The king remained silent, but inside, a quiet resolve began to build. He knew the odds were against him, but he wasn't about to give up. "Hey, beautiful." He said softly, turning to his wife. "I'm not ready to give up just yet. I wouldn't be able to face my family again if I gave up here. So, let's give 'em a little hell" He mustered a small smile.
Solaria's eyes sparkled with quiet intensity, and before he could finish, she interrupted him, "But my power… "
"They only took away your magic." He said with a reassuring grin. "You're still as strong as ever, my love. And I'll help you. So... Help me?"
She gazed into his eyes, her expression full of unwavering drive and determination. A smile slowly spread across her face, and with a nod, she replied, "Yeah, let's go."
Together, they stood, ready to face their enemies.
Ventris, watching the exchange from her golden throne, couldn't help but smile, her expression twisted in amusement. "Cute." She sneered. With a snap of her fingers, she signaled her new generals to attack.
"You go high, and I'll go low." He said, determination in his voice. "Try to take your power back, and when you do, I'll finish them." He flexed his claws, his bones cracked as he entered a fighting stance, ready for his final stand, his wife doing the same, her eyes locking with his in silent understanding.
With a sudden burst of speed, they tore into the fray, their feet pounding the earth with a force fueled by power and rage. The angels charged, unleashing beams of energy so strong they vaporized the rocks behind them.
In perfect sync, Aurelius and Solaria danced around the battlefield, dodging their attacks with precision. With a swift motion, Aurelius grabbed his wife's chain and, with tremendous force, hurled her toward the angel in front of them, sending her crashing through the air like a comet aimed at her target.
The angel fired a beam of energy directly at her, but Solaria didn't even flinch if anything, it only seemed to fuel her. A mischievous smile curled on her lips as she seized the angel by the face, pulling him down to the ground with unrelenting force.
"Just whose power do you think you're attacking with?" She taunted. "As if I wouldn't know how to withstand my own magic!"
With a fierce grin, they crashed into the earth, the shockwave reverberating across the battlefield. From the crater where they had landed, a massive explosion of dark energy erupted. It was Solaria, she had regained a surge of her power. With a fierce battle cry, she was already on the move, rushing toward the other angel who had been attacking her husband leaving behind her mangled victim. Aurelius, ever vigilant, carefully dodged the oncoming strikes, knowing that even the slightest graze could be fatal. Her energy was that potent, and he couldn't afford to take any chances, as weakened and beaten as he still was.
Just as Aurelius was dodging the angel's beams, a powerful gust of wind slammed into his stomach. It was Zervas. He stared into the king's eyes, his gaze filled with nothing but resolve and pain. Fighting his former student here, now an enemy, was tearing Aurelius apart inside. But as they clashed, something felt different. Zervas was stronger, had he taken some of his wife's power as well? The intensity of his strikes suggested something had changed, something far darker than before.
Aurelius staggered back from the impact, his chest heaving as he glared at Zervas. His voice cracked with anger, desperation, and disbelief as he shouted,
"Zervas! Why? After everything we've been through, after everything I've taught you why would you betray me like this?!"
Zervas's eyes remained cold, his grip on his weapon firm as he took a step closer.
"You don't understand, my king." He said, his voice strained. "I had no choice.... I couldn't stay in the shadows of your empire forever. You led with honor, but your vision was narrow. You would have kept us all in chains, not just in body, but in mind!" He yelled across at him.
Aurelius's hands balled into fists, his voice rising.
"Chains?! You call protecting these people chains? You think turning on me, on all we've built, is the answer? You're throwing away everything we stood for. And for what? Power? Vengeance? You betrayed your own family, Zervas!"
Zervas's expression hardened, his grip tightening on the sword as he took another step forward.
"I didn't betray anyone, Aurelius. I evolved. I'm not the same person who followed you. I've seen the truth, Ventris saw the truth. This world was always meant to be ruled, and I... I want to be part of that vision. Not a servant."
Aurelius's eyes burned with frustration, and for a moment, he paused, grief and rage fighting for dominance within him.
"And what about us, Zervas? What about all the people we lost? All the lives we swore to protect? You really think Ventris' way is the answer? You're better than this. I won't let you turn into her puppet."
Zervas's lips curled into a sad, bitter smile.
"It's too late for that, Aure."
As the clash of claws against blade reverberated through the air, Aurelius's heart pounded in his chest. His breath came in ragged gasps, not just from the physical exertion, but from the weight of the moment. Standing before him, the young man he had raised as his own, the one who had once called him brother.
Tears welled up in Aurelius's eyes, his vision blurry as the memories flooded in. The countless training sessions, the shared victories, and losses, the quiet moments where they had talked about dreams, the future, those were the moments that truly hurt. To see his former friend standing here as an enemy, with a sword in hand, and no remorse in his heart, it shattered him.
"I never wanted this..." Aurelius muttered through clenched teeth, his voice cracking.
Zervas met his gaze, his eyes cold and unfeeling.
The king's claws clenched tighter, a growl of frustration escaping his lips.
"No... this isn't you. You're still my friend. I won't believe this is the only way." His eyes were filled with pain, but his resolve grew clearer with every passing second.
This was the moment, he would have to make the hardest decision of his life.
"I will save you, Zervas. I will make you see the truth, even if it costs me everything." But even as the words left his mouth, Aurelius knew what would come next.
He could feel it in his bones, a friend would fall today.
Zervas raised his blade, its edge shimmering with malicious intent.
"There's no saving anyone today."
And as the two clashed once more, the king's heart tore further, knowing that the person he'd considered his brother had already chosen his path. He steeled himself, ready to do what was necessary, even if it meant the end of their shared history. He would not hold back. For the future. For the world.
But this was his family, his brother, and nothing about this would ever feel right.
The tension in the air was suffocating as the two stood facing each other, the battlefield around them filled with chaos, but for this moment, it was just them. Aurelius's golden eyes burned with a fierce resolve, while Zervas's gaze was colder than any winter's night.
Without warning, Aurelius lunged forward with the speed of a predator, claws extended like daggers, aimed straight for Zervas's throat. The younger man was fast, his blade flashing as he sidestepped and parried the strike with a metallic clang, sparks flying off his weapon. The sheer force of the impact made the ground beneath them tremble.
Zervas grinned, eyes dark with a mixture of anger and contempt.
"You've always been too slow, old friend."
He swung his blade with precision, aiming for Aurelius's side. The king reacted just in time, twisting his body and deflecting the strike with one clawed hand. He countered, slashing in a horizontal arc with ferocity, the air whistling as his claws cut through the space between them. But Zervas was ready, ducking low and rolling to the side, narrowly avoiding the deadly strike.
"You're not the same man I once knew, Zervas," Aurelius growled, his voice laced with pain. "This isn't you!"
Zervas's smile was sharp, his eyes devoid of any warmth.
"This is the real me. I've grown past your teachings, Aurelius. Just die already."
With a swift motion, Zervas surged forward, his blade a blur as he slashed downward, aiming for the king's chest. The strike was clean, fast, too fast for most to react.
But not Aurelius.
With a roar of defiance, the king crossed his claws in front of him, catching the blade mid-swing, the clash of steel and claws sending a shockwave through the ground. Zervas gritted his teeth, pushing with all his might, trying to force his sword through the king's defense.
Aurelius snarled, his claws digging into the blade's edge, forcing it back with a surge of power. He twisted his body, his legs springing into action as he kicked Zervas hard in the chest, sending him sprawling back.
Zervas quickly rolled to his feet, his breath coming in short gasps. His eyes burned with fury, and he charged again, his blade a streak of silver as it cut through the air. Aurelius met him head-on, his claws meeting the sword with a crack that echoed across the wasteland.
Each strike from Zervas was precise, his form almost inhuman in its speed and power, but each time Aurelius was there, blocking, countering, his movements a blur of golden fury. The sound of steel meeting claws, the clash of power, was deafening as they danced their deadly waltz.
Aurelius feinted left, then lunged right, his claws extending toward Zervas' throat. Zervas parried just in time, the blade locking with the king's claws in a moment of perfect tension. With a growl, Aurelius twisted his claws, breaking the deadlock and spinning away, narrowly avoiding another slash aimed for his heart.
"Why do you fight me, Zervas?!"
Aurelius shouted, his voice raw with emotion, his claws dripping with energy from their clash.
"You were like a brother to me!"
Zervas's expression hardened, the bitterness in his gaze sharpening.
Aurelius narrowed his eyes, his fists tightening as he prepared for the next onslaught.
"Then, you truly are lost."
With a mighty roar, the king threw himself at Zervas, claws slashing in a flurry of rapid strikes. Zervas parried and blocked with expert precision, but the weight behind each of Aurelius's attacks was relentless. The force of each strike reverberated through Zervas's bones, pushing him back with every blow.
They locked again, Aurelius's claws against Zervas's sword, the two struggling, neither willing to give an inch. Zervas's breath was ragged, his muscles straining against the king's power. But then, with a brutal shove, Zervas pushed Aurelius back, his sword flashing in the starlight as he aimed for the king's side again.
Time seemed to slow as Aurelius leapt into the air, his foot hitting the earth with a powerful thud missing his mark.... Zervas's head. They collided, a burst of energy erupting from the impact, throwing both warriors backward. Aurelius landed heavily on the ground, his body aching, but his will unbroken.
Zervas stood across from him, his sword raised, the blood of battle glistening on its blade.
"It's over, Aurelius. This world belongs to Ventris now."
Aurelius struggled to his feet, his body battered, but his resolve still burning. "Not while I still stand."
The final strike was coming. The two warriors stood, ready to finish what had begun.
The two warriors charged at each other, their speeds so fast that the air seemed to ripple in their wake. Claws and blades clashed in a blinding explosion of sparks, their power shaking the ground beneath them. Aurelius's claws collided with Zervas's sword, the impact reverberating through his entire body.
For a moment, they were locked in place, each pushing against the other, their eyes locked with an intensity that said everything their words could not. The weight of their years of friendship, of betrayal, hung between them.
Aurelius could feel the strain, but he hesitated. His heart raced, and in that fleeting instant of doubt, his claws altered just for a second. Zervas, sensing his hesitation, seized the opportunity with ruthless precision. With a twist of his blade, he redirected Aurelius's claws and knocked him off balance.
In that moment of vulnerability, Zervas struck, his blade landing with a wet, sickening sound, the energy around his blade carving space around it, leaving Aurelius hunched over.
Aurelius staggered back, his vision swirling with confusion and disbelief. He looked up at Zervas, the man he once called a brother, eyes filled with sorrow. His hesitation had cost him dearly.
Zervas stood there, his sword still steady in his hand. Aurelius' body trembled, the weight of defeat pressing on him. He fell to his knees, his breath shallow, as the world around him began to blur and as he fell he looked over at his wife one last time before his eyes closed
Solaria's heart clenched as she saw Aurelius on the ground, his form battered and weakened. The sight of him, fallen and vulnerable, ignited a fire within her. She had already defeated three more angels, regaining much of her strength, but this moment, this pain, made her forget all of that.
Her eyes flashed with determination as she turned toward the angels still standing. "No." She whispered to herself, her voice full of resolve. "Not like this."
With a burst of energy, she propelled herself toward him, her heart racing as she cradled Aurelius's fragile form in her arms. His body was bruised, bloodied, and battered, with a gaping hole now in his stomach but when he smiled up at her, weak but still alive, it made all the pain she had endured worth it. She could feel his chest rise and fall slowly, but his eyes, though clouded with exhaustion, held a sense of warmth and love that grounded her.
"I'm sorry... I couldn't... I couldn't bring myself to kill him..." He whispered, his voice barely audible, filled with regret.
Her fingers gently brushed the hair from his face, her own tears threatening to fall as she fought to stay strong.
"You fought with everything you had, my love. You always do." She said softly, her voice steady despite the turmoil within her.
The world around them seemed to fade as she held him close, protecting him from whatever would come next. Despite the battle raging on, her focus was entirely on him, on keeping him safe, on making sure he would live.
"Don't leave me." She whispered, her voice trembling and pleading.
Solaria's heart swelled with emotion as his words reached her. She pressed her forehead against his, their breaths mingling in the chaos of the battlefield. Despite the devastation around them, in this moment, there was only the two of them.
"... Always and forever." He whispered back, his voice faint but still carried an unwavering conviction.
His hand weakly squeezed hers, the last of his strength poured into that touch. He didn't need to say anything more, his love for her was clear. But before he could say another word, a blade fell from the sky, piercing his chest with a cruel crunch, killing him instantly, the blade was thrown by none other than Ventris, the same cursed blade that was used to mortally wound Solaria.
She realised then: she hadn't felt any pain since he had put that rune on her. It had even started to heal a bit... The chant he had whispered... She realised now that it was a spell to heal her using his own blood. Tears came to her eyes as she cried for her lover, the man who had loved and protected her wholeheartedly, until his last breath.