Carrisa's breaths were shallow and labored, her normally pristine form marred by scratches and dried blood. Her violet eyes glimred with a frigid intensity as they remained locked onto Zagarath, the leader of the Strigoi.
His human guise—a tall, gaunt man with long black hair and a scar running across one eye—belied the monstrous power that radiated from him.
He was injured, his movents slower than before, but his crimson eyes glinted with a maddening resolve.
From the shattered remnants of the skyscraper's upper floor, he gazed at the chaos outside. The swirling energy of the Nexus gate painted the city below in a haunting glow, accompanied by the distant sound of battles raging between Strigoi, Nexus-spawned abominations, and the defenders of the city.
"It seems the Guardian is about to descend," Zagarath remarked, his tone almost amused.
"This city will face a calamity the likes of which it cannot fathom."
His voice was light, as if the death and destruction below were of little consequence to him. But his intentions were clear: he needed the chaos to buy ti for his plan. He still required so humans alive, but the collateral damage was irrelevant.
Carrisa said nothing in response. Her sword hung at her side, dripping with blackened ichor—the corrupted blood of her adversary.
Zagarath's regenerative abilities had proven to be an infuriating challenge. No matter how many wounds she inflicted, they would heal, leaving her forced to push herself further to keep the battle balanced.
Her violet gaze narrowed. The sunlight pouring through the shattered structure bathed Zagarath in golden rays. Strigoi, bound by their vampiric origins, should have been crippled or destroyed by the sun's radiance. And yet, he stood unyielding, his pale skin untouched by the light's purging strength.
"It seems your kind has overco the sun's curse," Carrisa noted coolly.
Zagarath's thin lips curled into a smile. "We have. It was but one of many obstacles we've transcended. Evolution demands sacrifice, and I am more than willing to pay that price."
With a wave of his hand, Zagarath conjured a fiery orb. Several more ford around him, their heat warping the air as he grasped a sword crafted from his own blood. The blade pulsed unnaturally, its surface shifting like liquid yet sharp enough to sever stone.
Carrisa exhaled slowly, her grip tightening around her weapon. She ignored the stinging pain radiating from her wounds. This was not the ti for weakness.
The tremors below the building grew more pronounced, vibrating through the crumbling structure.
She felt it as keenly as he did—the Nexus Guardian's arrival was imminent. The swirling gate outside had grown unstable, spilling its malevolent energy across the city. The streets below were littered with death and ruin, a grim reminder of how fragile mortal life was in the face of such otherworldly power.
"You're running out of ti, Zagarath," Carrisa said, her tone calm despite the tension in her muscles.
"Whatever you've planned will amount to nothing once the Guardian arrives."
Zagarath chuckled darkly.
"My dear princess, the Guardian's presence is not an obstacle but an opportunity. Your precious followers think themselves so clever, erecting barriers, summoning champions. None of it matters. The Nexus has already chosen."
Carrisa's eyes narrowed.
"Is that why you've sacrificed so many of your own? To hasten this chaos?"
Zagarath's grin widened, his crimson eyes gleaming with malice.
"The weak exist to serve the strong. Every life lost today serves a greater purpose—mine."
Carrisa moved before he could continue his twisted sermon. In a blur of speed, she closed the distance between them, her blade slicing through the air.
Zagarath parried with his blood sword, the clash of their weapons releasing a deafening shockwave.
Their battle reignited with vicious intensity. Carrisa's strikes were precise and unrelenting, each swing aid to exploit even the smallest weakness. But Zagarath countered with calculated ferocity, his fireballs detonating around her, forcing her to keep moving.
"You can't win this fight, princess!" he roared, his voice reverberating through the ruins. "You're nothing but a exile clinging to outdated ideals. You will fade, just as the sun will."
Carrisa responded with a wordless cry, her blade carving a deep gash across Zagarath's chest. Black ichor sprayed from the wound, but as before, his body began to stitch itself back together almost imdiately.
"You talk too much," she spat, her tone venomous.
Zagarath's smirk faltered as her next strike shattered one of the fiery orbs orbiting him. The explosion sent embers scattering, montarily blinding him. Carrisa seized the opportunity, driving her blade toward his heart.
At the last mont, Zagarath twisted away, the blade grazing his ribs instead. He retaliated with a savage swing of his blood sword, forcing her to retreat.
Their duel continued, each exchange more brutal than the last. The upper floor of the skyscraper groaned under the strain of their battle, chunks of debris falling to the ruined streets below.
Despite her skill and resilience, Carrisa felt the toll of the fight weighing on her. Her breathing grew heavier, her movents slightly slower.
'I shouldn't kill him… I just need to pass him off to Alicarde.'
"Even if you kill , princess," Zagarath said, his voice dripping with malice, "you cannot stop what's coming. The Guardian will claim this city, and all your efforts will have been for nothing."
Carrisa ignored his taunts, focusing on the battle. But deep down, she couldn't deny the truth in his words. The Guardian's presence was a force of nature, indifferent to sides or alliances. And the Nexus gate—pulsing with unholy energy—seed to mock her efforts
A thunderous roar echoed from the gate, shaking the entire city. Both combatants paused, their gazes drawn to the vortex of swirling energy.
The Guardian was coming.
Carrisa clenched her jaw, her mind racing. Zagarath's defeat was paramount, but the arrival of the Guardian threatened to render everything aningless. If it rampages through the city unchecked, all would be lost.
Zagarath took advantage of her montary distraction, lunging at her with renewed vigor. She barely managed to deflect his strike, their blades locking together.
"You can feel it, can't you?" Zagarath hissed, his face inches from hers.
"Your precious humans are dood. Why not join ?.
Carrisa snarled, her violet eyes blazing.
"I do not particularly care about the humans."
With a burst of strength, she shoved him back, her blade slicing through one of his legs. Zagarath stumbled but did not fall, his regeneration already working to nd the damage.
The building trembled violently, cracks spreading through the remaining structure. The Guardian's presence was overwhelming now, its energy suffocating.
Carrisa steadied herself, her resolve unbroken.
"Good luck with your battle Alicarde."
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