I was tired, and behind me, Carol was fighting, but there was no time to help.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. I could do this.

I decided to quickly use FOCUS on Cleo :

"Cleo T./Keres Revival Hybrid Level 14/19; Warrior/Demon Class."

What the hell was a Revival Hybrid? And why were there two names and two classes?

Before I could dwell further on it, Cleo attacked, dashing towards me. I parried with my sword, but her strength was so overpowering that I almost lost my balance. She moved rapidly in circles around me, launching quick attacks and then retreating. It was all happening so fast, but I somehow managed to block most of her strikes.

"Not bad," she taunted. "Still level 8? Really? What have you been doing all this time?"

"Level isn't everything," I replied, tightening my grip on my sword.

"But it is," she sneered. "You wasted your time and your Gem."

She pointed at my armband, and then I noticed that she didn't have a Gem on hers.

"How did you manage to reach such a high level?" I asked.

She laughed maniacally, "It's a secret!"

And with that, she rushed towards me with incredible force. My blocks barely helped, and I was violently pushed to the ground, my health dropping to 62.

I realized I couldn't take her on head-to-head; I needed to think strategically. While my level was lower, I still remembered that a well-placed hit to the head could be fatal for most enemies.

Swiftly, I dashed backward multiple times, trying to gain some distance. But Cleo just stood there, laughing.

"There's nowhere to run," she taunted.

She closed the gap quickly, and as she attacked again, I crouched and tried to attack her angles. However, she easily evaded my strikes with a graceful jump. Then, she aimed her palm and triggered her spell.

The ball of fire shot from her hand, and I pushed myself to jump as high as I could, just barely avoiding the fiery explosion. The landing was painful, but at least the fireball had passed underneath me, destroying the ground and blowing up parts of the ramparts, leaving everything in flames.

She was out of control, and four of us were still there amidst the fiery chaos. I looked to the other ramparts where the Watoos armed with pistols were stationed; they were fleeing, fearing for their lives.

"You're going to kill us all!" I shouted at Cleo.

"Oh no," she replied, her mask opened showing her face adorned with a wicked smile as she tapped under her glowing purple eye. "I'll be just fine."

Her helmet closed back, and she seemed unfazed by the inferno she had unleashed.

I wasn't strong enough, but maybe I could be, I suddenly thought. Feeling desperate, I triggered the potion Carol had given me, raising my Mana back to 20, and activated my Kali's Anger spell.

A crimson red aura enveloped my body as a shield appeared on my HUD, counting down from 30 seconds. I felt incredibly powerful.

Cleo wasted no time and dashed toward me, swinging her sword. To our surprise, her weapon bounced off me with extreme force, pushing her away. She fell to the ground, and her sword skidded away, now steaming and glowing red as if at a very high temperature.

I was invincible, but only for 30 seconds. The timer showed 25 seconds left. I needed to act fast.

I lunged forward, much further than I had anticipated, crashing into Cleo with force and sending her flying. Her armor now glowed red from the heated impact.

Without hesitation, I swung my sword at her. She quickly crouched and slid on the ground, retrieving her now-cooled sword.

I didn't give her any opportunity to recover; I was right on her, slashing forward at her head. Her helmet shattered into pieces, revealing her face, her skin burned from the attack as she fell on the ground.

Undeterred, she quickly pivoted and launched a counterattack. I didn't even attempt to block it.

Once more, her blade turned red, and she was pushed away violently.

My HUD showed 12 seconds left. I needed to act quickly.

I pressed on, delivering another blow that struck her chest, destroying the front of her armor and cutting through her skin while also burning her. She looked at me with anger, dropping to her knees, unable to stand as she spat blood and breathed heavily, her wounds deep and bleeding.

"What the fuck is this spell?!" she shouted in frustration.

I didn't have time to explain. I charged once more, ready to finish her. But as I stood there, my hand raised, ready to attack, I hesitated.

She was like me.

We locked eyes, and a torrent of thoughts rushed through my mind. I knew what I had to do. She had shown no hesitation in trying to kill me, and she would do so without a second thought. Yet, something inside me stopped me. Killing her felt different from the mobs, the Watoos, the Goblins... She was a human.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

Time seemed to slow as we stood there, both breathing heavily.

"GO AHEAD!" she yelled. "KILL ME!"

The counter on my HUD ticked down.

Five seconds left.

I couldn't do it. But I had to. She had kidnapped Danalii, setup a trap to kill me, she was dangerous.

Four seconds left.

But she didn't choose to come here; she was forced, just like me.

Three seconds left.

We were both victims in this twisted game.

Two seconds left.

I needed to act. She crushed me with her car. She was responsible.

One second left.

I had to do it. I had to.

The timer hit zero, and the crimson energy surrounding me vanished as I suddenly felt a searing pain in my chest. My health plummeted to 22, the price I paid for using the spell.

Cleo realized my shield was gone, and without a moment's hesitation, she raised her palm and unleashed a blast of fire.

I leaped, but couldn't evade in time, my legs burning. My Chrome Survivor suit vaporized as my skin bubbled under the heat. I fell face down on the ground, my lower body in extreme pain. My health dropped to 4.

That was it, I had my chance and missed.

Cleo stood up slowly, holding her chest and spitting blood.

"You idiot," she said angrily. "You had me, and you were a wuss."

She took a few steps forward, visibly hurt, but I couldn't move. Trying to crawl was too painful with my legs in contact with the ground.

Behind Cleo, I saw Carol still struggling against Kage.

"SIMON!" she shouted as she attempted to run towards me.

But unfortunately, Kage took that opportunity to tackle her, and they both fell to the ground.

My vision blurred, my body in agony.

Cleo continued to step slowly towards me.

"Now..." she said, breathing heavily, her chest losing a lot of blood. "Now, I'm going to finish you and go home, like I was promised. I shouldn't have died, that wasn't part of the..."

She couldn't speak, out of breath coughing, walking slowly.

She finally reached me, standing there, bleeding, as she raised her hand.

"FUCK YOU AND FUCK THEM!" she said as the ball of fire emerged from her palm once more.

Out of nowhere, a blue sphere made of water formed around me, blocking the fireball's path. More and more water emerged from the shield.

"What is that!" shouted Cleo.

The fireball was blocked by the shield, attempting in vain to go through.

"It's ok," said a voice behind me.

I recognized it. Danalii.

The Enki Priestess walked in front of me, her hand in a prayer position.

"You've done enough," she said softly.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

She crouched and looked deeply into my eyes.

"You've done more than enough," she murmured.

Behind her, Cleo's fireball it kept pushing against the never-ending water shield.

"Danalii? How?" I exclaimed in astonishment.

Danalii came close, her face a few inches from mine.

"Thank you for coming," she said, smiling.

"What is going on?" I asked, confused.

"Thank you for helping the village, thank you for making me laugh."

"Danalii, what are you doing?"

She just smiled.

And kissed me.

Her lips were warm and felt completely different than I would have imagined.

My eyes opened, her eyes closed, she was right in front of me. Tears dropping on her cheeks.

She moved her head back.

"Simon the Savior," she said with a big smile on her face.

Her skin was fading, becoming more and more gray, losing color.

She stood up and turned towards Cleo, who was still trying to get in as her first fireball was now reduced to the size of a basketball.

I could see clearly now, water flowing from Danalii's feet and legs. Her body was generating it, keeping the shield fed with fast-flowing water.

"Abzu," she started praying. "I ask for your help. Stop this madness. Powerful Abzu..."

Cleo threw a second fireball, but the shield kept on, water flowing rapidly as the heat converted it to steam.

"Danalii!! What are you doing!" I shouted.

She was now murmuring in a language I couldn't recognize, and the sphere grew bigger and bigger. The fireballs were completely absorbed by the water. Cleo tried to push against it, but she was carried away as more and more water fed the magical shield.

I suddenly realized that Danalii's body was completely gray and dry. Her head looked like stone. She was now silent.

The sphere kept on growing.

"Danalii," I softly said. "Don't do this... please."

In a sudden and intense shock, the sphere took on the form of Abzu, mirroring the temple's statue, and completely enveloped Cleo. It hurled her into the air before crashing down with tremendous force, sending water splashing in every direction.

I looked up at Danalii, but no more water flowed from her. She resembled a statue, gray and dry, almost like stone, even her clothes. I attempted to crawl towards her, but the pain in my legs made movement agonizingly slow.

Carol rushed towards us, calling out :

"Simon!"

She halted right in front of Danalii, concern etched on her face :

"What happened? What happened to her?"

"I don't know," I replied.

"She's like a statue," Carol observed.

"She used that water magic, but I don't understand," I said.

We remained silent for a moment. Then I asked :

"Where are Cleo and Kage?"

"When the whole water crazy thing started, Kage ran like a coward," Carol explained.

Then she turned around and pointed to Cleo's body amidst the debris.

"Cleo is there, covered in blood. I'm not sure if she's still alive," Carol said.

As she said that, Cleo's body moved.

Carol directly reacted, rusheing towards her, shouting :

"I'm gonna finish you, you bitch!!!"

Cleo was full of blood, her armor shattered, her face burned, bruised, and bleeding profusely. However, from her glowing eye, a dark purple smoke emerged, and in an instant, she vanished.

Carol stopped in her tracks, bewildered, and looked around, readying herself for a surprise attack. But time passed, and nothing happened.

"She's gone?" Carol questioned.

"Danalii," I simply replied.

Carol nodded and headed back towards the Enki Priestess.

"She's a statue, and she's smiling," Carol said, her voice tinged with sadness.

"Help me up!" I shouted.

Carol came and helped me up, my legs burned and bleeding.

She supported me as we stood in front of Danalii.

The Enki now appeared as if made of stone, her face bearing a serene smile, her hands in a praying position.

"Danalii," I said. "What did you do..."

"She saved us," Carol replied. "Not sure how, but she did."

I stood there, memories of her flooding my mind. She had believed I was a Diviner and wanted to protect her village, she was smart and funny.

"We need to move," Carol said, breaking the somber moment.

She pointed around - the entire camp was ablaze and slowly collapsing.

"How? Uabo left," I replied.

"There are smaller ships; Kage left with one."

"We can't leave Danalii here!"

"We..." Carol hesitated, lost for words.

"We can't leave her here," I repeated.

Carol stayed silent.

I touched the statue, and to my surprise, from Danalii's eye, a small tear fell. I felt her smile widen.

"Her smile, it got wider," I said.

"I didn't see it," Carol replied. "Simon, we need to get out."

Before we moved, Danalii's statue crumbled into dust from head to toe, evaporating into glowing blue particles.

"What is happening!" I shouted.

Within seconds, she was gone.

"We have to go, Simon," Carol affirmed.

All around us, the place was engulfed in flames, on the brink of destruction. I quickly used a health patch, raising my health to 29, and although my leg felt slightly better, walking was still a challenge.

We then ran towards the smaller boats attached to the camp, similar to the one Kage had taken to escape.

As we arrived, they were all on fire.

"Fucking Kage!" Carol shouted.

"We are trapped," I said.

Carol and I exchanged worried glances.

"Fucking Uabo," she said.

"Fucking Kage, and fucking Uabo," I added.

We looked around - the ramparts were crumbling, and one of the balloons was catching fire and deflating rapidly.

"Maybe we will land softly," I suggested.

"You are dreaming," Carol responded.