Chapter 122 - Descent of the Fang

Date: Late August X788 — Minutes after Teresa's first duel

Location: Shrine Dais, Eastern Border Valley

Rain poured across the broken stone, filling cracks and turning the ground into a cold, muddy pool. Teresa stood still, blade lowered, her breathing steady but sharp. Above her, ravens circled lower, their calls sharper and more urgent — as if they were mocking her silence.

On the ridge above, Raven Fang's leader finally lowered his hand. The woman next to him tensed, gripping the hilt of her curved blade.

"Now," the leader ordered, his voice thin and cold. "Go down there and rip the silence from her throat."

The woman leapt first, her cloak whipping around her like a shadow. Behind her, three assassins jumped from the trees, landing softly in the mud. They moved in perfect sync, barely making a splash.

Teresa's Perspective

Teresa watched them without moving, her gaze calm and sharp. Rain slid down her face, mixing with the faint glow of mana left on her skin after the first battle.

She didn't flinch.

The first assassin disappeared behind a broken pillar, trying to circle her blind spot. The second came straight at her with a short spear, held low. The last two moved together, weaving in and out of each other's cover.

Teresa let out a slow breath. Her Yoki pulse spread through her muscles, steady and ready.

The lead woman struck first, rushing in from the side. Her curved blade hooked toward Teresa's ribs, meant to disarm. Teresa stepped just enough to let it pass, her movements small but exact.

She twisted her wrist, her blade rising fast. The woman blocked but lost her balance, stumbling back. Teresa's cloak flicked forward, hiding her next move.

The second assassin lunged with his spear, aiming for her side. Teresa spun, wrapping her cloak around the spear shaft. With one strong pull, she dragged him forward. As he stumbled, she flipped her blade and drove it upward into his chest.

He gasped and fell, eyes wide.

The two remaining assassins rushed her from both sides. Teresa ducked, the left attacker's blade slicing only rain. She turned to the right one, smashing her shoulder into his chest. He choked, losing his stance. She followed with a clean upward cut across his torso. He collapsed in the mud.

The left assassin tried again, yelling in rage. Teresa turned quickly, her blade slicing from shoulder to hip in one smooth motion. He fell forward, the unfinished strike dying with him.

The Lead Woman Returns

The leader woman recovered, snarling. She reversed her blade, mana crawling up her arms in burning glyphs.

"Your silence is cowardice!" she screamed. "Roar with me! Show me your rage!"

Teresa didn't reply.

She stepped forward, meeting the woman head-on. Their blades clashed with a loud crack that echoed across the valley.

The woman pushed forward, face twisted in fury. Teresa's eyes stayed calm and focused. With a small pivot, she deflected the blade upward, stepping around to the woman's side. Her sword flashed, cutting across her ribs.

Blood sprayed in the rain. The woman fell to her knees, gasping, hair stuck to her face.

Ridge Overlook

The Raven Fang leader watched, his smile gone. His fingers clenched around his cloak.

"She moves… like a falling star," he whispered, voice trembling. "No... not yet. The final hymn must be sung."

Shrine Dais — Ending the Duel

The woman looked up at Teresa, her eyes wide and desperate. "Why... won't you answer me?" she cried. "Why won't you scream back? Show me your pain!"

Teresa's eyes softened slightly — not with pity, but with a clear, steady understanding. She stepped forward, lowering her blade so its tip touched the mud.

"Because I am not an echo," she said quietly. "I am the cut itself."

The woman's eyes filled with tears. Her expression shifted to something almost childlike before Teresa raised her blade in one last, smooth sweep.

The woman fell forward, silent.

Ridge Overlook

The Raven Fang leader trembled, rain running down his face like tears.

"So… you are the end of all echoes," he growled. "Then come. Find me beneath the raven's wing. Let us write the last verse together."

Shrine Dais — Teresa's Stand

Teresa stood alone again. The rain slowed to a quiet drizzle, each drop gentle and afraid to break the silence.

She looked up at the ridge. She could feel the leader's energy — wild, desperate, waiting.

She took a slow breath, tightening her grip on her sword. Her cloak settled around her, heavy but certain.

South Ridge Camp — Same Evening

Romeo sat by the fire, his flame sword leaning against him. He looked east, his mouth opening as if to say something.

Kinana noticed and stepped closer. "What is it?" she asked.

Romeo kept his eyes on the trees. "She's moving again," he whispered. "She's going to end it this time."

Kinana nodded softly, though worry filled her eyes. "Then we keep our flame alive here. Until she returns."

Shrine Valley — Closing

Teresa stepped off the dais, her boots sinking into the soft mud. She moved toward the ridge — the final path to the last fight.

Above, the last raven circled once more, then flew east, as if guiding her toward the final battle waiting beyond the rain.