>>Hael

My eyes went wide in pain, my pupils shaked like never before and a strangled gasp escaped my throat as I felt Persephone's claws tear through my chest.

The agony was blinding, white-hot, and I had to grit my teeth so hard it felt like they would crack. My vision blurred with the overwhelming pain, but I could still make out her face, twisted into a sickening grin.

No sound left my mouth, not even if I wanted it to. All I could do was feel the searing pain as her hand wrapped around my heart, her sharp claws curling around the very thing that kept me alive.

Her grip tightened, and my chest convulsed. Every beat of my heart felt like a death sentence as she squeezed it tighter, ready to crush it in her grasp, but she didn't do it immediately, she was taunting me. The pressure was unbearable. My entire body seized up, and I felt my strength rapidly fading.

I glared at her and she laughed

Ah

Fuck,

She gave it a final squeeze. And just as I thought she would finish it, something hit her.

!!!

A beam of light, sharp and pure, struck Persephone with such force that she was ripped away from me. Her claws tore free from my chest, and I let out a hoarse cry as my body convulsed.

What...?

Disoriented, I blinked, trying to make sense of what had just happened. My heart was still pounding erratically in my chest, and I could barely move, the pain still radiating through me. I watched, wide-eyed, as Persephone was hurled across the rift, tumbling through the air as if an invisible hand had slammed her away.

A beam of holy power.

Orenya!!

I turned my head, struggling to focus, and there she was. Footsteps echoed against the cracked ground, approaching fast. I could barely process it, my mind still hazy with pain and exhaustion.

"Orenya," I whispered, my voice barely audible, but the relief in my chest was palpable. She was alive and she was fine.

"Hael!" Her voice reached me, full of urgency, and I saw her running toward me, her clothes stained with blood, though it didn't seem to be her own anymore. She must have healed herself. I'd never been more grateful for her power.

She slid to a stop next to me, her knees hitting the ground hard as she knelt beside me, "Oh my God!" She analyzed with within a second, then without wasting a second, her hands hovered over my chest. "Heal," She commanded softly, and I felt the familiar warmth of her Holy Power wash over me.

The pain in my chest began to fade, little by little. My breath, which had been coming in shallow gasps, began to steady as her light engulfed my body. The gaping wound where Persephone's claws had torn into me started to knit together. The bones I couldn't mend properly mended themselves, the searing agony in my ribs ebbing away as her magic worked.

A soft glow surrounded Amber's hands, and I watched in awe as the cracks in my skin closed. My heartbeat, which had been erratic and weak, steadied as her power soothed the muscles and tendons in my chest.

Each breath became easier, less painful, as if the weight of the world had lifted off my lungs. My body was still battered, still exhausted, but I could move again. The weakness that had gripped my limbs started to loosen, and I felt the magic rushing back into my veins, slowly but surely.

I gasped, taking in a deep breath as the last of the pain faded, and her healing glow dimmed. She pulled her hands back, her own body trembling slightly with exertion, but her eyes never left mine.

I sat up, still catching my breath, my chest rising and falling rapidly.

"You..." I began, my voice hoarse, "You're okay..."

Amber nodded, her brow furrowed with concern. "You took some heavy hits," She said, her voice soft but firm, "I thought I was too late."

"No..." I shook my head, forcing a weak smile. "You were just in time."

Amber let out a shaky breath of relief, and for a moment, we just sat there, the chaos of the battlefield around us fading into the background.

Suddenly, without warning, a dense wave of miasma surged toward us, thick and suffocating. It hit like a wall, engulfing everything in its path. I barely had time to react before it wrapped around us, clinging to my skin, seeping into my lungs. My breath caught, and a heavy pressure pressed down on my chest. The foul energy of the miasma clawed at my throat, burning as it choked me.

My barrier was gone. The Holy power I had taken from The Saint had diminished.

I reached for Amber instinctively, but I could see her already struggling. Her face was tense, her eyes narrowing as the toxic fog surrounded us, but she noticed it immediately how it was going in me.

She grabbed my hand, "Hold on," She gasped, voice barely above a whisper.

She raised her hand, trembling from the effort, and I watched as a gentle light pulsed outward, cutting through the miasma. It was like a bubble forming around us, pushing back the suffocating fog inch by inch. The holy light cleared a space around us, creating a small haven amidst the dark, swirling mist.

I took a deep, ragged breath as the pressure eased, the miasma retreating to the edges of her barrier. For a brief moment, I could breathe again, the burning in my lungs fading as her power shielded us.

But then I saw her face. Pale, her brows furrowed in pain. She was straining, far more than she should be. Her hand wavered, and I could see the exhaustion weighing on her. She too had used too much of her power.

"I've... used too much of my mana..." Amber's voice was faint, her words slurring slightly as if she were on the edge of collapse. Her breath came in shallow, uneven gasps, and her whole body trembled with the effort of holding the miasma at bay.

I reached out to steady her, placing my hand gently on her arm. "Don't push yourself."

>>Amber

Hael tried to reassure me, "Let's just keep the body barriers." He said and I felt the heat under my nape. I let the shield go and we created the translucent body barriers which were easier to maintain but we had no time to rest.

Persephone came at us with relentless fury through the miasma, her movements sharp.

!?!?

Hael grabbed me and flew backward, an inch above the ground. I watched her chase us. Her side burnt to a crisp and it wasn't healing back. This was where I had hit her.

But I noticed she was coming at us with frightening speed.

Every strike of her claws was precise, slicing through the air with terrifying speed.

"We'll fight back," Hael and I fought side by side, our magic intertwining as we launched attack after dodging her blows. I could feel the power coursing through me, but there was a dull ache deep inside, a reminder that I had already pushed myself too far. My limbs felt heavy, and the dizziness I had been ignoring started creeping back in.

Persephone was smaller than before—only about eight feet tall now—but still towering above us. She moved with unnerving grace for her size, dodging and weaving between our attacks as if they were nothing more than a minor inconvenience. Hael unleashed a torrent of fire, his hands glowing with raw energy, while I summoned holy light to pierce through the dark miasma that swirled around her.

Each time we got close—each time one of our attacks was about to land—Persephone summoned a heavy layer of miasma to shield herself. The dense fog of darkness twisted and coiled in front of her like a living thing, blocking our magic with sickening ease. I watched as Hael's Holy fireball dissipated against it, the flames snuffed out.

Frustration clawed at me, but I couldn't give up. We couldn't give up.

"Keep going!" I shouted to Hael, though my voice wavered, betraying my exhaustion. I raised my hand and let out another burst of light, aiming directly at her chest. The beam cut through the miasma, but Persephone's miasma shield absorbed most of it. Only a thin stream of light managed to pierce through, and the damage it caused was far from enough.

Each time we attacked, we cleared a little more of the miasma around her. Persephone was still shrouded in darkness, her form shifting and blurring through the mist. I could hear her taunting us, her voice echoing in my ears.

Our attacks were doing something—some damage—but it wasn't enough.

A wave of dizziness hit me, stronger than before. I staggered back, clutching my head as I struggled to stay upright. I'd already used too much power, and I could feel the toll it was taking on my body. I'd healed Hael, I'd healed myself, and now... now I didn't have much left. My mana reserves were running dangerously low.

"This isn't good," I muttered under my breath, trying to shake off the growing fatigue. But I knew. I knew I was reaching my limit.

Hael, too, was panting beside me, his breath coming in ragged gasps. He had been throwing out spell after spell, barely taking a moment to rest. His fire magic had always been powerful, but even he had his limits. We were both being worn down, piece by piece.

I focused back on Persephone, trying to push through the fog in my mind. We couldn't let her win. We couldn't let her take everything from us.

She attacked again and we tried to dodge but something happened.

!!

Hael's foot twisted, his balance faltered, and before I could even shout a warning, he slipped. The ground beneath him seemed to give way, and he fell hard, crashing to the earth with a pained grunt.

"Hael!" The sound of his fall startled me, and I reacted on instinct. I lunged toward him, my hand reaching out in desperation, trying to grab him, to pull him back up. But it was too late. We both hit the ground, tumbling in a mess of limbs.

In the split second that followed, I realized our mistake.

Persephone took full advantage of our vulnerable state. With a burst of speed, she launched herself toward us, her movements fluid and terrifying. Before we could even think about recovering, her claws were on us, digging deep into our flesh.

!?!?!

I screamed as the sharp pain tore through my abdomen. Her hands plunged into my gut, and I could feel the warm gush of blood as it spilled out, staining my already bloodied clothes. Hael was beside me, his face twisted in agony as her claws pierced him as well. We were both pinned, helpless under her grip.

Persephone leaned in close, her black eyes that were open gleaming with malice. "This is it," She hissed, her voice a low, venomous growl. Her claws twisted inside us, sending waves of searing pain through my entire body. I gasped, trying to breathe, but every movement sent fresh agony coursing through me.

I could heal us. I knew I could. I had enough mana left to at least close these wounds, to give us a fighting chance. But then... what? If I used the last of my power to heal, there wouldn't be anything left. No more magic, no more strength to fight her. I'd be powerless.

And Persephone... She'd still be there, looming over us, ready to finish what she started.

Blood soaked through our clothes, pooling beneath us in a sickening puddle. I could feel the life draining out of me with every passing second.

Hael raised his hand weakly, his fingers trembling as he pointed it toward Persephone. His palm faced her, but it was clear he had nothing left to give. He was panting, his breath ragged, and blood trickled from his mouth.

Persephone's lips curled into a cruel smile. "What?" She sneered, leaning closer to him. "Are you begging for mercy now?"

Her eyes gleamed with twisted amusement, and for a moment, I saw the burns we'd managed to inflict on her. Her skin was charred in places.

"There is no mercy," She whispered, her voice soft but filled with icy malice. "You both die."