Drew's face contorted with anger, a low growl rumbling in his chest. The sight of Hamlyn's headless body, still twitching on the blood-soaked ground, threatened to overwhelm him with rage. But he couldn't afford to lose focus now.

With a herculean effort, Drew wrenched his gaze away from his fallen comrade, his eyes locking onto Alyssa's smirking face.

The battle raged on, and Alyssa moved like liquid shadow, her dual energies of Calamitas and Umbra granting her impossible speed and strength. She darted in and out of Drew's reach, her blade flashing in the firelight, leaving trails of crimson in its wake.

Drew, for his part, was a mountain given form. His massive fists crashed through the air, each swing powerful enough to shatter bone. When they connected, the impact sent shockwaves rippling through Alyssa's enhanced body. But for every blow he landed, she retaliated with a flurry of strikes that left him bleeding from a dozen new wounds.

Finn watched the titanic struggle unfold, his heart pounding so hard he thought it might burst from his chest. His hands worked tirelessly, shaping new creations from nothing, sending wave after wave to aid Drew. But it was like throwing pebbles at a tidal wave. Alyssa cut through them with terrifying ease, her blade a blur of motion that left dismembered bodies in its wake.

"Keep going!" Finn shouted, his voice hoarse from the acrid smoke that filled the air. "We can't let up!"

Drew acknowledged the command with a curt nod, never taking his eyes off Alyssa. He could feel the strain of maintaining [Bane of Intensity] beginning to take its toll. His muscles burned, his lungs heaved, and a dull ache was spreading through his skull. But he couldn't afford to falter. Not now. Not when everything hung in the balance.

Alyssa sensed the change in Drew's movements, the almost imperceptible slowing of his reactions. Her lips curled into a predatory grin, her eyes flashing with renewed confidence. "Getting tired, big guy?" she taunted, her voice dripping with mock concern. "Don't worry, I'll put you out of your misery soon enough."

She lunged forward, her blade seeking the vulnerable spots between Drew's ribs. He twisted, narrowly avoiding a killing blow, but the knife still carved a deep gash along his side. Blood flowed freely, staining the ground beneath his feet a dark crimson.

Finn's breath caught in his throat as he saw Drew stumble. No, he thought, panic clawing at his insides. No, no, no. We can't lose. Not now. Not after everything we've been through.

His eyes darted frantically around the battlefield, searching for something, anything that could turn the tide. The camp was in ruins, tents reduced to smoldering ashes, the ground littered with the broken bodies of creations and bandits alike. It was a scene of utter devastation.

And then he saw it! He saw what would save the battle! Hamlyn's spear! Well at least he hoped it would save the battle. Drew hadn't had a weapon this entire time and has just been using his fist.

Even though he is very extremely good at using his fists, he could only strain Alyssa. But if Drew had a weapon he could definitely get an advantage!

Without thinking, Finn sprinted towards it. His legs burned with exhaustion, his lungs screaming for air, but he pushed through the pain. He could hear the sounds of combat behind him, Drew's grunts of exertion mingling with Alyssa's mocking laughter. Just a little further, he urged himself. Just a few more steps.

He reached the spear, his fingers closing around the rough wooden shaft. It was heavier than he expected, and for a moment, he feared he wouldn't be able to lift it. But desperation lent him strength, and he hefted the weapon with a grunt of effort.

"Drew!" The name tore from Finn's throat, raw and urgent. "Catch!"

Drew's head snapped around at the sound of Finn's voice. His eyes widened as he saw the spear arcing through the air towards him. With a burst of speed that belied his exhaustion, Drew lunged for the weapon.

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Alyssa, momentarily distracted by Finn's shout, realized her mistake too late. She turned back to Drew just in time to see his massive hand close around the spear's shaft.

Time seemed to slow as Drew brought the weapon to bear. Alyssa's eyes widened, her confident sneer replaced by a look of genuine alarm. For the first time since the battle began, uncertainty flickered across her face.

Drew didn't hesitate. With a roar that shook the very air, he surged forward, the spear leading his charge. Alyssa tried to dodge, her enhanced reflexes allowing her to twist away from what would have been a fatal blow. But she wasn't quite fast enough.

The spear's tip caught her in the shoulder, tearing through flesh and muscle. It didn't penetrate deeply - Alyssa's Calamitas-enhanced defenses saw to that - but it did what Drew needed it to do. It threw her off balance, disrupting the fluid grace of her movements.

Blood sprayed from the wound, spattering across Drew's face. He paid it no mind, pressing his advantage with single-minded determination. The spear became an extension of his arm, keeping Alyssa at bay while his free hand lashed out in devastating strikes.

Alyssa fought back fiercely, her dual energies flaring as she struggled to regain the upper hand. But the tide had shifted. Where before she had danced around Drew's attacks with ease, now she found herself constantly on the back foot.

Finn watched the battle unfold, his heart in his throat. He wanted to help, to do more, but he knew this was beyond him now. All he could do was watch and hope.

The fight dragged on, minutes stretching into what felt like hours. Both combatants were covered in blood, their bodies pushed far beyond normal human limits. Alyssa's movements, once fluid and graceful, had become jerky and desperate. Drew's face was very calm and showed no emotion, his eyes never leaving his opponent.

Finn's own body trembled with exhaustion. He'd never pushed his creation ability this hard, never sustained it for so long. Black spots danced at the edges of his vision, threatening to overwhelm him. But he forced himself to stay focused, to keep watching, to be ready if Drew needed him again.

I guess I do have a limit. I only exhaust it if I have been using it constantly or if I 'increase' the 'range' of it to create more. Finn pondered for a moment.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of violence, an opening appeared. Alyssa, her reactions slowed by fatigue and blood loss, left herself exposed for a fraction of a second. It was all Drew needed.

He feinted with the spear, drawing Alyssa's attention to her left. Then, with speed that belied his massive size, Drew's right fist shot out. It connected with Alyssa's temple with a sickening crack, the impact reverberating through the air like a thunderclap.

Alyssa's eyes rolled back in her head, her body going limp even as it was lifted off the ground by the force of the blow. She flew backward, crashing through the remnants of a burning tent before coming to rest in a crumpled heap on the blood-soaked earth.

For a moment, silence reigned. The constant din of battle, which had filled the air for so long, suddenly ceased. Finn held his breath, waiting to see if Alyssa would rise again.

She didn't move.

They had won!

Drew stood over Alyssa's prone form, his chest heaving with exertion. His eyes met Finn's across the battlefield, a silent acknowledgment passing between them.

Finn felt a wave of relief wash over him, so intense it made his knees weak. It's over, he thought, allowing himself to sink to the ground. It's finally over.

As the adrenaline began to fade, Finn became acutely aware of his own state. He was covered in dirt and blood, his body aching in places he didn't know could ache. And the smell... god, the smell was awful. A mixture of smoke, blood, and sweat that made his stomach churn.

I need a shower, Finn thought hysterically, a bubble of laughter rising in his throat. A shower, and maybe a year-long nap.

When her bandits saw her limp body on the ground, unmoving. They had lost all morale and dropped their weapons and started to run.

"Get them!" Drew exclaimed loudly.

"No way, the boss got defeated?" Gus exclaimed with defeat as he looked over at her limp body.

The bloodied up Eds had calm faces and nodded in acceptance and went to restrain the emotionally defeated Gus.

Finn looked at the bandits run and just shook his head. His part in all of this was done! He wanted to rest on that comfortable ass bed now!

For now, though, they had won. They had survived. And in this moment, that was enough.

Finn looked at Drew, battered but unbowed, and felt a surge of pride. We did it, he thought, a small smile tugging at his lips.

Drew made his way over to Finn, he looked rough, but he walked normally despite the damage. He extended a hand, helping Finn to his feet. They stood there for a moment, surveying the devastation around them.

The first rays of dawn began to peek over the horizon, painting the sky in hues of pink and gold.

With a deep breath, Finn squared his shoulders. "Alright," he said, his voice rough with exhaustion but tinged with determination. "Let's see what we can salvage from this mess."