Energy surged in Josepine’s heart, snaking up her arm and into her sword. Fire sprouted up, but never far beyond the blade’s metal. It was being compressed, shaped, forced to reside within her weapon. The amber core of each spark melted out into yellows, the heat reaching me even in spite of the distance between us.

What do I do? What do I do? What do I do?

A blur of movement blocked my direct vision from seeing Josephine. Adeline had suddenly leapt towards her aunt, swords blanketed in roaring flames within an instant. She was repelled with ease, parried and then kicked away. Rolling back onto her feet, she charged once more. Their three blades clashed like shooting stars, simple streaks of light sending flaming sparks off with each strike. Slowly, but surely, Adeline worked her way around Josephine, until she stood between me and the one who sought to kill me.

“Sybil!” She yelled out through the sounds of clanging metal and roaring flames, “I beg of you, get out of here! Go, please!”

What would I be if I abandoned Adeline..?

It wasn’t an option. It wasn’t.

There was twenty mana left in my reserves, only enough to cast [Barrier]. The dagger at my side only had one skill available to use, and it would take a quarter of that. I considered the possibility of sending out threads against her, to cast [Transmutation], but it wouldn’t work. I knew it wouldn’t. The aura surrounding her swords burned brightly, it would destroy them in an instant.

“Adeline!” Josephine roared, “Spare some dignity for yourself in this moment, or I will make you stand aside.” A terrible pressure filled the air, something that made my every instinct scream and my muscles tense. In response, Adeline winced, but settled into her stance once more. She wouldn’t move. She refused to budge.

For me.

The two clashed for some time longer, and I stood there stunned, listening to the sound of the metal screeching and striking. I needed to intervene, but there was simply no way for me to step in.

One more instant passed, and I heard Adeline gasp. She fell limply to the ground, like a marionette whose strings had just been cut. Josephine stood beside her, the pommel of her sword now where her head was. I heard Adeline’s swords clatter against the dirt and stone as Josephine began to address me, “My apologies for the distraction.” She glanced down towards me, sword still alight. The warrior then took on a stance, both hands gripping the blade in front of her.

“Sybil Sagecrest, you are being charged on the crimes of impeding the Crown Hunters, murdering Crown Hunters, and unauthorized awakening.” She let out a breath, her stance relaxing, “Your punishment will be immediate execution carried out by Commander Josephine Cirix of the Crown Hunters.”

Was there a point to doing anything more? It wasn’t just about wounding her now. She would have to be incapacitated for the both of us to escape. My mind wandered back towards the beginning of my journey, dragging Adeline’s unconscious body away from the village and through the forest outside Gallwold. I almost wanted to laugh.

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There were no real openings for me to take advantage of. No gaps in her defenses or tricks I could play to win against her.

I held Tanascáil in front of me, readying myself for whatever needed to be done next. She had moved in an instant against Adeline -- if she repeated that here, I would die without even getting to defend myself. Mana began to gather in my other hand. Adeline had fought for my sake, I refused to sit down when it was my turn.

A swing came in on my left side from below, threatening to slash all the way up to my shoulder. If I were to cast [Barrier], I would have blacked out from hitting zero on mana. I slammed Tanascáil down, hooking the blade underneath the dagger’s crossguard. Sparks flew, a few of them touching against my bare skin and sizzling against it. Energy spiraled and spiraled in my hand, like a small vortex as my middle and pointer fingers aimed directly towards Josephine’s throat and let loose.

Her sword flew free of Tanascáil’s hold, and slashed through my chest, radiant heat searing through from the left side of my waist to my right side. The missile continued to fly through the air, crackling with magical energy. She stepped to the side just as it struck, narrowly missing its target but grazing the side of her throat.

My vision flashed red almost immediately after. I burned more mana than I had -- the stress from that alone may have been enough to kill me. Before I could process what was happening, I was on my back staring at the darkness above. I thought that I could feel blood rushing out of my chest. I was so far on the verge of unconsciousness that the pain barely registered in my mind. Josephine stood over me, now using one hand to clutch at the fresh injury on her neck. Her sword was no longer set aflame.

She jabbed down into me without a second thought, the hot metal piercing through my heart and through to the other side. I would have gasped if the breath to do so still dwelled within my lungs. In that moment, I felt as if everything I had done since the beginning of my life was sent through my mind. All at once, like a bolt of lightning.

I feel my gaze glass over, turning to shimmering pools. My killer stands over me with a grim look on her face, the same crimson as mine trickling down the side of her neck. She mutters something, something that I can’t hear. The blade is withdrawn from me with a clean tug, but I feel no pain from its motion -- I have been freed from pain. For a moment longer, she stares down at me, before sighing and turning.

She doesn’t wander far from me before I hear a voice that I don’t recognize. An older woman, I assume. “Josephine. I assume you have news, then?”

There is nothing for a moment, and then Josephine speaks, “Yes, Madame Selene.” She clears her throat, “That child you saw was the Witch’s apprentice. I.. Took the liberty of dispatching her.”

The silence goes on for a while, and I almost begin to wonder if my hearing has gone, too, but then the voice breaks me out of it, “Well done.” It’s said with a bitter tone, something akin to longing and regret, “Bring the Cirix girl to Ashglen. If time allows it, I will pay you a visit. Farewell, Josephine.”

“Until then, Madame Selene.”

I hear another sigh from Josephine, and then the sound of something being rustled around. Heavy footsteps trail away from me, and I am left with nothing. Nothing but the silence of the cave.

Time passes, and I’m unsure whether it’s been a minute or a day. But eventually, small, wavy lights like candles dance around the edge of my vision until it’s swimming and spiraling. They crowd around me, filling my sight with their vibrance. But before long, my sight begins to fade from me, as well. My limbs are so heavy, and I feel more exhausted than I have ever felt or will ever feel again. There is nothing else left for me to do within this life other than rest. Darkness takes grip on the edges of my sight, crawling in until everything has been dyed and stained inky black.

And then I am gone.