I awoke to the scent of memory and the warmth of something real. Like the smell of sand in Lake Aldaria during the morning.
Sakura lay beside me, her breath slow and even, golden hair scattered like fallen petals across the pillow. One of her arms curled over my chest. As if to guard me. I smiled softly at that thought.
Neither of us spoke at first. There was no need.
When her eyes fluttered open, she smiled softly and whispered, “Still here.”
“So am I,” I murmured. “I half-expected last night to have been a dream, or a memory of a dream.”
“It was,” she said. “A very real one.”
I leaned forward, pressing a kiss to her forehead.
She looked up at me with a wistful smile. “We’re allowed joy, Seren. Even if our pain and memories are trying to drown us.”
We kissed again, and the throes of passion took us over.
Sakura pulled me above her, her arms wrapping around my neck, one hand brushing my hair. Her thighs locked around my waist. She gasped as I brushed against her warmth and as I was about to thrust myself into her again...
— the bells tolled.
Harsh, metallic, they echoed across the city—one after another. A chorus of alarm.
Sakura shot upright, her expression hardening in an instant. She flourished one hand and sand swirled around us, our clothes and gear formed and manifested on our bodies. My daggers snapped into their sheaths at my waist.
“Show off,” I muttered, as I climbed off the bed to grab the Compass.
"Quickly, Seren." Sakura said urgently, climbing off the bed after me and clutching the Temporal Vow.
"Finally, combat." The Compass said excitedly as I clipped him to my belt. "I've been growing tired seeing you being all lovey-dovey with these angels."
Sakura leapt into the wind, her sandy wings bursting out like twin ribbons of starlight as she soared from the window. She settled high above, seemingly waiting for something, or someone.
"Chaewon must be on the walls."
"No!" The Compass exclaimed. "She's way too far. You'll go sick again."
"But I need to get there quick."
"Don't waste your energy before battle is joined, kid!" The Compass countered.
"Then what do you expect me to do? Hitch a ride with one of the Fallen?"
Before the Compass can reply —
“Going somewhere?”
I turned just in time to see a blur of red and ash streak through the window. Yunjin—her wings ablaze with sacred flame—grabbed me under the arms with startling ease.
“You’re flying with me today, hotshot,” she grinned.
“I was perfectly fine leaping on my own—!”
“Sure you were,” she said, spinning me midair like a sack of potatoes. “Kazuha’s got eyes on you anyway.”
At that, Kazuha swept in behind us—her flight graceful, but with a slight tilt. One obsidian wing beat unevenly, still partially bound from the last battle.
She offered me a smile, fragile but radiant. “We’re all here.”
“For now,” Yunjin muttered grimly shaking turbulently as she flew.
"That's a dark thought." I remarked.
"Shut it and flatten your body, relax and let the wind position you parallel to me. You’re vertical. Dead weight. Flatten out and let the wind carry you." Yunjin instructed.
I did just that, relaxed and let the wind lay me parallel to Yunjin and we zoomed through Dazkora's rooftops. Sakura with her wings of golden sand; particles trailing in the air where she flew. Followed by Kazuha; Stillveil fluttering protectively around her injured obsidian wing. And bringing the rear, Yunjin, with wings of sacred fire, burning smokeless as we flew.
They carried me until Dazkora’s towering outer walls came into view—lined with archers, mages, and guards all preparing in a flurry of controlled chaos.
On the main battlement above the gate, Chaewon stood still as stone, her silver hair rippling in the wind like a banner. Her thorny iron diadem rested squarely upon her forehead. Her wings, shimmering in the sun like steel armor. She turned her head slightly as we landed.
Sakura stood beside Chaewon. “What’s happening?”
A captain approached, breath ragged. “Scout towers just confirmed—an army. Thousands strong. Broken Enlightened, approaching from the ravine.”
Even above the bellows and calls, that phrase echoed: Broken Enlightened.
"How many defenders do we have?" I asked.
"Not enough." Chaewon answered grimly.
"Are the defenses ready, Libo?" Chaewon barked.
"As ready as can be, Oracle." The Captain, apparently named Libo, replied.
Chaewon nodded. "You all have your orders. Get in position and wait for my signals."
Libo bowed and left as a hush fell upon the five of us.
I glanced at the Fallen before me.
Kazuha; barefoot and ever graceful as her silver robes hug her slim and slender body tightly. Stillveil unwound from her broken wing and swirls around her body protectively. She sways, slowly, always in motion.
Sakura; elegant in her bronze robe perfectly sculpting in her petite and tight figure. Her sandy wings swirl with golden temporal symbols. The Temporal Vow pulsed in her chest rhythmically matching her heartbeat as sand crept from the relic which once again etched golden temporal symbols on her skin.
Yunjin; donned in red leather armor as her fiery hair flowed with the wind like a flaming mane accentuated by her wings fluttering like a blazing inferno. The veins in her left hand glowed from where her relic wraps around her ring finger.
And Chaewon; stoic in her black armor, black crown, steel wings, like a warrior maiden born out of midnight. Her shorter stature irrelevant as she casts the biggest shadow in the field as both Commander and trump card.
"Quite a line-up, huh." The Compass remarks in my head.
"Looking at them, I can't imagine losing."
"Don't jinx it, kid. Any mortal army would never stand a chance even against one of them, but these are the Counters we're talking about, I'm sure they have their own tricks up their sleeves."
I looked behind and saw Dazkora. I thought about this city. This city which cared for me while I was in a three-day coma. This city where I consummated my love to two women I will give the world to if given the chance. And most of all, this city has suffered enough, it was under the spell of Ignariel and the people themselves were Broken Enlightened before Chaewon banished the Counter mere seven days ago... wait? Seven days?
"How did they get here in just seven days?" I asked.
"Ignariel must be very busy since you banished it, Chaewon." Sakura commented.
“And it's not waiting this time,” Kazuha whispered.
"How can it approach the city? You commanded him not to." I asked Chaewon.
"Technically it's still outside the city. It has not returned yet."
"So that means it still can't enter Dazkora?" I clarified, hopeful.
"Not unless..." Sakura began, then looked at Chaewon with concern.
Chaewon sighed. "Not unless Valamar overrode my Command."
I closed my eyes, cursing for allowing myself to think that Ignariel would come back carelessly.
Yunjin’s eyes narrowed. “The dramatic bastard is with them. I can feel it." Her Ring pulsed violently, red light searing up her veins, reaching her shoulder as it ached for vengeance as much as its wielder. "Its corruption tastes like smoke in my lungs. And I still need to get even with it for my imprisonment.”
"If Ignariel's here, it's yours." Chaewon told Yunjin.
"You don't even need to command me, sister." Yunjin replied with a smile.
As the enemy army crested the hills and marched into view, we finally saw what we were about to deal with.
Purity Wraiths of every grotesque form imaginable, veiled priests, Enlightened with hollow eyes and burnt halos. Their skin peeled in patterns of ruin as they carry scorched weapons. In their empty mouths, they sing Ignariel's twisted hymn.
At the front led the dramatic bastard. It now wears flamboyant red and gold armor. Another mask dons its face, golden and etched with a twisted smile, its eyes and mouth blaze with its signature gray fire. It has known defeat, it will be more dangerous.
And at the center of their ranks—
A massive construction, covered by veils of silver and black, dragged by eight hooded Wraiths as large as a wagon. Chains clinked. Runes glowed beneath the tarp.
Ignariel walked beside it, its voice booming across the valley, its tone gloriously reverent as it points directly at Chaewon:
“Behold… the retribution of heaven.”
"Dramatic bastard." Yunjin and the Compass exclaimed almost simultaneously.
The chains fell.
The veil lifted.
What stood beneath was not a weapon — or it could have been one, I'm not sure. It was a massive, statue-like figure whose body is covered in unmoving blades and impossible geometry. Eyes closed, frozen and empty, endless, cold as silence, still as the void.
"Oh shiii —" The Compass whispered in my mind. "We're in biiiig trouble, kid."
Kazuha recoiled, stumbling backward as if struck. Her breathing hitched.
“N-No…” she exclaimed silently. Her eyes wide with horror as she shook violently.
“Kazuha?” I caught her arm. Sakura was on her other side immediately and we supported her together. Yunjin turned her head slightly in concern yet the grim look remained in her face. Chaewon's eyes remained fixed at the host in front of us, stoic and unyielding.
Kazuha's voice was barely a whisper as she breathes heavily. “Not her. Not now. Must keep moving... or else...” Stillveil wrapped around her, always protective.
Yunjin’s flames sparked from her relic.
Sakura’s hand gripped mine from behind Kazuha. The etchings in her skin rough like sandpaper to my touch.
Chaewon’s expression turned unreadable, the barbed Crown upon her head whispering grim omens.
"Kazuha." I whispered as I supported her.
Ignariel raised its arms as the chained... thing, opened its wings— an asymmetric mess of geological shapes.
“Let them witness your truth. Let the world fear immobility once more,” Ignariel cried. “Let the world remember Nemethel—the Angel of Restraint.”
Kazuha straightened herself beside me, her eyes now blazed with determination, Stillveil glowed defiantly with silver streaks upon its black fabric. "No matter what you do, don't stop moving." She said grimly.
I nodded and drew my blades. I will not let any city fall and burn to these angels again. I won't allow a second Sunset's Point.
And now, I have the power of four Fallen with me.
One way or another, this was a reckoning.
"Do not rush in, Yunjin." Chaewon remarked dryly. "Don't let your passion be our undoing."
"But they're right there!" Yunjin pointed. "Why show restraint when Nemethel thrives in it?"
"And yet, it is restraint we must show." Chaewon insisted. "We are on the defensive, Yunjin, we must be immoveable."
Yunjin growled in protest, the marks on her veins now reach her cheek as her ring pulsed stronger.
"She's right, Yunjin." Kazuha speaks up.
We all turn to her though only Yunjin and I seem surprised by what she said.
"What are you talking about, Zuha?" Yunjin comes closer to Kazuha. "This is Nemethel we're talking about. She's your Counter, you should know better!"
"Exactly Yunjin. I know how to fight her. And when I say Chaewon is right, believe me when I say Chaewon is right, because I know Nemethel." She emphasized her last three words. "And also, being immoveable does not mean not moving, sister." Kazuha adds as she rises to her feet, matching Yunjin's height in defiance.
Yunjin's veins sparked with red fire, Stillveil coils like a snake ready to strike.
"Do not disobey your Commander, Yunjin, this is war." I spoke up.
"She does not command me. Emotions and passion must not be tamed." She snarled.
"And yet it must be tempered, Yunjin." Sakura interjected. "You know this, and you know better, sister." She places her hands on Yunjin's arm and sparks flew where Sakura's golden etches meet Yunjin's searing veins.
"Don't make me Command you, Yunjin." Chaewon says, cold and low and as Yunjin turns to protest, her sisters are shocked with Chaewon's next word...
"— please." Chaewon finishes awkwardly. Yunjin pauses, her mouth caught wide as her retort was swallowed back to her throat, seemingly unable to comprehend that that one word came from Chaewon's mouth.
Unable to form a response, Yunjin settles with an awkward "Fine." And her fire dimmed just a little bit.
Sakura then comes closer to Kazuha and me. "Did Chaewon just —?"
"Not a word." Chaewon threatens coldly in front of us. It was not a command yet her sisters straightened up.
I on the other hand though, "Yeah. She just said 'please'. Not the first time I heard it, though." I teased and all four Fallen look at me. The other three looked with genuine surprise while Chaewon fixed me with a murderous glare.
"You keep annoying me, Solari." Chaewon remarked.
"What are you gonna do? Command me?" I pushed.
"Just focus on the battle. And do not stray from my commands." Chaewon said before turning her back on me to resurvey the advancing host.
I shrugged. "I was trained as a soldier too, Chaewon, I know when to follow orders."
"And also when to defy them." She bit back.
"When necessary." I replied as I took my place beside her.
She smirked, clearly recognizing the callback I made when I asked her if she'll override people's free will. "You're really making it hard not to like you, Seren of House Solari." She remarked nonchalantly to the surprise of her sisters.
We watched as the un-heavenly host march forward to the walls. Ignariel and Nemethel stayed behind with their Purity Wraiths standing as their personal guard. Their corrupted Broken Enlightened sang Ignariel's hymn like a twisted battle chant.
The skies darkened, casting a shadow wherever the corrupted host marches. There were no banners flapping in the wind, no horns or war drums to signal their advance, not even one captain or commander to bark orders. Just one big blob of bodies trudging painstakingly slow.
Then — it struck me about what truly felt wrong.
"They're... silent." I remarked.
"Yes." Chaewon echoed. "An army this huge would be heard from leagues away."
"No foot steps, no battle cries, not even one officer to provide order and issue commands..." Kazuha added.
"Just Ignariel's blasted hymn." Yunjin chimed.
"They're expendable to the counters, they don't care what happens to them." Sakura commented, and to my surprise, her voice was laced with a subtle rage.
As the Broken Enlightened reached archer range, Chaewon glanced at Captain Libo and gave him a nod.
Captain Libo then gave a series of commands and the Battle of Dazkora began.
As I see it, the battle flowed like how siege assaults usually develop. Attackers scaling the walls and archers firing back to repel them. Then again, the real fighters have yet to enter the fray.
As the bulk of the enemy army surged forward, the two Counters are left with only their personal guard.
"Seren, can you take care of the Purity Wraiths yourself?" Chaewon asked.
"With pleasure."
"With pleasure."
The Compass and I acknowledged as one.
"Then wait until the true battle has started. Yunjin, you and me take on Ignariel. Sakura and Kazuha, Nemethel's yours." Her sisters nodded in acknowledgment.
Chaewon turned to Captain Libo. "Captain Libo, you have the wall." Libo waved his sword in acknowledgment and the Fallen took off.
They crossed the field in less than a minute and landed a few yards away from the Counters and at least two dozen Wraiths.
And as I watched from the battlement, I figured how lucky I am to witness this battle yet unlucky in that I have to fight in it.
"We meet again, Fallen." Ignariel greeted the four angels with its usual flair. Its voice carried like a wildfire that held no heat.
"Much to our displeasure." Yunjin remarked dryly, rolling her eyes.
"Don't be like that, Yunjin, you know how much I enjoyed your time in chains." Ignariel mocked, Yunjin's flaming wings blazed stronger in rage.
"So..." Chaewon began, cold and composed, and all ears listened. "I've ordered you to stay out of this city, Ignariel. Now you come back from daddy Valamar and bring one of your sisters like a bullied little kid." She taunted, earning an approving smirk from Yunjin.
Ignariel's flaming mask burned a little bit more intensely. "Valamar is displeased, Chaewon —"
"He's always displeased." Chaewon muttered, her eyes rolling.
"Let me correct it, Valamar is enraged, Chaewon, that's why aside from overriding your command, he gave me another one. A command so strong it prevented him from coming here personally, yet enough to deal with a pest like you."
Chaewon tensed.
"We have you outnumbered. You know the Wraiths are no problem to us."
Ignariel laughed, "The Wraiths don't matter as much as the Broken Enlightened scaling Dazkora's walls, we can always make more."
Sakura's etchings glowed brighter as her rage rises with such blatant disregard for life.
"Your abilities sure are a nuisance Chaewon, you're the biggest threat in this field, yet Valamar deemed it enough that Nemethel and I be here to deal with all four of you." Ignariel said.
"Your hubris will be your undoing." Sakura growled.
"Is it? Mirror of Reget." Ignariel answered as Sakura flinched at the mention of her corrupted title.
"You, you’re still piecing your time-shattered self together. You're obviously not in your full strength, if you were, Seraphiniel would have been here." Ignariel added, Sakura's etchings pulsed more frequently seemingly matching her heartbeat
He then turned to Chaewon. "And the Oracle of Chains, the ever calculative, Chaewon," It said, theatrically raising its arms. "You will never be hasty now that you know Valamar has given me a trump card of my own." Chaewon clenched her fists, her knuckles turning white.
"And my dear Yunjin, oh Ashen Flame of the Scorched Truth, source of my Blightfire." Ignariel taunted, by now Yunjin's veins glowed with divine fire. "Are you also sure you're at full power? With me draining your flame."
"I have enough to burn you." Yunjin snarled back, to which Ignariel only chuckled mockingly.
"And you... Kazuha," Ignariel turned to Kazuha with mock endearment. "The Throne of Motion with a broken wing. Are you sure you're in any state to fight at all, Stillblade? Especially against Nemethel."
"We'll find out." Kazuha growled in defiance.
Then — a voice, long, hoarse, segmented, broken, almost as if the act of even speaking hurts.
"Find... out?" Nemethel finally speaks, if one can call it speaking. Its asymmetrical mouth does not move but her voice comes out in long broken pauses. "You... think... beat.. me... Kazuha?" She asked.
"With my sisters by my side, absolutely." Kazuha replied, earning a smile from each of her sisters.
"In.. teres.. ting." The statue answered. "You.. move.. you.. weak.. you.. unclean."
"No, you're the weak one." Kazuha said with pity in her voice. "You refuse to move forward, you're stagnant, you never... improve."
"Im... provement... curse... it... does not... stop... it... causes... suffering."
"Suffering makes us better."
"Prove... it... beat... me..." Nemethel challenges.
Kazuha floats a feet off the ground and Stillveil flutters around her, not as a shield, but as a whip of spatial divinity.
"Ooh. So excited, are we?" Ignariel sing-songs terribly. "But I think my... inanimate sister of immobility would agree that we should first test our opponents." And with one nod from Ignariel, four Wraiths launched themselves at each of the Fallen who stood unyielding.
As the Wraiths advanced, I teleported, right in front and between the Fallen. I hurled both daggers wide, striking the two farthest Wraiths square in their necks.
I then teleported to the leftmost dagger — the one closest to Kazuha, I twisted it and in one swift motion, pushed it down the Wraith's neck and threw it immediately to the closest Wraith, the one advancing towards Sakura.
Before the dagger hits, I blinked to the rightmost dagger, to the Wraith facing Chaewon, repeated what I previously did to Kazuha's Wraith, and threw it towards the Wraith facing Yunjin.
I blinked again, appearing at the Wraith facing Sakura, catching my dagger and in one stroke, took the head off the advancing Wraith.
And finally, I jumped towards Yunjin's Wraith, caught my dagger and executed a cross slash to the creature's neck, severing its head.
I landed and positioned myself in between the Fallen who never made a single move to defend themselves. Then the bodies of the Wraiths dropped to the ground.
"Told you we can handle it." I remarked calmly, almost smugly to Chaewon.
"I would not have given you the task if I did not believe you can." Chaewon smirked.
"You've gotten better at your teleporting, Compass-bearer." Ignariel compliments sarcastically.
"He... moves... too.. much..." Nemethel muttered in disdain.
"There's no need for the Fallen to concern themselves with petty Wraiths. I am enough." I announced confidently.
"Good, boy. Don't let them notice that you're about to throw up." The Compass says.
"Shut up."
I looked to my right. Chaewon summoned a dark steel sword that sings with torment and agony with every swing. Her diadem amplifying it with its ominous whispers.
Yunjin stood, combat-ready as her veins glow red-hot all over her body. Her ring now glows like it was just drawn from a smith's hot furnace.
Then I moved my gaze left, Kazuha, floating majestically a foot off from the ground. Stillveil, ever protective yet now on the offensive.
And Sakura, her body glowed with golden light. The Temporal Vow at her chest serves as the center of the glowing etches in her body.
Finally, I turned to face the Wraiths, at least two dozen, and remembered the severed heads of my family impaled in the spikes of one.
Fury laced my body as I cracked my neck on each side, rolled my shoulders, and with a quick flourish of my daggers I said — "So, shall we dance?"
The battle should have been a blur for my mortal eyes, and yet I saw every detail clearly.
Yunjin and Chaewon charged Ignariel, one wreathed in flames, the other dark as midnight. They engaged the dramatic bastard in a wild melee.
On the other hand, Sakura and Kazuha kept their distance from Nemethel. Kazuha and Stillveil danced, broken wing seemingly not a problem, as spatial ripples appeared where they tread. Sakura flittered throughout the battlefield, showering the area with golden sand. Time and Space working together in an attempt to push Restraint to move.
And then I, Seren of House Solari, faced off with two dozen Wraiths.
"This is madness, kid." The Compass said. "But it's gonna be fun."
"For Sunset's Edge." I thought.
"For Sunset's Edge." The Compass echoed.
"And for House Solari." We both said as one.
And we sprang into action.
For the first time since the Compass made me jump, I felt confident, I trust my training, I trust my daggers, I trust the Compass, and I hated these Purity Wraiths with a passion that would make Yunjin proud. Something about the Memorywalk awakened something in me, like a lock in my mind was released. While I struggled with one Wraith before, I now feel like I can take on even an army of them.
And take them on I did.
I threw, jumped, killed, jumped, threw, killed. And I messed up the order to be unpredictable. Wraiths fell, some injured, but I'll get back to them, I have to be methodical, pick my kills when it's clean, if it is not, at least wound them to a point that they can't react to my next strike.
I felt a twisted sense of satisfaction as I struck down each Wraith; this is vengeance, this is retribution, and soon, my blades will lick Seraphiniel's blood.
On the other side of the field, Chaewon and Yunjin fought Ignariel.
The sisters fought as if there was no tension between them just a while ago. Yunjin producing flames to buffet Ignariel, leaving it open to a strike from Chaewon. Small cuts, but the duo are gaining ground.
But something's... off. I observed as the Wraiths regrouped around me, only eleven or so remained. And before they charged, I realized it, I threw a dagger to the sky and jumped, as I reached it, I observed Chaewon and Yunjin's battle again.
They were fighting, and fighting hard. And yet... no commands from Chaewon.
I threw a dagger at the closest Wraith, hitting it where an eye should have been, teleported to it and kicked it to the ground, dragging its brethren with it. I dropped to a crouch as I landed. Ten more.
And that's when the battlefield shifted.
Ignariel suddenly raised its hand in frustration. "You think you can beat me!" It roared. Your power is all over this battlefield Yunjin. I can just call it back to myself."
The Fallen engaging it paused as a moaning emanated from the battle for the walls of Dazkora behind us. Ash floated from the Broken Enlightened who were struck down by the defenders. "Blightflame, to me! Come back to your master and give me strength!" It roared.
The column of ash swirled towards the Counter, and Yunjin, ever defiant, raised her left hand, the Ashen Ember Ring glowed like molten gold in her finger. "Those flames are from me! They shall return to me!" She roared.
And the column shifted towards Yunjin, the ring sucking the ash as Yunjin's arm trembled from the strain. Once it was all absorbed, Yunjin dropped to one knee. The glowing veins in her body flicker from red to gray, as if the ash itself is working its way inside her body.
"I feel... nothing... only emptiness..." Yunjin muttered.
Chaewon was in front of her in an instant, guarding against any attack.
And the Counter laughed. "How does it feel, Ashen Flame? Absorbing Blightflame back to you? That is a corrupted flame, and for you to cleanse that will take time and at the cost of your own emotions. Each time you prevent me from growing back stronger, you get weaker!"
"Enough!" Chaewon roared, her voice laced with power.
"You shall not absorb the Blightflame again!" Another Command, this one with more power as the diadem on her head trembled.
And yet, Ignariel kept laughing. "Two Commands, Chaewon?" It mocked. "Are you sure you want to expend your energy so wantonly?"
"Valamar." Chaewon spat.
"Your Voice won't work on me this time Oracle of Chains. Valamar made sure of that. For this battle alone, you can not Command me!" Ignariel declared smugly.
And just like that, Ignariel had the advantage.
But suddenly, another laughter permeated the field... Yunjin's.
"Hey Seren!" She called. "You done back there?"
"Just three more!" I called back.
"Come to me once you're done."
I teleported to her side half a heartbeat later.
"All done." I said as I heard the remaining Wraiths tumble to the dirt behind us.
She looked at me from head to toe. "You look like shit, Wraith-slayer."
I was steaming, the blood of the Wraiths, if you can call it blood — more like mud — dotted my skin in sizzling grotesque patterns.
"Not my best look. Do you think your sisters still love me if I look like this?" I joked, trying to ease her tension.
"I know I still do." Yunjin replied.
"What?" I asked, not quite sure I heard her right. Chaewon just smirked.
"Back up Chaewon for me, will you." Yunjin said.
"What are you gonna do?"
She rose. "You underestimate me Ignariel." And she raised her fist in the sky, her ring glowed ever brighter and hotter that I feared it might melt her finger.
Moans then echoed again from the walls of Dazkora as every Broken Enlightened stopped, ash swirling from their bodies as the Blightflame left their vessels, and flowed like a river to Yunjin's ring. "This field shall be cleansed of your corruption!" She declared.
Ignariel can not hide its surprise under its twisted mask. "You will risk this battle to cleanse this field, knowing the cost?! Do you know who you're fighting against?!" It roared.
"Yeah. A dramatic bastard." I said as I stood beside Chaewon.
"It's still two versus one, Ignariel." Chaewon said calmly, her dark steel sword singing for Ignariel's blood.
"No! No! No! No!" Ignariel panicked and charged.
"Be annoying, Seren." Chaewon said.
"Is that a command?" I quipped.
"It is what you are." She quipped back as I threw my daggers in two different directions to confuse Ignariel while Chaewon rushed from the front, covering Yunjin as she absorbs the Blightflame.
We fought Ignariel like how Chaewon and Yunjin did, except it was Chaewon who now distracted Ignariel by engaging it from the front while I teleport where the dramatic bastard is vulnerable to deliver small cuts.
"Pest!" Ignariel attempts to strike at me but was parried by Chaewon, allowing me a small cut on its thigh. I was surprised at myself, I was able to keep up with Chaewon, arguably the nest swordsman I've ever seen — and an angel at that.
We persisted, my gut coiling, threatening to dislodge bile up my throat until Ignariel was on its knees. We retreated towards Yunjin who was also on her knees having absorbed all the Blightflame. We heard a cheer from the walls as the Broken Enlightened all fell. The defense of the walls were successful due to Yunjin's passion. And yet, the battle is still not over.
Yunjin is hunched over, her red veins flicker weakly as she feels the whiplash of the Blightflame in her body.
"The ring needs time to purify, Yunjin." Chaewon said. "But I still need you to fight."
"Do not underestimate my passion for vengeance, Chaewon." Yunjin growled.
"I don't, that's why I'm concerned."
"Can you fight?" I asked.
"I told you not to underestimate my fire!" Yunjin rose, willing her ring to action. With a primal roar that shook me in my core, her veins glowed red, like a renewed spark and her eyes literally burst in flames. "Go help your girlfriends. They're keeping Nemethel in a stalemate. But they need something to turn the tide."
"But..."
"We got this Seren." Chaewon said. "Ignariel's weakened and we have cut off its supply of Blightflame."
I glanced at the other side of the battle. Kazuha danced around Nemethel's immovingly freakish form, throwing spatial ripples which Nemethel counters with her own gravity wells as well as lobbing these wells to the two Fallen. Everytime Kazuha gets caught in one, Sakura uses the Temporal Vow to place her back at a time where the well does not exist. Whenever Sakura does get caught in these wells, Kazuha dances to remove the space where the gravity well held her sister. And so the cycle went on and on.
Until one misstep from Kazuha, her broken wing finally faltered and she slipped in her steps. Nemethel was quick to capitalize, forming needles out of warped space and shot them at Kazuha.
"Sakura won't reach her in time," I thought.
And I jumped.
I intended to jump right in front of Kazuha, however I appeared by her side, the momentum sending us to the ground as the warp blades soared past us.
"Don't be that much of a hero, kid." The Compass scolded me. "Those blades would have skewered both of you had I not corrected your trajectory."
"Thanks." I panted.
I turned to Kazuha. "Are you okay? Your wing?"
Kazuha nodded, dazed, but somehow fine. Stillveil positioned herself in between us and Nemethel, ready to deflect anything the Counter should throw at us. "Must have... overexerted myself." Kazuha panted.
Before we can recover however, a scream took both of our attentions. We turned and saw Sakura hit by a gravity well. She plummets as Nemethel's attack pushed her down to one knee.
"No!" I yelled, but before I was able to jump, a group of warp blades manifested around Kazuha and I. Nemethel has us pinned.
"That... is... better." Nemethel's broken speech echoed hollow and painful. "You... all... move... so... much....." she says, seemingly annoyed more than concerned.
I felt Nemethel's gaze turn to Kazuha, though her body made no noticeable movement as Stillveil swirled around us protectively.
"Stay... there... Kazuha... stop... moving... and... rest... in... perpetuity."
I racked my head for options on how to get out of this mess... then it came... a gamble...
"Compass, how many more jumps can we do?" I asked.
"Three... roughly." He answered, exhaustion evident in his voice as he hummed weakly.
"And if we jumped with someone? Can we even do that?"
"Theoretically, yes. The fundamentals remain, you have to trust what you jump to. It takes mutual trust to jump with someone else but," he paused. "Considering you both made love till almost dawn last night, I think that won't be a problem."
Too much information, dude. I thought, though I never told him.
"And the drawback?" I asked.
"It would drain those three jumps and put me out of commission for a while."
I considered his words. "You've done enough, partner. Rest after this last jump. We'll find a way to survive."
The Compass scoffed. "You sure about this?"
"Are you going to object?"
"No. Even I can't find another way out of this mess except your crazy plan. But you'll have to be quick. Quicker than Stillness."
"No way to know unless I do it."
I then turned to Kazuha. "Can you still do that teleporting thing you do whenever we're inside Stillveil?"
Kazuha nodded. "But we'll need Sakura. It's an ability that merges the powers of our relics; time and space. And Stillveil won't be able to guard us from those warp needles while she syncs with the Temporal Vow."
"How long will it take for them to sync up and get us out of this?"
"An eighth of a second, half at most." She responded.
"Alright. Be ready to jump when I bring her inside our bubble."
Kazuha opened her mouth to protest — but I was already gone, blinking into the crushing grip of Nemethel’s gravity. As I entered, it felt as if being crushed down by the weight of Sunset's Edge and the cliff it stands on.
"The... fool... left... you... for... sister... Kazuha," Nemethel taunted, to which Kazuha only smiled.
With all my strength, I touched Sakura in the shoulder. "Ready... love?" I asked. Even speaking is difficult inside Nemethel's gravity well. With almost more difficulty, she nodded.
I then jumped both of us towards Kazuha and we manifested inside Stillveil. Nemethel realized what was truly happening and willed her blades to thrust inside Stillveil's protective bubble.
"Get us out, now!" I told the two angels. Stillveil swirled and the Temporal Vow glowed with light. A blade breaches the bubble, reaching for Kazuha, I placed my body between them and felt pain stab my back, just above my lung.
"You—" Nemethel's broken speech was unable to catch up with the speed of our actions.
A flash of gold and silver — and we sprawled outside our bubble, a mere few feet from where Nemethel's blades are now buried in the ground.
I tapped the Compass. "Good job, partner." No response. Just a weak hum, as if the guy's saying goodnight.
The three of us rose and we once again felt Nemethel's gaze on us, but this time, it was filled with rage.
"Why... won't you... stay still!" It bellowed.
"Because you talk so slow!" I quipped. The angels beside me seem too tired to offer a reaction.
"Ready?" I asked them.
Kazuha rolled her shoulders as if flexing her broken wing and nodded, her eyes never leaving Nemethel's towering form. Sakura just nods, the temporal markings in her skin now glowed a dim bronze rather than the usual sandy gold yet her eyes shone with determination.
I led our charge — and fell to my knees as I coughed up blood and felt my chest tighten, my wound screaming for attention. The unmoving bastard may have clipped a lung after all.
The two angels hesitated as I fell and Nemethel was quick to capitalize as we felt the crushing weight of her gravity well.
"Damn... it!" I cursed with effort.
"I... told... you... stay... down!" Nemethel's voice was laced with rage.
"You... Compass... bearer... pest... must... kill... first..." she said as the warp blades manifested above my head.
"No..." Kazuha whispered as she tensed, seemingly hoping to will the gravity prison out without moving herself.
I looked with difficulty to the other side of the battle. Chaewon and Yunjin are still engaged with Ignariel in fiery hand to hand as Chaewon seemed to have dropped her sword. But it seems they're pressuring Ignariel down however, we can't expect any help from them until they wrap up their battle. And the Compass is out of commission. I'm running out of options as I coughed up blood again.
"Now... rest..." Nemethel brings down her blades and I closed my eyes for the inevitable.
Then — a voice. "NO!" It lacked its usual grace and calm, it was hoarse and desperate, and yet, the blades stopped quivering just inches above my head. The gravity well kept pushing us down however it is slowly getting lighter.
Beside me, I heard Sakura's shocked voice. "Kazuha... how...?" And I turned towards Kazuha.
She was still as stone, as still as Nemethel even. And, yet she commands space with almost as much power as she does when she dances. Her eyes shone silver, her obsidian wings looked even darker yet pulsing with power. Stillveil wrapped around her wielder's shoulder, glowing silver streaks on black as she stayed as unmoving as Kazuha.
"... what?... impossible!... how?!" Nemethel mirrored our thoughts.
"You're not... moving... you should... powerless!"
Kazuha remains silent, her concentration unwavering as she pushes the gravity well off of us and breaks the warp needles with what seems like just a thought.
"Space is my domain, Nemethel. It does not matter if I move or not, as long as I have a reason to keep moving forward, I am not still." She declared as she finally and completely broke the pressure of the gravity well.
"Sakura, with me." She calls as she sends Stillveil to quickly wrap around Nemethel's form, trapping her in ripples of space. Sakura moved as fast as she could, although exhaustion is evident in her body as the Temporal Vow now pulses weakly.
"Easy, love. Don't push it." I told her.
But she still pushed it, sending sand to swirl around Nemethel like a twister. I can't blame her, we've been pushed to our limits and it seems the only way of winning this battle is to break through those limits. So I settled in hoping to scold the same Sakura after this battle, not one from an alternate timeline.
Nemethel screamed in her prison of time and space. I looked to the other side of the field and saw Ignariel on its knees, mask broken —exposing its two hollow eye sockets burning with gray fire. Yunjin is standing over it with her ring pressed upon her Counter's forehead, red ash seemed to swirl from Ignariel's eyes to Yunjin's ring as she sucked out the flames Ignariel had absorbed from her. Chaewon stood by the side, looking like a midnight executioner with her dark steel blade.
We're about to win. I thought.
And I thought too early as the sky darkened as if someone snuffing out the fire from a candle. Then I felt disoriented, like right suddenly became left and up suddenly became down and vice-versa. Everything felt twisted and wrong. I felt drowning as I breathed, like air suddenly became water.
And a voice, commanding, haunting, absolute, cut through the world.
"Useless, both of you." It said with sarcastic disappointment.
"To me, all of you!" Chaewon howled. And for the first time in this battle, I felt fear, real fear. The Chaewon I know, no matter how short the time we had, was always certain, even as Ignariel had the advantage during our battle, she never wavered in her belief that we would find a way to win. She always seemed sure and absolute, yet now, she sounded desperate and afraid.
With visible reluctance, Kazuha and Sakura recalled their relics, the prison unraveling around Nemethel. Yunjin took a while before snarling and retreating, leaving Ignariel sprawled in its knees.
I shuddered to think of things that would make Chaewon shake in fear. And as we assembled behind her, only one thing fit that description.
Valamar.
Sakura touched my wounded back and I felt like sand was sifting through my organs and flesh as she rewound the injury.
"There, that should stop you from coughing blood." She said weakly, her temporal etchings no longer glowed — they hung like wet sand barely clinging to her skin.
"Thanks. You shouldn't have." I said.
"Yeah. I love you too." She responded.
I reached behind me for Kazuha and she held my hand and squeezed it tightly.
Yunjin stood beside Chaewon, she looked more ashen than she was when she was imprisoned by Ignariel, her ring no longer glows hot as only a faint vein simmers.
Chaewon has her blade raised, her defiance masking her terror. I can feel her thoughts racing for any tactical options that can help us turn the tide of the battle now that her Counter is manifesting.
We watched as a black figure towered behind the Counters, like a shadow cast by darkness. Light seemed to refuse to approach him. And I felt like a tiny speck of dust, fighting with and against literal manifestations of concepts I've only read about at Sunset's Edge's library whenever Alaric allowed me to.
Ignariel turned and Nemethel glitched, her asymmetrical form seemingly rearranging itself to turn towards the figure.
"Valamar.." Ignariel started.
"Lord Valamar." The figure snapped, forcing Ignariel down to one knee. I suddenly had the compulsion to kneel beneath this "Lord".
"Lord Valamar..." Ignariel continued, it's hymn suddenly sings, like a welcome for the coming of its leader. And yet, the fear echoed in its voice seeped through its mask of theatrics.
"Silence and spare me your theatrics, Ignariel!" The figure roared. "I gave you all the advantage you can have, and yet you still failed to defeat these Fallen, weakened as they already are!" Ignariel and its hymn was silenced.
"But... Lord..." Nemethel began in her usual broken and segmented speech.
"I command you to speak quickly, Nemethel!" I felt the power in his voice, not compelling nor inspiring, absolute.
"Lord. The Compass-bearer." Nemethel talked almost too quickly, she seemingly wanted to get her point across quickly so she can finally shut up. "The Compass-bearer dares thwart us. It is... variable unaccounted for."
"Is it, Nemethel? Did you come here with no knowledge of the Compass-bearer?" Valamar asked.
"No," came Nemethel's quick response.
"Then he was accounted for! By me! And yet you still lost!"
"We haven't lost..." Ignariel started.
"Yet you were on the verge of it! Until I arrived." Ignariel was once again silenced.
"But how are you here, Lord? You said you've expended your power on Ignariel's command." Nemethel asked.
"Who do you think I am, Nemethel?! Do you think I can't just command myself to be strong enough to manifest?!" Valamar roared.
"Of course, Lord." Nemethel replied. And if it could physically kneel, it already had.
"And yet I'm still weakened enough to prevent me from manifesting a true form. Although, you both did a decent job in weakening the Fallen and their pet." Valamar gloated. "So it falls to me again, to clean up after your mess." And the figure turns its head and stares right at us.
Then — a pressure swept over us and Chaewon swung to action, not at the Counters, but at us.
"Go! Escape!" Her voice was a Command. And her sisters moved to fly out of the battlefield. Except me.
"No! I... we're not leaving you!" I said grabbing her shoulders.
Her sisters suddenly stopped, seemingly able to resist her Command, yet their wings flap on, slowly pushing them away. "Seren!" Kazuha and Sakura called.
"I'll hold them off. Then I'll find you." Chaewon said.
"But Dazkora..."
"...is lost now that he is here." Her eyes were firm, yet underneath, I saw the pain of loss — of losing the battle, and of potentially losing her family.
The pressure grew heavier as Valamar's figure advanced almost leisurely. The space he's travelling to seems to be resisting him, yet still, he advanced, slowly, absolute.
"Go, Seren, please." Chaewon pleaded, tears welling in her eyes.
"You can't Command me."
"No, but if you stay, my sisters will stay."
"You already Commanded them..."
"They love you!" She screamed. "Their love for you is strong enough to override my Command. It's the only thing that can." She said, her tears now flow freely. And it ached my heart to see it.
"Go. Please. Before I break."
"Come back to us." I whispered, pressing my forehead on hers.
She chuckled. "Is that a command?" She whispered back.
"This is no time for jokes..."
Then she pressed her lips to mine and her tears stained my cheek. The fingers on her free hand brushed the hair on the back of my head as I held her tightly by her waist.
"And I'm in love with you too, Seren of House Solari." She whispered. "And with that kiss, I seal my promise to find you and come back to you, to all of you." She said gently as she pulled away, her face soft as her tears fell down her cheeks. "Now go."
I watched her face harden and turn towards Valamar and the two other Counters, her dark steel sword raised in defiance, as Kazuha willed Stillveil to pick me up. Her small stature shrinking a lot more in the presence of such a looming abomination.
Stillveil flew me beside Kazuha and as we passed Dazkora's walls, I saw something that made my gut sick. The defenders on the walls fell on their own blades.
"What the hell?! Is this Valamar's doing?" I asked.
"No. It's Chaewon's. Her final Command to Dazkora." It was Yunjin who answered, her face ash white with defeat and exhaustion.
"Why would she..." I started.
"Better to die now than fall as thralls under the Counters." Sakura said melancholically. "You saw what the Broken Enlightened became."
"So every Dazkoran just... dies?"
"No. Some evacuated while the battle was being fought." Kazuha answered. "They were only Commanded to come back if the defense of Dazkora succeeds."
We flew past the city and as we approached its far edge. I felt a wave of energy from the battlefield, like two Commands clashing against each other. Reality warped as the sky glitched from orange to blue to black, as if confused as to whose Command to obey.
And I remembered Chaewon's lips on mine. "Come back to us." I murmured.