Akane's body staggered, her every step faltering.
Cuts lined her arms and legs. The wounds multiplied as the fight dragged on, and though her flames had scorched the Corrupted Draconic Spawn again and again, she was paying for every strike in blood.
Her breath hitched. Her eyelids drooped.
It felt as though her body had already abandoned her. Every muscle was screaming, every tendon fraying. She was one heartbeat away from collapsing.
'Why…?' she thought bitterly, dragging her foot forward. 'Why am I still fighting so hard for him?'
She clenched her fists.
'Syl… She gave glimpses of compassion, yes. But she never stood for me. She never really took a risk for me, put herself in danger… But him… In the first place, having taken that thing, it's likely for him to become like this monster… For him to lose his mind… If that happens, then what…?'
Her thoughts swam. Confusion stirred in her chest. The exhaustion was unbearable, but her legs still moved, refusing to give in.
And that confusion took her back. It took her back to her father, her mother, her natal village burning in snow and fire. To the Werebeast village she had later joined.
Everywhere, every time, she had been too young and too weak, to protect anyone.
Her parents. Her friends. The village. All gone.
Every failure birthed hatred. Every loss carved rage.
But now, standing against this monstrosity, she understood. Those things alone weren't enough. Rage didn't give her this strength.
It was something else.
'I'll protect him. I just have to hold hope that he won't lose his mind. That he won't turn into-'
Her arms trembled as she raised them, shielding herself.
BAM!
A black spike shot from the ground and collided with her arms, slamming her off her feet.
"Ghh…!" Blood sprayed from her lips as her body launched upward.
Time slowed.
Her eyes locked onto the monster below. Its jaws were still reaching for Amon, who lay motionless on the ground.
'No.' Her heart thundered. 'Not this time. Not him. I promised… I'd buy him time.'
Her body twisted in the air, her tail flicking weakly, her palms and knees dragging along the dirt as she hit the ground hard.
She coughed, blood staining her teeth, but she pressed her trembling arms into the soil.
"I… won't…"
Her gaze burned.
"I won't let you take him…! I won't…"
The flames answered her voice.
From the burning wreckage of huts, from embers that still clung to beams, from dying sparks buried in ash, all the fire flew, met, and surged toward her.
WOOSH!!
The inferno spun, drawn in like a vortex, spiraling into her collapsing body.
Her mark, the strange scar carved into her left arm, spread further, lines glowing faintly like molten veins.
And then,
"...!"
She collapsed against the ground, her eyes closing.
'No… Not yet… I have to…!'
The Corrupted Draconic Spawn was the only one left standing.
Its gaze moved from the collapsed Akane to the unconscious Amon, then raised it up.
It was dawn.
Too much energy had been expended to deal with the Fox girl. Because of all the accumulated Corruption, the Corrupted Draconic Spawn seemed to have grown in size. The Corrupted Skin on its back had been curled into spirals, acting like six sharp and pointy tails that could be used to slash and stab. Its limbs seemed much wider, coats of hardened corrupting liquid over them.
With light approaching, the Corrupted Draconic Spawn needed to move quickly. Once back to its lair, it could take its time ingesting the-
A feral growl suddenly echoed.
The Corrupted Draconic Spawn turned in the Fox girl's direction. Due to its eyes, it couldn't tell that the first light of dawn had shone on her body.
The flames, which had previously calmed down, spiraled and seeped into her body. What she previously needed to let out, now slowly went in.
Badump!
Badump!
Her heartbeat was loud enough for the Corrupted Draconic Spawn to think something was approaching.
Her heartbeat was loud enough to wake him up.
From Amon's broken, half-conscious body, his eyes flickered open.
Through the haze of pain, he saw her body lying on the ground.
"Akane…"
He saw flames rising behind her, and bubbling around her lower back.
Despite being seemingly unconscious, her tail remained standing, and it swayed from right to left.
[You have witnessed the reality of the entity "Akane".]
[Species: Were-Vixen.]
[State: ???]
[Error.]
[Species: ???]
[State: ???]
[Updating Information…]
In her natal village, she was different because of her red hair and fur.
In the Werebeast village she was later welcomed to, she was different as well…
One day, however, you will come to understand what truly makes you different. And when you do, that difference… Will be your strength.
Akane's eyes violently shot open.
Her body, warmed by the crack of dawn, was suddenly undergoing changes.
Her previously brown eyes turned red, and her pupils became thinner than a hair follicle.
Her tail swayed, while the bubbling flames turned into a reddish aura that…
The Corrupted Draconic Spawn, upon realizing that the sound came from the collapsed Fox girl, immediately attacked. Four of its sharp spirals pierced the air and, before they could land,
Wooosh!
An impregnable sphere of flames suddenly appeared around Akane, hiding her collapsed body completely.
[Information has been updated!]