Chapter 82: A Light In The Darkness

In my original world, sword art was my passion, and I practiced it whenever I had time. It was my escape, and it had become as natural as breathing. With the sigils, I could move fast enough to keep up with Finn. I could understand how mana felt if I applied what I knew about my practice to magic.

It was the same as the itch I would get whenever I saw a new sword on display or got a move right. However, with each movement, my sigils were wearing away. This wasn't a fight of endurance for me but speed.

"Little light, come out into where I can see you." Finn's voice was colder than ever as it echoed through the room.

He stood between me and the crystal, and no matter what anyone tried, we would have to back away from the enraged demon.

"He has lost his mind. He doesn't even recognize you anymore." Soren panted, holding himself up by one of the pillars beside me.

The red-haired man's injuries were substantial, but with his immortality, he'd survive if Evelyn healed him. Finn wouldn't move away from the crystal, knowing it was everyone's goal. So, standing by the sidelines, everyone could get a quick breather before more flames erupted towards us.

 "What a pitiful beast." Evelyn scoffed, hiding behind another pillar.

"Shut up! None of this would've happened if you hadn't come!" I snapped, triggering Solas to growl at them.

Picking a fight with them wasn't ideal, as I wouldn't have survived an attack from both sides.

Her eyes narrowed, scoffing, "You're as crazy as ever, sister."

"And you're as stupid as ever, Evelyn, letting yourself be led by men all your life!" I shot back, trying not to let her presence consume me.

"What?!" She huffed, only to quickly squeal as flames flew to her side.

Our saving grace was that this place was made for dragons, which meant the stone used was fire-resistant. However, it wouldn't last forever—time hadn't been kind to this structure. Much of the castle had fallen to the previous war and not to this one; it appeared to be crumbling.

"Stop getting in my way, Eve, or I won't hold back next time," I growled, trying to figure out a way out of this mess.

Every time any of us would get near Finn, it would either end with being blown back or caught in a gravity field, which meant none of them could get near him and the crystal without dying. Thanks to Twilight, I was the only one who could do something they didn't know or need to.

"What's your plan?" Soren asked, realizing I was unaffected by Finn's gravitational magic.

"To erase everything that hurts them," I answered, gazing at Solas, who was ready for another round.

"No! They must be ended!" Julian scowled.

Somehow, the crown prince had survived the inferno, yet his arm was severely burned, making his shield tremble as he held it. Evelyn saved him the last time he got caught, yet her magic had issues healing the burns.

Perhaps the closer to the curse, the stronger the demon king became. The boy was lucky I had tried to reach the crystal, breaking Finn's concentration on him.

"It's about time, Traeden folk, learn that the demons are here to stay. If you get in my way, I'll destroy your nation and everyone in it once this is over. So, get on board or get lost." There was no hesitation or deceit in my voice.

If they managed to kill all the demons I cared for, I would hunt every single one of them down.

"Scary." Evelyn huffed, knowing I wasn't joking.

All the while, Finn was deathly silent, waiting for us to move.

"The dark priestess is just another monster," Julian assessed as I rolled my eyes at him.

"Try not to die before you even become king, boy." I scoffed, getting ready for a third round with the demon.

However, before I could move forward, Soren said, "Stop, you need us."

Need you? No, I can do this on my own.

Sadly, given the situation, it was impossible to get through Finn's defenses, yet my ego wasn't about to let me admit it out loud.

"No, she doesn't. Let her die with the disgusting lover." Evelyn growled, still hiding by a pillar with Julian.

"She's the only one who can get close enough, thanks to her connection to the dreadful king. The only one who can end this before he wipes us the living plane." Soren argued, wincing soon after.

"She isn't going to kill them!" The crown prince countered.

"That may not be her choice to make. The crystal is holding their lives hostage. Perhaps freeing them and saving everyone means their deaths." The red-haired hero continued.

Why are you? Ever since we first saw each other, you've seen something in me. I don't understand, but you tried to see the best in me.

Perhaps I would've fought for him in another life, but my heart was set on someone else, and their survival meant everything to me.

"I'll find another way. I know I will. No, I have to." I clasped my hand onto my chest.

Images of everyone I had met in this world rushed through my mind.

Their survival is everything!

"Either way, Traeden's doomed if we don't do anything. It seems our the Saint's magic is draining." Soren sighed.

Evelyn's wings were withering away with each minute that went by.

"I'm fine!" She assured us, however, that it was obvious that Xavier's influence was draining.

The truth bearer never loved demons, but if I was the only one able to stop this madness, then...

"Seems your hero is the only one seeing sense. You're running out of time, Sis." I smirked, resting against the pillar I was hiding behind.

A slight snicker came from the demon king, coiled around the crystal. He could attack us at any time, yet he remained silent near the gem, waiting for us to come to him.

After all, why chase after the prey when they are about to run to you?

"Or maybe I'm just tired of living. Seeing my friends and loved ones die time and time again is tiresome. I need this to end, Sylvia." His voice was broken beyond emotions.

Immortality truly is more of a curse than a blessing.

"I'll dispel the curse so you can live a life if you leave them be. You may have lost everything, but you can build something different, Soren. This isn't the end." I gazed at him as his eyes widened.

"Not try?" He asked.

"A world without them isn't worth living in! The pain of those affected by this dreadful curse must be lifted so they can rebuild! So they can live again, just like you!" I assured him, gazing at him straight on.

Those amber eyes felt like they could see my soul.

"Am I lying?" I smiled, prompting his lips to curl upward as well.

"I'll make sure you make it to the crystal." He nodded as I closed my eyes.

"What?! No! She must face—" Soren interrupted Evelyn, who didn't see any other way out of this mess.

"None of that matters if we're all dead! We'll figure out the rest if we survive!" He scolded her as I opened my eyes.

"Soren... Thank you." I whispered, knowing he was the first to see something good in me.

If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be here.

"Doom us or save us... What will you do, otherworld wanderer?" The hero smiled, echoing the same question that stupid, confident goddess always asked.

"No! I can't!" Evelyn denied helping me.

She couldn't stop picturing finding our father with his head bashed in, and I couldn't blame her. I let her see him dead when I texted her to meet me on that roof, but back then, all I wanted was for someone to…

"Then you're no use to us. Stay out of sight. Go Sylvia. I'll support you the best I can." Soren declared

"Give me a chance to calm him." I sighed.

"I don't know how you are going to do that, but I won't stand in your way, Saint," Soren responded, prompting Finn to break out in broken laughter.

It sent chills down my spine.

Once it died down, his breath hitched, "Are the rats done planning? Are you all ready to face me and die now?"

His words…

No more… I won't hold back any longer! The pain you're in is unforgivable! If I can free you, then…

"You really are a stupid little king, Finn." A soft sigh left my lips as I exited my hiding spot.

His eyes narrowed as his mouth began to smoke. It wouldn't be long until…

"There was a time I would've gladly died at your hands. It was a freedom from this fucked up world, but it isn't anymore. I… want to live with you," I simpered, not feeling fear as a blazing inferno met me.

Instead of scorching my body, the fire clashed with a barrier that Solas cast, as he was always a step behind me. It cracked, yet it didn't give away.

You're…

When the fire died, I gazed at the enraged demon between me and the crystal. Serah's body was barely visible because the crystal was glowing bright, which was probably why she couldn't do anything to help me.

"You gave me something I'd give everything for." I clenched on my lower abdomen, feeling warmth erupting from it.

Even this demon wants you in his life. We both do. So… I hope…

The last time I purified the room, I felt pure love for Finn. I truly cared every time I brought them back, just like their humanity held on because of those feelings. My sword was softly vibrating, reacting to the pure emotion from me.

"The little dim light wants to play with words?" Finn growled, facing me head-on.

I never wanted to fight him while others were waiting for the right time to strike. Even if some said they would support me, Evelyn wouldn't hesitate to put a hole in Finn when I broke the curse. Soren was a man of his word, that much I knew, but the demon king also took something vital from him.

If he could control his rage to help me, it was something I couldn't count on. I had to shake every doubt in my mind if I wished to protect all of them.

There must be a way to…

"I'm not your enemy, Finn. No, I'm your wife, and I know you fucking love me. So, please, see me as I see you. Help me end this madness." I declared, triggering his eyes to flicker as he slowly shifted back towards his humanoid form before me, grabbing his head with one of his hands.

"Love? A demon can't... Yet why do I... hurt so much when I see you?" He struggled for a moment as his sanity was wavering.

All the parts that had turned back to red were turning purple, slowly shifting towards a redder tone than the blue. He had wounds all over his body, probably from weapons enchanted by Evelyn, much like Varbaru.

His eyes, one of them was blue while the other was red.

"Sylvia... What are you doing here? You're… not… Argh… supposed to be here." He asked, barely hanging on.

Ah… I know love. I'm sorry for not listening to you. Please… don't be too angry when everything is settled.

"Finn, did you know my mom's name was Thea? I can't remember if I told you that or if you saw it, but I… want you to know I thought of naming her Thea if it was a girl, but since he was a boy, I thought Theodore would be best." I smiled.

His eyes slowly followed me as I took a step towards him.

Please… Come back… Please… I want to see you once... Last time before…

"Theodore? Our baby's name will be Theodore?" He mumbled before a soft growl lifted his lips, wincing.

"Mhm, Theo for short." I took another step towards him, allowing myself to feel the emotion that felt so dear to me. "We still need to do so much together, Finn."

His eyes softened briefly as a soft smile formed on his lips. "We do, don't we?"

"Yes—" Before that could fully form, Solas yanked me to the side as a beam of light hit Finn, who was caught entirely off guard, much like I was.

It hit him on the shoulder, snapping his sanity right out of my fingertips.

No! I was so close!

"What did you just do, Evelyn?!" Soren snapped from behind me.

"I thought I could kill them!" She huffed, turning my body into a furnace.

Bitch! You've made this impossible!

Seeing Finn's blood hit the floor because of me caused me to want to destroy the pillar my sister was hiding under, yet I couldn't take my eyes off the enraged dragon. From his distorted point of view, I had acted as a distraction for them.

"Lier! Betrayer! I'll kill you all!" Finn snarled, shifting back into his dragon form.

He coiled around his crystal, nostrils fuming once again. The pure hatred in his eyes masked the pain he felt. I had no time to focus on anything but saving him, as it was all that mattered.

Shaking my head off those useless thoughts, I focused on the dragon.

He was ready to end anyone who came close enough.

"I love you, Finn Dragonheart. No matter how you appear, I see you. I will save you!" I declared, preparing myself for the battle of a lifetime.

If I had the power to end this, it was to be seen, but I knew a life without him wasn't one worth living.