Morgrave's assault was relentless and reckless, not even sharing a single thought about whether or not he could be injured by just attacking. Not giving me a single moment of breath.
We endlessly flashstepped all over the walls; his movements were becoming the exact counter to mine. I couldn't see any opportunities in his attacks. If I attacked, I'd only end up dismembered.
I could only evade his attacks; I had no room for anything else.
"Evernight, you idiot! It has the ability to absorb people's abilities and teleport to their exact location. Why would you just attack without warning!?" screamed Artoria.
"How was I supposed to know that!? You take ages to explain things! Are you going to help or what?!" I shouted in response.
"I can't! Once it's picked an opponent, its power is activated! When in the duel state, no one can interfere; it'll only break when one of the parties is dead!"
"What?! But it's…!"
My mind began to decline into despair. I couldn't beat this monster by myself. I'm not strong enough to rival it. Dammit! Why did I attack it?
No, I know why, fear.
My purpose in preventively attacking Morgave was to eliminate the threat before it causes destruction across his whole city, I can't forget that. It's now my responsibility to slay this beast even if it costs me my life.
"It doesn't matter if it's too strong, you'll find a path if you just look for it! You're not allowed to die, no one here permits you to do such a thing!"
I gave Artoria a nod before flashstepping to the open meadows below, distancing myself from Morgrave. Unlike the other times, he didn't continue his assault, appearing in front of me, surveying my every movement carefully.
I stood tall in the face of Morgrave's oppressive gaze. I summoned a single shortsword of light, throwing it directly between its eyes. It didn't move, taking the attack in full force. The sword impacted with its face, creating a small collection of blinding lights. Once it dissipated, it revealed Morgrave's unblemished fur.
It had no effect.
"Is this thing immune to light, or am I too weak to scratch it?" I thought.
A multitude of ideas ran along my train of thought, but none of them revealed a reasonable end to this conflict; all my ideas ended in my own death. But that wasn't a fate I'd easily accept. I was chosen and beloved by someone, meaning I couldn't just die here.
I wouldn't allow it!
"Edict of Light, Penance!"
The ground shattered and fragmented under Morgrave's paws before a flurry of light burst forward, swallowing the beast in a sea of divinity. The surrounding meadows started to wilt and burn away, being consumed by an endless torrent of flames.
The soul-consuming heat emanating from the holy cross purified everything in the surrounding area, reducing it into dust, returning it to the natural process of life.
Despite this, Morgrave slowly walked out of the cross as if nothing had happened; the azure flames on its back only grew brighter with each step. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Morgrave wasn't even scratched by my attack.
What is this monster?
Morgrave suddenly disappeared from my view. I heard its soft footsteps echo behind me, but before I could turn, I was hit with an agony I couldn't even describe. My eyes turned to the source; my left arm and the left side of my chest had been completely annihilated, leaving a bloody mess.
My strength soon dissipated from my body, and my body fell to the ground helplessly. I couldn't do anything to stop my fall; I thudded lifelessly against the cold dirt.
My vision quickly faded into oblivion.
"Is this it? Am I truly dead?" I asked to the void.
I lay limp in the sea of darkness, consuming my every emotion and sense. A single tear ran down my face at my weakness; this had only happened because of me. I had no one else to blame.
If I were truly dead, then I'd be content with that, but this world wasn't so simple. I'd be saved by the one who values me over anything else; I didn't relinquish control again. I'd made a promise to myself, but could I really keep it? Now I lie on the brink of oblivion.
A divine light suddenly appeared in the void, dispelling the darkness clawing at me. The void was replaced with a blinding divinity as if I'd been transported inside the sun itself.
"Evernight, you will never die when I'm here. You've got quite the bad streak for a deity of light. What's that, three times now you've died?"
"I don't want to give you control again. Let me die, I don't want you to take my freedom."
"Oh, Evernight. I'd love for you to fight on your own, but you can't summon your own weapon yet, and you can only wield Helios when I'm in your body."
"I don't care!"
"Evernight… Do you truly wish for death?"
"I… I do."
Seraphina stopped for a moment, perhaps thinking about my words. I honestly didn't know the answer to her question. I just didn't want to be used as a puppet again.
"Is that so? Well, I haven't permitted you to die yet, what makes you think I'd watch you be killed! You are mine and mine alone, you no longer hold the keys!" shouted Seraphina.
Seraphina's voice grew more desperate and laboured, her true form falling from the light, embracing me tightly. She nestled her head into my body, gripping tight against my skin, not allowing for any movement from me.
"You are mine, and I am yours. My beloved won't throw away their life for some mutt, and your beloved won't sit back and watch. You aren't on your own anymore!" screamed Seraphina.
"I won't let you use me as a puppet. I don't want to be trapped again in my own body, I won't let you, even if I love you!"
Seraphina's head popped out from my chest, her eyes glossing over with tears. She smiled at me sweetly, forgetting her earlier sorrow, her golden eyes connected with mine.
"You love me? You've never said that before."
"I do."
I had held a certain unknown feeling for Seraphina since I first laid eyes on her. When we first met, I'd felt an unbridled sense of ecstasy and care flowing through me, a single glance brightening my day. I felt invisible in her presence as if no darkness could reach me in the face of her unyielding light.
"You won't survive without my aid. I won't take full control, but fifty percent, which will allow you to wield Helios, but don't think I'll step in if you are in immediate danger. I'll seize complete control."
"I won't let it reach that point, I'll end this quickly!" I declared.
Seraphina's smile grew at my words, and she grasped my face, pulling me closer. I felt the soft embrace of her lips as they touched mine. My vision faded to complete darkness as they touched. Soon after my feelings, along with my sight of the scorched meadows, I slowly picked myself up from the ground.
My wounds were completely healed by Seraphina's power, the familiar rush of ecstasy that came with Seraphina awakening every ounce of power in my blood came back in full. It was intoxicating.
"Say the words and Helios will respond," stated Seraphina.
She wasn't here physically, but I still felt her weight on my shoulders as if she were clinging to my back. The smooth feeling of her skin touching mine surrounded my body, filling me with a burning determination to crush Morgrave into a fine paste.
Morgrave swiftly snapped its head around, alarmed at my sudden revival, its eyes went wide with horror and recognition. While it hadn't recognised me as a real threat before, judging by the small shake in between each wary step, its opinion on me had changed.
Without warning, Morgrave burst forward, aiming for my jugular, wanting to end my life in a single swipe once again. I wouldn't let such humiliation repeat itself.
"Fall, Helios."