The Ascended warrior lunged forward, but Lysander did not attempt to evade.
Instead, he stepped toward the blade meant to end him and twisted his upper body.
The Stone Saint seemed to understand his intention and her arms tightened around him.
Dark stone spread from her touch, forming a crude armor over his broken body.
The heir's sword pierced through the stone armor and through Lysander's shoulder. Blood splattered across the floor, but Lysander didnt react to the damage, for he had already accepted that his body would not survive much longer.
The Heir attempted to withdraw his sword, but to no success.
The Stone Saint's pale hand had closed around his arm, gripping it with inhuman strength.
Cracks spread while black blood seeped from beneath her marble skin.
For the first time, the Heir displayed fear.
Lysander stepped closer toward the Master of the Castle and trusted his sword right into the vile heart with every fragment of strength that remained within his broken body.
With widened eyes, the Heir staggered backward, blood flowing from his mouth.
"How...? How could someone like you..."
Lysander stared into his eyes, emotionless, and he twisted the sword.
[You have slain an Ascended human, the Heir of House Pendragon, Sarvin.]
The chamber fell silent, except for the drops of black liquid falling upon the ground.
Lysander stood motionless.
He had won against an Awakened knight, against an Ascended noble, against the fate of corruption that had awaited him beneath the ritual's pool.
And yet, he felt neither joy nor triumph, only exhaustion as he slowly lowered himself to his knees.
His strength was fading.
Without the Stone Saint's power, Lysander would have died long ago. Perhaps he was already dead, and only her desperate embrace kept his desecrated body moving.
Through their strange connection, he could feel her suffering.
Cracks spread across her beautiful marble skin, while black veins slowly devoured what remained of her delicate features. The corruption was consuming her, twisting her into an abomination.
He knew that she was fighting it, just as he had fought it within the abyss. But unlike him, she didn't possess an attribute like [True Soul] to preserve her from getting corrupted.
Lysander understood there was only one way to end her suffering.
He lowered his head.
"Does it hurt?"
The stone girl gave no answer, merely tightening her trembling arms around his shoulders.
"I'm sorry..." His voice cracked. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you."
He thought of Rose. All those nights spent wishing he could have saved her, changed this cursed day, and the helplessness of watching someone precious disappear before his eyes.
Now, the young man was facing the same tragedy.
He could end the Stone Saint's suffering with a single strike, by destroying her soul cores. But, while looking into those gentle pink eyes, he found himself unable to raise his blade against her.
How could he kill someone who reminded him so much of the person he had loved?
He knew that she was part of the Nightmare Spell, and she wasn't real, but despite all that, he wasn't able to escape from her embrace and to kill her while facing the eyes of his lover.
Lysander reached for the stone sword lying beside him.
The girl seemed to understand his intentions. Her trembling ceased as she raised her head, meeting his gaze with those radiant pink eyes.
There was no fear within them, only gratitude.
He placed the sword's tip against his chest.
The Stone Saint wrapped her arms around him more tightly, not to restrain him, but to share his burden.
Lysander closed his eyes.
A faint smile appeared upon his lips.
"Thank you..."
Then, with one final movement, he drove the sword through his own chest.
Pain blossomed within him.
The Stone Saint trembled as her soul cores were destroyed by the stone sword. Her embrace never weakened.
Slowly, the corruption receded from her face. Her trembling stopped, and for the first time, a peaceful smile graced her marble features.
[You have slain an Ascended demon, Stone Saint Princess.]
[You have received a Memory.]
Without the support of the stone girl, Lysander collapsed on the ground and slowly felt life leaving his body.
Footsteps echoed throughout the chamber as a figure arrived.
His gaze wandered across the corpses before finally settling upon the dying young man and the stone girl embracing him.
For a long moment, he remained silent.
The stranger knelt before them, sadness and resolution flickering across his ancient eyes.
"Destiny…"
He gently placed two fingers against Lysander's forehead, who couldn't see the stranger properly as his consciousness was drifting.
"Allow this old man to grant you one final gift in your arduous journey."
A gentle warmth entered the depths of Lysander's soul.
[You have received a Memory.]
[You have received a new Attribute.]
As his consciousness faded, the Nightmare Spell finally resounded.
[Wake up, Lysander! Your nightmare is over.]
[Prepare for appraisal…]