"Let's go."

Orion decided to walk toward Ivan instead of using a portal. There was multiple reasons for that choice.

He needed to recover some of his energy before fully focusing his attention on the fight. There was also the fact that anything could happen by appearing in front of your enemy.

Unless you were prepared for whatever attack could be thrown at you, he chose the safest option. Kamala was also with him, he couldn't risk her safety at this point.

The last reason was concerning Kamala. She was frightened after the last display of strength that flatten the whole city.

Even though Orion thought that there was no way he could use such attack multiple times, neither him nor Kamala were sure of that possibility.

So he chose to let Kamala calm down on the way.

Amelia, Karteira and Kamala looked at his back as he advanced. Not long after, Kamala followed him.

The girls left behind were incredibly worried, but they believed in him. As much as he believed in them earlier taking care of the survivors and the soldiers, now was their time to have trust in him.

'Be careful.'

The same thought kept repeating in their head.

After walking twenty minutes on the hot sand, they arrived on the ashes of what was previously the city of Kaios.

Orion and Kamala never exchanged a single word along the way, and Ivan never made a move either.

'His he condescending toward us? I don't like his expression.'

He kept his gaze on Ivan all the time, noticing no changes in his behavior or movement.

Ivan simply stayed sat on a throne, alone, looking toward them.

Anger wasn't the best of emotions to describe his current state. He looked calm, but internally, he was furious, enraged, and out for blood.

They heard the sound of lightning crackling as soon as they walked closer.

"Orion, are you sure we can win this?"

"Do you consider us weaker than him?"

Kamala began to question her motivation.

"Don't forget, even if he has no army anymore, he'll do to Hocride what he just did to his own city. You are not safe until he his gone."

His words sunk into her mind.

'What am I doing?'

'Why am I here?'

She was worried. The more she looked at Ivan, the more she felt uneasy.

'He reminds me of mother.'

'!'

Orion let her think, since there was at least five minutes of walking before they would arrive in front of him.

"It is fine to be scared, even I fear death in this situation. Remember, I am not supposed to fight in the open like this."

Looking right in front of her to avoid being taken by surprise, she listened to his words carefully.

"Who isn't afraid of dying? But who else is going to correct the world in its current state?"

"Now, we learned that the Apostles can be corrupted. They are no longer human in that case."

"We cannot let them take over, or else, even the human faction will disappear in flames."

"Did you learn nothing from your own past? Are you going to reject it, or are you going to embrace it?"

"An Apostle should be someone like you. Someone that strive to make the lives of everyone better. Look around you. Is that something you would do?"

She shook her head. Her determination didn't falter, but doubt were still lingering in her mind.

"Let me tell you this then."

He lifted his hand and placed it on her silky white hair.

"Hang in there."

Kamala blinked, and felt her hair being caressed.

His voice calmed her inner turmoil, and his hand threw away the doubts that she had.

'I said I'd do it for him! Why am I getting scared for?'

Her heart was ready, and her mind cleared. Orion managed to empower her before arriving ten meters away of Ivan.

"..."

"..."

The two men exchanged a disdainful glare.

"That injury you inflicted upon my face, I'll be sure to give it back."

Ivan started the conversation first. Well, what seemed to be a conversation anyway.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

"You brought this upon yourself, do you think I will let you?"

"Of course I will. Your puny resistance will be met with complete annihilation in front of me."

The hate he had for him was unfiltered, but the disdain he had for Kamala was stronger.

"And you, weak woman. I cannot believe you dared to invade my city. You dared to steal my own citizens and attack my soldiers!"

"Who do you take me for? Am I a fool in your eyes?!"

He uncontrollably shouted toward Kamala.

She did not bat an eyelash at his outburst of rage, and instead provoked him.

"You were the first to attack my city. Your pitiful attempts to trample Hocride with your puppets was met with failures, and even your attempt to kill me was stopped. How does it feel to be on the losing side?"

'Not bad.'

Orion liked her tone. Everyone knew that the first one to lose their temper in a fight were prone to make more mistakes.

"I do not feel anything at all, you see? I don't care. Why should I care, when my victory is assured?"

'What is this conviction? Did he already lose his mind? I thought he had changed in some ways, but besides not shouting anymore, he hasn't really changed.'

'The only thing different is the brightness of his eyes. That red is unnatural.'

Orion noticed it, just like Kamala. They kept it for themselves, knowing that this wouldn't affect the coming fight in any ways.

"Don't get too crazy about that, did you think that we came to let you kill us?"

"Of course, I will just have to squash your small resistance, but it's already decided. I will kill you both here."

'Moron.'

"Moron."

Orion was shocked. The words did not came from his mouth, but from the woman next to him.

'She's bold. Well, I did thought about it, but I didn't expect her to think the same as me.'

He was amused by it. On the contrary, Ivan was not.

*GRIT*

"I will not let that insult unpunished. Who do you think you are?!"

"I don't have anything to say to you anymore. Get off you high horses, and lift your ass from your chair."

She completely disrespected him. His face wasn't pretty.

"Alright. Alright, I get it now. You did not just came to insult me, right? I'll give you what you want."

Ivan stood up from his throne, also known as the 'chair' by Kamala.

"My face as being disgraced, and my city has been ravaged!"

'That's your own doing... both of them.'

Orion fought hard against his mind not to blurt that out.

Both of them entered their fighting stance.

*CRASH*

The moment Ivan walked forward, a blast of lightning pulverized the throne he was sitting on.

"Let me show you the difference between a chosen Apostle and a fake one that requires the help of a pitiful hybrid."

"Stop talking and get to it, we don't have all day."

Orion wanted to quickly finish this fight. For some reason, his instincts were telling him to kill him fast.

'Taygeta. Today is full support.'

The dark crossbow formed in his hands, while Kamala's smashing weapons were created around her forearms.

"I won against you one time, who said you would win this time?"

They stopped answering him, ready to strike at the first movement.

"Fine."

The air crackled multiple time around Ivan. His shield was activated.

Ivan formed multiple spears one by one and threw them toward Orion.

'He's starting with me?'

This wasn't really problematic, but that was unexpected.

Orion ran to his left, and Kamala ran to the right.

-

"What do we do against his shield?"

Orion asked Kamala when they were taking care of the rescued citizens.

"Since we haven't really strategized, we should do it know."

Kamala nodded.

"You're right. Let's do that."

"About his shield, you said that you were able to neutralize it for a few seconds."

"That's what I said, yes."

"Previously, I would have said that it would have been better if you had fought him alone, but now, I want you to simply erased as much of his shield as possible."

-

And this is what he did.

While running in circles around Ivan, Orion ate at his shield with muting arrows.

He destroyed the magical connection between the shield and Ivan.

Each arrow was able to open the shield for five seconds. That time was used by Kamala to attack.

"That again? I will not let it hurt me."

Ivan watched as they were running around him. He was waiting for Orion to shoot another arrow through the gap like he did during their previous encounter.

'That's what you think.'

Kamala stopped in front of one of the opening and punched through.

"!"

Ivan noticed it at the last second and moved out of the way. Kamala retracted her arm fast before the shield touched it.

"I see."

He noticed their strategy, and was ready to counter everything thrown at him.

One spear after the other, Ivan kept missing them. He was frustrated to no end.

Kamala crossed Orion path counter-clockwise.

"Low shot. Right."

He heard the next order, and did exactly that. The next arrow flew toward Ivan's right leg.

The shield disappeared, and Kamala attacked.

"Urgh!"

Ivan noticed a sudden pain in his leg.

"What did you do?!"

He looked at his leg and noticed a rock at his feet that wasn't there before.

Kamala smirked at him, still running.

'This is going somewhere. Let's whittle his stamina first.'

Her plan was going to work, and she was going to make sure of that.

Orion kept creating holes in his defense, and Kamala kept attacking.

Ivan kept his eyes on Kamala and tried to attack her, but she began to run the other way, which Orion followed instantly.

After enduring three more rocks, two at his legs, and one at his right arm, he finally understood what was happening.

Kamala had previously attacked with a punch to lure his sense into thinking that she was going for a close quarter fight.

Instead, she was attacking by creating rocks in front of her and punching them in the direction of the openings.

'His defense is not that great once you learn how to get through it.'

Orion realized that Ivan was too proud of his ability when in fact, it wasn't that great. Yes, it was good against any attacks, but the moment the shield would be out, he was done for.

But once Ivan understood what was happening, his stance changed.

He threw less spears at them, and kept one at his side.

The thrown spears were meant to distract them, while he defended.

He thought that they would be getting tired at some point, and waited it out.

~

"Amelia, it's already been forty minutes since they began to fight. Are they alright?"

"I hope so."

From afar, the girls were watching the battle. They couldn't see much, but they were able to see the lightning spear and the dark arrow of Orion being shot.

"He's still moving, which means that everything's fine. For now at least."

"Are you sure we cannot do anything?"

Karteira wanted to run into the fight and help Orion, but she knew she would only be a burden at this point.

"There's not much we can do."

They kept looking, hoping that both of them would be alright.

~

'It's been a long time, but we're not damaging him anymore. We need to change our tactic, and fast.'

Orion was analyzing the fight, but since he gave full control to Kamala, he simply observed.

A minute later, Kamala finally gave her next order.

"Tired. Change."

This was enough for him to know that the next part of the plan was going to happen.

Ivan was breathing roughly, contrary to Orion and Kamala who were only mentally tired.

The next time they crossed, Kamala gave Orion something.

"Throw."

And everything fell in place.

'Alright.'

Orion attacked faster, creating more opening.

"He can go faster?! Shit!"

Ivan began to panic, knowing he had to defend faster.

Kamala created two rocks, and punched one toward Ivan. She waited for someone to appear in in her sight.

The moment she saw Orion, she punched the other rock in his direction.

Orion shot an arrow behind Ivan's back as he was countering the rock Kamala created. The rock, coming at incredible speed, arrived near Orion.

He jumped and kicked it, sending it toward the back of Ivan's head.

"Wh-"

Ivan felt a sudden pain, and almost fell to the ground.

He was bleeding from the powerful impact.

"I'm done with you both. I can't bother with you."

"I'm done playing defensively."

The area began to rumble loudly. Sparks erupted all around.

"Kamala!"

Orion called her and caught to her rapidly. He grabbed her, lifted her in his arms, and activated Calm Analysis.

A lightning shower was about to fall on them.