Nina let flames engulf her hands as she ran forward screaming. An unexpected strategy coming from her. I dodged her flame imbued punches and ran my blade through her gut. She spat blood onto the ground and my shoulder. I released my blade from her wound and she stumbled back clutching her gaping stomach. Nina snapped her fingers and the air around me lit ablaze. I dashed backwards as the flames subsided, widening the distance between us.

"Something is different about her Heaven…" Hell observed from within.

"What do you mean?"

"I wish I knew."

I fired a burst of beams from my palms that Nina swiftly avoided as she ignited the ground at my feet. I surged forward with my blades ready. I cut down any ball of flame that headed towards me as Nina unloaded a relentless barrage upon me. I leapt up into the air and spun my body down on top of Nina as I swung my blades. My cuts dug into Nina and knocked her back. She threw her whip out to me which I easily dealt with. Once again she ignited the air around me. I immediately dived into negative space and emerged above her. Nina vanished into a cloud of embers and appeared next to me in an instant. I felt her burning fist collide with my face. The blow sent me rocketing towards the ground as she blasted herself after me. Momentum and gravity joined forces as they carried Nina down towards me. Her strike connected with my guard and suddenly an explosion ripped forth from the impact. I was battered by Nina's powerful strike but wasn't ready to back down yet. Nina was staring at me with glowing sapphire eyes. Just a sadistic grin and an eerie laugh was enough for Nina to speak volumes. All her thoughts and feelings were written on her face in pure malice. I stood my ground and prepared myself. I was ready to end it all.

Nina and I had gone back and forth for what felt like hours. Wound after wound, we exchanged blows consistently. Nina's burning fist crashed into my stomach, forcing me back several feet. I managed to keep my balance as I landed and laid down suppressing fire. Nina snapped her fingers and let the air around me burst into a storm of immolation. I dove forward and returned fire once again, but Nina had a far greater advantage. Her attacks were persistent and kept me on my toes. I couldn't get a moment to breathe as explosions erupted out of thin air in wake of my movements. I had to get in close. I dashed forward ahead of the torrent of bursting flames. My blades were ready to cleave into Nina's soft, pale flesh. My teeth were clenched tight in a battle rage before I let loose a cry of fury. My blades came down onto Nina's shoulders. Nina bit her lip to staunch the screams. Her hands pressed into my stomach. My flesh began to cook. Smoke rose up and I broke away from her hold. I threw out my hands towards my foe and unleashed a barrage of projectiles. Beams of light and dark matter flew towards Nina in mere seconds. She immediately ignited the flames around her and disappeared from my sight.

"Where is she Hell?"

"Working on it… Above!"

I quickly looked up to see Nina falling towards me from a great height. Balls of flame rained down on me as I hastened to raise my guard. Embers shattered along the ground like scattering flower petals as fire bolts were batted away by my swords. Nina filled her fist full of white hot flames as she came crashing down on top of me. I leapt away in the nick of time as her fist hit the ground and an explosion of scalding white flame erupted from the impact. Nina was starting to grow more and more enraged. Her hair had an alabaster glow to it as she stepped forward to face me once more.

"You're not going to win this time," I said with an almost snickering grin.

Nina cried out in a spiteful frustration as she dashed forward towards me.

"Shut up!"

I leaned out of the way of her rocketing fist only to be caught by another jab. My head flew back from the force of the blow as another strike went for my stomach. Nina swept her feet under my leg and raised her fist as I was tripped up by her kick. Her flame imbued strike slammed into my skull and knocked me into the ground hard. The cement beneath me began to give way from the force of the blow. Nina growled like a wild beast as she began to focus all her frustration upon that one area. Fire erupted with such violent force you could feel a shockwave from the burst. I managed to disappear into negative space as the flames licked away at the small crater I once laid in. I reappeared behind her and sliced her across the back. She stumbled forward and blasted a jet of flame towards me as she clutched her wound. I ducked under the blaze and fired a single beam at Nina's shoulder. She stumbled back yet again as I continued to fire beam after beam at her. Her body was thrown back with the force of each beam's impact. Finally Nina cried out and unleashed one of the largest explosions I had ever seen her emit. I shielded myself as best I could as the flames took in everything around us.

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The flames dissipated mere moments after they appeared. I opened my eyes after the heat died down and suddenly I was faced with something unexpected. A new combatant had entered the fray. Before me stood a woman wrapped in an elegant emerald dress of a gothic style. It was short, falling just above her knees, and was gracefully decorated with black lace. I instantly recognized that almost iconic Lolita styled dress, as did Nina.

"Katelyn!? What you doing here!?" I cried out.

"This is my fight too Heaven!" Katelyn screamed as she turned back to me.

In that moment I got a good look at Katelyn. Fearsome emerald eyes, matching her dress. Ghost like skin, more than likely caused by makeup. Heavily styled, luscious brown locks. All that beauty thrown aside for a moment of strength and empowerment. She immediately turned back to face her friend.

"Nina! Snap out of this! I know this isn't you, this isn't what you want!"

"Shut up!" Nina swiftly responded.

"It doesn't have to be this way Nina, I am here to help!"

"I said shut up!"

"I know you still miss your parents after all this time, but working with Regis won't solve anything! Please Nina!"

"My name is not Nina!"

Katelyn and I froze as Not-Nina began to give into her anger more and more.

"Nina has never been in control. It's always been me. Ever since they died, I swore to her that I would make a world where she could be free from all this. I did everything I did because I wanted to protect my sister!"

Katelyn spoke up in an almost defeated voice.

"Then you're-!"

"Serafina, Nina's Second Personality. Lockhart dragged me away from my sister and turned me into this disjointed conscience."

I felt my heart ache with empathy. I felt truly sorry for Nina, but I couldn't let my sympathy stop me there. Just as I regained composure, I heard Terra shouting my name as she ran towards Katelyn and me.

"I'm sorry I couldn't catch up in time."

"Oh good… More lambs to the slaughter," Serafina muttered as she began to slowly descend into the madness.

"Working with Regis is such a pain… But if I didn't listen to him…"

Serafina began to chuckle to herself as flames enveloped her body. Soon her simple chuckling turned in insane cackles. A cacophony of manic laughter left Serafina's lips as her flames slowly changed to a blue hue and her eyes began to glow.

"It can't be…" Terra muttered in shock.

"Get behind me!" Katelyn barked as we stared in shock.

Serafina screamed as loud as she could as she fired a blast of blue flame from her palm. Katelyn quickly enveloped us in a barrier made from her own ability to manipulate wind. The blazing strike was redirecting by the currents, but Nina didn't let up. Nina unleashed an unending rain of fire bolts that all fizzled upon impact with Katelyn's barrier. Katelyn did the best she could to hold her shield up, but I could see her strength fading fast.

"Terra! Heaven! That guy Serafina is working with is bad news! I overheard him talking about using Serafina as a diversion to get into the Estate! I don't know what they are up to, but it can't be good! You have to head down there and take them out! Don't worry about me, I can take care of Nina!" Katelyn cried out.

Katelyn quickly released the barrier into a blast of wind that put out Serafina's flames, but only for a moment. With a sudden burst of rage, her blue fire returned with twice the intensity.

"Are you sure you can do this!?" I screamed out to Katelyn.

"Just go!"

Katelyn blocked several bolts of blue flame as they rocketed right towards us before sending a push of turbulence towards Serafina. The two of us didn't question her request. There were bigger things at stake. We ran towards the rubble of the Estate while Katelyn fought her only friend with everything she had.

Serafina dashed forward at Katelyn. She threw several flaming punches that her former friend attempted to dodge. Several consecutive hits scraped along Katelyn's body. She tried to fight back the pain as she felt the stinging heat of Serafina's flames. She quickly struck Serafina with her palm and sent flying backward on a gust of wind. Nina flew through the air and retaliated with suppressive fire. Katelyn summoned a shield around her that caught all of Serafina's projectiles and hurled them right back at her. Nina merely grinned as she ignited the area around her and sent her storm of flame towards Katelyn. Katelyn used her abilities to deflect every blazing tongue that came for her. Finally, Serafina used both hands to unleash a devastating blast of her flame. Katelyn quickly raised a barrier, but couldn't redirect the strike. It was now a pure test of raw power.

"You were my friend! Both of you were, you don't have to do this!"

Serafina said nothing as she put even more of her power into her attack.

"Serafina! Please!"

Not a word got through to the manic pyromancer.

"Is this what your parents would have wanted!?"

That was the moment that Serafina hesitated. Memories of her terrifying childhood returned to her as the few precious moments she had with her parents played out in crystal clear definition. Katelyn took her opportunity as her body evaporated into the very wind she wielded. Serafina tried to blink into her embers, but was caught by Katelyn slamming into her. A swirling vortex and a plume of blue flame soared violently throughout the sky until disappearing into the depths of the city to continue the battle elsewhere.