipation and desire towards Akeno, whose eyes narrowed at the Demon Ghoul.
Although she had lived for a long time, Akeno had only fought against a handful of Demons, since they were exceedingly rare, and every single one of those battles was intense and deadly.
"Dinner's on the table, kill the Fox Argus," Lucius commanded, his voice cold.
The ghoul lunged, its claws aiming for the throat of Akeno. The Fox sidestepped with the grace of a dancer, shooting out a wave of FoxFire from her tails that forced the Ghoul back slightly, but it was once again relentless.
She sidestepped with a dancer's grace, her fans slashing in an arc that sent a wave of foxfire at the creature. The fire hissed and crackled, forcing the ghoul back, but it was relentless, attacking again with unnatural speed.
Meanwhile, Ayame faced Lucius head-on, her fans spinning in her hands like blades of light.
"You should have stayed down," Lucius sneered, summoning a barrage of shadowy tendrils that lashed out at her, to which Ayame parried with her FoxFire fans.
Lucius wasted no time continuing his barrage of attacks, his hands weaving intricate patterns in the air as a wave of dark magic shot forward, being blocked by a wall of protective FoxFire from Ayame.
The flames hissed as they collided with the shadows, but Lucius pressed forward, his icy blue eyes alight with sadistic glee as a demonic smirk was plastered on his lips.
"You think your Spirit's power will save you?" Lucius sneered, his voice dripping with scorn. He gestured sharply, and the shadows condensed into jagged spears, hurtling toward Ayame with deadly precision.
Ayame was barely able to dodge in time, her movements swift and graceful, but one spear grazed her arm, tearing through her sleeve and leaving a shallow cut that burned with dark energy, slowly poisoning her.
She gritted her teeth, her sharp pink eyes never leaving Lucius.
"You talk too much," she retorted, spinning her fans to send a crescent of foxfire hurtling toward him. The flames roared, bright and fierce, but Lucius merely waved a hand, and a barrier of shimmering darkness absorbed the attack effortlessly.
Lucius smirked, his expression patronizing,"Your flames are impressive, but they lack refinement. Allow me to demonstrate true power."
With a flick of his wrist, the darkness around him surged, forming a massive clawed hand that swiped at Ayame with terrifying speed.
She barely managed to leap out of the way, rolling to her feet as the claw smashed into the ground, leaving a crater where she had stood.
Ayame countered, her fans glowing brighter as she unleashed a barrage of Moonlight Arcs. Each arc exploded on impact, forcing Lucius to dodge or deflect them with his shadows.
But even as she pressed the attack, Ayame could feel the strain building. Every move, every burst of energy drained her reserves, while Lucius seemed unfazed, his power endless and unrelenting.
Lucius closed the distance between them in an instant, his movements impossibly fast. His hand shot out, and Ayame barely managed to block with her fan. The impact sent her skidding backward, her arms trembling from the force.
"You're outmatched," Lucius taunted, his tone cruel. "You should know when to give up."
Ayame didn't reply. Instead, she charged forward, her foxfire flaring around her like a tempest. She spun her fans in a rapid sequence, unleashing a whirlwind of flames that engulfed Lucius.
For a moment, it seemed as if she had gained the upper hand, but then the flames parted, revealing Lucius unharmed, his dark aura shimmering around him like a shield. He laughed, the sound cold and mocking. "Admirable effort, but futile."
Lucius retaliated with a wave of shadow energy that slammed into Ayame, sending her crashing into the far wall. She gasped as the impact knocked the air from her lungs, pain radiating through her body.
Struggling to her feet, Ayame's gaze flicked to Akeno, who was still locked in battle with the Demon Ghoul. The fox was holding its own, but barely, her movements growing more frantic as the ghoul's relentless attacks pushed her back.
Lucius followed her gaze, his smirk widening, "Your Spirit is strong, but she cannot hold out forever. And neither can you."
Ayame's grip on her fans tightened, her mind racing. She needed to buy more time, for Elektra, for Morgana, for Akeno. Summoning her resolve, she stood tall, her foxfire blazing anew despite the exhaustion weighing her down.
"You'll find I'm harder to break than you think," she said, her voice steady despite the blood trickling from the corner of her mouth.
Lucius arched an eyebrow, intrigued by her defiance. "Then let's see how long your resolve lasts."
The battle resumed and Ayame fought back with everything she had, her foxfire slicing through the darkness, but she could feel herself weakening with each passing moment.
A shadowy tendril wrapped around her ankle, yanking her off balance and slamming her into the ground. She cried out in pain but refused to stay down, her flames surging as she burned through the tendril, freeing herself.
Lucius loomed over her, his expression one of triumph, "This ends now."
He raised his hand, dark energy coalescing into a massive orb that crackled with malevolent power. Ayame stared up at him, her body battered but her spirit unbroken.
As the orb descended, she raised her fans, pouring every ounce of her remaining strength into a final, desperate defense. The chamber was filled with a blinding light as her foxfire clashed with Lucius's shadow, the two forces colliding in a thunderous explosion that shook the very foundation of the facility.
When the dust settled, Ayame was on her knees, her breathing ragged, her fans barely glowing. Lucius stood a few feet away, his coat singed but otherwise unscathed. He regarded her with a mixture of annoyance and admiration.
"You're persistent, I'll give you that," he said, his voice cold. "But this fight is over."
Ayame glared up at him, her body trembling from exhaustion but her eyes blazing with determination. "Not… yet," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Lucius frowned, his gaze narrowing. "You're a fool, girl. You can't win."
Despite his words, Ayame forced herself to stand, her fans clutched tightly in her hands as she prepared for one last stand. She knew she couldn't defeat him, but she wasn't about to let him win without a fight.