Uncertain about how the situation was unfolding for the others, Dina continued to dodge Sonia's attacks with agility, gripping her sword tightly as she searched for an opening. Suddenly, she went on the offensive, striking with her blade. Sonia parried effortlessly, a mocking smile on her lips.
"Finally decided to fight back?" Sonia taunted.
"Shut up!" Dina retorted, launching a flurry of rapid attacks.
A deadly dance unfolded between the two fighters, a whirlwind of strikes and parries where each waited for the other to slip up. Despite her explosive energy, Dina could feel herself losing ground. Sonia's movements were terrifyingly precise, always at the right moment, always in the right place.
Sonia launched another attack, aiming for Dina's neck. Dina deflected the machete with her sword, swiftly drew her pistol, and fired. The bullet shot forward, but with unnatural speed, Sonia was suddenly beneath Dina, a triumphant grin on her face.
"They call me the combat genius," Sonia said, grabbing Dina's arm.
With a fluid motion, she hurled Dina to the ground with such force that the earth seemed to tremble. Dazed, Dina tried to piece together what had just happened. How had Sonia moved so fast?
Sonia loomed over Dina, still sprawled on the ground, and aimed her weapon at her head. I'm not one for torture, but I'll break her arm, she thought. As Dina struggled to rise, Sonia slammed her heel into Dina's jaw—twice—with brutal precision. Dina collapsed, teetering between consciousness and oblivion.
Seizing Dina's arm, Sonia executed a ruthless hold. In less than two minutes, she completely dislocated Dina's arm. The pain surged through Dina's body, but it wasn't enough to fully pull her from her dazed state. However, when Sonia finished breaking her arm, the agony was so intense that Dina snapped back to full awareness instantly. She didn't scream, but the pain contorted her face, and her body shook uncontrollably.
"Well, I thought you'd be screaming like a maniac, attacking me, cursing me," Sonia sneered.
"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" Dina shouted, her face dark, eyes rolling back, biting her lips until they bled.
Sonia burst into laughter. "Oh, damn, I've pissed off the little one!" But her laughter cut off abruptly as a punch struck her, sending her crashing to the ground. Disoriented, she staggered to her feet, only to take another blow—this time to her stomach. The hit landed, but it did no real damage. She looked down and saw a fist emerging from a dark shadow.
Her gaze shifted to Dina, whose arm was submerged in that same shadow. "So, that's your arm," Sonia said with a sinister smile. "Since the pain's made you lose your senses, let me help you."
She yanked Dina's arm, pulling her entire body through the shadow. Then, she grabbed Dina's broken arm. The excruciating pain shattered Dina's focus, but she held back a scream. Sonia lifted her like a ragdoll and threw her violently against a tree.
For the first time, Dina felt pain so overwhelming that she doubted she could defeat Sonia. No, you can't, Sonia said, as if reading her thoughts.
"Want to know why your second attack didn't work?" Sonia asked mockingly.
Dina, leaning against the tree to stand, scrambled to think of a way to escape. Sonia continued:
"You know about the æther, don't you? You feel it, you know it surrounds us, it's everywhere. But did you know it's also within us, and that we can see it and use it?"
Dina recalled Tony's words. Perplexed, she followed Sonia's advice and tried to sense the æther. She felt it, but another energy emerged, emanating from Sonia. Shocked, she whispered, "Why do I feel an energy coming from you?"
"That's just aura," Sonia replied. "Vepula, the one who brought us together and created the red shadows, taught us something. People think the æther only surrounds us, that we can't feel the energy of others. But that's wrong. The reason you don't sense others' energy is that everyone is part of the æther. Me, I see it in its true form. I can use it, transform it into aura. That means, even though the æther is still within me, I can claim it and shape it as I please."
An æther sword shimmered into existence in her hand, an energy Dina could distinctly feel. Sonia lunged at her with blinding speed. Dina knew that if she stopped sensing the æther, she'd lose track of Sonia. But it was already too late—Sonia was right in front of her.
"What? How did she get here so fast?" Dina thought in panic.
True to her word, Sonia targeted Dina's other arm.
"You think I'll let you cut off my arm?" Dina shouted, trying to resist.
"Oh, I forgot to mention," Sonia said with a cruel smile, "when you awaken the æther within you, it acts as an amplifier for speed and power… if you know how to use it."
With a precise strike, she severed Dina's arm.
"But… you were two meters away just seconds ago!" Dina stammered, overwhelmed by pain.
"In your next life, learn to listen," Sonia said, before decapitating Dina with a single, clean strike.