The New Dawn ~ Sirius

I hadn't expected to run into Cortana there at all. But then again, it was the angels' sacred lake, so that wasn't too crazy. Unfortunately, she wasn't alone. There were three other people- no, beings- there. Stradivarius, some demon? I'd never seen him before, but he had torn, leathery wings like those of a bat. Then there was Spectre. If you could call her that anymore. I had no idea what her actual identity was at this point, all things considered.

"Lucifer Dianthus. I should have known it was you who helped them escape the tavern. After all, black smoke was your touch of dramatic flair." she said. Lucifer's eyes widened, his back turned to the source of sound.

"Trophonia?" he asked, throwing the question out into the open. Lucifer took a step towards her. "No. You're not her. You're something else, something- demonic. I can feel it."

She laughed. "You're right about that, Dianthus. And just so you know it, she's pretty powerful too. Much more powerful than her mother at the very least." she moved so quickly, it was like watching the flickering image of a shadow following a person. In a split second, she'd disarmed him and had him at the ground by the end of her quarterstaff. "She fights me every day you know? But she can't get back, because she willingly gave up control." Tempest laughed. "I'm going to tear you apart, Lucifer Dianthus. And I'm going to enjoy it. " She backed off, throwing up a portal in less than a second. "Maybe another day though, I have somewhere to be. Et circumagam te videre~*"

With that, she left through the portal, the other demon going with her.

Lucifer looked utterly shaken by what had just happened, Leviathan and Lykfilia just stood there, frozen.

"So," I started. "What do you suggest we do now?"

"You're not going to do anything, Sirius Arden." Cortana said from behind me.

I froze. I forgot she was there.

"You see," she continued. "You're a very crucial part of this upcoming war. As a matter of fact, so is your girlfriend. "

I sighed. "Reyna's not my girlfriend." I said."And whatever my purpose in this war is, It sure as hell isn't to serve the likes of you."

Cortana scowled. "You'll regret that. " She drew her sword. "But if you and the girl don't come along quietly, we'll have to take you by force then. "

I straightened my back , my hand automatically drawing my sword as I assumed position.

"Well, before you even think about laying a hand on Reyna, you're going to have to take me down." I said.

Cortana's gaze fixated on me, before she let out a laugh. "You- hah! You have some courage, boy! A duel it is then, do you accept?" she asked me.

I turned to the others. Lucifer and Leviathan both had weapons drawn and prepared for anything that hits them , Reyna and Lykfilia were behind them and Demyx protected the back.

"Sirius-" Leviathan started.

Lucifer temporarily broke their defense to walk over to me. "Sirius, are you sure you can handle this? You're only human after all. Cortana is an angel with hundreds of years worth of constant training, not to mention the fact that she has full control over the element of water. "

I nodded. "I understand you want to warn me, but I think I've got this. Even so, I am a knight. Protecting Reyna is a cause worth dying for. " I released a breath I'd been holding before walking over to the group. "Demyx, I don't know you well, but I wish you well on your training and future."

He nodded in return.

"Lykfilia, you're probably the nicest person I ever met. If there's anyone who can reach to Spectre through Tempest, it's you. " she teared up "Thank you. Good luck, now and forever."

I turned. "Leviathan, you're the mentally strongest man I have ever known. You've died, yet still you're somehow sane. That in itself is an incredible feat. Oh and, take care of Lykfilia." Leviathan nodded.

"I wouldn't dream of doing anything else." he said.

"Lucifer, I hope you succeed in saving Spectre. I understand that cause perfectly."

I paused, my heart suddenly becoming heavier and my breathing slowing down.

"Reyna." I started. "Look at me." she turned her head, her eyes slowly filling with tears.

"Please don't leave me." she said.

"In my heart, I will never leave you. I wouldn't dream of it. Even if this goes the worst way, I'll have you know that you've always had my heart Reyna, right from the start. That's what I should've said before you left on this journey. " I smiled. "But I guess that's too late now, isn't it? Besides, I've only ever been a friend to you, haven't I?"

"H-how'd you know that?" she asked.

"Just an instinct. Listen Reyna, promise me this. Whatever the outcome of this duel is, you'll find someone to be happy with, won't you?"

Reyna wiped her eyes. "How can I promise something like that? I don't even know if I'll survive that long! "

"Reyna. I know you'll be fine. You're stronger than you know. I'll wait for you. I'll wait for all eternity if that's what it takes, but I'm patient. Take care of yourself. " I then turned around, ready to face Cortana. Right before I blocked out all excess noise from my senses I heard Lucifer's voice whisper, "Hail and farewell, Sirius Arden, the Ice Knight, the sign of a new dawn."

I took a deep breath.

"Cortana Discordia, I, Sirius Arden, accept your challenge."

"Very well." she replied. "Athuriel, would you mind breaking down the rules?"

Stradivarius nodded. "This is a duel to the death. There are no rules other than you cannot endanger other people around you with your powers and or your fighting. May the best fighter win."

He backed away, giving Cortana the space she needed.

Cortana, with the help of her Grace, moved over to the water, hovering slightly above the surface of the lake, never coming into contact with it. She closed her eyes for a split second, then sent a wave of water at me the next. I couldn't dodge it in time, the wave hitting me, drenching me in water. It was extremely cold, but what surprised me were the crystals that immediately formed on my sword.

My mind went to Spectre's words that she gave me during one of our training sessions.

"Focus your energy into your weapon. Picture it hitting the target and the target freezing. You are? Good. Now open your eyes and strike."

I noticed Cortana preparing another wave, so I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and really focused. I felt the energy pulse around the sword in my hands, and when I opened my eyes, there was a light glow around it, an icy blue color. I barely had time to think, as another wave came crashing on top of me.

I put my sword out in defense, preparing to be submerged in water once again. But that feeling never came. I opened my eyes again, seeing that the wave had frozen where the sword touched it.

It actually worked?

I thought about my chances. Cortana would only ever send these waves at me, tiring me out until she could end this. I'd never get close. Unless.....

I took a couple of steps back, focusing my energy into my body as a whole, not only my sword.

Then I charged out onto the lake itself.

It worked as I thought it would, the ice spreading like a platform underneath my shoes. I readied my sword, focusing on the water changing into ice beneath me. I made it grow, rise, like the morning sun, as then I leaped off, swinging at the angel before me. She blocked me with a simple move of her arm. I landed back on the lake, the ice formed underneath me already.

"You're getting better at controlling your powers, boy. Think of what you could do if you were backed up by a legion of angels!" Cortana said to me.

I chuckled. "You mean I could lay waste to all that is a minor inconvenience to you? No thank you. I like to fight for what is right, not lies that my whole life has been built on. "

Cortana's gaze hardened. "So be it then, Arden. It'll be my pleasure to end you as I did your father."

My focus broke for only a second, which was exactly what Cortana needed. She broke the icy platform keeping me out of the water, causing me to fall in.

The water was colder than anything I'd ever experienced. It was a black mess of liquid, freezing and dragging your life out. I kicked off the bottom, swimming to the top.

I managed to get a hold of myself and create a pillar of ice, getting myself out of the water.

"Nice move, angel." I said, coughing up what was left of the liquid in my lungs.

Cortana scoffed.

I readied myself for another strike.

_____

We'd been fighting for what seemed like ages, and I felt myself slowly losing strength. Of course I had no chance against an angel like her, but I would never go down without a proper fight.

I don't know how I didn't see it coming, but I slipped off of my pillar of ice, falling through the air for a second, then landing on one of Cortana's waves. It wrapped around me like a snake, slowly closing off my airways. Cortana lead them around me, adding pressure and water to the little bubble, sinking it to the ground.

Black and white spots danced around my vision, my head feeling lighter than usual, as I felt the numbness in my chest spread throughout my body.

"I'm sorry Reyna."

My last coherent thought faded away as I felt ice spreading out from my fingertips, similar to when my powers were first activated.

The bubble burst, leaving me to slowly sink into the icy depths of the Lake Speculum. I could have sworn I heard a scream, before everything went black before my eyes.

* "I'll see you around~"