The heavens above Gabriel's Ladder were a battlefield of chaos and destruction. The once serene atmosphere was now a hellish stage of fire, blood, and glowing radiance. Xyenn, merged with Yuuna, soared through the air like a draconic harbinger of death, his jagged dark pink halo crackling with power, while the Lysfødt, a radiant and terrifying vessel of the First Dragon, moved with divine precision, her every action a testament to her overwhelming presence and power.
Yuuna's voice echoed in Xyenn's mind, calm but firm.
"She's stronger than you, Xyenn. Let me guide you."
"Yeah, no kidding!" Xyenn grunted as he twisted his torso to narrowly avoid a crystalline blade that stretched from the Lysfødt's arm. It sliced through the air where his chest had been just a moment ago.
"Listen to me! I'm not just here to chant spells and sit pretty in your body. You have to let me guide your movements. Don't get too reckless!"
"What are you saying?!"
Yuuna sighed in exasperation but focused, her presence merging more deeply with Xyenn's as he adjusted his grip on his four scythes.
Yuuna said, "The Light Born..The Lysfødt..vessels of the First Dragon Gabriel. They were his prized possession, his council, he treated them like children. And I've been around them. I can help you a little, but you HAVE to listen to me. Or else you'll die."
"Okay..okay."
'We're not as strong as before, since our bond is what made us strong. But we have to make do with what we have!' Xyenn thought.
Yuuna continued, "They're able to manifest here because of the First Dragon's essence becoming mana for the other dragon gods' power, to give to the people and beings of this world. The Light Born are tied to him, they are direct creations of him, he wanted them to be beautiful, and radiant, like he made the world in his eyes. Even with me, darkness, filling in a space here, he always said balance no matter good or evil is what makes perfection and beauty."
The Lysfødt hovered in place, her glowing wings spread wide as her crystalline arm morphed into a massive spiked claw. It extended toward Xyenn with terrifying speed, the jagged edges gleaming like shattered glass.
"—Don't block it! Move now!" Yuuna shouted in Xyenn's head.
Xyenn folded his wings and dropped like a meteor, narrowly avoiding the claw as it snapped shut where he had been. The Lysfødt's arm stretched further, the claw turning into a massive drill-like appendage that whirled toward him.
"Counter her reach!" Yuuna commanded.
"On it!"
He spun mid-air, twisting his body as his tail whipped upward. The spiked tip of his tail struck the Lysfødt's crystalline arm, cracking its structure. Before she could retract, Xyenn's four scythes swung in unison, severing the claw from her arm.
The Lysfødt let out a guttural, inhuman growl as radiant blood sprayed into the air. But she didn't flinch. Her severed arm reformed within seconds, reshaping into a massive serrated scythe of her own.
"She's adapting," Yuuna muttered. "But so can you, darling. Since you trained with Mertha, you've gotten stronger. We can do new shit. You can tap into my base power more, and it's even stronger. Just follow my lead!"
The Lysfødt flew at him, her scythe-arm sweeping in a wide arc. Xyenn twisted his body, his wings folding around him as he spiraled through the air. The scythe missed, but just barely, grazing his shoulder and tearing through his scales. Blood sprayed into the air, but Xyenn used the momentum to slash at her exposed side with two of his scythes.
The blades bit deep, carving into her radiant flesh. The Lysfødt retaliated by swinging her massive axe upward, catching Xyenn across his abdomen and nearly slicing him in half. He coughed up blood but managed to kick off her chest, creating distance between them.
"Xyenn!" Yuuna exclaimed.
Xyenn replied, "That damn thing in her forehead!"
The ruby embedded in the Lysfødt's forehead began to glow brighter, and Xyenn immediately averted his gaze.
"Don't look at her ruby! She'll crystallize you again!" Yuuna warned.
"Yeah, I remember the nosebleed massacre from thirty seconds ago!"
'If this is just us fighting a piece of the Lysfødt body, I can't even imagine how powerful she is…'
The Lysfødt raised her crystalline arm, which split into dozens of jagged chains, each tipped with a razor-sharp hook. The chains shot toward Xyenn, seeking to ensnare him.
"Use the crests! Now!" Yuuna yelled. "Stab yourself!"
"Stab myself?!"
"Do it! Trust me!"
Xyenn stabbed himself in the chest with one of his scythes, activating the flaming crests around him. The black and pink fiery circles materialized in the air, forming a chaotic ring around the battlefield. Xyenn darted through the crests at blinding speeds, teleporting from one to another to evade the incoming chains.
'This is one of the new abilities…seems Mertha was right for real..!'
The Lysfødt's chains pursued him relentlessly, twisting and turning mid-air to follow his movements. Xyenn darted through one crest, then another, leaving trails of black and pink flames in his wake.
"Now counter!" Yuuna shouted.
Xyenn reappeared directly behind the Lysfødt, his wings flaring out as he brought all four scythes down on her back. The blades tore through her radiant wings, severing one completely. The Lysfødt let out a piercing scream as she tumbled forward, blood spilling from the wound.
But she wasn't done. The ruby on her forehead pulsed, and Xyenn felt the familiar, searing pain as radiant jewels began to grow on his arms and legs.
"FUCK!" Xyenn roared, slashing at the crystals with his scythes to break them apart. Blood poured from his wounds as he tore the jewels from his flesh, but he managed to free himself.
"You can't keep looking at her, darling!" Yuuna snapped. "Please try..I don't want you dying, I barely know you."
"I have to see where she is!" Xyenn shot back. "She's fast, and if I'm trying to track her with my eyes, she'll use that stupid crystal shit."
"Keep following my lead, Xyenn. Just flow with me, with new abilities, I can guide your mind to doing them, but it's up to you to fully draw it out. Like this.."
Xyenn shot upward, his scythes spinning around him as he created the insanely large flaming star of black and pink energy. The star burned brightly, its edges crackling with destructive power.
'Another new ability!'
The Lysfødt's crystalline arm morphed again, this time into a massive bow. She pulled back on the string, which formed from radiant light, and fired a barrage of glowing arrows toward Xyenn.
He darted around the battlefield, weaving through the arrows as the star grew larger and larger.
"Launch it! Now!" Yuuna commanded. "Slash the star up!"
Xyenn slashed the star with all four scythes, sending dozens of flaming dark pink and black swords made out of dragon teeth hurtling toward the Lysfødt. The swords tore through the air, leaving trails of dark flames as they closed in on her.
The Lysfødt raised her axe, which expanded into a massive shield, blocking the first wave of swords. But the remaining blades struck her body, piercing through her crystalline arm and embedding themselves in her torso. Blood sprayed from the wounds, but the Lysfødt didn't falter.
She flapped her wings once, sending out a blinding burst of light that disintegrated the remaining swords.
"Let me take over," Yuuna said suddenly.
"What?!" Xyenn shouted. "You can do that?!"
"Just trust me! I can't do it for long. Only for a few seconds. Remember we're connected."
The Lysfødt, floating there, said, "Such a child, Xyenn. So lovestruck."
"Shut up!"
Xyenn hesitated but relented, letting Yuuna guide his movements. Her eyes appeared across his body, but multiple of them, glowing with an eerie pink light as she chanted in her alien language.
Xyenn's halo expanded, and seven massive fireballs materialized around him, swirling faster and faster. Yuuna's voice echoed in his mind, guiding him through the draconic dance.
Xyenn's movements became fluid and precise, his wings flaring as he spun through the air. The fireballs launched one by one, each aimed with deadly accuracy.
The Lysfødt dodged the first three, her movements graceful and swift, but the fourth struck her directly in the chest, blasting away part of her crystalline armor. The fifth and sixth fireballs followed, tearing through her remaining wing and shattering her axe.
The final fireball detonated against her torso, sending her spiraling downward in a trail of blood and light.
Yuuna broke from temporary control, "Damn, I thought I could go longer!"
"It's because of your lost memory of me. It has to be tied to our natural bond."
"Aghhhh! Not fair. Let's hurry and kill her so we can get my memories of you back. I feel so underpowered.."
The Lysfødt crashed into the ground below, but she wasn't finished. Her crystalline arm reformed into a massive spear, and she hurled it toward Xyenn with all her remaining strength.
Xyenn folded his wings and dove toward her, spinning like a drill as he dodged the spear by mere inches.
"End it!" Yuuna screamed.
Xyenn roared, his scythes glowing with dark flames as he swung all four blades at once. The Lysfødt raised her crystalline arm to block, but the scythes tore through it, severing her arm completely.
Blood sprayed into the air as Xyenn's strike carved through her torso, splitting her body in two.
Xyenn said, "We did it….?"
'That was too easy….it can't be…we won that fast? Was all that training really that broken? I gained two new abilities, unlocking more of Yuuna's arsenal of draconic magic, giving her base abilities twice as much power in this merged form…we can be unstoppable..'
Xyenn grinned when he thought that.
Yuuna said, "Xyenn…"
Xyenn happily said, "Yes, Yuuna?"
Xyenn panted, blood dripping from his mouth as he hovered in the air, his wings trembling from the exertion. His jagged dark pink halo crackled ominously, his four scythes burning with black, red, and pink flames. Below him, the battlefield was chaos—a swirling storm of flames, blood, and destruction. But his focus remained entirely on the Lysfødt.
"No way…I thought we killed her…:"
Fear crept into Xyenn's will, his body getting hot, his heart thumping—.
"Xyenn! Snap out of it! I can feel your fear... You get scared a lot, don't you?"
Xyenn remembered when he was truly scared, after fighting Haldrek, but when he killed those bandits, his first time taking a life, he was scared of himself for a quick second. That fear of becoming a monster like the gods he sought to kill. But every situation he's been in so far tested his morality and thoughts, testing his perseverance. And with Haldrek in his ear every second, it made it worse.
She floated before him, her radiant form flickering like a dying star. Her wings were shredded, her crystalline arm fractured, and her once-pristine white feathers were stained with shimmering blood that fell like molten silver.
The Lysfødt smiled, "Aww, your heart is thumping. You should've known this wouldn't be easy. As a radiant vessel of Gabriel, we are not to be underestimated. What is your answer? Will you kill this vessel of darkness? This child of the First Monarch? The demoness of hell?"
"How many times I gotta tell you bastards no? I won't."
"If you had a good relationship with your parents, you would—."
"Shut up. Don't mention them. Those fuckers sold me off because I was useless. It's hard for me to be brave because of the things I went through growing up. I get scared easily because of my past, I'm starting to be scared of myself, maybe I am turning into a monster, and with everything feeling like it's up to me, with all this weight on my shoulders, so much pressure on me, the way my past is bearing on my body, I think I might lose it. But I still hold on to what keeps me sane."
"Oooh, your bloodlust is flowing. Do you want to kill? You can't kill a piece of my body, so you can go berserk for me. Just so you can get more of a glimpse of the darkness that will proceed over this world if you do not act. When Gabriel brought in that demon Yuuna, I was tempted to betray him myself because of it. But he created us in radiance, in perfection. That's how he wanted the world. Even with darkness in the mix. I even thought he was choosing her over us. She's just a runaway child. You see she's not talking much to me. She's scared of us. Of me."
"She's not. She's not scared of anyone."
Yuuna didn't say anything.
The Lysfødt continued with a smug grin, "See? She can't talk much. She witnessed our power during the battle, she knows what I'm capable of, all of the Light Born. She doesn't compare to my true body. All of the other dragon gods in this world are scared of the Light Born. It's natural. We're remnants of Gabriel. And we aim to preserve the balance of this perfect world. With the Cycle of Rebirth, it's the only way. We need possession of Yuuna's heart, raise Gabriel, and you know what comes next."
'Is Yuuna really scared…? Now, I can feel her fear..why exactly is she scared of them?'
But then, the ruby on the Lysfødt's head pulsed brighter, and a horrifying transformation began.
The shattered fragments of her body began to glow, reassembling with a sickening crackle. Her crystalline arm reformed, jagged shards twisting and reshaping into something far more brutal: a massive bladed whip covered in serrated edges. The ruby embedded in her forehead expanded, growing into a crown of glowing red crystals that pulsed with an intense, otherworldly energy.
Her wings, once fragile and tattered, now burned with radiant white fire as they regrew. The sheer force of her power caused the air around her to distort, and the sky itself seemed to tremble.
"She's getting stronger," Yuuna said in Xyenn's mind, her tone sharp with urgency.
"She's annoying.." Xyenn growled, his claws tightening around his scythes. "Yuuna, are you.."
"…Yes. I am. If we face her at full power, she's too strong. We can't fight her true body."
Xyenn thought, 'Is that what it is..? She's scared of losing? Does she think her journey will end if the Light Born comes? I can even feel her heart thumping in my body..alongside mine.'
Xyenn gritted his teeth, his eyes narrowing as the Lysfødt let out a deafening, guttural cry that shook the heavens.
The Lysfødt's newly-formed bladed whip lashed out with terrifying speed, a blur of gleaming edges that screamed through the air. Xyenn barely managed to twist his body in time, the whip grazing his side and tearing through his dragon scales like paper. Blood sprayed from the wound, and the pain was immediate and searing.
"She's faster than before," Yuuna warned.
"Yeah, I noticed!" Xyenn growled, flapping his wings to gain altitude. "I have to keep up! And not make eye contact!"
'If I can attack and keep my eyes away from her when she uses that skill, I can land a good blow. But what will it take to kill her?!'
The Lysfødt didn't let up. The whip lashed out again, this time splitting into multiple tendrils mid-air, each one aiming for a vital part of Xyenn's body.
"Fold your wings and dive!" Yuuna commanded.
Xyenn obeyed without hesitation, folding his wings around himself and dropping like a meteor. The tendrils followed him, slicing through the air with deadly accuracy.
"Now!" Yuuna shouted.
Xyenn unfurled his wings at the last second, halting his descent and flipping upside-down. His tail lashed out like a whip, catching one of the tendrils and yanking it toward him. Before the Lysfødt could retract it, Xyenn slashed at the tendril with all four of his scythes, severing it completely.
The Lysfødt screamed in pain, radiant blood spraying from the severed tendril, but she retaliated immediately. Her crystalline arm morphed again, this time into a massive, jagged claw that extended toward Xyenn with brutal speed.
He darted to the side, narrowly avoiding the claw, but it caught his tail, snapping it with a sickening crunch. Xyenn roared in pain, blood pouring from the wound as he spun in the air, but he didn't let the injury slow him down.
The ruby crown on the Lysfødt's head began to glow brighter, and Xyenn immediately averted his gaze.
"Don't look at her! You know what happens!" Yuuna shouted.
But the Lysfødt was relentless. She flung her bladed whip upward, forcing Xyenn to block with two of his scythes. The collision sent a shockwave rippling through the air, the sheer force of it knocking Xyenn back several feet.
Before he could recover, the crystals on her crown began to shimmer, and dozens of radiant shards shot out in every direction like bullets.
"Shit!" Xyenn cursed, twisting and spinning through the air to avoid them. Despite his speed, several shards tore through his wings and shoulders, leaving deep, bloody wounds.
"She's forcing you to move erratically. Don't fall for it!" Yuuna warned.
Xyenn gritted his teeth, his mind racing. He flapped his wings hard, propelling himself toward the Lysfødt at high speed. She swung her whip at him, but he folded his wings around himself again, becoming a spiraling drill of black, red, and pink flames.
The whip struck his spinning form, but the flames burned through it, severing another section of the weapon. Xyenn burst forward, slamming into the Lysfødt with all his weight.
The impact sent her flying backward, but she retaliated instantly, her crystalline arm reshaping into a massive hammer. She swung it upward, catching Xyenn in the chest and sending him hurtling skyward.
Xyenn coughed up blood as he stabilized himself mid-air, his chest heaving from the pain. The Lysfødt was already closing in on him, her hammer raised for another strike.
"Activate the crests!" Yuuna yelled.
Xyenn stabbed himself in the chest with one of his scythes, summoning the flaming crests around him. The black and pink fiery circles materialized in the sky, surrounding the battlefield.
The Lysfødt swung her hammer at him, but Xyenn teleported through one of the crests, reappearing behind her. Before she could react, he slashed at her back with all four scythes, carving deep gashes into her flesh.
Blood sprayed into the air, but the Lysfødt spun around, her hammer morphing into a massive spiked flail. She swung it wildly, forcing Xyenn to teleport again.
The two continued their deadly game of cat and mouse, Xyenn teleporting through the crests while the Lysfødt lashed out with her ever-changing weapon. Both combatants were covered in blood, their movements growing more desperate with each passing second.
Yuuna thought, 'That's right. I am scared of that bitch. All of those Light Born. They always hated me, plotted against me. I witnessed firsthand how oeierfuk their true forms were. I don't even compare to them. What if they truly take me down? Using a youngling boy to even take me out? I've seen evil in Hell, that's right on the lines of what they're doing. Manipulating to kill. Heh. I wasn't so different, was I? I used powerless humans like Xyenn before to get stronger, and they died because of me. My mind is haunted by this Light Born, will they be the ones to make me pay for my own sins? I was a monster, but I'm trying to be better, something in me wants me to help people more. I now want to save humans from the oppression the dragon gods are putting them through. Why is that?'
It was when she saw Xyenn in action the first time they met. That was the very day she had decided she wanted to change. But since her memory of Xyenn was gone, she couldn't remember her own motivation.
'Now I feel it's my fault for the pressure on this boy. He's in love with me, but has to deal with the Lysfødt targeting his young nature and mind, to manipulate him. If I gave myself up to them, then he wouldn't go through this, right? I feel like I'm holding him hostage. I can't shake this horrible feeling…' Yuuna thought even more.
The Lysfødt's ruby crown pulsed again, and this time, Xyenn wasn't fast enough to avoid its curse. Radiant jewels began to grow on his arms and legs, piercing his flesh and locking his movements.
"Damn it!" Xyenn roared, slashing at the jewels with his scythes.
'I messed up! Again! I'm being reckless again! Focus, Xyenn!'
"Stop panicking, Xyenn!" Yuuna shouted. "Calm down!"
"Okay…okay…"
'Her voice…'
Xyenn gritted his teeth, using his remaining strength to tear the jewels from his body. Blood poured from the wounds, but he managed to free himself just as the Lysfødt closed in on him.
She raised her crystalline arm, now reshaped into a massive, jagged spear, and thrust it toward his heart.
Xyenn twisted his body at the last second, letting the spear graze his side. The pain was excruciating, but he retaliated immediately, slashing at her exposed side with all four scythes.
The blades bit deep, carving through her crystalline armor and sending radiant blood spraying into the air.
The sky around them was a hellish storm of flames, blood, and destruction.
The Lysfødt raised her axe, which had grown to an enormous size, and swung it downward with all her strength.
Xyenn crossed his scythes in front of him, blocking the strike, but the force of the blow sent him crashing into the ground below.
As he lay there, struggling to stand, Yuuna's voice echoed in his mind.
"This is it, Xyenn. One last push."
Xyenn growled, his claws digging into the ground as he forced himself to his feet.
"I hate this woman…"
He launched himself into the air, his wings flaring as he began to spin. His scythes glowed with black, red, and pink flames as he performed the draconic dance one final time.
The Lysfødt flew toward him, her crystalline arm reshaping into a massive blade. The two clashed in mid-air, their weapons colliding with a deafening roar.
Blood sprayed from both combatants as they landed blow after blow, each strike aimed to kill. The sky burned around them, the sheer intensity of their battle shaking the heavens.
The sky hung heavy with silence, an eerie calm settling over the battlefield. Blood and feathers floated like ash in the air, the shattered fragments of the heavens reflecting the destruction below. Xyenn, his body battered and his breath ragged, hovered unsteadily in the air, his wings barely keeping him aloft. Across from him, the Lysfødt floated, her radiant form flickering but far from defeated. Her glowing ruby crown pulsed ominously, her crystalline arm reforming into a jagged, brutal shape.
For a moment, it seemed as though the fight was over. The Lysfødt's glowing gaze locked onto Xyenn, her voice cold and sharp.
"This is getting annoying." The Lysfødt smiled.
With no warning, she darted forward at blinding speed. Before Xyenn could react, her crystalline fist smashed into his chest.
Xyenn's eyes widened as the world seemed to stop. The blow didn't hurt—not physically—but it felt as though something had been torn from him. His jagged halo cracked and shattered, and a sickening pulse of energy erupted from his chest as Yuuna's form was violently ripped from his body.
Yuuna was flung into the air, her body glowing with black and pink flames as she twisted mid-flight. She caught Xyenn before he could plummet to the ground, cradling his limp form with one arm.
Xyenn's head lolled against her shoulder, his eyes half-lidded and dazed. "Yuuna… what the hell…?" His voice was weak, barely audible.
Yuuna didn't respond. She shifted Xyenn onto her back, holding him securely with one hand as she turned her gaze toward the Lysfødt. Her expression was cold, her eyes burning with fury. Dark flames crackled around her fists as she clenched them tightly.
The Lysfødt smirked, her crystalline arm shifting back into a humanoid hand. Her fists glimmered with radiant jewels and jagged crystals as she raised them, ready for the next round. "The First Dragon's essence is in us as it is in the draconic mana flowing through this world, and the essence he pointed into Yuuna when he crafted this world. And as vessels, our power is beyond your imagination."
No words were exchanged. There was no need for them.
Xyenn said, "She punched me out of Yuuna…"
'This can't be happening…are they really that strong?'
Yuuna adjusted Xyenn on her back, her wings flaring wide as she launched herself toward the Lysfødt.
Yuuna said to the Lysfødt, "Come at me."
The Lysfødt chuckled, "Oh? With one hand? Don't want to hand him off to your Tyrants who're fighting for their li—."
"They'll survive. You're not the real body of the Lysfødt, I don't have to be scared right now. It'll just make this worse. Gotta push that stuff to the side for right now. No time to sit back and whine. I'm doing this for you, You've got too much on your plate." Yuuna looked at Xyenn.
Xyenn exclaimed, "Yuuna—."
"Shhh, I got this, darling." Yuuna smiled widely.
Yuuna's fist, blazing with black and pink flames, collided with the Lysfødt's jeweled knuckles. The impact created a deafening crack, and the sheer force of the blow sent shockwaves rippling through the air. Both women were sent skidding backward, but neither hesitated.
Yuuna darted forward again, her punches coming in rapid succession. Each strike was precise, aimed at vital points—her opponent's jaw, ribs, and throat. The Lysfødt blocked with her forearms, the crystal-covered surface absorbing the flaming blows, but even her radiant protection began to crack under the relentless assault.
The Lysfødt retaliated with a quick upward jab, her crystalline fist slamming into Yuuna's stomach. The blow lifted her off the ground, but Yuuna twisted mid-air, using the momentum to bring her flaming fist crashing down onto the Lysfødt's shoulder.
The Lysfødt staggered but recovered quickly, her jeweled knuckles flashing as she swung a brutal hook toward Yuuna's face. Yuuna ducked low, her wings folding tightly against her back as she spun and delivered a devastating elbow to the Lysfødt's ribs. The crack of breaking crystal echoed in the air, followed by a spray of radiant blood.
The fight became a blur of movement, both fighters moving with inhuman speed and precision. Yuuna's fists burned brighter with every attack, each strike leaving trails of black and pink flames in the air. The Lysfødt's jeweled fists glimmered with sharp edges, each punch threatening to tear through flesh and bone.
Yuuna swung a flaming uppercut, aiming for the Lysfødt's chin. The Lysfødt tilted her head just enough to avoid the blow, countering with a brutal knee to Yuuna's abdomen. The impact forced the air from her lungs, but Yuuna didn't falter. She grabbed the Lysfødt's leg mid-knee and twisted, flipping her opponent mid-air.
The Lysfødt rotated gracefully, landing on her feet with a sharp skid. She lunged forward immediately, her fists a blur as she unleashed a flurry of punches. Yuuna blocked with her forearms, the black and pink flames crackling as they absorbed the strikes. But the sheer force of the blows pushed her back, her boots scraping against the bloodstained sky.
Yuuna retaliated with a spinning backfist, the black flames trailing behind her knuckles like a comet. The blow connected with the side of the Lysfødt's head, sending her staggering to the side. Yuuna pressed the advantage, driving her flaming fist into the Lysfødt's stomach, then twisting upward into a brutal haymaker that shattered part of her crystalline jaw.
The Lysfødt spat radiant blood, her glowing eyes narrowing as she swung a sharp, jagged punch toward Yuuna's ribs. The blow connected, the crystals tearing through Yuuna's side and drawing a spray of dark blood. Yuuna gritted her teeth, ignoring the pain, and countered with a brutal knee to the Lysfødt's chest.
The Lysfødt was lifted off the ground, but she retaliated mid-air, bringing both of her fists down on Yuuna's back. The impact sent Yuuna crashing into the ground below, cracks spiderwebbing across the sky as if it were glass.
Before the Lysfødt could follow up, Yuuna exploded upward, her wings propelling her at breakneck speed. She slammed into the Lysfødt, her flaming fist driving into her opponent's abdomen and sending her flying backward.
Blood rained from both fighters as they clashed again, their fists moving too fast for the eye to follow. Each strike landed with devastating force, bones cracking and blood spraying with every hit.
Yuuna's face was smeared with blood, her breathing ragged, but her eyes blazed with unrelenting determination. The Lysfødt's body was battered and broken, shards of her crystalline armor falling away with each movement. But her jeweled fists still gleamed, each punch heavier and sharper than the last.
The two fighters charged at each other one final time, their fists colliding in a thunderous impact that shattered the air around them. The force of the blow sent both women skidding backward, blood pouring from their wounds.
Yuuna was the first to recover. She adjusted her grip on Xyenn, who still hung limply on her back, and darted forward with a final burst of speed. Her flaming fist struck the Lysfødt directly in the chest, the black and pink flames exploding outward in a burst of raw power.
The Lysfødt staggered, blood spilling from her mouth as cracks spread across her crystalline body. She swung one last punch, but Yuuna ducked low, driving her knee into the Lysfødt's stomach and following up with a brutal right hook to her jaw.
The Lysfødt's body shattered like glass, her radiant form disintegrating into the blood-soaked sky.
Yuuna hovered in the air, her chest heaving as she clutched Xyenn tightly. Blood dripped from her fists and stained her wings, but her expression was calm, resolute. She glanced down at Xyenn, who groaned weakly.
The air was thick with the scent of burning magic and blood, the battlefield below engulfed in silence. High above the structure, Yuuna floated with Xyenn cradled in one arm. Her wings, dark and expansive, beat gently against the sky, holding them aloft. The night was still, the stars above muted by the glow of Gabriel's Ladder far below.
Beneath them, the crystalline form of the Lysfødt fell slowly, descending like a broken star. Her once-imposing figure was shattered, the jagged edges of her crystalline body refracting the faint light like a dying beacon. Yet even in her defeat, her voice echoed—not from her shattered form, but from everywhere. It resonated in the air, in their bones, in the very essence of the world around them.
"Radiance…" The Lysfødt's voice was calm, serene, yet filled with an unrelenting power. It emanated from all directions, making it impossible to locate its true origin. "Radiance is the purity of existence. It is perfection, untainted by shadow, unmarred by doubt or despair. It is the light that burns away imperfection… the fire that cleanses the worlds of their decay."
Yuuna hovered in the air, her eyes narrowing as the words washed over her. Xyenn, bloodied and barely conscious, could only listen, his heartbeat thundering in his ears.
"To be radiant is to be whole," the Lysfødt continued, her voice soft yet commanding. "It is to live without fear, without hesitation. Radiance does not waver. It does not falter. It shines, eternal and unwavering. Darkness… darkness is the absence of radiance. It is the nothingness that festers in the hearts of the weak. It is chaos, despair, destruction. Darkness is the antithesis of beauty, and it has no place in a world meant to thrive."
Her voice grew sharper, more resolute. "You, Goddess of Darkness, are a parasite. You cling to that which you cannot understand, feeding on the fears and doubts of those who would otherwise bask in the light. You are the shadow that stains the brilliance of this world. And you, Xyenn…"
Yuuna's grip on Xyenn tightened as the Lysfødt addressed him directly.
"You are meant to be our vessel. You are the harbinger of balance… and yet you hesitate. You linger in indecision, caught between what must be done and what you *wish* to be true. We pity you, for you are lost. But know this: we will return. Stronger. Brighter. More radiant than you can comprehend. And when we do, you will see the truth. You will see that the only way to save this world is to kill the Goddess of Darkness…"
Her final words were softer, almost a whisper, yet they carried across the battlefield like a chilling wind.
"…Yuuna."
The voice trailed into silence, leaving only the faint hum of the Ladder far below.
On the ground, the remaining Tyrants leaned against one another, bloodied and battered, their breaths labored as they struggled to stay upright. The battle had taken everything from them—both physically and emotionally.
Mertha, her stoic expression unbroken despite the blood dripping down her temple, was the first to speak. Her voice was low, steady, but filled with conviction. "I told you… we wouldn't lose."
Gorran, his face grim and brooding, wiped the blood from his blade, Xenith, before leaning it against his leg. His breathing was heavy, his voice filled with quiet resolve. "This wasn't a victory," he said, his tone as sharp as his blade. "This was survival. And survival isn't enough."
Illyana knelt on the ground, her usually serene face pale and streaked with blood. Her hands trembled as she pressed them against her knees, her voice barely above a whisper. "If she returns… I don't know if we'll survive it next time."
Draeven was huddled against the wall, his eyes wide with fear. He clutched his staff tightly, his knuckles white, his voice shaking. "A Lysfødt…"
Kivorn sat beside him, his usual tired expression replaced by a grim seriousness. "Doesn't…matter what else is out there. We're alive. Barely, but alive. That's all that matters for now."
Zyphira, her dragon scale armor cracked and scorched, spat blood onto the ground. "Alive, sure. But for how long? If she comes back stronger, we're screwed. And you all know it."
Sethrak, for once, had no quips to offer. His normally smug demeanor was gone, replaced by a rare moment of silence as he stared at the glowing Ladder in the distance, he didn't say a word.
The group looked at one another, their exhaustion and injuries weighing heavily on them. For the first time, there was no laughter, no teasing, no bravado—only the shared understanding of how close they had come to death.
High above, Yuuna turned to Xyenn, her expression unreadable. Her dark wings kept them aloft, the wind whispering around them as the remnants of the battle faded into silence. She cupped his bloodied face with both hands, her golden eyes locking onto his.
"I want my memories of you back," she said softly, her voice trembling ever so slightly. "I don't know who you are to me… but I need to know. You're bearing so much weight for me. I feel as if I'm holding you hostage. I—."
Xyenn, his face pale and streaked with blood, stared into her eyes. He nodded, his voice quiet but firm. "Even when you had your memories of me, you probably thought this as well. I'm here on my own accord. If I wanted out, I would fuck off and you would never see me again. But I'm here. I made a promise to you that…you definitely don't remember B-BUT! I carry out my promises."
"That's sweet but I still can't shake these thoughts."
"We'll break you out of them. Even when you get your memories back."
Far away, yet somehow impossibly close, a figure floated in the air. That same old grizzly dirty man, that same old Prophet, his body thin and frail, his tattered robes fluttering in an unseen wind. His face was gaunt, messy dirty beard, his skin covered in dirt and grime, but his eyes were pits of endless black, tears of blood streaming down his cheeks.
The Prophet mumbled incoherently, his words flowing like a broken stream, their meaning fragmented but haunting.
"Shattered stars… the scales tilt… the black sun rises… nothing can hold it… the Ladder twists, the Ladder falls… light burns, but shadows linger…"
His voice grew louder, more coherent, as the blood dripped faster from his eyes.
"Fate… has changed."
As his final words echoed, a deep, resonant bell tolled across the land. The sound was impossibly loud, vibrating through the air, the ground, the very marrow of every living thing. The bell tolled again, slow and deliberate, its mournful sound carrying on the wind that began to blow fiercely across the battlefield.
The Tyrants, Xyenn, and Yuuna, still battered and leaning against one another, froze as the bell's sound reached them. None could see the Prophet, but the tolling bell filled them with an indescribable dread.
The wind howled as the bell tolled again and again, its slow, deliberate rhythm marking the end of something—and the beginning of something far worse.