"Would you look at that. Right on cue," Vermidia's voice echoes, serpentine and sharp, as she steps from the shadows. Her form is sleek and menacing, her dark void blade glinting with an unnatural sheen as she twirls it casually in her hands. That grin-crooked, chilling-spreads across her face like a predator sizing up its prey. "Red Smith. Of course, I expected you. I had my doubts about Domnik-whether he had the guts to truly finish you off, even under my control. But Hail... Magnus," she purrs, her tone shifting to mocking awe. "To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?"

Hail tightens his grip on his icy blade, his knuckles whitening. His voice is low and venomous. "I've spent the last six years hunting you. Six years dreaming of this moment. You're going to pay-for Mia, for my father, for Eluna, for Zen."

Vermidia laughs, a rich and venomous sound. "Such wasted effort. And yet, here you are-the boy I spared." Her grin widens, her voice dripping with derision. "I showed you mercy that day, Hail. Mercy. How dare you squander my gift. Poor Mia... she truly died for nothing, didn't she?"

Hail freezes for half a heartbeat, and I feel the temperature around us plummet. "Hail, don't let her get to you," I urge, stepping forward. "We have to stay focused. We need to shut down that machine and get Dylan the hell out of here-"

But my words fall on deaf ears. Hail explodes, his rage boiling over. "You keep her name out of your fucking mouth!" he roars, charging Vermidia with his blade raised.

Vermidia vanishes into the void with a flicker, and I hear the sharp clash of Hail's ice blade meeting Domnik's Darkblade.

"Round three, then," Domnik says, his voice cold and deliberate. I don't know what he means, but the weight in his tone unsettles me.

"Hail, keep them busy!" I shout, though I know he can't hear me over his fury. "I'll handle the machine."

I sprint past the chaos, hand clutching my chest as the ache grows worse with each step. The machine looms before me, an unholy tangle of gears and glowing conduits. Dylan floats above it, his body twisting in agony as the chains of solar light tighten around him, feeding energy into the monstrous contraption below.

"I'm going to get you out of this," I whisper, though I'm not sure if I'm speaking to Dylan or to myself.

My eyes dart over the machine's components until they land on it-the DragonsBreath. Its fiery hilt gleams at the machine's core, its blade piercing through the Amerei Crux, a sphere of Madium that glows faintly with an unnatural pulse. At the center of the Crux is a small, beating heart.

Without hesitation, I grab the hilt of the DragonsBreath and yank it free. The machine groans as the blade slides out, and in that instant, Dylan falls to the ground, gasping for air as the chains of solar light dissolve around him.

"Dylan!" I shout, running to him.

His head snaps up, his face pale and streaked with pain. "Red?" His voice is hoarse, but his lips curl into a faint smirk. "You're alive? You're fucking Pope, I swear."

Despite everything, I can't help but smile as I extend a hand to pull him up. "Come on, Dylan. How do we stop this thing?"

His expression darkens. "You don't," he says, shaking his head. "You've already tried everything. Nothing works."

I blink at him in confusion. "What the hell are you talking about?"

He taps his temple. "Future sight, remember? I've seen it. You can't stop it-not like this."

"Then what do we do?"

"You have to kill Vermidia," he says, his voice grim. "Her power's the key. You've got about twenty minutes before it's too late. If you fail, Iridian comes back, and we all get sent straight back to the lobby."

I stare at him, baffled. "What does that even-"

He cuts me off with a weak laugh. "Trust me, Red. Whatever Vermidia says, don't fight Hail. Fight with him. That's the only way we win this."

I hesitate. "What do you mean-"

"Trust me!" Dylan shouts, his voice cracking with urgency.

Before I can respond, his eyes widen. "Look out!"

I spin around just as Vermidia materializes from the void, her blade slashing toward me. I raise the DragonsBreath, and its flames roar to life, meeting her strike with a fiery clash.

"Dylan, get the hell out of here!" I yell. "The team's waiting on the other side of the portal!"

He hesitates for a moment, then nods and takes off, his steps uneven but determined.

Vermidia watches him go with a sneer. "Saving your friend. How noble. If only you could have saved Domnik, too."

Her words slice through me, but I grit my teeth and hold my ground. "Shut up and fight me."

Her grin widens. "With pleasure."

And then the duel begins.

Vermidia lunges, her dark void blade slicing through the air with a haunting whistle. I parry with the DragonsBreath, its fiery edge roaring to life as our swords clash. Sparks fly, and the force of her strike nearly knocks me off balance, but I hold firm, digging my heels into the ground.

"Not bad, little Smith," she sneers, twisting her blade to lock mine in place. "But fire burns out faster than you think."

I push back, breaking the lock and spinning away, using the momentum to unleash a wave of fire from my blade. The flames rush toward her in a blazing arc, but Vermidia merely smirks. With a flick of her wrist, she summons a shadowy tendril from the ground, which rises and absorbs the flames, extinguishing them like a candle in the wind.

"You'll have to do better than that," she taunts, stepping through the dissipating embers.

She strikes again, her void blade cutting a dark streak through the air. I sidestep, narrowly avoiding the blow, and counter with a fiery thrust. Vermidia parries effortlessly, spinning her blade around mine and forcing me back.

Then she raises her free hand, and the ground beneath me trembles. Shadowy tendrils burst from the earth, writhing and lashing out like living whips. I leap backward, slashing at them with the DragonsBreath, its flames carving through the dark appendages with ease.

"Not bad yourself," I say, trying to keep my breathing steady. "But shadows fade in the light."

Vermidia laughs, low and mocking. "Is that what you think?"

Before I can reply, she disappears into the void, her form dissolving into swirling darkness. My eyes dart around the battlefield, searching for any sign of her. The air feels heavier, charged with malevolent energy.

"Behind you," her voice whispers, echoing from all directions.

I spin around just in time to block her blade as she materializes, her attack coming down with bone-shattering force. The impact sends a shockwave rippling through the air, and I stagger back, my arms trembling from the effort of holding her off.

I don't give her a chance to press the advantage. Summoning all the fire I can muster, I slam the DragonsBreath into the ground, sending a wave of flames outward in a fiery explosion. Vermidia shields herself with a wall of shadow, but the sheer heat forces her to retreat a step.

"Getting tired?" I ask, forcing a grin despite the pounding in my chest.

She narrows her eyes, her grin fading. "Hardly."

She charges again, faster this time, her movements a blur. I barely manage to block her first strike, and the second comes at my side, forcing me to twist and counter. Her void blade crackles with dark energy, and every clash sends jolts up my arm.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

I see an opening and take it, slashing low with the DragonsBreath. Flames streak from the blade, catching the edge of her cloak and burning it away. Vermidia hisses in annoyance, retreating for a moment before raising both hands.

The ground beneath me shifts again, this time erupting with dozens of tendrils. They wrap around my legs and arms, pulling me down. I struggle, flames flickering around me as I slash at them, but more rise to take their place.

Vermidia steps closer, her blade poised to strike. "You should have stayed dead, Red."

Summoning every ounce of strength, I let out a roar, channeling fire through my entire body. The tendrils burst into flames, disintegrating in an instant. I rise to my feet, DragonsBreath blazing brighter than ever.

"Funny," I say, panting. "I was just about to say the same to you."

This time, I'm the one who charges. I slash at her with a flurry of fiery strikes, pushing her back with each blow. Vermidia blocks and counters with a precision that's almost inhuman, her void blade meeting mine in a deadly dance.

She ducks under one of my swings and counters with a slash aimed at my side. I twist away, but not fast enough-her blade grazes me, leaving a searing cold that bites into my skin. I grit my teeth, ignoring the pain, and retaliate with a blast of fire straight at her chest.

The flames connect, and Vermidia stumbles, her cloak smoldering. But she doesn't fall. Instead, she snarls and plunges her blade into the ground. Shadows explode outward, forcing me to shield myself with the DragonsBreath.

"You're resilient, I'll give you that," she says, her voice dripping with venom. "But this ends now."

She raises her hand, and a massive tendril erupts from the ground, heading straight for me. I dodge, rolling to the side, and hurl a fireball at her in response. She deflects it with her blade, the flames scattering harmlessly.

Our blades meet again, the clash echoing across the endless plain. She's faster, stronger, but I refuse to back down. I can feel the heat of the DragonsBreath pulsing through me, urging me forward.

I let out a battle cry, swinging with all my might. Vermidia blocks, but the force of the blow drives her back. Her grin falters for the first time.

"Not bad," she admits, her voice low. "But not enough."

We circle each other, both breathing heavily, both refusing to give an inch. This fight isn't over-not yet.

The battlefield vanishes in a swirl of shadows, the world around me dissolving into black nothingness. My stomach lurches as the ground disappears beneath my feet, and I fall, tumbling through a void of twisting, writhing shadows.

"What the-" I begin, but my words are swallowed by the oppressive silence.

Then, with a sickening jolt, I land on solid ground. I stagger to my feet, DragonsBreath still in my hand, its fire flickering weakly in the suffocating darkness.

"Welcome, Red," Vermidia's voice echoes, her tone cold and serpentine. "To my domain." She whispers in my ear, her breath on my neck.

The shadows shift, peeling back like curtains to reveal a warped version of my past. I'm standing in my childhood home, but it's wrong. The walls are cracked and scorched, the air heavy with the acrid smell of smoke. The furniture is overturned, and the faint sound of crying echoes in the distance.

"What is this?" I demand, turning in place.

Vermidia steps out of the shadows, her void blade gone, replaced by an air of smug control. "Your mind, twisted and laid bare. Fear is such a wonderful tool, isn't it? Let's see what makes you tick, little Smith."

The scene shifts violently. I'm no longer in my childhood home-I'm in the aftermath of a battle. The air is thick with ash, the ground littered with bodies. My friends-Hail, Alyse, Kylen, Claire, Kat, Keegan and Dylan-they're all here, broken and lifeless. Their eyes stare up at me, empty and accusing.

"No," I whisper, my knees threatening to buckle. "This isn't real."

"But it could be," Vermidia whispers, appearing beside me. Her voice is soft, almost kind, but her words cut like glass. "This is what happens when you fail. When your fire burns out. When you let them down."

"I won't let that happen," I snap, gripping the DragonsBreath tighter.

Vermidia chuckles, a low, hollow sound. "Won't you? You couldn't save your parents. And what about Domnik? You're always just a step too late, Red. Always."

The shadows twist again, and I'm back in the pocket dimension, watching as Dylan floats above the machine. He screams in agony, the solar chains pulling tighter around him. I try to move, to help him, but my legs won't respond.

"Stop it!" I shout, my voice cracking.

Vermidia steps in front of me, her grin widening. "This is who you are. Weak. Powerless. A child playing with fire, always getting burned."

Her words sting, but I force myself to focus. This isn't real. This is her mindscape. Her tricks. I close my eyes, gripping the DragonsBreath so hard that my knuckles ache.

"You think you can scare me?" I say, my voice trembling but resolute. "You don't know me."

"Oh, but I do," Vermidia purrs, her voice wrapping around me like a vice. "I know your fear of failure. Your guilt. Your shame. And I know your biggest fear of all."

The scene shifts one last time. I'm standing in front of a mirror, but the reflection staring back isn't me. It's Domnik, his face twisted in rage and grief. His eyes bore into mine, and when he speaks, it's my voice that comes out.

"You let me die, Red," the reflection says. "You let Vermidia take me. And now you're going to do it again."

"No," I whisper, shaking my head. "I didn't-"

"You're a failure," the reflection hisses. "You failed me. You failed everyone."

The fire of the DragonsBreath flickers, almost extinguished. Vermidia watches from the shadows, her laughter cold and triumphant.

But then I hear another voice, faint but clear. Dylan's voice.

"Trust me, Red. Fight with him."

I close my eyes, grounding myself in those words. I think of Hail, fighting for Mia and the others. I think of Alyse, Kylen, Claire, Keegan, Kat-all of them risking everything. And I think of Dylan, who believed in me even now, even after everything.

The fire in my chest reignites, blazing brighter than ever.

I open my eyes, the DragonsBreath roaring to life. "This is your fear, Vermidia. Not mine."

The shadows around me recoil, and Vermidia's grin falters.

"You don't get to define me," I say, stepping forward. The twisted scene around me shatters like glass, and I lunge, slashing at Vermidia with the DragonsBreath.

The flames connect, and she screams, her form dissolving into shadow. The void collapses, and I feel myself pulled back into the real world.

I land on solid ground again, the pocket dimension rushing back into focus. Vermidia stumbles back, clutching her arm where the DragonsBreath struck. Her expression is no longer smug-it's furious.

"Nice try," I say, raising the DragonsBreath. "But you're going to have to do better than that."

---Hail---

The world narrows to just the two of us. Domnik and me, locked in this deadly dance. His dark armor gleams under the purple haze of the sky, his Darkblade dripping with an ominous black aura. I grip my ice-forged sword tightly, feeling the cold radiate from it and seep into my veins. The frost keeps me calm, focused, even as my heart pounds like a war drum.

Domnik takes the first step, his boots crunching against the hard ground of this twisted dimension. He's taller than me, broader too, and his stance radiates an unshakable confidence.

"Hail," he says, his voice low and guttural, but carrying an edge of something deeper. Regret? Hatred? I can't tell anymore. "You don't have to do this. Walk away now, and I'll make it quick when this is all over."

"I'm not the one walking away," I say, raising my blade. The frost along its edge glimmers, a promise of the storm I'm about to unleash. "Not until I get through you. And not until Vermidia pays for what she's done."

Domnik smirks, his hand tightening on the hilt of the Darkblade. "Then let's see if you've gotten any better since last time."

He moves first, the Darkblade whistling through the air as he brings it down in a vicious arc. I sidestep and parry, frost exploding from my sword as it collides with his. The clash sends a shockwave rippling through the air, but Domnik's not done. He twists, the Darkblade spinning toward my side.

I barely block in time, ice spreading across my arm from the impact. I counter with a frost blast, a jagged wave of ice erupting from the ground and surging toward him. He leaps back, avoiding the worst of it, but frost clings to his boots, slowing his movements.

"Still playing with ice, I see," he taunts, shaking the frost off with a sneer. "Let me show you how it's really done."

Before I can respond, he slams his fist against the ground, and the Darkblade hums with energy. A sound blast erupts from him, a concussive wave that hits me square in the chest. The force sends me skidding back, my boots carving lines into the ground.

Pain lances through me, but I grit my teeth and stand tall. "That all you've got, Domnik? Sound and fury?"

He laughs, low and dark. "You're out of your depth, Magnus."

I don't answer. Instead, I plunge my blade into the ground, summoning a wall of ice between us. He smirks, his eyes flicking toward the Darkblade as it begins to vibrate. With a sharp swing, he sends a sonic wave straight at the ice wall, shattering it into a thousand glittering shards.

But I'm already moving.

As the shards fall, I dart to the side, circling him. I swing my blade in a wide arc, sending a flurry of razor-sharp icicles toward him. He bats most of them away with the Darkblade, but one catches him on the shoulder, tearing through his armor.

He growls, his smirk replaced by a snarl. "You'll pay for that."

He lunges, faster than I expect, the Darkblade singing through the air. I block, but the force of his strike sends me stumbling. He presses the attack, his blows relentless, each one accompanied by a pulse of sound that rattles my bones.

I can feel myself slowing, my frost barely keeping up with his onslaught. But I won't give up. Not now.

I summon all the cold within me, letting it explode outward. A storm of frost and snow engulfs us, the temperature plummeting in an instant. Domnik stumbles, his movements faltering as ice forms on his armor and blade.

"This ends now!" I shout, my voice echoing through the storm.

I drive forward, my blade crashing against his. Ice spreads from the point of contact, creeping up his weapon and toward his hands. He grits his teeth, pushing back with a burst of sound that fractures the ice and sends me reeling.

But I see the strain in his eyes, the way his chest heaves with every breath. He's weakening, just like me.

He raises the Darkblade for one final strike, the black energy around it crackling like a storm. I match him, summoning all my strength into my blade. Frost swirls around me, condensing into a sharp, glimmering edge of pure ice.

We charge at each other, our blades colliding in a clash that shakes the ground. Frost and darkness explode outward, the force throwing us both back. I land hard, my vision swimming, but I force myself to my feet.

Domnik does the same, his armor cracked and his breathing ragged. He looks at me, and for a moment, I see something in his eyes-recognition, maybe even regret.

But then it's gone, replaced by cold resolve.

"This isn't over," he growls, raising the Darkblade again.

I steady my grip on my sword, the frost burning against my palm. "It will be."

And we charge again.