Sofia stood at the edge of the cliff, staring out at the thick mist that concealed Sky Island. The place was infamous, shrouded in both mystery and dread. It was said to be the gateway to another world—a place where light and darkness coexisted in a precarious balance. Sofia had always dismissed the stories as mere legends, but now, standing there, she couldn't shake the feeling that those myths held some truth.

Her phone buzzed again, the message from Tang Mia glowing on the screen: **"Come alone to Sky Island. Let's end this."**

Sofia's lips curved into a faint smile, cold and unyielding. She knew it was a trap. Tang Mia and her mother, the old sorceress, were not ones to play fair. But Sofia had grown tired of this never-ending game. To protect her future with Christ and finally rid herself of the shadows of her past, she had to confront Tang Mia once and for all.

Sofia had deliberately kept this from Christ. He had his own battles, and she didn't want him dragged into hers. But as she left their shared apartment, her calm demeanor failed to mask the tension in her movements. Christ noticed, as he always did.

---

The journey to Sky Island was long and treacherous. By the time Sofia arrived, the sun was setting, casting an otherworldly glow over the land. She stepped onto the bridge leading to the island, the mist parting slightly to reveal a sight that took her breath away.

Sky Island wasn't just an island—it was a dichotomy brought to life. One side glimmered with ethereal beauty: golden light bathed lush greenery, vibrant flowers bloomed, and waterfalls sparkled like liquid crystal. It was a vision of paradise. The other side was its antithesis, a hellish wasteland of jagged rocks and scorched earth, rivers of molten lava crisscrossing its barren surface. Yet, the two sides blended seamlessly in the center, forming a space where light and dark intertwined, neither overpowering the other.

For a moment, Sofia stood in awe. **This is the balance of light and darkness,** she thought. **A fragile coexistence, like the one Tang Mia and I share.**

Her reverie was broken by the sound of footsteps. Tang Mia emerged from the shadows, her dark aura more pronounced than ever. Her transformation since their last encounter was evident; she looked almost unrecognizable. Her eyes glowed with an unnatural light, and the air around her seemed to ripple with malevolence.

"You came," Tang Mia said, a smirk playing on her lips. "I almost thought you'd run away like a coward."

Sofia's expression remained calm, her voice cold. "I don't run, Tang Mia. Let's finish this."

---

The fight began without warning. Tang Mia raised her hand, summoning shadows from the hellish side of the island. The darkness formed into long, spear-like tendrils, which she hurled at Sofia with deadly precision.

Sofia moved with grace, deflecting the attacks with shields of pure light. She countered by summoning her blue flames, sending arcs of fire hurtling toward Tang Mia. The flames licked at the darkness, forcing Tang Mia to retreat momentarily.

"You've gotten stronger," Tang Mia admitted, her voice laced with frustration. "But strength alone won't save you."

She shifted her attack, calling forth illusions from the balance point of the island. The illusions distorted Sofia's surroundings, making it impossible to tell what was real and what wasn't. Sofia's cold gaze flicked across the battlefield, her mind calculating.

"I've seen your tricks before, Tang Mia," Sofia said, her voice steady. She closed her eyes briefly, allowing her other senses to guide her. When she opened them, her flames burned brighter, dispelling the illusions in a blinding burst of light.

Tang Mia snarled, her frustration boiling over. She plunged her hands into the ground, and the earth beneath them began to quake. A chasm opened, separating them. From the depths of the chasm, grotesque shadow creatures emerged, their hollow eyes glowing red.

Sofia stood her ground, her flames forming a protective barrier around her. The creatures lunged at her, but she dispatched them with precision, her movements fluid and calculated. For every creature she destroyed, two more seemed to take its place.

"You can't win, Sofia!" Tang Mia shouted, her laughter echoing across the island.

But Sofia remained unfazed. She focused her energy, summoning a massive surge of blue flames that engulfed the creatures. They disintegrated into ash, leaving the battlefield eerily silent.

Tang Mia's confidence faltered. "How... how are you still standing?"

"Because I have something worth fighting for," Sofia replied, her voice cutting through the silence. "Something you'll never understand."

With that, Sofia charged forward, her flames blazing. Tang Mia countered with a wave of darkness, the two forces colliding in a spectacular explosion of light and shadow. The impact sent both women flying backward.

---

Sofia hit the ground hard, her vision swimming. Pain radiated through her body, but she forced herself to stand. Tang Mia wasn't as lucky; she lay crumpled on the ground, her dark aura flickering like a dying flame.

"It's over," Sofia said, approaching her rival.

Tang Mia looked up at her, her eyes filled with equal parts hatred and despair. "You think you've won? My mother—"

"Your mother's magic ends here," Sofia interrupted, her tone resolute. She raised her hand, summoning one final burst of flame to extinguish the remnants of Tang Mia's darkness.

Tang Mia screamed as the light consumed her, her power vanishing into the ether. When it was over, she lay unconscious, her form stripped of the dark magic that had once consumed her.

Sofia's knees buckled, and she fell to the ground, clutching her side where Tang Mia's shadows had struck her. Blood seeped through her fingers, and her vision blurred.

---

Unbeknownst to Sofia, Christ had been watching from the shadows. He had followed her to Sky Island, unable to ignore the strange tension in her behavior. Seeing her collapse, he broke his cover and rushed to her side.

"Sofia!" he called, his voice filled with panic.

Sofia's eyes fluttered open, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "Christ... I told you not to follow me."

"And you really thought I'd listen?" he shot back, his tone laced with both worry and exasperation.

He scooped her up in his arms, cradling her against his chest. "You're an idiot for coming here alone," he muttered, his possessive side surfacing. "You could've died, Sofia. Don't you know what that would've done to me?"

Sofia chuckled weakly, her usual calmness intact despite her injuries. "I had to end it, Christ. For us."

Christ didn't respond immediately, his jaw tightening as he carried her back toward the bridge. "Next time, you're not doing this alone. I don't care what it takes—I'm staying by your side."

As they left the island, the strange balance of light and darkness faded behind them. For Sofia, the battle was finally over. For Christ, it was just another reason to hold her closer, to protect the woman who had become his everything.