Krel brushed debris from his shoulders, his black eyes locking onto her with a murderous intensity. His stone armor had taken damage, cracks webbing across its surface, but it still protected him like a second skin. He moved toward her, each step deliberate, the ground beneath him trembling slightly under his weight.
Talia wasted no time. With a sharp breath, she summoned her first spark, a translucent sword forming in her hand. The blade shimmered with a pale light, humming with barely-contained energy. Her body tensed, her muscles already aching from the strain of the fight, but she couldn’t afford to falter. Not now.
Krel charged, his movements deceptively fast for his size, and Talia darted to the side, her second spark allowing her a burst of speed just in time to avoid his crushing fist. He swung again, the force of his blow creating a gust of wind that rippled through the air. Talia ducked, the sword flashing as she aimed a strike at the cracks in his armor. The blade connected, but the impact barely slowed him. The stone only chipped, and Krel didn’t even grunt in pain.
He countered, his fist slamming into her side. The blow knocked the breath from her lungs, sending her skidding across the ground. She barely managed to stay on her feet, her ribs throbbing from the hit. Gasping for air, she raised her sword in time to block another powerful strike. The force of the impact reverberated through her arms, numbing her hands, but she held on, gritting her teeth as Krel pressed forward, relentless.
The fight became a brutal back-and-forth, Krel’s stone armor absorbing blow after blow while Talia’s speed and agility kept her one step ahead. But each strike, each dodge, cost her precious stamina. Her muscles screamed in protest, and her movements slowed, the sharp edge of exhaustion creeping in.
Krel sensed it. He lunged, feinting to her left, then swung a massive arm at her right. Talia misread the movement, too slow to react. His fist connected with her temple, sending her crashing into the ground. Pain exploded through her body as she landed hard, her vision blurring for a moment.
Before she could recover, Krel was on her. His stone-clad fist descended, aiming for her head. Talia barely raised her sword in time to block, but the force was too much. The sword shattered, the translucent light fracturing into a thousand shards before vanishing. Krel didn’t stop. His other hand clamped down on her throat, lifting her from the ground like a rag doll. She kicked out, struggling to break free, but his grip tightened, cutting off her air.
Talia’s vision darkened at the edges, her mind screaming for her to act, but her body was nearly drained. She had pushed herself too far, and now it felt as though every muscle in her body was on fire. Krel's face loomed over her, twisted in a snarl of triumph as he prepared to crush her windpipe.
Desperation surged through her. She had no choice.
With the last vestiges of her strength, Talia raised her hand and summoned the Shine Ring. It flared to life, glowing with a fierce, unearthly light. The energy within the ring surged into her body, igniting her senses and sending a jolt of power through her throat.
"Push."
The word left her lips barely above a whisper, but the effect was immediate. An invisible force blasted out from her, slamming into Krel with the speed and power of a battering ram. He was ripped from his stance and hurled backward, his body smashing into a boulder with enough force to crack the stone in half. The earth trembled from the impact, dust and debris rising into the air as Krel’s armored form crumpled against the shattered rock.
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Talia collapsed to her knees, gasping for air, her throat raw and bruised, blood gushed out her mouth like crimson water fall. The world spun around her, but she forced herself to her feet, ignoring the pain that wracked her body. Her vision steadied as she looked up to see Krel struggling to rise from the debris, his stone armor finally showing signs of real damage. Large chunks had broken away, exposing his flesh underneath.
She couldn’t afford to hesitate. Summoning the last of her strength, she called upon her first spark once more. This time, a lees translucent sword appeared in her hand—longer, sharper, and glowing with the same ethereal light. The weight of it was comfortingly heavy in her grip, its purpose clear.
With a deep breath, Talia pushed through the pain, sprinting toward Krel. He was still dazed, pulling himself free from the rubble, but he saw her coming. He raised his arm to block, but it was too late.
Talia moved with precision, her body a blur as she brought the sword down in a swift arc. The blade sliced clean through the weakened stone of his armor, cutting into his chest with a sickening crunch. Krel’s eyes widened in shock as blood spurted from the wound, the life draining from him in an instant.
His body slumped forward, crashing to the ground in a heavy, lifeless heap. The stone that had once shielded him crumbled away, leaving only the broken, bloodied remains of a man.
Talia stood over him, her body trembling with exhaustion, the translucent sword flickering before it vanished into the night. She staggered back, barely able to stand, the fight having drained every last ounce of her strength.
She crouch infront of the men, she saw the light slowly peel out his chest, his spark. It shined bright almost blinding ss it gleamed Talia emerald eyes, she took the spark in her hands, the light trailed from her arm to her body.
as the spark absorbed into her, its energy flooding her system like molten fire. Talia clenched her teeth against the pain, her muscles seizing and her breath coming in ragged gasps. The power of the spark coursed through her veins, fusing with her very life.
For a moment, it was overwhelming—an onslaught of raw energy that threatened to consume her—but she forced herself to stay grounded, to control it. This was the prize, the culmination of everything she had risked.
Slowly, the glow dimmed, settling into a steady hum beneath her skin. Talia straightened, her body feeling lighter, more alive than ever before. The land around her was in ruins, the corpses of the guards laid still burning near the hole in the building. She looked at Krel's lifeless body at her feet, and the remnants of his once-untouchable presence scattered like dust. She had done it. The mission was complete.
Without a glance at the devastation she had left behind, Talia turned and made her way out of the crumbling estate. She moved with purpose, her steps steady despite the exhaustion weighing her down. Her heart pounded with the knowledge that this was just the beginning—there would be consequences, and she couldn’t afford to linger.
She had planned for this. A wagon was waiting in the stables, loaded with supplies and ready for a quick escape. The preparations had been made days in advance, and now, with the spark secured, she had no time to waste.
Veronica flashed briefly in her mind—the girl's innocent smile, her naive trust. Talia hesitated, her eyes hovering over the camp fire that used to be the mansion. She could go back and tell Veronica goodbye, offer some excuse or parting words.
But no. It was better this way. Safer. If Veronica didn’t know where she had gone, the girl would be spared whatever retaliation came next.
With a resolute breath, Talia left the estate without another word. The night was cool against her skin as she crossed the grounds, the distant shouts and chaos from the mansion growing fainter with each step. When she reached the stables, the wagon stood in the shadows, waiting just as she had planned.
She mounted it, her hands steady on the reins, and with a soft command, the horses began to move. The wheels creaked beneath her as the wagon rolled away from the estate, the sound fading into the night as Talia disappeared into the dark, leaving the ruined world behind her.