Doma's body convulsed, the gaping hole in his chest spewing blackened blood. His usually pristine robes were in tatters, his frozen domain crumbling under the heat radiating from me.
He let out a weak chuckle. "Hah… So this is it, huh?"
I didn't respond. There was no need.
The flames consuming his flesh told him everything.
Doma tried to lift his fan, perhaps to make one final attack, but his arm barely twitched before his body gave out. His smile never faded, even as his face melted away, his existence reduced to nothing but ash.
Finally, it was over.
The once grand temple of the Eternal Paradise Faith was now a battlefield of ruin, walls shattered, frost melting under the lingering heat of my flames. The eerie silence that followed Doma's death was almost deafening.
I exhaled, shaking off the embers from my hand before turning to where Shinobu was.
She was seated exactly where I had been before, my conjured chair now occupied by the very woman I had come here to support.
Her katana lay across her lap, her grip on it loose but still firm. Her once pristine uniform was torn and stained with blood, much of it her own. A dark crimson puddle had begun to spread beneath her chair, the metallic scent heavy in the air.
Despite her condition, she still carried that same serene smile. But it was different now—strained, weak.
I walked toward her.
"You know," I said, keeping my tone light, "I don't recall letting you sit in my seat."
Shinobu gave a short chuckle but winced immediately. "I figured if you were going to play the spectator, I should get to try it too."
I frowned as I got closer. She was in worse shape than I had thought. Doma's attacks had done more than just drain her energy—she was bleeding out.
"Stubborn as ever," I muttered.
She hummed. "It's one of my best qualities."
I crouched beside her, reaching out. "Let me see your injuries."
Shinobu didn't protest, but I could see the exhaustion weighing on her. Her breath was shallow, her body trembling as she tried to keep herself upright.
I gently peeled back part of her hair, revealing the deep lacerations running along her side. Ice had burned into her skin; the wounds were jagged and raw. Her uniform was completely soaked through, and it was clear that if I had taken any longer, she wouldn't have lasted much longer.
"You're an idiot," I said bluntly.
Shinobu blinked at me. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me." I gave her an unimpressed look. "You were ready to throw your life away back there."
She looked away. "I was doing what I had to—"
I flicked her forehead, cutting her off.
She let out a small yelp, glaring at me. "What was that for?!"
"For being a reckless fool." I sighed. "You didn't have to die to kill him, Shinobu. That's just something you convinced yourself of."
She clenched her fist. "You wouldn't understand."
"I understand perfectly," I shot back. "You were afraid, weren't you?"
Her lips parted slightly, but she didn't say anything.
I exhaled. "Afraid that if you lived past this moment, if you actually won—that you'd forget."
Her breath hitched.
I stared into her violet eyes, unwavering. "You didn't just want revenge. You wanted to hold onto your pain. Because if you let it go... you feared you'd lose the last thing connecting you
to your sister."
Her fingers tightened around her sword, shoulders trembling.
"You don't have to do that anymore, Shinobu," I said, my voice softer now. "Kanae wouldn't want you to die like this. I don't want you to die like this."
She sucked in a shaky breath. "Alex… I…"
Her body swayed.
I caught her before she could collapse completely, pulling her into my arms.
"Alright, no more talking," I said. "You've lost too much blood already."
She tensed for a moment before sighing and leaning into me. "You're awfully pushy," she mumbled.
"Yeah, yeah." I held her closer, feeling just how cold her body had become. "You'll thank me later."
With a thought, I activated [Greater Restoration], a golden glow enveloping her body as her wounds slowly began to knit themselves back together. It wouldn't completely heal her, but it would stabilize her condition until I got her proper treatment.
She exhaled softly, some of the tension leaving her body.
I smirked. "See? Isn't it nice not dying?"
Shinobu let out a tired chuckle. "I suppose so."
I stood up, still holding her in my arms. "Come on, let's get out of here. You've done enough."
She hummed in agreement, her eyes fluttering closed. "I think I'll... rest for a bit."
I smiled down at her. "You do that."
With that, I stepped forward, leaving the ruins of the temple behind. The battle was over. Doma was dead.
And Shinobu—
She was finally free from her past, but not from me.
Hahaha [Evil Laugh]
"That's creepy, Alex." She said.
~~~
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