From afar, Katarina observed the scene unfolding before her eyes. Nora was holding her sister's weapon with the very tip of her own blade. Seizing the moment, Katarina leaped as high as she could, ready to intervene in the battle.
A bright light, like the sun itself, shone above them. For a brief instant, Nora looked upward and saw Katarina descending from the sky with her great sword in hand. Before she could strike, Asura pushed herself backward with a sudden burst of strength, creating rippling waves around them. The sun still blazed at its peak, yet what caught Nora's attention were the fresh wounds on Katarina's body, still dripping blood.
"You're not in good shape… Please, let me handle this fight," Nora pleaded, concern etched across her face.
"Don't worry, I'm still standing. Let's end this once and for all." Katarina bent slightly, spinning her long sword horizontally, lowering her stance before shouting—"Pulse Freya!"
Her blade and hands froze instantly. Once golden, the sword now gleamed with shades of icy blue, almost white, no longer emitting the radiant light it once had. Katarina then dashed forward at full speed toward Asura—but something strange began to happen. The sky darkened; thick clouds rolled in from east to west, shifting the hot, dry air into a cold, oppressive chill.
The battle intensified. Katarina's strikes were filled with mana, each one clashing against Asura's darkness-coated sword.
"Akamanah—darken!" Asura roared.Suddenly, the darkness emanating from her blade thickened until, upon touching Katarina's sword, it began to spread like a curse.
"This… won't work! Freeze!" Katarina cried out.The creeping darkness froze in place, halted by her elemental magic.
"Tch… elementalists are such a pain," Asura muttered, frustration twisting her features. Katarina, though wounded, couldn't help but smirk.
"You don't have the power to stop me," Asura snarled, rushing forward once more.
Tired of merely watching, Nora joined the fray. She sprinted with all her strength, attacking from the side with precise, needle-like thrusts aimed at her sister's vital points. Katarina attacked from the opposite direction with incredible speed, but Asura spun her sword in perfect arcs, deflecting every strike with ease.
"Akamanah… I'll use my memories. Prepare yourself," Asura whispered within.Her soul responded—unleashing memories of pain and suffering, the source of her dark power.
[[Many mana users draw upon their memories as catalysts for strength. Those aligned with darkness channel their worst memories—grief, rage, despair—to grow stronger. Those of the light, however, use love, joy, and hope. Such users are rare in a world so consumed by endless war.]]
Dark memories surged through Asura's mind, fueling her power. A heavy aura of pure darkness expanded around her, pushing back the waters of the lake. Watching her sister's transformation, Nora realized she had no choice but to respond.
"Darkness…" she whispered.
It was the invocation to awaken her Dark Form—the counterpart to the divine forms used by users of light. Those who succeed become humanoid beings shrouded in shadow, faceless and nameless. That was what Asura had become. But unlike her sister, Nora's transformation was incomplete; parts of her face and eyes still remained visible through the veil of darkness.
Asura's monstrous form smiled—grinning with delight as she licked the edge of her dark blade.
Nora froze. Somehow, she could feel Asura's emotions flooding into her mind—the bond between sisters strong enough to connect their thoughts.
"Hatred… despair… agony…"
Emotions spilled into the air as the dark figure before her trembled with pleasure.
"Hehehe… this feels so good," Asura said, her voice distorted. "I wonder how it'll feel when I finally kill you, my dear sister."
Seeing the creature's speed, Nora gripped her blade with both hands, readying herself for the next strike. Steel clashed upon steel—the sound echoed across the waters as waves erupted around them.
"You still have a long way to go, sister," Asura mocked. "Your eyes are bleeding… Hahaha—side effect of your incomplete form? How far will you go to stop me?"
Spotting an opening on Asura's right side, Nora gathered her mana and thrust her blade forward, piercing where her sister's heart should be, sending Asura tumbling backward. But to Nora's shock—Asura remained standing.
Weakened and in pain, Katarina refused to give up. Seeing Asura stagger, she charged with the last of her strength. Her long sword blazed once more with radiant mana as she brought it down from above. Asura blocked it, twisting her body and slicing across Katarina's ribs.
Before she could collapse, Katarina grabbed Asura's wrist and used her ice magic—freezing the dark being's arm solid. But before the frost could spread, Asura cut off her own forearm, seething with fury.
"You've… really pissed me off," she growled. "A battle whose end we all already know."
Katarina stumbled back toward Nora. In a low voice, she asked, "Do you really think she can be saved?"
Even whispered, Asura heard her."Saved?" she repeated, her voice trembling with madness. "Ahahaha… why bother going that far?"
Nora's body ached. Her incomplete dark form caused internal bleeding—blood trickled from her nose. Yet, through her pain and tears, she spoke:
"Because I love you… I'll never give up on you. Even if I must stand hand-in-hand with death itself—we are still sisters."
Asura froze. For a fraction of a second, her heart stopped. Those were words she had never heard before. Confused, she placed her hands over her face, trying to understand their meaning. The shell of darkness around her began to crack and fall away like the scabs of an old wound.
Falling to her knees, Asura's memories flooded back—moments of laughter, warmth, and love she had long forgotten.
"I… I can't handle this. I-I must stay focused… on my mission," she whispered. Her mana spiraled out of control, emotions colliding within her. A vortex of darkness formed beside her, and from within, a trembling voice echoed:
"What should I do? What am I feeling? How am I supposed to act?"
For the first time in years, Nora saw her sister cry. Her tears fell into the lake—and from the sky, rain began to pour.
Katarina, watching the scene, saw an opening and murmured, "We have to use this moment and kil—"
Before she could finish, Nora stopped her. Looking her cousin straight in the eyes, Nora said softly:"Rest, Katarina. Like I said… I'll save her. After all, she's my sister."
Nora stepped toward the swirling vortex of darkness. As she entered, she could feel every emotion raging inside Asura's mind. The darkness cut her skin, yet she kept moving forward. Breathing inside that space was nearly impossible—the air itself felt poisonous.
Finally, she reached out her trembling hand toward her sister.
"Take my hand, Asura… please, come with me. Let me show you that the feeling you're experiencing—it has meaning."
Asura's tears flowed freely now. She didn't understand why or what she felt. Nora, bleeding from countless wounds, pressed on through the storm.
"Take my hand, Asura. I love you—and I'll show you what that feeling truly means. Just give me your hand. I'll heal your scars and save you. Please… take my hand, Asura!"
Asura looked at her sister with those deep blue eyes and slowly reached out her right arm.
The moment their hands touched—Nora opened her eyes. She found herself in a bright, white room. The ceiling lights blinded her as she blinked, regaining consciousness.
From her right side, a familiar voice spoke:"I thought you'd never wake up…"
To be continued…