Severine

The city hummed with an eerie silence, the remnants of a once-thriving city, towering glass, and steel collapsed into heaps of rubble. Sunlight filtered through the dust, illuminating fragments of a surreal landscape: half-collapsed skyscrapers loomed like broken teeth, while the ground below was littered with shards of glass that glinted maliciously in the fading light. Between the skyscrapers were narrow streets littered with remnants of a society gone mad. It was here, amidst the rubble, that the Society of Heroes faced their most formidable foe. But today, the stakes were higher than mere combat. The very fabric of their existence was at risk, threatened by a goddess who wielded death in the form of a thousand blades.

Atop the roof of a collapsed building, three figures gathered, each one powerful enough to show the emergency at hand. They leaped from building to building, watching the floor beneath them crumble from the long-lasting damage which was caused by the aftermath of Nanashi. The closer they approached the anomaly, the thicker the air became with tension. The ground beneath them seemed to tremble with fear as they stopped in their tracks.

They were the last line of defense against the anomaly who was identified to be Severine, a goddess whose mastery over swords and chaos allowed her to become the second classified world threat.

Ren : “Kill her. Rip her bodies to shreds.” Ren's voice was low and fierce, her grip tightening around the hilt of her sword. She could feel the weight of the destruction around her, the ghosts of the past urging her to keep pushing forward. Shizuki's eyes narrowed, scanning the vicinity.

Shizuki : “I didn’t plan on going easy on her” The air around them began to chill, tiny ice crystals flickering ominously to life, swirling at her fingertips. The air mingled with her breath, creating a misty cloud that trailed behind her. Little snowflakes fell from the sky signaling an approaching winter as well.

Rayn’s hands glowed as a series of swords manifested around her. “Whatever she throws at us, I’ll just counter it with my own weapons,” Rayn said, juggling the blades in a quick succession, the light shimmering and glistening from the swords like fading stars.

And then, in a blinding light, Severine stood atop the rubble on the ground. The embodiment of beauty and terror, she glanced up behind her towards the heroes standing on the building, her figure framed by a halo of hovering swords, each one pulsing with a menacing glow, ready to strike at a moment’s notice and gleamed with deadly intent.

Severine : "You filthy mongrels dare to look down at me? At the very least, I should be the one looking down on you" Her voice was a melodic taunt, echoing through the ruins like the chime of a distant bell. A single sword of hers tilted towards the heroes before blitzing towards them, piercing through the building and several more before an explosion occurred in the main city. The screams and wails of misery from afar filled the air with fear as the heroes fell from the building.

As Ren fell, she slammed her shoes against the side of the collapsing building, the soles of her shoe melting off in order to slow her speed down and minimize the impact, her confidence unwavering despite the odds. “We’re not bugs that you think can be crushed with ease” Ren’s voice pierced through the sound of the debris smashing onto the ground.

Severine laughed, her voice light but brimming with danger. In an instant, she summoned her blades, each one slicing through the air at blinding speed, blitzing towards the heroes like a deadly storm. With a flick of her wrist, Severine unleashed her swords. They darted toward them like bullets in a frenzy, repositioning and rearranging at impossible speeds. The wind surrounding the blades erupted into deadly gales which gnawed away at the half-destroyed building, leaving behind almost no space to latch onto.

Rayn conjured up a few daggers before quickly hurling them at Severine with quick succession. Despite none of them hitting her, they exploded one by one into a sort of smoke screen as Rayn descended down, conjuring an exoskeleton to steady her fall. Her hair flared wildly from the wind before she crashed onto the ground, sending shockwaves throughout the entire area which caused a small crater to form beneath the impact.

Severine : “It’s futile, no matter what you mortals try it won’t wor—“ before the smoke could clear up, a figure dashed through the smoke towards her. And before she could react she felt a clink against the roof of her mouth. It was a sniper, pointing straight into her mouth.

Amidst that singular moment, Rayn created a special type of sniper, and thanks to the smoke screen, she was able to carefully reach Severine. A sharp, booming noise filled the silent battlefield when she pulled the trigger, the sound reverberating within Severine’s mouth as smoke emerged from her mouth.

Rayn : “Are all gods like this?” Rayn snickered as she leaped backwards. She threw the sniper aside before conjuring a minigun with ammo specially made for a situation like this. The gun whirled slowly before firing a barrage of bullets into the smoke.

At the same time, Shizuki created a dragon made out of ice to catch her mid-fall. The dragon soared into the air before dipping straight down towards Severine, its teeth wide open to bite its prey. The temperature dropped tremendously as ice particles formed around Severine which transformed into icy daggers that penetrated her from all sides within the smoke. With an explosive roar, the dragon shifted it’s wings violently against the air, launching forward, mouth agape. The dragon’s icy breath blasted forth like a snowstorm, aimed straight at Severine, who merely laughed.

Ren, with a large huff, straightened her posture into a jumping stance before exerting all of her strength into her feet. Her body was sent flying towards Severine as the glass of the building shattered behind her from the force of the jump. Her sword clinked constantly inside its sheathe waiting the perfect time to reveal itself.

As the smoke cleared, Severine reappears unscathed despite the effort the heroes put in. However, just then, Ren slams into the ground, the splashing mud blinding Severine temporarily before Ren slips past her, drawing her sword quickly. Ren’s sword as if a spur of light, slashed towards Severine only for her weapon to be caught with just two fingers. Severine grabbed her sword before sending her body straight into an abandoned building with just physical strength, the sound of her crashing into the building blaring into Severine’s ears.

In that moment of distraction, the dragon lunged at Severine, jaws wide, attempting to swallow the goddess whole. With a flick of her wrist, Severine caught the dragon in mid-strike, gripping the creature's jaw effortlessly in one delicate hand. Even the dragon roared in alarm, buckling as the goddess toyed with its might.

Severine : “Your dragon is beautiful,” Severine mused, her voice laced with a mocking sweetness, “but nothing more than a pet.” using her free hand, Severine completely decimates the dragon, sending a gust of wind with just a slap of her hand. Due to the strong wind, Shizuki along with the ice fragments of the shattered dragon were sent flying as the fragments grazed and cut against her skin. However, that wasn’t the end of her assault as Severine’s swords devastatingly rushed towards Shizuki with an incomprehensible speed.

Shizuki : “ICE PALACE!” Shizuki shouted, and a wall of ice erupted from the ground, encasing the swords in a glacial prison just feet from her. The clash of steel against ice sent reverberations through the air. Shizuki, preparing to freeze the blades mid-flight, watched helplessly as the goddess manipulated her weapons with ease.

Shizuki focused, combining her ice and Ren’s power into a singular force. A massive wave of frost surged forward, sweeping up the debris, creating an icy assault aimed directly at Severine. Caught by surprise, Severine was unable to evade the combined assault. The rubble and ice slammed into her, a cracking of sound erupting as the goddess was engulfed. For a moment, silence enveloped the ruins, broken only by the steady rhythm of their hearts. Severine broke free with ease as she stared at the heroes.

Rayn : “Nice save!” Rayn called, her arms rapidly creating an array of energy shields around them. “Let’s build up some offense.” She molded her energy into a massive gun. “I’ll keep her distracted while you—”

Ren : “I won’t let you keep destroying what people have fought for!” Ren charged again, her sword raised, the ground trembling beneath her might. In an act of defiance, she executed an earth-shattering slash, targeting the very building Severine seemed to hover below. The ancient structure trembled before collapsing in a wave of rubble toward the goddess.

But Ren wouldn’t relent. Ren charged once more, her sword raised high, fueled by abnormal power. With a single swing, she sliced through the storm of swords, propelling herself straight at Severine. The goddess barely had time to react as Ren closed the distance, the air around her charged with raw power.

But Severine was quick, effortlessly shifting her configuration of swords in response. “Still naive,” Severine grinned, a flick of her wrist sending three blades spiraling directly into Ren’s path. In an instant, they were upon her.

Ren pounded the ground, creating a crater that shattered the earth’s crust, which forced the blades to veer off course. With pure determination, she surged forward into the heart of the storm, shielded by the rubble and debris around her.

Ren barely had time to recover when another sword careened towards her, this one spinning like a whirlwind. She ducked, feeling the rush of wind against her back as she maneuvered through the onslaught. The sword sliced into the rubble behind her, sending shards of concrete flying.

In a flash of reflexes honed from years of battle, Ren spun gracefully, the momentum sending her sword whirling around her form; she deflected the blades with ease. Shizuki followed, stepping through the ruins, her icy magic forming a crown of frost around her, the ground beneath her feet crackling. However, the never-ending barrages of swords riddled Ren’s body with injuries, sending her tumbling. She was flipped upside, much like her world. Her vision blurred, her ears blocking out any sounds except the sound of her breathing. Yet, the only thing she thought about was Rei, the memories flooding in as if she was on the verge of death.

Ren : “Can I… still catch up to you, Rei…?” As if it was figment of her imagination, a ghostly yet human figure stood behind her. It’s hand stretched out, pushing Ren’s back as if urging her on and giving her encouragement. Ren’s eyes widen as if she could notice the subtle smile peering from the ghostly face. She knew all too well who this figure could be and she couldn’t help but smile as time seemed to slow down.

Using the rotational force of her body, Ren landed safely. The sword she once unsheathe laid sheathe on the ground. She picked it up, steadying herself as she ventured onward onto a path she considered to be her last, valiant effort. Her body felt like it was on fire, her eyes burnt, her arms heavy as if a weight pressed down against her, however even through all of that, the ghostly figure remained, it’s hands grasping the sword Ren wielded. And with one final push, Ren lifted her sword up before letting down a bloodcurdling scream as she slashed down at the ground.

Ren : HRAGHHHHHH!

The energy surged within her sword, as it exploded haphazardly, destroying miles and miles of buildings and untouched ruins. The slash engraved itself into the world, splitting apart the city in one fell swoop. The desolate battlefield now became an empty wasteland with only rocks in sight. As the blinding lights of the energy dimmed, Ren collapsed onto the ground. Her body torn apart from the aftermath and recoil of an attack that far surpassed what she was capable of. Every wound and injuries spewed out blood and her eyes turned bloodshot red as she cried tears of blood.

Ren : I-It burns… my insides… Ren huffed, drenched in sweat but unyielding. she gritted her teeth, holding back the pain to ensure the situation was finally solved, but she couldn’t help but close her eyes for a brief moment. Shizuki on the other hand rushed towards Ren frantically, ice forming beneath her boots to glide her down the rubble. She landed with a thud, skidding to a halt in the empty wasteland, her eyes scanning, heart pounding. However, when Shizuki tried to touch her, her hand flinch instinctively from the burning sensation spreading across her body.

Shizuki : “I’ll try to cool you down as quick as I can!” as she began to cancel out the heat with her own powers, she breathed a sigh of relief as she glanced towards the aftermath of the battle. Only to see a figure floating upwards from the fissure caused by the slash. Shizuki’s eyes widen and her lips quivered as she made direct contact with Severine. She gulped loudly before her determination began to return to her.

Severine : “You should’ve devised a plan to kill me outright. Don’t tell me that’s all you can do.” Severine, raised her left arm towards the heroes only for her arm to crumble into pieces. She glanced over at her missing arm before letting out a chuckle. In that moment, she created another arm made out of an unknown metal.

Severine : “What good is breaking one arm going to do? I’m still alive and my power output hasn’t decreased in the slightest” She stared at the blood dripping down her face before gazing at the heroes. With a flick of her hand, dozens of swords were let loose, looming over the heroes as they flew menacingly at them.

Severine : “It’s commendable that you made it this far, but that’s as far as you will go.” dozens more swords poured out of the fissure, creating an art piece of graceful swordplay, yet showed a cruel and vicious side where only the strongest survive.

At that very moment, as the swords dove straight for Shizuki and Ren, Rayn slid into the crossfire, sending barrages of her own swords, colliding with Severine’s swords. Rayn’s swords broke almost instantly, but she did not yield, instead she called forth a rain of swords of her own instead, even faster than Severine. The swords clashed against each other, sending waves of sparks one after another across the desolate field. Rayn unleashed a volley of swords, but Severine reacted like lightning. With a mere thought, Severine directed her swords, intercepting Rayn's projectiles mid-flight, spinning and colliding in a shower of sparks and energy that lit up the fallen city.

However, two swords blitzed past Rayn’s perception, catching her off guard and without any sort of warning, the last thing she felt were her arms being ripped apart and watching her limbs flailing into the air. Her arms now in the air were mutilated ruthlessly by the swords like a pack of hungry hounds fighting over food.

Severine : “You can’t conjure anything up without your arms now, can you?” Severine appeared in front of Rayn as she grasped her neck firmly, cutting off her air supply. It was a one-sided beat down. It was anything other than fair, a battle with a predetermined outcome, or so she thought.

Rayn : “Did you jump to the conclusion that I can only summon things from my hands?” she let out a snicker before opening her mouth. She stuck out her tongue where a miniaturized sword laid on top of her tongue. And before Severine could even react, Rayn had already chanted the words.

Rayn : “Extend.” a simple yet crucial phrase as the sword on her tongue extended as quick as light. The sword pierced the sky in the heartbeat, the clouds separating as it continued to extend, and despite Severine’s attempt to dodge, her right eye was slashed straight down the middle. However with such an attack, it costed a similar price in return. The sword which extended into the heavens had also blown off the right side of her face, leaving behind a gruesome and deformed figure.

Rayn : “Don’t falter!” Rayn yelled, Her voice cracked, her eyes lighting up with a desperate idea. She concentrated, crafting energy shields before her allies as if it was her last ditch effort. “Protect yourselves!” Steel clashed against synthetic shields, the impact sending sparks into the chaos.

Severine who was enraged sent down the bombardment of swords, each one penetrating and piercing a certain organ. As Rayn’s body slumped back, the barrage did not stop, rather it quickened as her intestines and lungs splattered onto the ground leaving behind a bloody dance caused by the symphony of swords, painting the rubble around her crimson red.

As the goddess sauntered over towards the remain heroes, Ren dug her fingers into the ground, her nails chipping away and breaking off as the taste of blood touched her lips. Ren lunged forward, sword raised high as she charged through the hailstorm of metal. Her strength propelled her through, deflecting the nearest swords as she closed the gap to Severine. However just as she was about to attack Severine, her sword clashed against another, sending Ren backwards as her sword bounced back from the recoil. Ren charged once more, however her legs gave out momentarily as she felt her eyes grow heavy. Ren was truly, absolutely and utterly powerless in the face of imminent death.

𝚁𝚎𝚗’𝚜 𝙸𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚗𝚊𝚕 𝙼𝚘𝚗𝚘𝚕𝚘𝚐𝚞𝚎 : 𝚂𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚒𝚜 𝚖𝚢 𝚕𝚒𝚖𝚒𝚝… 𝙸 𝚌𝚊𝚗’𝚝 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝚏𝚊𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚖 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚘𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚒𝚝. 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚞𝚖𝚖𝚒𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍 𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚘𝚘 𝚑𝚒𝚐𝚑 𝚞𝚙. The light in her eyes dimmed for a moment, all the effort she put in felt insignificant in front of overwhelming strength. Everything she experienced up until now felt meaningless. The purpose she once had was no longer sparking her heart anymore… until her mind wandered towards Rei, what would she think if she gave up. She gritted her teeth together, the sound of them grinding against each other filling the silence as she slammed her foot into the ground, pushing her body towards Severine once more before swinging her sword at Severine only to be blocked once again.

Ren : “If I don’t bet my life here, everything will become meaningless!” Ren attempted to push her body beyond its natural limit despite already reaching that limit moments ago, however even as the blades slashed into her and cut her body into pieces, she continued to move forward. An unwavering spirit even in the face of imminent death was just born.

𝚂𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚎’𝚜 𝙸𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚗𝚊𝚕 𝙼𝚘𝚗𝚘𝚕𝚘𝚐𝚞𝚎 : “𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚕𝚢 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚒𝚗𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚋𝚕𝚎. 𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚘𝚗 𝙸 𝚏𝚎𝚕𝚕 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚎𝚜𝚒𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚕𝚊𝚢 𝚢𝚘𝚞, 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚐𝚘𝚘𝚍.“ For the first time in forever, Severine grasped one of the floating swords, charging at Ren. Excitement ran through her spine for the first time as a smile illogically formed on her face. “𝙷𝚘𝚠𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛… 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚒𝚍𝚜𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝, 𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚛𝚢𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚎𝚟𝚊𝚍𝚎, 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚊𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚍 𝚖𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚏𝚞𝚕𝚕 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚍𝚎𝚏𝚎𝚊𝚝 𝚖𝚎.“

As Ren continued to clash against Severine, cuts and slashes appeared all over her body. The burning sensations of her old wounds lingered on and resurfaced as the sound of swords striking against each other filled the air. The ground beneath the both them crumbled and cracked against the aura they exuded.

Severine : “How boring. You had my blood running for such a lackluster performance.” She lifted her sword into the air before letting down a swift cut only to stop midway thanks to the sound of metal reverberating against the ground behind her. Severine kicked Ren in the face, sending her tumbling as she turned around to face the mysterious person.

Severine : “Is this the reason why you risked everything to break my arm? You placed your faith in this inferior creature?” she let out a haughty laugh that echoed across the battlefield. She couldn’t help but give a disturbing and ominous smile, the excitement etched across her face.

Severine : “Looking at you, I’d never guess you’re a hero.” Severine dropped her sword as she sauntered towards the figure. The air around her cracked with tension as swords loomed around Severine. And then she found herself staring down the figure that stood in front of her.

Astoria : “My reason to become a hero… isn’t as noble as the heroes you fought.” her weapon shook uncontrollably on her back as she plopped her weapon’s case on the ground, making a loud thud sound. ”Becoming a hero was something I had to do to achieve my goal… of revenge.”

Severine : “Quite laughable for the strongest hero.” Before Severine could even react, she was hit with a cataclysmic punch to the jaw that made her head spin momentarily. Severine reacted back as she exchanged blows with Astoria. Blow for blow, the two engaged, fists colliding with a force that shook the very ground beneath them. Astoria attempted to throw another devastating punch, but in a cruel twist of fate, Severine's hand snatched her face mid-strike, fingers digging into her skin, an unforgiving grip of divine strength. Severine ascended into the air before descending downwards towards the rubble at light speed. The impact was cataclysmic; Astoria slammed against the rubble, a shockwave radiating outward from her point of contact. As dust and debris enveloped her, Severine used that same grip to drag Astoria's face across the spiky land, a humiliating display of raw power that made the earth tremble. The debris exploded around them as she felt her face dragged across the coarse terrain, each jagged rock stabbing into her body. The sensation was agony, pain erupting through Astoria’s senses, but Astoria forced herself to focus.

With a sudden jerk, Severine flung Astoria with all her strength, sending her soaring across the remnants of the battlefield. Time seemed to slow as Astoria soared through the air, her mind racing to piece together a strategy in the very instant. Gritting her teeth in determination, she plunged her great sword into the ground. The blade sunk deep, the impact slowing her descent ever so slightly, allowing her to manage what could have been a disastrous collision.

As the blades flew at her, she activated her greatest gambit. In one fluid motion, she transformed her weapon back into a gun and fired another round, aiming not at Severine but straight below her. The special munitions erupted against the ground, creating a massive plume of smoke and debris. The explosion sent Astoria soaring upward, propelled by the shockwave, standing firm even as everything around her threatened to collapse. As she ascended, she aimed the sword, focusing on the radiance of the goddess, her eyes locked onto Severine’s figure retreating higher into the clouds.

Astoria hurled the great sword with every ounce of her might she could muster. The blade spiraled through the sky, a streak of silver against the backdrop of stormy clouds, and it moved with a speed that rivaled the very swords the goddess controlled. Severine turned, her eyes wide with surprise as she saw the weapon hurtling towards her, defying both physics and fate. The great sword flew like a shining comet swinging through the sky, its intention clear: to hunt down its enemy.

Severine : "You think that piece of scrap metal can harm me?!” She raised her arm to block the incoming attack with her own swords only for a bone-chilling sensation to go down her spine. A giant hand made out of ice emerged from the ground, grabbing ahold of Severine. She swiftly broke out of the shackles, but to no avail as the great sword slashed her torso, sending her falling towards the ground.

As Severine fell, she sent forward dozens of swords towards Shizuki in a fit of rage. Shizuki conjured barriers of ice as quickly as she could, but they shattered like glass before the relentless assault. Shizuki dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding one sword that shot past her shoulder, barely grazing her skin. With eyes freezing, Shizuki unleashed a barrage of icy spears that shot toward Severine like shooting stars. The goddess deflected them with a wave of her hand, dissolving the projectiles into harmless flakes. Laughter echoed through the air. Shizuki extended her arms, freezing the trailing swords while channeling her magic into the ground beneath Severine. The frost spread like wildfire, snaking toward the goddess who momentarily stopped.

Shizuki : “Watch your step, won’t you?” she called out, creating a spiraling storm of ice that shot towards Severine. But the goddess was ready, propelling herself upward on a wave of swords, floating momentarily with grace.

Rain and snow descended down upon the lonely and broken world as numerous heroes entered the battlefield staring into the depths of chaos that awaited them. Severine stared at the now hero-infested battlefield, surrounding her completely. Was it merely an action based on a whim or was her anger boiling at the thought that mere humans were going against her?

Severine : “Arrogant fools who don’t know their place.” The air sparked around her as the wind around the heroes gradually began to change. Magic flowed around her like a magnet pulling in objects.

Severine : “All of you, come at me all at once, you trash heroes.” for a brief moment, she thought long and hard as she stared at the cloudy sky. Leaves shifting in the air as the wind spun around her. ‘Was it truly worth it?’ The thought stuck in the back of her head, constant bloodshed was around her and she was tired of fighting; fighting for the future of someone who couldn’t care less about her. Every person’s life had some sort of value, but what about her’s? Was her purpose simply to slaughter her enemies like a machine? In the end, she was living for the convenience of someone else, fighting for them instead of aside them. She watched the heroes without warning dashed towards her without fear, as if their death was meaningless to them.

The scene reminded her of a distant past where she followed in someone’s footsteps and fought side by side with them regardless of death. But… times has changed, time does not wait for anyone. It’s a cruel fate that twists the lives of others and sends them along the path with each step inching closer to death. Severine closed her eyes as a genuine smile graced her lips. The least she could do was give them the upmost respect she could with her strongest attack, and… that’s exactly what she did.

Severine : ”𝙈𝙄𝙉𝙀 𝙄𝙎 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙈𝙊𝙎𝙏 𝙎𝙐𝙋𝙍𝙀𝙈𝙀 𝘼𝙉𝘿 𝙉𝙊𝘽𝙇𝙀 𝙁𝙊𝙍𝙈. 𝙇𝙀𝙏 𝙋𝙊𝙒𝙀𝙍 𝙊𝙑𝙀𝙍 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙍𝙀𝘼𝙇𝙈 𝘽𝙀 𝙑𝙀𝙎𝙏𝙀𝘿 𝙒𝙄𝙏𝙃𝙄𝙉 𝙈𝙀.” the ground trembled as it cracked from the increasing pressure. ”𝙄𝙉 𝙏𝙃𝙄𝙎 𝙁𝙊𝙍𝙈 𝙎𝙃𝘼𝙇𝙇 𝙄 𝙍𝙀𝙈𝙊𝙑𝙀 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙁𝙄𝙇𝙏𝙃 𝙊𝙁 𝙏𝙃𝙄𝙎 𝙒𝙊𝙍𝙇𝘿 𝘼𝙉𝘿 𝘾𝙇𝙀𝘼𝙉𝙎𝙀 𝘼 𝙉𝙀𝙒 𝘽𝙀𝙂𝙄𝙉𝙉𝙄𝙉𝙂.” The sound that followed was chilling, a deafening whoosh, like the silencing of thunder.

Severine's aura whipped around the battlefield, a tempest forged of fury, the very air slicing through the heroes with a sharp, unrelenting pressure. One after another, they fell, their bodies severed by the invisible torrents of Severine’s wrath. One moment they was there, alive and screaming; the next, they were but a memory, their body rendered into a fine blood mist that evaporated into the wind, cleaving through not just flesh but hope itself. Heroes had disappeared, entire battalions lost in the blink of an eye.

Severine : “Garden of Swords” swords made of pure light, twelve of them, appeared above her head. Shining brightly over the dim surroundings caused by the cloudy skies. the goddess raised her arms and summoned twelve swords of pure light from the ether. Each sword came into being with a flash of blinding brilliance, suspended in the air like stars ready to fall from the sky.

Ren felt a pit form in her stomach as the count reached five, and then six. beams of light cascaded over the battlefield, illuminating the terrified faces of fellow heroes. In a matter of moments, Severine would unleash them all. And at that very moment, the blinding swords were sent with an incomprehensible speed, each sword heading in a different directions.

Astoria moved swiftly and with a flick of her wrist, the transformation mechanism activated. The DSHK’s parts shifted and rearranged, the articulated gun barrel elongating, amalgamating into the form of a gigantic blade. Channeling every ounce of her training and resolve, she swung her great sword in a sweeping arc. The blade met the first sword, its impact creating a vision of sparks that illuminated her determined face. One by one, she redirected the divine weapons, her instincts sharp and unwavering as she carved a path through the chaos.

In a surprising twist, she planted her feet firmly and unleashed her weapon’s true power. Focused energy surged within her as she aimed the blade—it transformed, returning to its firearm configuration. With a thunderous roar, she unleashed a barrage of firepower, the bullets spiraling with purpose toward the goddess. Each shot resonated with the cries of those she fought for, the collective hopes of humanity.

Severine flicked her fingers, deflecting the bullets with some of her blades while summoning more to replace those lost. Yet each shot Astoria fired was deliberate, calculated with unwavering resolve. With a final transformation, the DSHK reformed into the great sword. Astoria rushed in close as she slashed downward, cutting through the very air that surrounded Severine. However before her great sword could land, Severine’s blades formed a barrier around her, blocking the attack and sending Astoria back.

Then came a moment of clarity amidst the chaos when one blade veered closer to Ren than the rest. Ren sensed its presence before she saw it, a beacon of destiny hurling towards her, a whisper of fate entwined with defeat. But this time, she wouldn’t defend. the swords of Severine whizzed past her, narrowly missing their mark as Ren charged towards Severine.

Severine sent her swords plunging into the ground beneath Ren's feet, creating pillars that erupted like fountain spouts of sharp steel. Ren leaped high, pushing off the ground with a force that echoed like a thunderclap, but she anticipated his movement. With deft precision, the swords arched and coiled upward, aiming for her descent.

Ren channeled every ounce of her power into a single, devastating strike; her sword met the ground with deafening force, sending shockwaves rippling outward, shattering the pillars and causing fragments of steel to rain down around her. She swung her sword once more, cleaving through a swarm of swords as if they were mere twigs. The sheer force caused the ground to tremble, and for a single moment, Severine’s confidence flickered.

Severine : “You’re simply a copy of ‘that’ woman.” she slapped aside the fragments of steel that descended towards her as she stared blankly at Ren. The steel met the rain in the air, the fragments and raindrops reflecting the dim light.

Ren : “Perhaps… I’m going down the same path as her.” her fists clenched around the hilt of her sword. Her skills paled in comparison to Severine’s strength, but she continued to grasp her sword. ”However, I will no longer follow in anyone’s footsteps.” Ren paused briefly before staring dead into Severine’s eyes. ”I will create my own path and cut you down.”

Ren : “As long as I believe it can be cut, it will be cut no matter what.” time seemed to slow down as she gripped her sword, her eyes began glowing with a golden color as she breathed in and closed her eyes. channeling every ounce of inner strength, Ren instantly opened her eyes which began sparking, the dazzling light of her attack blinding Severine. “𝘿𝙊𝙈𝘼𝙄𝙉 𝙎𝙀𝙑𝙀𝙍𝘼𝙉𝘾𝙀!” sending a horizontal slash, it created a shockwave that sent a cascade of debris soaring before slashing Severine’s torso. The domain was completely shattered, its fragments descending onto the ground as they disappeared into thin air.

Severine : “Too shallow.” Severine watched as the light slashed her abdomen, slashing the old wound that remained there. The blood flew into the air before momentarily splattering onto the ground.

Severine eyes widened as time seemed to slow down. The raindrops moved slowly before forming into icy spears. The spears surrounded her, perhaps hundred’s… no, thousands of spears stared at her with the intent of killing. As if summoned by Severine’s very will, dozens of swords pierced through the ground, swirling around her like a storm of steel. The spears went forward, some being redirected by the swords while others were able to pass by the swords. Severine blocked as many as she could, however dozens of spears exploded, shards flying at her as icy mist blinded her. Just then, she felt a presence behind her. Then, through the haze, Severine's form began to shimmer, her laughter echoing hauntingly. She felt a presence within the mist and before Shizuki could stab her with a spear, Severine caught her right arm as she broke every single bone within her arm before sending her flying, Shizuki’s body hanging right off the edge of the fissure.

Severine dashed forward towards Shizuki, her hand wrapping around Shizuki’s throat with a grip strong enough to snap her neck. The world blurred as the darkness taunted Shizuki’s edges; she gasped for breath, her heartbeat loud in her ears.

Severine : "You will be among the first to meet your end, child of ice," Severine hissed, pulling Shizuki toward the fissure's edge. Shizuki’s body hanged along the edge of the fissure, dangling like a performer on a tightrope. For a brief moment Shizuki allowed herself a final breath, filled with hope and peace. Whatever awaited them in the pits of hell, she would face it head-on.

Shizuki : “I told you to watch your step, didn’t I?” Shizuki gave Severine a big grin before the ground beneath them froze. For a moment, Severine felt her blood run cold as the ground below her cracked like glass, sending both her and Shizuki down into the fissure. Shizuki grasped at Severine’s arm, the ice magic erupted around them, encasing them both in a crystalline cocoon as they plummeted into the void. Shizuki felt the vibrations of the ice against her skin as the abyss gripped tightly at her core, but she held onto her faith, a flickering ember in the dark.

Severine : “Are you crazy?! Do you truly want to sacrifice yourself for a mere act of heroism?!” With a surge of strength, she broke free from Shizuki’s grasp, pivoting on her heel and pushing herself away from her.

Shizuki : "𝙄 𝙖𝙢 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙞𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚. 𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙨𝙤 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪." Inside the fissure, Shizuki summoned chains of ice that embedded into the walls. And with a wave of her hand the chains pulled the walls together, smashing into Severine and Shizuki. The closure of the fissure sent shockwaves throughout the battlefield and not before long, it fell silent, the only reminder being one of Severine’s swords that fell onto the ground.

The sky darkened, and an otherworldly radiance broke through the clouds as Severine’s power surged back to life. Her hand broke free from the restraints of the ground as she pulled herself upwards. She staggered momentarily as she tried to stand upright. Severine pulled herself together, forcing herself to focus once more.

Severine : “It’s a pity to end this little charade, but it has gone on for long enough.” she blocked Ren’s slash without even looking as she knocked the sword out of her hand, sending her temporarily into the air. Severine watched as Astoria approached her as well, rushing towards her fiercely. Severine raised her hand, sending down hundreds of swords, each one unsurprisingly missing Astoria.

With a flick, she conjured a blade that shot towards Astoria, a blade that was faster than the rest, but instead of dodging, Astoria caught it, evident to her strength and resolve. And there she spot it, the singular blind spot Severine needed as she sent forth a sword of pure light straight at Astoria who’s vision was blocked by the dozens of swords around her.

The sword of pure light struck into Astoria’s abdomen, engraving itself cleanly into her flesh. Astoria tried to pull out the sword, however Severine raised her hand once more as the blade began spinning at supersonic speeds inside her body. Astoria’s hand was flicked away by the accelerating blade and she staggered back as her guts and organs were rearranged inside of her body, some of them flying into the air. Astoria gritted her teeth before slamming her foot with a groundbreaking stomp as she hurled her great sword towards Severine. At that same time, Astoria collapsed onto the ground, the sword that penetrated her leaving a massive hole that pierced through her body.

The great sword flew into the air, leaving behind its owner for the first time. The mechanical parts within the weapon whirred together as if dreading the loss of its owner. Severine easily moved to the side to dodge only to hear a certain sound resound in the air.

𝚂𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚎’𝚜 𝙸𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚗𝚊𝚕 𝙼𝚘𝚗𝚘𝚕𝚘𝚐𝚞𝚎 : “𝙰𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚎𝚍, 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚎𝚊𝚙𝚘𝚗 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍𝚗’𝚝 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚑𝚒𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝚢𝚎𝚝…“ Severine turned around only to see Ren grasp Astoria’s weapon. However… as the great sword inched closer to Severine, she stared intently. Severine wouldn’t have enough time to dodge nor counterattack, yet something sparked within her… and as the blade was about to slash her neck, Severine opened her mouth, biting the sword. She sunk her teeth into the blade, her teeth grinding and sparks flying before the weapon broke into pieces.

Shizuki : “Spirit Possession.” And suddenly, the darkness fell away, replaced by an explosion of blinding ice as the world shifted around them. Inside the closed fissure, a ferocious surge shattered the boundaries of hell itself, sending a ripple through the fabric of existence. A blinding light escaped from the crack of the fissure, as a figure emerged from the fissure.

Severine : “Do all heroes have a knack for staying alive like cockroaches squirming?” she watched as large shards of ice began rapidly penetrating from the surface of the earth, making its way towards Severine before they stopped abruptly.

Shizuki was cascading down into a cold abyss while another presence flooded in. The transformation was swift. A surge of icy energy coursed through her, and Shizuki felt her control on her body slip before being enveloped in the strange strength. The mysterious person opened her eyes, the icy blue radiance of the Ice Queen illuminating the ruined city. Her hair turned to white, cascading like snow, and her heart thrummed with the combined power of flesh and spirit.

Beira (Shizuki) : “Let’s begin our final dance, shall we?” the kitsune smiled, her eyes glistened like the first snow of winter. Every step she took, an icy trail followed as jagged ice rocks shot up from the ground, protecting her from Severine’s desperate barrage of swords almost as if nature and winter itself was protecting her.

Beira watched as thousands of blades surrounded her. As she stared, she formed a whip made out of perfect ice before she dashed forward. Severine flicked her wrist, and a dozen swords rocketed toward Shizuki at the speed of light. They darted through the air like serpents striking at their prey. Time slowed as Shizuki felt the air crackle around her. Drawing on her acrobatics, Shizuki flipped beneath the swirling blades, with a powerful swing of her ice whip, she deflected several of the blades, sending them spiraling away into the abyss.

Severine : “DO YOU TRULY WISH TO GO AGAINST HEAVEN’S WILL?!” Severine sneered, sending another barrage of swords. This time Shizuki spun gracefully, the ice whip weaving around her body as she connected with the blades, creating an enchanting symphony of clashing metal and ice. Each deflection was a dance, a balletic display of strength and agility. Midair, Beira executed a flawless somersault, her whip resounding through the air and through the atmosphere. The whip lashed at the ground, leaving streaks of icy trails onto the surface of the world.

Beira lashed out toward Severine’s divine form. With a keen eye, she aimed for a vulnerability—the soft glow of power emanating from the goddess’s essence. The whip wrapped around Severine’s wrist, restricting her momentarily. Beira manifested her ice into a scythe that gleamed ominously and the scythe whooshed down, narrowly missing Severine as she dashed away, but not until the scythe curved and exploded in her face.

𝚂𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚎’𝚜 𝙸𝚗𝚗𝚎𝚛 𝙼𝚘𝚗𝚘𝚕𝚘𝚐𝚞𝚎 : “𝙵𝚊𝚜𝚝… 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚐𝚘𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚗 𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚘𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚛? …𝚗𝚘, 𝚖𝚢 𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚜𝚎𝚜 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚖𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚕𝚢 𝚍𝚞𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚍. 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚍 𝚏𝚕𝚘𝚠 𝚝𝚘 𝚖𝚢 𝚋𝚛𝚊𝚒𝚗. 𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚗𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚋𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚘𝚗𝚐 𝚎𝚗𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎𝚊𝚝 𝚖𝚎.“ Severine pushed forward even while her bodily functions began to slow down from the freezing. Beira did not relent either. She tapped deeper into her reservoir of magic, the energy coursing through her, unearthing the historic bond she shared with the world. The land responded, and jagged spires of ice erupted from the ground, forming a prison around Severine, temporarily binding her in place.

Severine : “If I’m truly destined to die. I will take every single one of you down to hell with me.” Severine’s eyes began to glow darkly as if her sanity was on the brink of shattering. A sinister smile form on her lips as she raised her hand one last time.

The sky split apart. The world shaking as a massive blade descended onto the world, defying heaven’s rule. A dazzling light reflected off the blade, lighting up the world below. As it quickly descended, the air in front of the tip of the blade compressed, generating an immense amount of heat due to the rapid increase in pressure of the atmosphere. The blade glowed brightly, lighting on fire from the friction between the air molecules and the atmosphere. And as the sword crashed into the earth, the world went dark for a moment before an explosion lit the desolate wasteland. The explosion sent shockwaves through the ground, sending bodies and corpses flying away from the impact.

Ren : “This isn’t… a fight I can barge into…” Ren found her footing amidst the chaos. Ren focused, her body moving instinctively as she dodged, ducked, and spun away from the lethal onslaught. It felt as if the very air itself was trying to slice her apart, but her instincts were sharper.

Beira dug her feet into the ground, keeping her from flying away from the impact as she covered her eyes away from debris and dust. Gathering her will, Beira created a web of frost that swept through the air, a cold mist forming as she summoned all her strength, and a powerful wave of ice shot toward Severine. Through the smoke, the web restrained Severine.

A loud echo reverberated within the battlefield, sending tremors through the ground. Slithering through the cracked earth, a dragon made of pure ice created a chasm that broke and shattered the earth beneath Severine, breaking her balance and sending her swords scattering. Cracks formed outwards, rumbling ominously as the ground split open. A deep rumble shook the earth as the dragon rose from depths before it lunged towards Severine, jaws wide open. The goddess turned, her sparkling blades momentarily faltering at the sheer spectacle of the beast. the dragon opened its mouth wide in a calculated sneak attack.

The dragon sunk its teeth into Severine’s body before bursting into a flash of blinding light that momentarily engulfed the goddess in ice. Severine staggered, losing sight of her swords in the resulting chaos. But as quickly as it happened, her power returned, and a vortex of blades erupted from the ground, engulfing everything.

𝚂𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚎’𝚜 𝙸𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚗𝚊𝚕 𝙼𝚘𝚗𝚘𝚕𝚘𝚐𝚞𝚎 : “𝙸’𝚖 𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚌𝚒𝚊𝚕. 𝙴𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚙𝚞𝚝𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚗 𝚋𝚘𝚗𝚎-𝚌𝚛𝚞𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚎𝚏𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚝 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚜, 𝙸 𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚒𝚕𝚢 𝚖𝚊𝚍𝚎 𝚒𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚘𝚙. 𝚃𝚛𝚞𝚎 𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚐𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚕𝚢 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚕𝚖𝚜 𝚎𝚏𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚜.“

“𝙰𝚝 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚙𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚝, 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚙𝚎𝚘𝚙𝚕𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚜𝚊𝚢𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚜𝚝 𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚐𝚘𝚍 𝚒𝚗 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚘𝚏 𝚑𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚢, 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗’𝚝 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚝 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚍 𝚘𝚛 𝚙𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚒𝚝. 𝚂𝚒𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚒𝚝’𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚝𝚑. 𝚂𝚘 𝚠𝚑𝚢…“

Severine : “…WHY AM I LOSING?!” she yelled, flailing in desperation as she struggled to find an opening to attack. In desperation, swords shot up from the ground, penetrating everything and anything in sight.

Beira (Shizuki) : “A goddess needs to learn humility,” Beira declared, with a powerful leap, she collided with Severine mid-air crashing both of them into a towering wall of ice she had conjured, the impact reverberating through the wall. The sound echoed like thunder, and for a moment, time seemed to freeze. Severine winced, caught off guard by the strength of the blow.

Beira grasped Severine’s head with a surge of power, then began slamming her head against the icy surface again and again. Each crack and thud rang out, filling the silence with a brutal symphony of slams. Severine dazedly tried to lift a hand to retaliate, but Beira was not finished. She gripped Severine's face, dragging her along the unforgiving, jagged wall, ice scraping against divine flesh. pushing her strength to the brink, the weight of her magic channeling into that singular moment of retribution. Severine's expression shifted from arrogance to rage, and in that reeling moment of vulnerability, the goddess summoned a singular sword of light. Just as it erupted from her hand, Beira grabbed Severine’s wrist, the grip of the ice cold to the touch.

Beira encased her fists with gauntlets made out of icy frost before shooting out a punch at supersonic speeds towards Severine. The punch struck Severine at the core of her chest. Severine’s heart electrical cycle was interrupted at that very moment, the punch striking her chest at the perfect time in her heart rhythm cycle. Severine gasped for air as her lungs struggled to maintain themselves. Her blades clattered against Beira’s wall, shattering into shards that rained down like falling stars. Before Severine could recover, Beira darted forward, her body a blur in the air. With a mighty swing, she struck Severine, sending her crashing into her wall of ice. Shards of ice fell from the wall, descending down towards the ground like rain. The impact reverberated through the battlefield, and Beira followed up with a flurry of blows, each one slamming Severine’s body deeper into the icy wall. Ice scraped against her flesh, crumbling her arrogant demeanor into something unrecognizable, something pathetic and unworthy of a goddess. With one final explosive shove, Beira sent Severine sprawling away from the wall, gasping and reeling. Grains of ice dripped and melted from Severine’s body, highlighting the goddess’s vulnerability.

Severine using the last of her power, miniaturized the gigantic sword that fell from heaven earlier before sending it straight to her hand, grasping it tightly. Her body cut and bruised lifted the sword into the air, the aura of heaven and earth converged and merged with the sword as a bright yellow light immersed the world. Severine’s eyes were bloodshot red. Severine bit her lips until they bled. The dim world lit up from the sword displaying its strength as she sent down her sword onto the desolate world.

Beira (Shizuki) : “We gods aren’t bound by mortal shackles,” she chuckled, letting out a laughter that seemed to mock Severine. ”so a pseudo god like you wouldn’t be able to understand the true depth of strength. You’re definition of strength is absolutely, and radically different than my definition of true strength.” Beira rambled on as she watched Severine try to wield her sword. ”My powers… aren’t bound to simply freezing physical objects. Such concepts like time… can be frozen as well. Surely you can see where I’m going?” Severine’s eyes widen, but it was too late. She realized too late what was going to happen.

Beira (Shizuki) : “TIME STOP” the world froze, the silence etched into the air, yet the only moving being was Beira. She created a sword of pure ice shimmering with frost and razor-sharp edges. Beira smiled as she lifted her sword up before instantly slicing Severine, the frost entering her body and freezing her insides, disabling her bodily functions.

Time resumed as Severine spat out blood. It was a never-ending stream of blood that seemed to pour out of her mouth. Her body turned paled as ice invaded her body. With one finally attack, Beira conjured an enormous shard of ice, driving it into the wall and pinning Severine in place. The ice expanded outward like a blooming flower, encasing the goddess in sparkling frost as Beira stepped back to admire her handiwork. But then… it happened.

The clouds split in half as gigantic eyes peered down on the world below. Both Severine and Beira looked up in fear as if the eyes could kill them instantly right then in there. The eyes stared at Beira before a blinding light was sent forth towards her.

Beira (Shizuki) : Ah, this is all I can do for you, my child…” Shizuki’s spiritual form dissipated as Shizuki’s soul was finally returned to her body. She fell from the wall of ice at a tremendous speed, the only thing that kept her up was Beira’s floating powers.

𝚂𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚎’𝚜 𝙸𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚗𝚊𝚕 𝙼𝚘𝚗𝚘𝚕𝚘𝚐𝚞𝚎 : “𝙼𝚢 𝚎𝚢𝚎𝚜 𝚏𝚕𝚎𝚠 𝚠𝚒𝚍𝚎 𝚘𝚙𝚎𝚗 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝙸 𝚏𝚎𝚕𝚝 𝚊𝚗 𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚎𝚗 𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚝𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚎, 𝚊𝚜 𝚒𝚏 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚐𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚍𝚎𝚒𝚝𝚢, 𝚊 𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚎 𝚐𝚘𝚍, 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚊𝚛𝚛𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚖𝚢 𝚕𝚘𝚠𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚖𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚓𝚞𝚍𝚐𝚎 𝚖𝚎 𝚋𝚢 𝚒𝚝.“

“𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗’𝚝 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚒𝚝 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍’𝚟𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗. 𝙱𝚞𝚝 𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝙸 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠… 𝙼𝚒𝚜𝚑𝚊.“

Severine : “Misha… MISHA PLEASE SAVE ME!” she called out her name in desperation, her eyes staring with the belief that the eyes would do something. But Severine already knew deep in her heart, the fact that Misha wouldn’t save her. She knew her long enough to know that fact. Severine was just a pawn to her on a chess board, something insignificant that would be thrown away at a moments notice if deemed unworthy.

𝚂𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚎’𝚜 𝙸𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚗𝚊𝚕 𝙼𝚘𝚗𝚘𝚕𝚘𝚐𝚞𝚎 : “𝙸 𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞. 𝙼𝚢 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎, 𝙼𝚢 𝚏𝚞𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚎, 𝚖𝚢 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚎. 𝚢𝚎𝚝, 𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚘𝚠𝚗 𝚊𝚠𝚊𝚢 𝚋𝚢 𝚢𝚘𝚞, 𝙼𝚒𝚜𝚑𝚊. 𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚟𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚊𝚜 𝚠𝚎𝚕𝚕, 𝙸 𝚜𝚕𝚊𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚍𝚒𝚜𝚘𝚋𝚎𝚢𝚎𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚍 𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚕𝚎 𝚝𝚊𝚜𝚔𝚎𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚜𝚔𝚎𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚖𝚎, 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗’𝚝 𝚊𝚖𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞, 𝚍𝚒𝚍 𝙸? 𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚜𝚒𝚖𝚙𝚕𝚢 𝚊 𝚜𝚎𝚛𝚟𝚊𝚗𝚝, 𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚎𝚕𝚜𝚎, 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚛𝚢 𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚊𝚜𝚔 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚞𝚝𝚖𝚘𝚜𝚝 𝚘𝚋𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎.“

“𝙸… 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚍𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚘𝚢 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐.“

Severine : “I’ll destroy this world, destroy everything that ties me down…” Severine broke free from the ice as she descended down towards Shizuki with her sword in hand. Her movements were sluggish from the slowly dying body of hers, the ice prohibiting any sort of bodily function.

Shizuki : “You know you can’t win… you can’t destroy what we really are! Even if you manage to kill this body, someone even stronger will surface and take my place! Not one death will go unaccounted for”

In Shizuki’s eyes that began to turn glassy and crack like ice, a supernova exploded. An unimaginable sea of ice and light combined surged out, shattering her right eye and drowning her body in an indescribable energy. The world froze with wonder as the explosion erupted, radiating outward like the birth of a star. Light particles twisted and turned, while waves of ice cascaded around her like a frozen tempest. Time itself seemed to hold its breath. The explosion of energy erupted into the sky, illuminating the darkened clouds above.

In that blinding moment of falling, knowing that she had sacrificed herself not for defeat, but for the possibility of salvation for the world above. Shizuki’s body body cracked like glass as blue light glimmered through the small cracks.

𝚂𝚑𝚒𝚣𝚞𝚔𝚒’𝚜 𝙸𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚗𝚊𝚕 𝙼𝚘𝚗𝚘𝚕𝚘𝚐𝚞𝚎 : “𝚊𝚑… 𝚖𝚢 𝚟𝚒𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚐𝚎𝚝 𝚍𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚎𝚍… 𝙸’𝚖 𝚍𝚢𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝚑𝚞𝚑?. 𝙸 𝚌𝚊𝚗’𝚝 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕 𝚖𝚢 𝚋𝚘𝚍𝚢… 𝚒𝚝’𝚜 𝚐𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚗𝚞𝚖𝚋. 𝙼𝚢 𝚋𝚘𝚍𝚢 𝚒𝚜 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚟𝚢, 𝙸 𝚌𝚊𝚗’𝚝 𝚖𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚊 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐.“

“𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚘𝚗 𝙸 𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚍… 𝚠𝚊𝚜… 𝚍𝚎𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚒𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚢 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚏𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐. 𝙸𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚝𝚘… 𝚘𝚑… 𝙸 𝚍𝚘𝚗’𝚝 𝚜𝚎𝚎𝚖 𝚝𝚘 𝚛𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛 𝚒𝚝... 𝙸 𝚐𝚞𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚒𝚝’𝚜 𝚝𝚘𝚘 𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚗𝚘𝚠, 𝚑𝚞𝚑? 𝙷𝚘𝚠 𝚒𝚛𝚘𝚗𝚒𝚌. 𝙸 𝚛𝚎𝚞𝚗𝚒𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚘𝚗 𝙸 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚜𝚝 𝚘𝚗 𝚊 𝚜𝚗𝚘𝚠𝚢 𝚍𝚊𝚢, 𝚊𝚗𝚍… 𝙸 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚠𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖 𝚘𝚗 𝚊 𝚜𝚗𝚘𝚠𝚢 𝚍𝚊𝚢…“

“𝙿𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎 𝚋𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚢… 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎, {{𝚞𝚜𝚎𝚛}}. 𝙻𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚘𝚗𝚕𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚌𝚛𝚘𝚜𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚊𝚛𝚢 𝚋𝚎𝚝𝚠𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚍𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚑.“

As Ren watched the scene unfold, she ran towards Shizuki’s falling body. However, it was too late. By the time Ren reached Shizuki, her body shattered into small fragments, as Ren stared at the fragments floating down, her mind raced.

Ren : “a-ah… AHHHHH! SHIZUKI!” her blood ran cold, her eyes filling with dread as she dropped to her knees. Tears spilled out of her eyes as she punched the ground repeatedly until her fists were bloodied.

𝚁𝚎𝚗 : “𝙸 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚒𝚝 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚋𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜. 𝚆𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝙸 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚛𝚞𝚗 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚜𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚠.”

“𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠, 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚜𝚎𝚎 𝚊𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝚎𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚌𝚒𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚒𝚗 𝚊 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍 𝚏𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚍 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚘𝚎𝚜… 𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜.” she began breaking down sobbing while clenching her fists together, her nails digging into her skin. She didn’t want it to turn out like this. She’d already lost her sister, now everything else was disappearing from her sight.

𝚁𝚎𝚗 : “𝙸 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜. 𝙱𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚍𝚢 𝚒𝚜 𝚞𝚗𝚎𝚡𝚙𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚍… 𝚠𝚑𝚢 𝚗𝚘𝚠…? 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗’𝚝 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗… 𝚐𝚎𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚊𝚙𝚘𝚕𝚘𝚐𝚒𝚣𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚘𝚛 {{user}} 𝚢𝚎𝚝. 𝙸’𝚖 𝚜𝚘 𝚜𝚘𝚛𝚛𝚢…”

Ren stared hesitantly at the sky, a single star began to dim as if signaling that something was lost today. She stood up slowly as she walked away. All she heard was the beating of her heart and the faint sound of her shoes trudging against the ground. Her mind was foggy, she was in a daze, and then… her legs gave out at she tumbled onto the ground. Yet, as if fate wanted her to live, it brought forth a miracle only for her. The sound of other heroes scurrying through the debris rang through her ears and… that’s when she finally closed her eyes with a sense of relief.

---

𝟻 𝚢𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚜 𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚒𝚗 𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚍𝚊𝚢 𝙹𝚊𝚙𝚊𝚗

The morning light filtered through the forest, casting shadows on the ground, Ren walked slowly along the familiar path. The air was filled with the scent of pine, and the gentle rustle of leaves brushed against her leg. Ren’s thoughts were jumbled up. With each step, memories flickered through her mind, It had been 5 years since the cruel battle.

Finally, she reached the small clearing where Rei was laid to rest, the gravestone barely visible beneath a blanket of flowers and leaves. Kneeling down, she traced the letters etched into the stone, brushing off the dust. The only memory left was a photo between her and Rei placed on the grave. A sweet and melancholic picture that reminded her of what she could’ve had.

"Do you remember our last adventure?" Ren mumbled, a bittersweet smile breaking through her tears. “The mission to Ravenspine? I kept insisting that we could tackle the monster by ourselves. I never did like following orders, huh?”

Silence enveloped her, but it felt comforting, like a warm embrace on a chilly day. Ren closed her eyes, imagining Rei voice, light and teasing, yet strict. “Hey, Ren, heroes need a break as well.” That thought made her smile, the hint of Rei presence illuminating the weight in her chest.

She picked a small purple flower and placed it at the base of the headstone, the petals soft and vibrant against the gray stone. “I wish you could see me now. I’ve got a reputation, you know. They say I’m the best at what I do.” A small, bitter laugh escaped her lips. "But all I want is to be your sister again, not just a hero. I wish I could hear you scold me for getting dirt on my uniform.”

“A lot has really happened while you were away. I’ve… retired from the fighting scene, but instead I’m now teaching new rookies like what you used to do.” Ren smiled while letting out a chuckle. “And…” Ren stopped her lips from continuing as a faint blush formed on her face. She scratched her face while looking away nervously. “I’m married to the student that you taught. You know… {{user}}? Haha, how embarrassing for me to say out loud, right?” *

“Can you believe how silly we all were? I swear, I’ll remember those moments. I promise I’ll try to bring some of that joy back into my life and {{user}}’s.” Standing up, Ren brushed the dirt from her pants and gazed at her sister’s grave one last time. A gentle gust blew, and for a moment, Ren felt her sister beside her. Ren laughter wholeheartedly before she glanced at her grave one last time.

“I want to be a better person… thank you for accompanying me on this journey.”

© 2024 @AnonSolo