The tension in the clearing could be cut with a knife as the trio stood their ground against the lone corrupted elf.
Sylvanie narrowed her eyes and clenched her sword with both hands. Despite the wounds he sustained in his earlier clash with Rot, Oreon stood ready to fight alongside her. Celestia stood behind them both, her face showing fatigue, but her hands still glowing faintly.
Rot smirked at what he saw. "So, this is what your last stand looks like." A wide grin remained fixed on his face. "The Velyrian sisters fighting side by side with a human, how utterly…Pathetic. Makes one wonder if you were ever worthy of taking up the throne." He gestured towards Celestia. "How do you think the elves would feel? You." He pointed towards her with his knife. "Siding with a human to save your own life?"
Celestia's resolve remained. "My people will understand that survival sometimes requires unlikely alliances." She spoke, maintaining a calm tone. "What they won't understand is how one of our own could fall so low as to serve those who enslaved us." She responded, keeping her eyes locked with Rot's. "What's demoralizing is that you willingly chose to stand by and watch as those you serve burn down your home...How shameful." Rot kept his knife pointed at her. "However, my choices and what I choose to do are my own to bear, Rot. But yours…" Celestia's hands began to glow a bit brighter. "Your choices end here."
Chuckling at Celestia's remark, Rot bent down a little, readying himself to strike.
"End here?" His dark chuckles echoed as a dark purplish color began to envelop his blade. "You still don't understand a thing!" He exclaimed. "I've tasted power far greater than your pathetic light show! You and your sister are weak thanks to the time you spent in the Order's dungeons, and all you have on your side is a human weakling, barely able to stand. What could you possibly do against me? One, that the Order saw potential in and decided to elevate with power beyond your comprehension!"
"Says the one that still hasn't finished off the human," Sylvanie spoke up, swinging her sword before letting the blade rest on her shoulder. "Even with whatever enhancements the Order gave you, this pathetic human is still standing." She pointed over at Oreon, who raised an eyebrow at her.
"Huh?" Oreon blinked for a moment before dropping his guard as he turned his head over to Sylvanie. "Uh, excuse me? Pathetic? Just who the hell side are you on anyway?" His head grew comically big as he yelled at Sylvanie. "I'll have you know, fighting against an elf, who is naturally stronger than a human, is NOT easy!"
"Oh, please." Sylvanie rolled her eyes dramatically. "I'm just stating facts—you're still breathing, aren't you? That's more than most humans can say after facing one of us, one on one, and besides, if this guy is half as strong as he says he is, you would be dead already." Sylvanie turned her attention back to Rot, a slight smirk etching on her features. "But it seems that even the mighty enhanced elf, who has been given power by the Order, can't even slay a simple human thief."
Rot's expression faltered slightly. "You sly mouth little —" He growled under his breath before he sharply inhaled, exhaling before smiling again. "Fine then, allow me to show you what power the Order truly gave me."
Suddenly, his body vanished faster than what Oreon could see and almost quicker than the sisters could keep up with. "By starting with you!" Rot shouted as he reappeared in front of Sylvanie, decayed knife raised above her head.
Rot's attack was incredibly forceful, and his blade came down at an inhuman pace; even so, Sylvanie, despite her weakened magical state, raised her sword just in time to block, though the impact sent the dark elf hurtling backward. Despite this, she quickly got her balance back, touching the ground with her bare feet and sliding a bit.
"Tch—" Sylvanie re-gripped her blade. "Is that all you got? You—What?" Sylvanie quickly turned her head to her left to see Rot right on top of her again, blade ready to strike. "How did he?" She pondered in her mind as Rot quickly slashed at her, but Sylvanie used her sword to block again, but the results remained the same. This time, Sylvanie was sent flying back as her body tumbled to the ground.
"Sylvanie!" Celestia shouted as Oreon charged towards the corrupted dark elf. His twin daggers gleamed as he leaped towards him.
"You're mine!" Oreon screamed as he slashed downward, but Rot dodged it completely, quickly returning with a counter of his own. The force of his blade quickly broke Oreon's guard as he tried to block, almost knocking his shoulder out of a socket as he came up with another slash, which Oreon promptly tried to block with his right blade, but was knocked backwards as he was sent sprawling to the ground as well.
"You're too slow, human!" Rot screamed as he charged after Oreon's fallen form as he tried to get up, but Sylvanie quickly slid in front of Oreon and swung her blade at Rot's throat, which he quickly deflected, and the two danced as their blades clashed with one another.
"Damn it!' Sylvanie cursed as the sound of their weapons connecting with each other. "He's getting faster the more he fights! What the hell is this!" Sylvanie's movements were fluid despite how drained she was, but Rot's enhanced speed was relentless—every time she thought she had an opening, he was already countering, his blade moving through the air almost faster than she could keep up with.
Sylvanie tried to strike him with a downward slash, but Rot feinted her and dodged left and aimed his knife at her throat. The seconds stretched as the knife approached her, inches from her skin; however, a barrier of golden light materialized, stopping the blade, as the sudden force caused him to recoil and land on his feet
Confused at first, Rot tilted his head, then grasped the situation. He saw Celestia's hands glowing more brightly, with sweat appearing on her forehead from the strain of holding the barrier around her sister.
"Oh, I see," Rot smirked, twirling his knife in his hand. "The former queen decided that it was time she joined in on the fun, too. But tell me your majesty. How long do you think you can protect her in that weakened state?"
"Long…Enough to bring down a monster like you." Celestia answered back, biting her lip a bit.
Oreon slowly picked himself up from the ground, gritting his teeth a bit, breathing hard. "He's hitting harder than he was before. What gives?"
"That's what I liked to know," Sylvanie questioned, trying to catch her breath herself. "He's getting faster, too. I can barely keep up with him."
Rot couldn't help but smirk as the trio tried to gather themselves.
"So lost in the dark," He began. "Allow me to explain," He held the blade in front of his face, displaying the decaying energy that coursed through it. "This isn't just some simple enhancement." His tongue slithered out of his mouth, licking the decayed blade once again. "The Order blessed me with the power of Decay, but not just that…" He took his blade and slashed a nearby tree, causing it to decay instantly, but not without seeing green particles from the tree being absorbed into the blade.
With dread, the three observed the tree's collapse, its power transferring into his blade.
"You can't be serious…" Oreon was the first to speak as Rot smirked at them.
"This blade can putrefy anything that it touches, regardless of whether it's organic or not." His smirk remained. "The essence, the very buildup of something solid feeds this blade, which therefore feeds the wielder, which, as you know, is me." He pointed his blade at Sylvanie. "Look at that beaten-up sword that you swing around, you've been pouring what little shadow magic you had into it to stop it from corroding, but all you've really been doing is feeding more of your magic."
Sylvanie's eyes widened just a fraction before narrowing into slits. She glanced down at her sword—sure enough, faint wisps of her violet shadow magic were being siphoned away from the metal, dissolving into nothing as they touched the lingering traces of decay left from their earlier clashes.
"Great—" She hissed through her teeth, grip tightening around the hilt of her sword. "So that's why I feel so drained…I knew it had to be more than just those stupid collars that the Order latched around her necks."
The realization dawned on Celestia, and her face went from determined to concerned. "Every time you blocked his attacks, every time you crossed blades with him…" Her voice trailed off while she saw the light that she had placed as a barrier around her sister slowly disappear, sucked up by his blade. "Even my magic…"
"Finally catching on!" Rot laughed. "Every strike, every futile attempt to protect yourselves, your desperate attempts to hold me back! It all feeds me!" He breathed. "The magic of Elven royalty tastes so delicious, even if it is nothing but scraps heh-heh-heh."
"You damn parasite." Sylvanie cursed as Oreon looked down at his blades, questioning Rot's explanation quietly in his head as he realized his blades didn't look corroded from clashing with him, if anything, only battle-worn from the battles he's been in before.
"Hmm…" He muttered to himself quietly as he looked up at Rot, who continued his monologue, but slowly returned his gaze to his weapons.
"The Order corrupted with you with powers of decay, and the ability to drain the life force out of anything with magic." Celestia slowly regained her composure but was now more on her guard. "But that soldier you killed, you simply slashed through his armor, how could—"
"It also had magic in it." Rot grinned wildly. "The armor was enchanted," He continued to explain. "Most of the Order's equipment is blessed or reinforced with divine magic for their soldiers—makes them stronger, more durable. But to me?" Tilting his head, his grin widening." It's a feast. The moment my blade touched that blessed armor, it rotted away like a forgotten piece of fruit. Then the man inside faced the same fate."
"Everything magical feeds him…Our weapons, barriers, and we both don't have much to keep fighting like this." Celestia's mind raced as her eyes danced between her sister and Rot, her eyes finally landing on Sylvanie's sword, taking in the dark spots that slowly began to eat away at the blade. "Perhaps, I've should have reserved my magic for as long as I could, but who would have a guessed they'd send a monster like him after us?"
"This is bad," Sylvanie muttered under her breath, also taking notice of the corrosion on her weapon. "We're just going to keep making him stronger if we keep using magic. But without magic protecting us from that…that parasite…" She growled, reality weighing heavily in the air. "Those damn collars already weakened us in the dungeons, and now this damn nuisance. What the hell are we supposed to do?" Sylvanie silently cursed, attempting to assess the severity of their circumstances.
Rot's eyes locked onto Sylvanie's, noticing the look on her face as it somehow made his smirk widen even more. "Despair," A dark cackle followed as Rot spoke. "That's the expression I wanted to see on a Velyrian's face. The horror of knowing that there is nothing you can do, no matter how hard you fight; the only option is just to give in…Give in to the fact that you are nothing, the fear of knowing that you can never get back what you lost. It's all gone, your kingdom, your royalty, your reign is over." His dark voice carried out the last of his statement slowly, rolling the last letter in the word 'over'.
Rot's words hovered over the sisters like an umbrella, seeping into their minds. For a moment, Celestia's composure wavered—her hands trembling slightly, the light on her palms flickering, mimicking a dying flame.
Sylvanie glanced over at her older sister, frustrated as she was also at a loss for words, not knowing what she could do as she turned her head back towards her enemy.
Oreon, however, was silent. His gaze remained fixed on his twin blades, turning them over in his hands. "Hmm…No Decay. No Corrosion. Nothing…" He continued to think to himself before he finally looked back up at their adversary.
"Well," Oreon began as he began to slowly walk forward, capturing the attention of everyone. "I don't know about despair, and the 'I feed off magic' thing could be a bit scary, but you know what I noticed?" Oreon rolled his shoulders a bit, almost preparing to attack at a moment's notice as he walked.
Rot's eyes shifted over to Oreon as he stopped in between the Velyrian sisters. "Oh? And what would that be, human? That you also understand how hopeless your situation is as well? How—"
"No, not quite. In fact," Oreon interrupted him as he held up one of his twin blades, letting the dim light catch their edges. "These. This whole time we've crossed blades with each other, you've hit them as hard as you could." He paused, studying Rot's expression carefully. "But they're not decaying. Not even a little bit."
Rot's expression slightly faltered as the clearing fell silent.
Sylvanie's eyes shot up as she glanced at Oreon's weapons, then back at her own corroding sword. "Wait—he's right…"
Celestia let out a gasp. "Your weapons… Do they have no magic in them at all? But even if they were regular steel, wouldn't corrosion still—"
"Hell if I know." Oreon glanced over at Celestia as he looked down at his weapons. "These blades used to be my mother's before they were passed down to me. The only thing I know about these blades is that she told me that they were special and that they would never break." He said this while aiming a blade at Rot. "I don't know how these were made, but the one thing I do know." Oreon's eyes narrowed. "Your decay can't touch them."
Rot's smirk faltered—just for a moment—before his expression twisted into something between amusement and annoyance.
"How unexpected…" He muttered, his eyes narrowing as they locked onto Oreon's twin dagger blades. "A human wielding weapons that resist my decay. Interesting…"
Sylvanie leaned forward, surveying Oreon's blade up close herself, still holding her corroded sword despite its deteriorating state. "Well, well…" A slight smirk tugged at her lips. "Looks like the 'pathetic human' might actually be useful after all."
"Gee, another compliment from the elf that I saved from a dungeon, thanks. "Oreon replied dryly, not taking his eyes off Rot. "Just admit that you need me right now, alright?" Despite keeping his eyes on the corrupted dark elf, a small smile formed at the corner of his lips.
"Don't push it, human." Sylvanie leaned back. "Our enemy is still alive, and there's still your little family matter that we have to discuss after this is over." Sylvanie reminded him.
"Seriously?" Oreon's guard slightly dropped as he momentarily forgot the tension of the fight they were in as he looked over at Sylvanie. "We're like fighting the same guy here."
"And?" Sylvanie shot back. "Just because we're fighting together doesn't mean I'm letting you off the hook for being the Order's spawn." She twirled her corroding blade once before pointing it at him. "Besides, if we survive this, you owe me answers—and maybe I won't stab you with this."
Rot watched as the two bickered with one another, wondering if they had forgotten that he was standing there.
"What the hell is wrong with you!" Oreon countered.
Celestia let out a long, exasperated sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Sylvanie…Please, must you do this now?" Her voice carried the tone of an older sister who had reached her limit.
A vein began to slowly form on Rot's forehead as he tapped his foot, waiting for this pitiful display of childishness to end.
"What? I'm just making sure he knows where we stand." Sylvanie shrugged. "I don't see the problem in letting the human know he's still on thin ice."
"You are really unbelievable, you know that!" Oreon retaliated. "I—"
"ENOUGH!" Rot gained their attention, his earlier manic expression replaced by one of sheer aggravation. "You dare…" His body twitched. "You dare, bicker in front of me like children!" He breathed heavily, clearly upset at the sudden turn of events. "We are in the middle of a battle, an experiment that I am conducting. You are fighting for your freedom, and you find time to bicker like ignorant whelps!"
"Oh, right," Oreon turned back to face Rot, adjusting his grip on his blades. "Almost forgot you were there for a second."
"YOU—" Rot's face contorted with rage, veins building on his forehead before he finally took a deep breath, calming himself down, following with a soft chuckle. "You almost had me there, human, mocking me to rile up my emotions."
Oreon slightly tilted his head in confusion. "Um, I wasn't trying to—"
"No matter. Nothing changes the outcome of what's about to happen." Rot pointed out. "So what if your blades resist my decay. You're still just a human, Weak. Slow…" He paused for a second. "Fragile…" He drew the last word out with a deep breath as he pointed his knife at Oreon. "One swipe on your flesh is all it takes to turn you into a pile of beautiful artwork."
Oreon prepared himself as he crouched a bit. "Well, that just means I'll have to make sure that that stupid blade doesn't touch me then."
Sylvanie, still in her mood, snorted at the comment Oreon made. "Bold words for someone who was just getting tossed around like a rag doll." She crossed her arms, looking away from him.
"Again, really not helping—"
"Both of you, focus!" Celestia cut in, looking down at Oreon's crouched form as he kept his eyes locked on Rot. "Your weapons may be able to resist his ability, but Sylvanie is right—one touch on your skin and it's over." She paused, biting her lower lip in thought. "We need a plan…If we're going to come out of this alive, we're going to have to think of something that doesn't purely rely on magic." She suggested.
"Even if we do," Oreon replied. "You two still can't fight him. Look, in your current state, you need what little magic you have to defend yourself, but that doesn't do us any good if he's going to take it from you anyway. So right now, I'm the only one who can actually fight him without giving him any more energy than he already has." Oreon breathed slowly, taking the matter seriously. "The problem with that is, he's not wrong about the situation." He continued to explain as the two elves listened.
"The biggest difference between us is he's an elf and I'm a human; based on that alone, his strength far exceeds mine, and I've been lucky enough to keep up with him as long as I have. Bouncing blades with him hurts like hell, and my arms feel numb every time we do. So, I don't know how much longer I can square up with him before he finally cuts me down." He finished as he glanced back at the two elves. "So, while I hold him off, I need you two to figure something out."
"Are you insane?" Sylvanie turned back towards him. "You're just as beat up as us, what can you possibly do against him. You're just throwing yourself out there to die, human."
"Only if you guys can't come up with anything," Oreon responded. "And if that's the case, we're all as good as dead anyway." He finished. "Well, at least I am. He's planning on taking you two back to the dungeon."
"You're going to die, human." Sylvanie retorted. "What part of that are you not getting?" She turned her attention to the rotten elf in front of them. "He's already asborbed some of my magic, along with my sister's." She turned her head back towards Oreon. "You won't last long out there, you know that right?"
"And that's where you two come in. Think of a way to beat him, so I won't have to die." Oreon responded, slightly glancing over at Sylvanie. "I'm pretty sure it won't be that hard, right? You just got to use that brain of yours and everything will be fine. If not, then well, maybe the ground will think I'm good food or something." He joked as Sylvanie placed her hand on her hip, taking a deep breath.
'Sister, tell this human that going at it alone is a bad idea." Sylvanie looked over at the blonde haired elf.
Celestia's eyes studied Oreon for a long moment, her expression unreadable. Then, slowly, she nodded. "Alright…" Her voice was soft and determined. "If you're willing to buy us time, then we'll make it count."
"Sister—" Sylvanie started, but Celestia raised a hand, silencing her.
"He's right, Sylvanie." The older sister's gaze shifted to her younger sibling. "Our magic is being drained every time we clash with that monster. If we keep fighting recklessly, we'll only make him stronger, therefore making it easier to put us back in chains and sentencing the human to death." She paused, glancing down at her glowing hands, the light flickering faster. "But if the human can hold him off…even for a few minutes... We might stand a chance…. I have a plan." She finished.
"Time's up," Rot stated as he slowly began to make his way towards the trio. "I've waited long enough; it's time to return what was taken."
Oreon's eyes narrowed as he watched Rot approach. "A few minutes, huh? Well, don't know if I can, but we're about to find out!" Oreon broke out into a sprint, closing the distance between them before Rot could reach them.
"Come, brat…" Rot stated as Oreon leaped into the air, quickly slashing downward, his blades colliding with Rot's knife as the two began to exchange blows with one another. Their blades met with every strike as Oreon's arms screamed in pain every time he blocked or parried.
Oreon avoided a blow aimed at his head, then twirled and attempted to cut Rot's ribs, though Rot effortlessly blocked Oreon's attack and countered with a horizontal swipe. He targeted Oreon's chest, which Oreon parried with both blades, though the blow propelled him backward. As he flew through the air, he quickly did a backflip, landing on a tree. He pushed off the tree to get out of the way as Rot quickly moved toward him, slashing the tree Oreon was just on, causing it to rot immediately.
"Not bad for a human brat!" Rot screamed, his earlier demeanor returning as he pressed Oreon again. "But like I said before, you're too slow!" He charged in, his knife connecting with Oreon's left blade, breaking his defenses. "You're too weak!" Rot swung again, this time his knife connecting with Oreon's other blade, once again knocking it away with ease. "And you're too fragile!" After a full spin, Rot attacked Oreon's chest once more, only for Oreon to block by raising both blades; however, the impact drove Oreon to the ground.
Oreon's body tumbled a short distance, then he swiftly got back on his feet just as Rot slammed into the spot where he had been. Sliding back a bit as Rot lunged at him again, taking a sharp swing at Oreon's head. Oreon ducked as Rot brought his arm back in a backhand motion, trying to carve his blade into Oreon's skin, but Oreon stepped out of his reach and tried to counter with an attack of his own. But Oreon's blade only met empty air as Rot quickly ducked and spun again, using his knife to try and cut Oreon's legs.
However, seeing this Oreon quickly flopped his body backwards, Rot's blade just barely missing Oreon's legs as Oreon's fell back on his hands and kipped himself upward, both his feet pressing against Rot's face, before bouncing back into a backflip, using his feet to kick Rot in the jaw as he flipped in the air and tried to perform a slash of his own, but Rot quickly recovered and delivered a strong swipe to match Oreon's attack, which caused a loud metal clang to rang throughout the clearing as Oreon was sent flying once again, this time his body going through an old tree that collapsed against his weight.
Oreon's body smashed through the decaying trunk, splinters and bark exploding outward as the tree groaned and toppled over. He hit the ground hard, rolling several times before finally skidding to a stop, his chest heaving as he struggled to catch his breath.
"Damn it…" He muttered, pushing himself up, his arms shaking. Blood trickling from his cuts and his ribs screamed in protest with every breath. His hands trembled as he gripped his blades, but he forced himself to stand.
Rot stalked forward slowly, his corrupted grin stretching wider. "Is that all you have, human?" He tilted his head, almost mockingly. "I expected more from someone who dared to challenge me. But I suppose…This is the limit of your kind."
Oreon spat blood to the side, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "Yeah…Well…" He steadied his breathing, raising his blades again despite the pain. "I'm still standing, aren't I?"
Rot's expression darkened, his amusement fading into irritation. "Not for long."
Meanwhile, Celestia and Sylvanie stood a short distance away, watching the brutal exchange between the two.
"He's getting destroyed out there," Sylvanie growls, slightly glancing at her sister. "Are you sure you have a plan, sister, because if not. I give the human one more minute before he caves." She spoke almost as if she were predicting the future.
Celestia kept her eyes locked on the battle between Oreon and Rot. Her determined gaze was mostly on Oreon as he tried to hold off Rot to the best of his abilities, but was getting pummeled in every aspect. "Sylvanie," Celestia calmly called out. "Can you form your Scythe one more time?" Celestia asked her, not turning to look at her.
Sylvanie blinked, caught off guard by the sudden question. "What?" She glanced down at her hands, then back at her sister. "I couldn't earlier, but if I push the last of what I have left, then I can, but I won't be able to keep it out for long." She answered, confused about what her sister was asking of her.
Celestia remained focused on the fight, watching as Oreon barely twisted away from another lethal swipe from Rot. Her jaw tightened. "That's fine…I don't need you to keep it out for long. Just one strike should do." She finally turned to face her sister, and there was something different in her expression—an expression that Sylvanie rarely saw. "Sylvanie, hand me your sword."
Sylvanie's eyes widened slightly. "My sword?" She glanced down at the corroded blade in her hand, its edge barely holding together. "Sister, this thing's practically useless now. It's been decaying since—"
"I know.' Celestia cut her off, her tone firm. "But I don't need it to be perfect. I just need it to hold together long enough."
For a moment, Sylvanie hesitated, studying her sister's face. Then, slowly, she extended the deteriorating blade toward Celestia. "…What are you planning?"
Celestia took the sword carefully, her fingers wrapping around the hilt as she felt the weight of it—lighter than it should be, weakened by Rot's corruption. She closed her eyes briefly, taking a slow breath. "You know, you never preferred a sword. I remember you saying it wasn't your style," Celestia spoke softly before extending her arm sideways, a faint but golden glow slowly wrapping itself around the blade, creating an image that only Sylvanie and the high court of elves knew about.
"Sister…" Sylvanie was speechless for a moment before she closed her eyes and stood by her, stretching her own arm, blackish purple shadow magic starting to spark around her shoulder as she looked at the battlefield alongside her. "That's because it was more yours." She replied.
A faint smile tugged at Celestia's lips, her eyes still closed as the golden light around the blade intensified. "I suppose you're right…"Her voice remained calm regardless of the strain that she was putting on herself to exert what little magic she had left.
Sylvanie glanced over at her sister before her eyes shot back towards Oreon, dodging another blow, but being knocked down again as he tried to counter. "One strike, that's all I have left."
"One strike is all we'll need." Celestia's eyes snapped open, glowing faintly as Sylvanie couldn't help but let a devious smile slide across her face as she mimicked her sister's actions.
Focusing what little remained of her magic, Sylvanie's eyes began to glow as well, a red hue to match her sister's blue, as dark tendrils shot down her arm like living snakes as they met at her palm, quickly forming into her signature red scythe.
Finally, ready, Sylvanie spoke without taking her eyes off the fight. "Just like we used to? I'll go left…"
"And I'll go right." Celestia finished.
With nothing further to say, the sisters blurred into motion, their speed matching Rot's as they raced onto the field. They moved perfectly in sync with one another, their feet lightly pressing against the ground as they ran.
Sylvanie moved ahead, her scythe trailing dark energy behind her, as Celestia was only a heartbeat behind her, her movements no more graceful than a trained assassin who was focused on completing her mission.
Meanwhile, Oreon barely managed to deflect another strike from Rot, his arms screaming in pain as the impact sent vibrations through his bones. His vision blurred for a split second before he tried to jump back to create some distance between him and the advancing dark elf.
"You're out of time, brat," Rot spoke calmly as he slowly made his way to the exhausted Oreon. "You are clearly outmatched, and yet you continue this pointless struggle, clearly the trait of a human." His words snaked out of his lips as Oreon's chest heaved, his legs trembling beneath him.
"No lies there. This is pretty pointless, fighting you one on one like this. " He forced a grin through the pain, raising his blades one more time. "But I guess I'm just…stubborn like that."
Rot's expression shifted, his smile disappearing, replaced by a colder look. "Stubbornness won't save you."
Oreon readied himself for one last push as a gentle breeze went by. "It just did…" Oreon's grin made Rot understand instantly, and a look to his left revealed Sylvanie, her scythe poised for a wide swing, prompting him to grit his teeth, wishing he'd noticed her a second sooner.
"Grr, damn elf; that won't work on—" Rot felt a chill run through him when he glanced to his right and saw Celestia on his other side, the same corrupted sword in her hand now surrounded by golden light. "Even you—" He quickly maneuvered his body to parry Sylvanie's attack first. "I'll stop you before—" Rot's eyes shot up in pain as he watched as Oreon passed his eyesight, his blade swiftly cutting into the arm that was wielding the knife.
"Don't forget about me…" Oreon spoke, their eyes locking for a brief moment before Rot's arm was completely severed, leaving him completely defenseless in the cross strike between the Velyrian sisters as Oreon's body crashed into the ground, spiraling into a stop, as he lifted his head enough to see the opening his last attempt had offered.
Rot's severed arm spun through the air; his corrupted blade still clutched in its lifeless fingers before it hit the ground with a dull thud. His eyes now showcasing fear for the first time.
The moment hung in suspense as Sylvanie's scythe carved through the air from the left, while Celestia's blade, now blazing with purifying light, came from the right.
"You--!" But there was no time. Both blades converged on Rot's exposed torso in perfect symmetry, forming an X-shaped slash that tore through his corrupted flesh.
"GAAAAAHHHH—!" Rot's scream ripped through the clearing, agonizing pain as the impact sent shockwaves rippling outward, knocking his body backwards into a few old tree oaks, kicking up dust and debris. His body convulsed violently as the opposing magics from the Velyrian sisters moved within him, tearing through the corruption that had sustained him.
The corrupted energy that had been radiating from Rot's body began to flicker before the dark magic that had spread across the surroundings began to recede, the trees and earth slowly returning to their natural state—though the damage remained.
Rot's body slumped against the shattered remains of the oak trees, his chest heaving with labored breaths. Black ichor oozed from the cross-shaped wound carved into his torso, the light from Celestia's strike burning away at the corruption from within while Sylvanie's dark magic ate away at what remained.
"It's not possible…" Rot wheezed, his voice lower than a whisper now, all arrogance stripped away in one attack. His remaining hand clutched weakly at the wound, "I…I was supposed to…reclaim them…to be praised, by the…purifier. To ascend to royalty. " His crimson eyes, once burning with malice, now dimmed as they shifted between the two sisters.
Celestia lowered her blade slowly, the golden light fading as her magic finally gave out. The sword itself crumbled to dust in her hand, its purpose fulfilled. She swayed slightly, exhaustion hitting her all at once, but she remained standing—barely.
Sylvanie wasn't much better. Her scythe dissolved into the shadow wisps of her magic before vanishing entirely. She dropped to one knee, breathing hard, her hand pressed against the ground to keep herself upright. "Damn Parasite…I told you we would put you in the ground where you belonged." She muttered between breaths.
Oreon, now standing but just as battered, staggered forward. His blades hung loosely in his grip as he stared at Rot's broken form. "Is…Is it over?' he asked, his voice rough.
Celestia's gaze never left Rot. "No…Not yet." She spoke quietly. "He's still breathing." She said as she slowly made her way forward, finally stopping in front of the fallen corrupted elf.
"You…you think this…changes anything?" Rot slowly lifted his head up, his eyes slightly glazed over as they fell on the blonde-haired elf in front of him. A harsh, but broken laugh escaped his lips as Sylvanie and Oreon joined Celestia, staring down at their defeated enemy. "The…Order…Won't stop. Not until…Everything is purified." He managed to add.
Celestia looked down at him, her expression plain—neither triumphant nor pity showed, just…exhaustion.
"Perhaps," She replied softly. "But you won't be there to see it." She continued, her hands slowly clasping together before her, a counter contrast to the woman holding a sword a moment ago. "All your insidious deeds, the crimes you committed, not just on your own people, but against anyone unfortunate enough to cross paths with you, end here."
Despite the pain, Rot gritted his teeth. "Your pretty words hold no value here, your majesty. I did what I did purely because I enjoyed it." He rasped. "Even before the Order found me, putting down royal hypocrites like yourself was a highlight." He leaned his head back against the tree bark. "The Order will come." He repeated before slowly tilting his head towards Oreon. "The shard you stole will be regained, and thus, the Divine Season will begin.
"The Divine season?" Oreon repeated, taking a step closer. "
Rot's lips curled into a weak, twisted smile despite the pain wracking his body. "You really don't know anything, do you, human?" He coughed again, black blood splattering from his mouth. "You broke in and stole the shard, an artifact with incredible power on its own, but only a small piece to something…" He coughed again. "Grander." His smile never faltered as the trio stood hovering over him, looking down at him, each with their own curious and slightly troubled expressions.
Oreon kneeled in front of him. "Just what the hell are you talking about?" He pressed. "Just what the hell is the Divine Season, what do you know?" Oreon gritted his teeth as he questioned him.
"Spill it," Sylvanie spat. "You're already knocking on death's door, holding info won't do you any good now." She managed to cross her arms tiredly as Rot slowly shifted his head from Oreon to Sylvanie, then back to Celestia, who remained calm. Her stoic expression was unwavering.
"Down falls the Elves," He spoke slowly, causing the three to raise their eyebrow at his first comment. "Corruption chases the dwarves. Judge the beasts for their sins. For they are a cause no more." His smile widened as the words continued to come out as if he were singing a tune, his voice raspy and slow. "Purify the land, the non-humans will do." He continued. His voice became more crazed and unhinged. "And to the humans who don't believe…" He paused, his head tilting over, making sure he caught Oreon's in his sight before smiling wildly. "Death will come for them to…Heh-Heh-Heh-heh-heh-HA-HA-HA-HAHAHA-HAHAHA—HAHAHAA!
Rot's manic laughter echoed through the clearing, bouncing off the broken trees and scattered debris. The sound was unhinged, hollow—like something that had long since abandoned reason. His body convulsed with each crackle, black ichor spilling faster from the cross-shaped wound carved into his chest.
"HAHAHAHAHA—YOU'RE ALL GOING TO DIE! JUST LIKE YOUR KINGDOM! DOWN FALL THE ELVES! DOWN FALL THE ELVES! DOWN FALL THE—"
Suddenly, Sylvanie's foot came crashing down on his face, crushing it instantly, cutting off his last words.
"Just shut up and die already…" She hissed.
Silence followed as Rot's movements went still, as his body fell limp due to his now crushed skull.