THE PRICE OF TRUTH PART 1

The roar of the crash was still echoing. Mio had delivered such a brutal blow that Karen's shield shattered like glass, throwing her right under the platform where Noelia was chained. The impact was so strong that the magical chains shattered. The prison vanished. And for an instant, they all held their breath, waiting for her to be herself again.

This was not the case.

Before their eyes, Noelia slowly stood upright. Her reddish hair blackened, reflecting bluish sparkles that snaked like cold flames. Her eyes were no longer those of their friend: a deep, unnatural glow pierced them. Her clothes mutated, taking on a somber, ethereal, ceremonial appearance.

The silence was absolute.

Barely strong enough to stand up, he stepped forward. — Noelia...— he murmured, his voice a mixture of hope and fear.

He reached out his hand to her. For an instant, barely a flicker, something different shone in her eyes: humanity, fragility, the echo of who she had been.

But it disappeared in the same second.

Her expression hardened. A sphere of elemental magic, compressed and crackling, burst from her hand toward him.

— NO! — shouted Ikel.

The shock hit him full in the chest, throwing him into the air. He crashed to the ground with a thud, coughing up blood, the pain jolting him as he tried futilely to get up.

— ASIMIL! — shouted Ikel, his voice wracked with panic.

— Damn it, don't...! — Mitsu gritted his teeth.

What was in front of them was no longer their companion. It was something else. The air crackled with corrupt energy. Ikel and Mitsu were paralyzed between the horror of betrayal and the instinct to protect him.

A pink flash cut through the air. Mio stepped between them, her halberd creating a sonic force field that knocked Karen and the corrupted Noelia back.

— Don't just stand there! — Mio shouted at them without turning around. — Take your friend to safety!

Ikel and Mitsu reacted, dragging him away from the epicenter of the conflict. They propped him against the remains of a column, his glazed gaze still searching for Noelia amidst the dust and chaos. He saw Lyra run to him, her hands glowing with a healing light that eased the worst of the pain, but could not heal the wound in his heart.

— Damn fly! — Karen roared, regaining her balance.

— You are not alone, my princess — said Noelia's distorted voice. The fire that sprang from her palms was black and violet, the ice a deadly blue. Elemental magic, but corrupted.

Mio found herself fighting on two fronts, a deadly dance of pure power versus sinister cunning.

— You can't win! The Void gives you unimaginable strength! —

It was then that Mio took advantage of a microsecond. With a leap backwards, she positioned herself close to their group.

— Listen! — She gasped, her gaze sweeping over them. — That Void Core on the ruins! It's a catalyst! It's strengthening them! We must destroy it! —

— And how are we supposed to do that? — asked Mitsu, desperate.

— I can do it — said Mio with absolute determination. — But I need time to prepare my most powerful attack. And I won't be able to defend myself. You must protect me! All five of you! —

They looked at each other. Ikel, Mitsu, Luce, Lyra and him. Wounded, exhausted, heartbroken. But in their gazes there was only one answer.

With Lyra's help, he managed to get to his feet.  — It has to be done — he coughed, spitting blood. — Luce, Ikel, Mitsu... you guys take care of Karen. I... I'll take care of Noelia. —

— Asimil, she's crazy! She's going to kill you! — Ikel protested.

—There's no time to argue! — Mio ordered. — Do your part! CONFIDENCE! —

Without waiting any longer, Mio thrust her halberd into the ground. The weapon began to vibrate, and an intense pink light concentrated on the tip, growing like a small sun.

Karen and Noelia saw it. — We have to finish her off! —

Ikel, Mitsu and Luce let out a war cry of sheer desperation and pounced on Karen. It was a losing battle from the start. Karen swept them aside with ease, but every second they gained was priceless. Lyra, for her part, hung back, channeling all her remaining energy into protective barriers around a vulnerable Mio.

Meanwhile, he stood in Noelia's way. He was limping, bleeding, but his gaze was fixed on her.

The world, once again, was slowly shrinking for the two of them.