The dull ache in my body returned with a vengeance as I slowly stirred back to consciousness. The soft glow of the infirmary lamps greeted me once again, but this time, the buzz of the tournament's final round loomed over me like a storm cloud. I blinked a few times, trying to piece together where I was and what had happened. My head pounded, my body felt like it had been run through a gauntlet, and when I attempted to sit up, a sharp pain stabbed through my ribs.
"You're awake," Sera's voice cut through the haze. I turned my head to see her seated nearby, her usual confident demeanor muted by worry. Her golden hair was slightly disheveled, and her sapphire eyes were clouded with unease. Despite the chaos surrounding us, she still managed to keep her composure. "It's the finals," she said softly. "They're about to start."
The words hit me like a hammer. Finals. Already? I tried to push myself up, gritting my teeth against the pain. "Slow down," Sera said, moving to support me. "You're still injured."
"We don't have time to slow down," I replied, my voice strained but resolute. "We've come too far to stop now." She studied me for a moment, her expression torn between worry and determination. Finally, she sighed and helped me to my feet. "You're impossible," she muttered, shaking her head. As we left the infirmary, the roaring cheers of the crowd outside grew louder. The anticipation in the air was electric, every step toward the arena amplifying the pressure on my shoulders.
Before stepping into the arena, I glanced toward the stands. My heart skipped a beat when I spotted her again—the psycho girl. Her intense gaze was locked on me, but it was different this time. The wild, sadistic grin from before had been replaced with something… softer, yet far more unnerving. Admiration? Desire? I shuddered, turning away from her unsettling stare. "Still watching you," Sera muttered under her breath, following my gaze. "Creepy." "Let's just focus on the fight," I said, shaking off the unease and stepping into the blinding light of the arena.
The crowd erupted as we entered, their cheers echoing across the massive coliseum. The announcer's voice boomed above the noise."
"Ladies and gentlemen, it's time for the FINAL MATCH of this year's tournament!" The deafening roar was almost enough to drown out the announcer's words as he continued.
"On one side, we have the unstoppable duo—Noctis and Sera, who have defied all odds to reach this point!" The cheers grew louder, but I barely heard them over the pounding in my chest. "And on the other side, the champion of House Malvorth… Adrian Velar!"
Our opponent emerged from the shadows, his imposing figure cloaked in black and crimson armor. His weapon of choice—a massive halberd—gleamed in the sunlight, its jagged edges dripping with dark energy. Adrian's expression was cold and calculating, his sharp features framed by silver hair that shimmered like metal.
The air grew thick with tension as the announcer's voice rang out: "Let the final battle… BEGIN!" Adrian didn't hesitate. He lunged forward, his halberd slicing through the air with terrifying speed. I raised my blade to block, but the force of his attack sent me staggering back. My ribs screamed in protest, and I bit down a cry of pain. Sera darted in to cover me, her twin blades flashing as she engaged Adrian in a flurry of strikes. But he was relentless, deflecting her attacks with ease. "You're out of your depth," Adrian sneered, his voice cold and cutting. "Just give up."
The battle raged on, the clash of steel echoing across the arena. Every strike from Adrian felt like a thunderclap, his immense strength battering us down bit by bit. Sera fought valiantly, her movements precise and calculated. But even she struggled against Adrian's overwhelming power.
And then it happened.
I saw the blow coming too late. Adrian's halberd arced toward me, a blur of black and crimson. I tried to dodge, but my injured body was too slow. The weapon struck me with brutal force, sending me crashing to the ground. Blood pooled beneath me, the metallic tang filling my senses as darkness threatened to pull me under. "Noctis!" Sera's voice was distant, muffled by the roar of the crowd. Sera stumbled to my side, her hands trembling as she knelt beside me. "Noctis…" Her voice cracked, the sight of me broken and bleeding shattering her composure. Tears welled in her eyes, but they didn't fall. Instead, something shifted in her. A dark, fiery aura erupted around her, crimson and black tendrils spiraling from her body. The crowd fell silent, their cheers replaced by murmurs of confusion and awe. Sera's sapphire eyes glowed with an intense red hue as a long, sinuous tail burst from her back, its black and crimson scales shimmering in the light. Her aura radiated raw power, a mixture of fury and anguish that was almost tangible. "I won't let you hurt him again," she growled, her voice low and venomous. Adrian smirked, amused by her transformation. "Interesting. Let's see what you've got."
Sera rose to her feet, her twin blades now glowing with crimson energy. She moved faster than I'd ever seen, her strikes a blur as she unleashed her fury on Adrian. "Crimson Nova!" she shouted, a wave of red energy exploding from her blades and forcing Adrian back. He retaliated, his halberd cutting through the air with deadly precision. But Sera was relentless, her movements fueled by a combination of rage and desperation.
"Obsidian Vortex!" she cried, summoning a swirling storm of black and crimson tendrils that lashed out at Adrian, tearing into his armor and drawing blood. Adrian faltered, his once-confident demeanor replaced by grim determination.
The battle grew more grotesque with each passing moment. Blood spattered across the arena as Sera and Adrian clashed, their attacks growing more brutal and desperate.
Adrian landed a glancing blow on Sera's shoulder, the wound deep but not enough to stop her. She retaliated with a devastating strike, her blades cutting deep into his side.
The crowd watched in stunned silence as the two warriors tore into each other, their movements a blur of violence and power.
Sera's breathing was ragged, her body trembling from exhaustion. Adrian was equally battered, his armor dented and bloodied. But Sera wasn't finished. With a primal scream, she raised her blades, their crimson energy blazing brighter than ever.
"Crimson Judgment!" She brought her weapons down in a devastating arc, the energy erupting in a blinding explosion that sent Adrian flying across the arena. When the dust settled, Adrian lay motionless on the ground, his halberd shattered beside him.
The announcer's voice trembled as he declared the match over. "Sera and Noctis… are the winners!" The crowd erupted into cheers, but Sera barely heard them. She dropped her blades, stumbling toward me as the crimson aura around her began to fade. She collapsed beside me, her tail vanishing as her body gave out from exhaustion. The last thing I saw before darkness claimed me was her tear-streaked face, her lips forming the words, "I'm sorry…"
And then, nothing.