As Zelda struggled to free her hand from Baal's grip, her efforts were in vain. The smirk on Baal's face only deepened, and Zelda felt a chill of dread crawl up her spine.
Something's wrong, Zelda thought with growing unease. She kept her eyes trained on Baal, looking for any sign of movement. But he remained relaxed, almost too calm, without any intention to attack.
Zelda's confusion deepened as she searched his face for any hint of his next move. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.
"Why aren't you attacking me?" Zelda asked, her voice trembling with uncertainty as she stared into Baal's eyes.
Baal's smirk widened into a full grin.
Before she could react, the source of her dread revealed itself. A cyborg-like figure appeared behind her, a wicked smile stretching across his face. His metallic sword gleamed with deadly sharpness as he approached, step by step.
Zelda's heart raced, panic setting in. I can't die now, not like this, she thought desperately. She tugged at her hand again, but it remained trapped in Baal's unyielding grasp.
Turning to face the approaching robotic emperor, Zelda knew her time was running out.
In a last-ditch effort, Zelda summoned ice needles and sent them flying toward Baal's eyes, but they shattered upon impact with his impenetrable aura.
"You don't think I'd fall for the same trick again, do you, Zelda?" Baal taunted.
Zelda ignored his mocking words. Her eyes gleamed with resolve, bloodlust stirring within her.
With a flash of her hand, Zelda conjured a sword made entirely of ice, condensing the surrounding elements into a solid, lustrous weapon. Without hesitation, she swung it at Baal.
Baal's surprise was evident, but his reflexes were swift, and he managed to block the attack. Before she could press the advantage, Baal grabbed Zelda's other hand, his grip tightening like a vice.
The air around them shifted, and Baal unleashed his full aura and domain, overpowering Zelda. She gasped for breath, the weight of his energy sapping her strength.
"Get rid of her now!" Baal shouted to the robotic emperor, his patience thinning. "What are you waiting for?"
The robotic emperor, seemingly unbothered by the urgency, smirked and shrugged. "You could have killed her by now. Why haven't you?"
Baal's eyes flashed crimson, the dangerous gleam in them sending a chill through the robotic emperor.
"I'm busy holding her down," Baal replied, his voice low and dangerous as his aura intensified.
The robotic emperor raised an eyebrow. "I know you can still—"
"Kill her now, or you'll regret it!" Baal's voice dropped to a menacing growl.
The robotic emperor swallowed, intimidated by the bloodlust in Baal's eyes. He hesitated, then glanced back toward the Cruz estate, a fleeting look of fear crossing his face. "He better be dead," he muttered under his breath. "Unless I want to regret this."
With a quick motion, the robotic emperor flashed toward Zelda, sword raised high.
Baal's smile grew wider, pleased by Zelda's predicament. But Zelda gritted her teeth in defiance, her thoughts darkening. I can't believe this is how I die... without even being able to fight back.
"This is the end," the robotic emperor declared as his sword swung toward Zelda's neck.
But just as the blade neared her, a frigid voice rang out.
"No, it's not."
Zelda's breath caught in relief as the newcomer's voice reached her ears. She recognized it instantly. Elsa.
The robotic emperor's eyes narrowed in irritation. He turned to face the intruder, but before he could react, Elsa vanished in a blur.
Fear gripped the robotic emperor. What's going on?
An explosion ripped through the air, and as the robotic emperor recovered from the blast, he turned to see Baal's wrist gone, shattered by an ice shard.
Zelda's voice was weak but filled with gratitude. "Thanks, Elsa."
Elsa's voice was cool and steady. "I couldn't just watch you die."
Zelda leaned on Elsa, her body battered and bloodied, while Elsa's presence began to heal her wounds.
"I'll finish this," Elsa said, her tone cold as she prepared for the next strike. Without another word, she vanished once again.
The robotic emperor, taken aback by the sudden turn of events, stood frozen for a moment. He cursed under his breath.
"Useless. Useless!" Baal muttered repeatedly in irritation.
Zelda and Elsa, however, were relentless. They attacked in perfect sync. Elsa lunged toward Baal, aiming a strike at his chest. Baal was quick to react, grabbing her arm and twisting it painfully, trying to pull her off balance.
But Zelda was already behind him, swinging a massive mace at his head. Boom! The force of the blow rattled Baal's skull, disorienting him momentarily. His grip on Elsa loosened, and she quickly summoned a mace of her own, smashing it down toward Baal's head, further shaking him.
Elsa, sensing the moment was right, swapped her mace for a sword and swung it toward Baal's neck, aiming to end the battle.
But Baal's eyes snapped back into focus just in time. He grabbed the sword mid-swing and yanked Zelda toward him, intent on smashing her face with his free hand.
Elsa, however, dissolved her sword and retreated, reappearing beside Zelda.
"I could've killed him," Elsa said, her voice tinged with frustration.
"Killing a saint isn't that easy," Zelda replied through labored breaths. "I can defeat a regular saint, but I could never kill one."
Elsa's concern deepened as she noticed Zelda's weakening state. "Zelda, are you okay?" she asked, worry lacing her voice.
Zelda waved her hand dismissively, though it was clear she was hiding her exhaustion. "I'm just a little tired. It's nothing."
But Elsa wasn't fooled. The temperature around her dropped, and her eyes grew colder as she silently observed Zelda's condition.
Baal, still reeling from the loss of his sword, struggled to regain his balance. His eyes locked onto the two women, both a threat to his plans.
He telepathically communicated with the robotic emperor. "Get over here and let's finish one of them off."
The robotic emperor, still stunned by Baal's hesitation, muttered to himself. He's up to something. He could've gotten rid of Zelda a hundred times by now, but it's like he's afraid to kill her.