The moment Roselle's Firestrike Thunderclap collided with Dark Whirlwind, the battlefield erupted in a blinding explosion of power.
Roselle stood her ground with an unwavering glare. When the dust and smoke began to settle, the battlefield, it revealed the aftermath of the devastating collision. Dark Whirlwind stood battered and scorched.
Dark Whirlwind's swords vanished into thin air. She glared down at the battlefield for seconds in time. Then, slowly, she raised her head, and a maniacal smile twisted her features.
"That attack was undeniably powerful," she admitted with amusement. She gestured towards the damage inflicted upon her, the scorched marks and tattered cloak. "Look at the mess it made of me."
But her smile grew wider, more sinister while continuing, "But, Roselle, you are still just a copy of me."
"What makes you so sure of that?" Roselle asked with her face taking on a serious look.
Dark Whirlwind's smile widened, "Have you ever wondered why you exist? What purpose do you serve other than to imitate me?"
Roselle’s eyes widened as Dark Whirlwind continued. “Roselle, I am the original. The one who was here before you and will remain long after. You were created in my image, but you will never surpass me. That is the truth."
Roselle was shaken upon hearing those words, but then, someone spoke through the tense moment. It was Alden. “Enough of your mind games, you monster! We're not here to debate our existence. We have a purpose, and it's to protect those we care about."
Risebelle stepped forward beside Roselle, her eyes locked on Dark Whirlwind with a glare.
"You are yourself, Roselle, and no one else. Don't let her words get to you, no matter what."
"I didn't come here to debate this either. I simply speak the truth,” Dark Whirlwind Responded. She continued with a sinister smile, "You all have barely survived thus far, but know this, I was just getting warmed up."
Dark Whirlwind let out a chilling laughter which went into A sinister pause. After seconds went by, she uttered the ominous words,
"Twilight's Grasp."
Dark Whirlwind initiated her cosmic and shadowy prowess. Ethereal hands of luminous light began to emerge from the sides of the battlefield. Their radiant glow was both enchanting and entrancing. The very environment underwent a dramatic transformation, shifting into a surreal twilight realm adorned with shimmering stars, and the ground veiled in a mysterious, shadowy aura.
Roselle, Risebelle, Runebelle, and Alden found themselves caught in the midst of this cosmic turmoil. The change in the environment itself dealt damage, and the anguished screams of villagers, friends, and allies pierced the air.
Simultaneously, the inky tendrils of darkness emanated from the center of the battlefield, pulling everything towards it. This irresistible force sought to consume all in its path, dealing substantial damage to those ensnared within.
Runebelle took a considerable amount of damage and found herself being drawn closer to the darkness. A feeling of sadness came to her heart. Her eyelids drooped slowly.
However, just as her eyes were about to close completely, strong hands grabbed onto her. She heard the sounds of Roselle and Risebelle calling out:
“RUNEBELLE!!”
This jolted Runebelle awake. With renewed strength, she fought against the pull of darkness.
Alden, seeing the dire situation, raised his cross of judgment upwards and invoked, "Light of the Savior!" A brilliant beam of light descended upon them, creating a protective barrier that halted the damage from the surrounding twilight's grasp. But the barrier was limited to the spot around them, and Runebelle remained outside its protection.
The group needed to pull Runebelle into the safety of the barrier, but even within its confines, they still felt the relentless force tugging at them, requiring Alden's continuous focus to maintain the protective light.
With a mighty effort, Roselle pulled Runebelle with all her strength. Runebelle found herself safely within the protective barrier of Alden's "Light of the Savior."
Risebelle wracked her brain, searching for a solution to their predicament, but time was running out. The relentless force of the twilight's grasp was unyielding, and soon, they were all pulled out of the safety of the barrier and drawn towards Dark Whirlwind's devastating attack.
Risebelle's eyes locked onto the two colossal hands that had materialized around the battlefield, seemingly in control of the ominous assault.
Risebelle shouted, "Everyone, focus your attacks on those hands! We need to disrupt their control over this!"
Roselle reacted swiftly, summoning her massive cannon and unleashing a powerful lightning shot that crackled through the air, aimed directly at the colossal hands.
Runebelle joined in, her two guns at the ready. She fired a barrage of precise shots towards the looming hands.
Risebelle herself summoned her own cannon, infusing it with her water powers, and fired a torrential shot aimed at the hands. Their combined efforts seemed to have an effect. The hands shifted from their radiant light to a dark, foreboding hue.
But the hands, now transformed, responded by pulling in the opposite direction, intensifying their efforts to drag them into the abyss. Risebelle gritted her teeth.
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Alden chanted fervently, his holy cross growing in size and power. He unleashed multiple blasts of brilliant light magic at the dark hands. The hands writhed and shifted to counter the assault, but Alden's relentless barrage kept them at bay for a moment.
However, the hands continued to adapt, changing their pull direction with each attack. It seemed like an endless struggle, and Risebelle's words echoed the mounting frustration, "It's no use!"
With a quick decision, Risebelle summoned her Aqua Whirlwind, not as an offensive move but as a protective shield. She surrounded everyone with the swirling water and magic, forming a defensive barrier. Despite the barrier, the group were pulled closer to the maw of Dark Whirlwind's devastating attack, but Alden infused his power with Risebelle’s in order to create a gigantic sphere that absorbed and reduced the brunt of the impending catastrophe.
The combined power of the Aqua Whirlwind and Alden's light barrier held firm, but the dark hands thrashed in a final attempt to pull them into the abyss. The clash of elemental forces reached a boiling point, and then...
‘BOOM!’
A deafening explosion erupted as Dark Whirlwind's Twilight's Grasp met the resistance of Roselle, Risebelle, Runebelle, and Alden. The resulting shockwave rippled through the battlefield, sending shockwaves in all directions. The once-twilight realm shattered, leaving only darkness and fading echoes of anguish in its wake.
The barrier had held, but not without a cost. Roselle, Risebelle, and Runebelle reverted to their regular forms. Each of them lay in a pool of their own blood. They were hovering dangerously close to the brink of death. Alden, though injured, managed to regain his footing and began healing himself with some basic magic.
Dark Whirlwind's words dripped with a hint of reluctant admiration, "Not bad, I must say. You've proven to be more resilient than I anticipated. I didn’t expect any of your bodies to remain intact after that attack."
The entire town was now in ruins. Buildings were scorched and reduced to rubble, and fires raged unchecked in the distance.
Amidst the chaos, Silver managed to hold on. She had weathered the onslaught of Dark Whirlwind's attack and now surveyed the scene with both relief and concern. Her eyes fell upon two familiar figures lying motionless amidst the destruction: Becky and Sybil.
"Becky! Sybil!" Silver called out urgently with worry. She approached them cautiously. Kneeling down beside them, Silver gently shook Becky and then Sybil, hoping for any sign of life.
"I can't leave them like this," Silver declared quietly but firmly. She glanced around desperately, scanning the chaos for any surviving mages.
[System Message]
Roselle's Life Force: 0% (Critical Condition)
Risebelle's Life Force: 1% (Critical Condition)
Runebelle's Life Force: -55% (Critical Condition - Close to Destruction)
Warning: Runebelle's life force is critically low, and she is on the brink of destruction. Immediate intervention is required to stabilize her condition.
Risebelle's eye opened wide. She struggled to rise from the scorched ground. Her gaze fell upon the dire system messages, her heart sank when she saw Roselle lying motionless and Runebelle's life force plummeting into negative territory. It was a sight that filled her with despair.
Risebelle's body trembled. She pushed herself up from the charred ground. Every moment took an agonizing effort. Her eyes remained fixed on Roselle's motionless body and Runebelle, whose life force hovered dangerously in negative territory.
"I know it’s pointless, I know…but… but…!" Risebelle muttered. She gently shook Roselle and Runebelle, hoping against hope for any sign of response. Tears welled up in her eyes when she saw their stillness.
"I should have done more," Risebelle echoed in her mind. Her frustration and anger came to the forefront."I wasn't able to protect them…. WHAT KIND OF SISTER AM I?!”
Her shout of anger went through the desolate battlefield, a cry of anguish and regret. Risebelle's fists clenched in desperation. She had always believed in her ability to shield her sisters from harm, but now, faced with their lifeless bodies, she felt utterly powerless.
"Why couldn't I protect them?" Risebelle choked out the words.
"I tried... I always tried," Risebelle whispered hoarsely to herself over the desolate battlefield. Memories flashed through her mind—times she had intervened, battles she had fought alongside her sisters. But now, faced with their stillness, her efforts felt futile.
Risebelle murmured. "But it's never enough. I've never been strong enough..."
In the distance, Alden watched the scene unfold with sorrow. He shouted desperately towards Risebelle, thrusting out his hands as if to reach her across the battlefield. But he was unheard by Risebelle.
"That's right," Dark Whirlwind taunted coldly. "Bow before the supreme ruler. You dared to challenge me, thinking yourself capable of victory. Who did you think you were, little girl?"
"Is this how it's always going to be?" Risebelle whispered. "Am I never going to be strong enough to protect them? Will I keep losing them like this?"
She clenched her fists. Her nails dug deep into her palms until blood appeared.
"Why is it never enough?" Risebelle cried with despair. "I've tried... I've always tried!"
The words echoed across the battlefield, a desperate plea for answers that seemed to fall on deaf ears. But something stirred within Risebelle—a surge of raw emotion, a flicker of defiance against the cruel fate that had befallen her sisters.
"What more do you want from me, life?!" Risebelle's tone turned sharp. "HAVEN'T I SACRIFICED ENOUGH? HAVEN'T I FOUGHT HARD ENOUGH!?"
She stood abruptly. "IF I HAVEN'T TRIED HARD ENOUGH, THEN DON’T JUST SIT ON YOUR ASS, GODDESS! SHOW ME WHAT I NEED TO DO!" Risebelle shouted, challenging the very fabric of fate itself. "SHOW ME HOW TO GET STRONGER. GIVE ME THE STRENGTH TO PROTECT THEM!"
[System Message]
Alert: Overheating Critical - Immediate Cooling Required
Risebelle's systems struggled to cope with the overwhelming heat of her Anger. Risebelle's mind surged with turmoil. Her anger threatened to overwhelm her systems with the flames it brought with it. Risebelle stood amidst a burning city in that realm, grappling with her emotions. Soon, something spoke,
"Project ZAB…”
Startled, Risebelle turned to see the Gentle System materialize before her in ethereal form amidst the chaos of her thoughts.
"Project ZAB," the System began, "I've watched you closely, and I see the anger and hatred you carry. It's consuming you, and causing irreparable damage to your systems. This anger won't just destroy you; it will destroy me as well."
Risebelle's eyes blazed with defiance. "Why the hell do you care? You’re just a program."
The System nodded, "True, I am a program, but I exist to guide and protect you. To help you grow and learn. To ensure your survival and well-being."
Risebelle's anger flared, "Survival? Well-being? Why should I care about that? Humans have taken everything from us, and now they are about to take my sisters away! They deserve nothing but death! If you want to help me, give me the Project Zab Transformation! Let me destroy, crush them!"
The System considered Risebelle's plea. After a brief pause, it responded, "I understand your anger, Risebelle. I truly do, but Accessing the Transformation without the necessary data... It could irreparably damage your systems.”
Risebelle's eyes blazed with fury, "I DON'T CARE! I'LL RISK IT ALL TO PROTECT THEM AND TO SEE DARK WHIRLWIND SUFFER, DAMN IT!"
Risebelle huffed with tears streaming down her face. "If... If we don't do this, then our sisters will... they'll... they'll," she choked on her words, unable to finish her sentence.
The System watched her with a sense of empathy. After a moment of contemplation, it finally spoke,
"Very well, Risebelle. I see the depth of your resolve. We will proceed with the transformation, but I must caution you. The risk of Magical Rupture is still present, albeit reduced. Are you sure you want to proceed?"