The jagged crack above flickered, its pulsing light dimming as the Purgatory portal began to shrink. The stream of demons slowed, then halted, their forms retreating into the closing wound. Ash and debris drifted lazily in the still air, illuminated by the faint shimmer of Karl's spent Royal Azure flames. His body was trembling, sweat and scorched nanites clinging to every surface of his Rider Frame.
VYTHRA ENERGY: 0.9% — CRITICAL
Karl staggered backward, each step a battle against his own failing strength. His legs shook violently, nearly giving out beneath him, his vision flickering with residual cobalt light from the flames. The drive regulator at his waist emitted a faint hum, the harmless blue spark from earlier still pulsing gently, a tiny lifeline keeping him tethered to life.
"C-C'mon… just a little more…" he rasped, voice hoarse, barely audible. The battlefield swirled in a haze of smoke, ash, and drifting sparks. Every motion sent a jolt through his trembling limbs.
Agnes materialized beside him, solidifying fully for the first time since the fight. Her form shimmered into existence—tall, fluid, yet surprisingly solid—and she moved quickly to support him. Her hands pressed gently against his chest and waist, guiding him upright.
"Karl, no… don't even try to push yourself anymore," she whispered, her voice soft but firm, filled with genuine worry. "You've done more than enough. I've got this… all of it. Just… rest."
Karl shook his head faintly, trying to protest, but his legs buckled, and Agnes' arms were there instantly to catch him. She materialized his left arm onto her shoulder, and he leaned heavily against her, every ounce of weight dragging at her support.
"…Agnes… I… I can't…" he rasped, voice cracking. "…still… Vythra… too low…"
Her eyes softened, and she brushed a hand gently over his helmet, careful not to disturb the nanite systems fused to his armor. "Shhh… it's okay… Karl. You don't have to worry about anything. Not a single thing. You've already done more than anyone could manage. You've held the line, destroyed the Sentinel, and kept the demons from spilling through. Now it's my turn to hold you."
Karl's HUD flickered, overlaying faint diagnostic readings. His systems were stabilizing, but barely. Exhaustion radiated through every fiber of his body. "…I… I… can't… I… feel… like I'm… blacking out…"
Agnes pressed closer, wrapping her arm under his back and shoulder, easing him into her support. "Then don't. Just lean on me… that's all you need to do. Let me carry you a little further… one step at a time. You're safe. I won't let anything happen to you."
The nearby cave yawned in the distance, jagged and dark but promising shelter. Karl's steps were unsteady, dragging, almost failing him at every motion. But Agnes stayed firm, matching his pace, her form steady and reassuring. She materialized small energy pulses beneath his feet where the terrain was rough, subtly guiding him, lightening the load with her nanite-enhanced support.
"Karl… take a deep breath… slow… in and out… you're okay," she murmured. "I'll handle any leftover fire, any lingering threats. You don't have to think about it. Just… focus on standing. That's it."
He leaned heavily against her, every motion sending tremors through his Vythra-starved body. "Agnes… I… feel… empty…" he whispered, his voice barely more than a rasp.
"I know, I know," she said gently, adjusting him so his arm rested comfortably on her shoulder. "But you're alive. You made it. That's what matters. You don't need Vythra to push yourself right now… just rest. Let your body… your Rider Frame… heal. I've got you."
Every step toward the cave felt like climbing a mountain of lead. Karl's HUD flickered faintly, systems warning of critical fatigue:
VYTHRA ENERGY: 1.3% — CRITICAL
Agnes whispered softly, almost to herself but audible in the comm, "Don't fight it… just a little further… we're almost there… it's okay…"
The cave's mouth loomed closer. Shadows inside provided relief from the harsh sunlight and the lingering heat of Royal Azure flames still flickering faintly in the aftermath. Agnes guided him carefully inside, every step deliberate, every micro-adjustment keeping him upright.
Once inside, she eased him gently to the ground, supporting him so he didn't collapse entirely. Her hands brushed over his chest plate, her voice warm and soothing. "There… you're safe… see? You made it. Just rest now. Breathe… I'm not going anywhere."
Karl slumped against her, eyelids heavy, muscles trembling. "…Agnes… I… feel… so… spent…"
"I know… you've given everything… more than anyone could ask," she said, her fingers running through the reinforced nanites along his neck. "But you're not done. Not yet… because we have time to recover. And I'm right here… holding you… carrying you through it."
He let out a faint, shuddering exhale, every ounce of tension in his body bleeding away. "…Thank… you…" he whispered, voice cracking. "…I… I can… feel… you… keeping… me…"
Agnes smiled faintly, warmth in her tone. "Always, Karl. That's my job now… to make sure you don't push yourself like that again. To make sure you're safe. Just close your eyes… rest… Yggdrasil and I are handling the rest."
The faint blue spark in his drive regulator pulsed gently, innocuous but grounding, like a quiet heartbeat syncing with his own. Karl could feel it resonate subtly, stabilizing the nanites that had overheated and allowing the slow replenishment of Vythra, even if only a trickle.
"Feel that?" Agnes murmured, tilting her head to press her form closer. "That spark? That little pulse… it's fine. It's not hurting you. It's just… steady… helping… keeping everything in place while you rest. You don't have to move. Don't even think. I've got this…"
He exhaled, finally allowing his muscles to relax against her support. "…So… quiet… finally…"
"Shhh… quiet, safe… that's right… rest now, Karl," Agnes whispered, her hands sliding along his waist and shoulders to stabilize him further. "I'll take care of the outside world for now… nothing touches you… not a single thing."
His HUD flickered weakly, systems slowly stabilizing. VYTHRA ENERGY: 5.1% — REGENERATING
Karl's eyes finally closed, exhaustion overwhelming his body. Agnes stayed at his side, fully solid now, maintaining her support as he rested, gently holding him upright against her. The cave was quiet except for the faint hum of his drive regulator and the soft residual glow of Royal Azure flame motes outside, slowly dimming into harmless sparks.
"Karl… sleep… I've got you… every step, every breath… I've got this," Agnes murmured, wrapping him safely in her supportive hold. "Rest now… just rest…"
The crack outside had fully collapsed, sealing the portal to Purgatory—for now—but the battlefield remained a jagged testament to their fight. Inside the cave, however, Karl and Agnes were safe. Exhausted, battered, and nearly depleted, they could finally take a moment to recover, supported by the quiet pulse of the blue spark and Agnes' unwavering care.
Karl's hand twitched faintly, still loosely resting on her shoulder, and for the first time since the fight, he allowed himself to feel the comfort of not having to fight. Agnes' voice, calm and steady, was a balm to his body and mind. And for now, that was enough.