>>Hael

I was not underestimating Persephone. I was well aware of how strong and powerful she was. But considering the damage she had dealt, I thought it might have slowed her down a bit.

I barely dodged her attack, jumping back just in time, but I could feel it, my movements were slower. I could feel the exhaustion setting in. My breath felt heavier, and my mana was draining fast because of blinking so much.

I needed to find Amber. I can't take down Persephone without her. I don't need to worry because she can heal herself and she must have done so, but why is it that I don't feel her getting near me?

Did something else happen?

Persephone lunged at me again stopping my terrain of thought, her claws slicing through the air like deadly scythes. The miasma followed her movements, coming my way. I conjured another spell, summoning a burst of wind to push her back, but she broke through it with ease. Her claws came at me again, and I barely managed to block with a hastily conjured shield of flame.

But she was relentless.

She smashed through my defenses, her claws grazing my shoulder and leaving a deep gash. The pain was excruciating, but I couldn't stop. I couldn't give up. I could feel Amber somewhere in the distance, her Holy Power a faint pulse in the back of my mind.

"Huh" I let out a sigh, summoning every ounce of strength I had left. I threw a bolt of lightning at Persephone, but she swatted it away like it was nothing. She was immune to everything I had. Nothing was working. Fire, the one I had affinity for. And my other spells were useless.

Poison did nothing to her.

"Is this all you have, mage?" She sneered, her voice dripping with disdain. "Without the saint, you're worthless."

I am surprised that she saw through my illusions pretty fast as well. My affinity for illusion magic is very high, yet she's here standing in front of me.

I clenched my fists, blood dripping from my wounds.

Heal

I applied healing magic to myself while we both glared at each other. My breathing was ragged, I could feel the darkness creeping in, the edges of my vision blurring. But I couldn't stop. I couldn't let her win.

When she saw I was trying to heal, she jumped at me.

I dodged another attack, her claws slicing through the space where I'd just been. Sweat poured down my face, mixing with the blood from my wounds. My legs felt like lead, my body screaming in agony with every movement. But I couldn't stop. I had to find Amber.

I had used up too much of my mana.

"Where do you think you're going?" Persephone's voice was filled with amusement as she blocked my path again. She wasn't even trying anymore. It was a game to her, "You're eager to leave me when you're the one who came looking for me."

"I'm not done with you," I tried to appear calm, summoning another fireball. But even I knew it was a weak attempt. My mana was nearly depleted, and I was running on fumes.

She laughed, a cruel, mocking sound that echoed in the rift. "You're pathetic. Without your little saint, you're nothing."

I stared at her, "You're not the one who can say that when you're in that form." I taunted back

She closed her eyes, but it looked like it was more to hide that my words were getting to her, "My height has nothing to do with my power."

I scoffed, "As if," I shook my head at her as I smirked, "I can tell your power has dropped." Amber and I combined a lot of our power to attack. So much that I'm struggling now. But I know for sure that it wasn't a miss. I can tell her power had dropped, "You had to shed your extra layers of skin that we burned and then you were forced to reduce into your current form. Do you take me for an idiot?" I mocked her.

She gritted her teeth, "You want to kill me," She said, "I was right."

"..."

"But I'll let you know, I will have my freedom."

I tried to summon more fire, more power, but I knew there won't be any point of it. I only needed it for a distraction though. But I couldn't keep this up much longer. I could feel my strength fading, my magic weakening.

Channeling Holy Power through my body took a toll.

But I couldn't stop. Not yet.

Persephone lunged at me again, her claws slashing through the air. This time somehow her speed was even faster than before

!?!?

She didn't allow me to react fully. I threw up a barrier just in time, but it shattered under the force of her attack. Her claws dug into my side, and I let out a grunt of pain as I was thrown backward, crashing into the ground.

The impact knocked the wind out of me, and I gasped for air, my vision swimming. Everything hurt. My body was screaming in agony, blood pouring from the wounds she'd inflicted. I tried to push myself up, but she slammed her foot on me, and I collapsed back onto the ground.

!!!

The force of her foot on my chest broke my ribs, the impact caused me to cough out blood.

"Dare to mock me again, mage?" She pressed her foot further on me, causing the ribs to pierce into my organs. The pain was crucifying. I could tell the rupture inside my body that was happening.

I have to heal myself! I can't heal like how holy power does but I need to stop the internal bleeding! I grabbed her foot and burned it, this time I used the remaining holy power in my attack

Her eyes went wide. She reacted and jumped back, allowing me to breathe. I let out a sharp breath. I couldn't move. I couldn't fight. But I couldn't give up. My vision swam for a moment. The miasma began to close in

This is bad.

Through the haze of pain, I felt a pulse of light. Amber. She was close. I just had to reach her.

I forced myself to blink out of there, a spell like blinking in this situation was a bad idea. It caused the rupture in my internal organs to tear further.

I crashed onto the ground as I blinked out and right the next moment I vomited blood. The ground formed a red puddle, all of it that came from inside me.

It was difficult to breathe. I placed my hand on my torso.

Heal

I started the healing spell. Repairing this level of damage was not possible for me but I could manage enough that it would get me going again. I blinked as far as I could for now, but I know she's going to find me again.

I patched up my organs, put back the broken ribs. My breathing got easier and I let out a sigh of relief. I kept healing myself as I stood up and turned to face the direction where Amber was thrown in.

The miasma swirled around me. It was edging to come in. I looked down at my hands. I barely have any of her holy power left in me. I glanced at the dark clouds. This thing can feel it too. And they were waiting for it.

I need to hurry.

I finished my spell, took a deep breath and was ready to fly ahead because I couldn't afford to blink again but right before my magic activated.

A hand burst out of the swirling miasma. Fast

My body moved in the opposite direction as I turned my face towards the approaching claws. My mind worked fast as I saw the arm appear, and then the rest of the body.

The winds burst around us, making a clearing as she attacked me, but I managed to avoid it.

I have to avoid her!

I turned to move again but right the next moment, I felt her claws elongated and she grabbed my hair, yanking me back. She pulled so hard, the impact made me fall to the ground once again.

Damn it!

I pushed myself to move again but Persephone was already towering over me, her claws raised for the final strike. I tried to turn and move but she slammed her heel into my shin, breaking it

!!!

My eyes went wide in pain, I had to grit my jaw tightly to stop myself from screaming.

I was still feeling the broken shin when she pierced her hand through my chest, grabbed my heart around her claws, "Once you're dead," She hissed, "The girl will be too. And I will have my freedom!"

Author's Note

Blink : A short-range teleportation spell, allowing the mage to dodge attacks quickly. Blinking takes away excessive amount of mana, so using it will burn out a mage fast. I should have added this note when I first mentioned blinking but I kept forgetting. Sorry guys. But well here it is. Continuously blinking is never a good idea, no matter how powerful the mage is.