Cycles of Eternity

A profound darkness enveloped Kaori. There was no sound, no pain, not even the weight of the weapons piercing her body—only emptiness. In the midst of that silence, a voice echoed, warm yet distant, as though coming from everywhere and nowhere at once. 

"What is it that you desire?" 

Kaori opened her eyes but saw nothing except a golden glow in the distance. She tried to move, but her body seemed trapped, floating in limbo. 

"Who are you?" she asked, her voice trembling with confusion and fear. 

The voice didn't answer immediately. Instead, the golden glow grew stronger, slowly approaching until it surrounded her completely. 

"I am nothing more than a spark... a reflection of what lies within you. Now, answer. What is it that you desire?" 

Kaori closed her eyes, searching for the right words. Faces of her friends flashed through her mind: Shirogami with his impenetrable calm, Raku smiling despite the weight of his burdens, Eriri passionately defending her beliefs, and Shizuku tirelessly caring for them. She remembered their moments of happiness and the silent vow she made to protect them all. 

"I want to protect them", she said firmly. Her voice, though weak, carried unyielding determination. 

The golden glow flickered, as if responding to her words. 

"Never forget your desire. And remember... sacrifice may be the price of light." 

Before she could reply, the darkness vanished. 

.

.

Kaori awoke with a gasp, pain returning with unbearable intensity. Her body was riddled with weapons, and blood pooled beneath her. But something was different. A warm light began to radiate from her chest, quickly growing until it enveloped her entirely. 

The skeletons approaching for the final blow recoiled, their bones creaking and disintegrating upon contact with the light. The radiant energy expanded in all directions, obliterating her enemies and leaving the room in eerie silence. 

Kaori panted, watching in amazement as her wounds began to close. The pain subsided, replaced by a sense of renewed strength. 

"What... is this?" she murmured, staring at her hands, which now glowed with golden light. 

Before she could comprehend what had happened, more skeletons emerged from the shadows, their empty eyes glinting with a sinister light. Kaori gritted her teeth, forcing herself to stand. 

"This... isn't over..." she muttered, gripping a worn sword retrieved from the floor. 

The skeletons didn't hesitate. Three of them charged simultaneously, brandishing swords and spears. Kaori barely dodged the first attack but failed to avoid the second. A spear pierced her side, eliciting a cry of pain. 

"I... can't keep this up," she thought, pulling the spear from her body as the light within her began to heal the new wound. The process was slow, and the accumulated injuries drained her energy. 

Despite the pain, Kaori launched herself back at the skeletons. With each clash, she endured cuts and stabs but kept fighting. For every wound she suffered, the light inside her activated, slowly mending her injuries and keeping her on her feet. 

"I won't fall here!" she shouted, destroying one skeleton by shattering the crystal in its chest. 

However, for every enemy she defeated, others took their place. "This is endless..." she thought, stumbling as she blocked another attack with her makeshift sword. 

Her breathing was ragged, her vision blurred, but something inside her burned fiercely. She remembered the voice's words: "Never forget your desire." 

"I will protect my friends... no matter what." 

The light surrounding her intensified, seemingly responding to her resolve. Kaori felt a different warmth in her chest—not the warmth of healing, but something more... something malleable. 

A skeleton lunged at her, its sword descending in a deadly arc. Instinctively, Kaori raised her hand, and a brilliant flash erupted from her palm. A solid barrier of light materialized before her, blocking the attack. 

"What... is this?" 

The skeletons hesitated momentarily, as if sensing the change in their opponent. 

Kaori didn't waste the opportunity. Concentrating, she felt the light within her flow toward her hands, responding to her will. With a decisive motion, she formed a new sword of light, sharper and sturdier than the last. 

"Come on, keep coming." 

The battle shifted. Kaori not only healed herself but now fought with weapons forged from light. She struck down the skeletons with precision, using the barrier to defend herself when needed. 

Yet, the primary problem remained: the skeletons kept coming. Kaori finally spotted the two necromancers at the back of the room. "It's them," she thought. 

With a cry, Kaori hurled her sword of light like a spear, destroying one of the skeletons surrounding her. Then, she gathered as much luminous energy as she could, forging a pair of smaller blades in each hand. 

"This ends now!" 

She charged at the necromancers, dodging and blocking attacks from the skeletons trying to stop her. One of the necromancers cast a wave of dark energy, but Kaori countered it with a barrier at the last moment. 

Reaching the first necromancer, she drove one of her blades into the crystal in its chest, disintegrating it instantly. The second necromancer tried to retreat, but Kaori was faster, hurling a light spear that pierced its chest and reduced it to ashes. 

A tremor followed, signaling the destruction of the skeletons' source. The remaining enemies crumbled into piles of inert bones. 

Kaori dropped to her knees, panting. The light around her slowly dimmed, leaving only a faint glow in her hands. 

"Barely... made it..." 

But she couldn't stay there. Her friends needed her. With effort, she stood and left the room, determined to find them. 

.

.

.

Meanwhile, in another room. 

Shizuku watched the Black Knight intently, each of his movements heavy yet precise. The enemy's dark armor appeared impenetrable, and the sword he wielded radiated an oppressive energy that made the air in the room thicker with each passing second. 

She was breathing heavily, sweat dripping down her forehead as she adjusted her grip on the worn sword she had picked up earlier. The multiple wounds on her body had already slowed her down, but her determination hadn't wavered. 

"This isn't over until I say it's over," she murmured, charging forward with a fierce cry. 

The Black Knight raised his sword to meet her attack, and when their blades clashed, a shockwave echoed through the room. The impact nearly tore the sword from her hands, but Shizuku stood firm, pushing with all her strength. 

The fight turned into a brutal exchange. Every attack Shizuku launched was countered by the Knight's relentless precision. Her sword carved elegant but fierce arcs, searching for any opening. On several occasions, she managed to graze the Knight's armor, but her blade seemed to do little more than leave faint scratches. 

The Knight, in contrast, attacked with lethal accuracy. A quick thrust slipped past Shizuku's defense, grazing her side and leaving a line of blood on her skin. Before she could react, a second strike forced her to retreat, stumbling on the stone floor. 

"No!" she shouted, rolling aside just in time to avoid the sword that slammed into the spot where she had been moments before. 

With tremendous effort, she rose again, her chest heaving with each labored breath. She could feel the heat of exhaustion in her muscles, but giving up wasn't an option. 

The Black Knight gave her no respite. He charged at her, and Shizuku barely managed to raise her sword to block. The impact forced her back several steps, and with each clash, she felt her strength waning more and more. 

"I can't... lose..." she muttered to herself, gritting her teeth as she attacked again. 

This time, she tried a different tactic. Moving swiftly, she slid to one side, attempting to flank the Knight. She swung a lateral strike toward what appeared to be a weak point in his armor's joint, but the enemy turned with astonishing speed, blocking her attack with the edge of his sword. 

The counterattack was immediate. The Knight struck her in the chest with his gauntleted fist, sending her crashing against the wall. The impact knocked the wind out of her, leaving her momentarily stunned. 

"Damn it..." Shizuku panted, struggling to her feet once more. 

Her legs trembled, but her eyes burned with determination. She knew she was losing, but she refused to stop. "I have to endure… I have to hold on…" she repeated to herself over and over. 

The Black Knight seemed to sense her desperation. Slowly, he raised his sword, pointing it at her as if challenging her to make her final attempt. 

"HAAA!" Shizuku screamed, charging once more. 

The clash that followed was more intense than any before. Shizuku fought with every ounce of strength she had, moving with desperation and skill. She managed to dodge several lethal cuts and retaliate with quick strikes, even chipping a couple of cracks into the Knight's armor. But every time she seemed to gain ground, the Knight countered with even fiercer attacks. 

Finally, in a violent exchange, Shizuku's sword collided directly with the Knight's. Her weapon, worn from the relentless battle, shattered with a metallic crack. 

"No... it can't be..." she whispered, staring in horror at the broken fragment of her sword still clutched in her hand. 

The Black Knight didn't hesitate. Seizing the opening, he drove his sword straight through her chest in a swift, merciless motion. 

The pain was unbearable. Shizuku felt the blade pierce her body, tearing through flesh and bone. Her eyes widened, and a strangled gasp escaped her lips. 

The Black Knight held her there for a moment, his imposing and sinister figure illuminated only by the dim light in the room. Then, he withdrew the sword with a sharp motion, letting Shizuku collapse to the ground. 

The cold stone greeted her as her blood began pooling around her. Her vision blurred, and each breath became harder than the last. 

"So… this is how it ends?" she thought, as her consciousness began to fade. 

Somewhere in the depths of her mind, echoes of her friends' voices resounded, reminding her why she had fought so hard until the very end. But there, alone in the darkness, Shizuku fell still.