Weight of Faith

Kazuki held Ardent in his arms while the Demon Lord staggered, clutching his severed tail, dark power stemming the bleeding. Tears fell from Kazuki's eyes onto Ardent's face.

With a trembling voice, Ardent said, "Take my sword. I poured everything I had into it—one last Tōgi, one final slash to cut what cannot be cut. Make it count."

"But Master—"

"Don't waste this chance," Ardent interrupted, forcing strength into his voice. "Fight as if only you and him exist in this world. Show me the fruit of our training… if it's the last thing I see."

Kazuki wiped his tears, helping Ardent lean against the wall to witness the fight. He picked up the sword, its blade glowing faintly with Ardent's water affinity.

The Demon Lord, still focused on sealing his wound, had his back turned.

"Hey, Shiro Kano," Kazuki called.

The demon turned, his monstrous eyes locking with Kazuki's.

"My name is Kazuki Hasunuma—from Earth."

The Demon Lord's lips curled and laughed. "Ah, another human from Earth? From the same country, no less. Hero Kazuki…"

Kazuki didn't say anything and just stared at him. Eyes filled with rage.

"Come on don't give me that face. You and your party have killed so many of my men, that was just an old man..."

Kazuki cut him off. "That 'old man' you mock trained me—not just physically, but mentally. He turned a boy who hid and ran away from life's hardships into a man who stands and fights. And when danger came, he sacrificed his life for mine."

His grip tightened on Tir's sword. "His life is worth more than your army and your commanders combined. Now you will pay—with your head."

The Demon Lord raised his greatsword. "Come take it if you can."

They charged, steel meeting steel.

On the battlefield, Gorran hammered at the undying hound, roaring, "Fight me, Varkhul! Leave her!"

Gorran's walls of stone erupted before him, but Varkhul shattered them just as quickly as they appeared. Maeryn dragged herself through the dirt, blood running down her leg.

Then—Verena struck. Like a bullet, she pierced from the side, her godly black dagger sinking deep into the beast. Its body shook as the poison spread.

"I'm sorry, Gorran," she gasped. "I heard your scream, but Alvis's army vanished. I had to clear a way for us to retreat."

Gorran said nothing. He looked at his mangled right arm, trapped in the hound's jaws, then at Maeryn's limp body. One deep breath. 

With a guttural cry, he tore himself free—leaving the arm behind. His left hand clenched the hammer, and with every ounce of strength, he slammed it down. The ground cracked like broken  glass, a quake swallowing Varkhul to the waist.

"Maeryn—burn him!"

With those words spoken, she unleashed a continuous stream of fire, but even as it engulfed Varkhul, he laughed. "I told you it won't affect me."

Suddenly, her ring glowed and her red fire turned blue.

Blue fire roared from her hands, turning steel into molten slag. Varkhul's laughter curdled into screams as his armor fused with flesh.

When the flames dimmed, Gorran slowly approached Varkhul who was breathing heavily and with difficulty, his hammer heavy in his grip. One final swing crushed the commander's head into his body.

"Gorran!" Maeryn screamed, her eyes on his missing arm.

He staggered toward her, smiling weakly. "I'm glad you're safe."

She pressed fire to his wound, sealing it with a hiss.

Verena landed beside them. "Their army is moving. We need to retreat."

The two warriors exchanged a glance, a silent vow.

"You go, Verena," Maeryn said. "We'll stay."

"You two are hopeless." Verena muttered as she shook her head, then smirked. "Well, it can't be helped, I'll stay and fight as long as I can. Ashen vow—till our last breath."

"All three smiled, covered in blood and dirt. "Ashen vow—till our last breath."

On the otherside of the battlefield, Caliondur rushed to Alvis's side. "You're still alive, Alvis?"

"I wish I wasn't," Alvis grumbled, pale as death.

Caliondur chuckled, helping him sit. "You gave everything. That's what counts. Even I've run out of arrows. But if the Gods placed us here, gave us these weapons, then they'll show a path forward."

Alvis gave a faint smile. "Your faith is stronger than your bow, Caliondur."

He shrugged. "Despair never saved anyone. Faith did. I've been in so many situations when I couldn't do anything and things were out of my hands. Every time despair took over me, Gods—one way or another—showed me why faith mattered."

"To be fair," he continued, "this is where faith is needed. When will you have faith? in comfort, when life is easy—or now, when everything is on the line?"

Alvis nodded slowly. "You are right. Faith is for times such as these."

Then—a whistle split the air. A rain of arrows fell upon the demons. Caliondur and Alvis turned to see an elven army charging, Rumilion at its head.

"Father!" the son cried.

Caliondur embraced him. "By the Gods—What brought you here?"

Rumilion nodded, eyes fierce. "I dreamed of you calling for my help. Once I told our people, they all volunteered to gather as an army. We moved as fast as we could."

Caliondur smiled through tears. "Thank you, my son. We needed this." He turned to Alvis. "See? I told you—faith."

Before Alvis could reply, an explosion happened atop of the castle's tower. Both men looked up.

Caliondur's eyes hardened. "Rumilion, stay here. Protect Master Alvis and others on the battlefield. I'm going to the tower."

Inside the tower's dark barrier, Zephyr and Vada faced the mage.

Vada narrowed her eyes. "Something's happening out there…"

Before she could finish, Zephyr lunged forward, clashing with the mage. Smoky claws carved through the air as the pale elf retaliated. Vada flanked from the side, but the mage twisted, her arms shifting into jagged blades of blackened bone.

Steel and shadow collided—until Vada's white dagger sliced across the mage's arm. The flesh burned where it cut, her dark power flickering and unraveling from that wound.

Both Zephyr and Vada's eyes locked on the dagger.

"That's it," Zephyr spoke.

In perfect unity, the two struck again, pressing her from both sides. Each time the mage blocked Vada's dagger, Zephyr cut her down; when she turned to Zephyr's sword, Vada's strike was already waiting. Every slash of the dagger tore more of the darkness from her, the mage shrieking as shadows unraveled off her body.

At last, Vada drove the dagger deep into her back. The mage clawed at the hilt, desperate to wrench it free—but Zephyr grabbed her head, golden energy burning in her palm.

"Sleep," she whispered.

The mage's body went limp under zephyr's power; white dagger pulsed faintly against her back. The smoky claws vanished and the barrier dissolved into dust.

When the barrier dissolved, Zephyr and Vada eyes fell on Ardent, slumped against the wall, the Demon Lord's severed tail still lodged in his body. His eyes were half-open, and though they rushed to him and called his name, no answer came.

Then they realized what held his gaze.

Across the chamber, Kazuki and the Demon Lord were locked in a duel of blinding speed. 

Kazuki roared a chant, light gathering around him. A chain of light snapped into being, coiling around the Demon Lord's leg. In that instant, Kazuki drove forward with all his might, his sword breaking through the black greatsword and plunging into the Demon Lord's shoulder.

"Damn you to hell, Kazuki!" the Demon Lord yelled, his form flickering before vanishing.

When he reappeared, a talisman glimmered in his hand—the very one the mage had worn. His crimson eyes narrowed as he muttered, "Forgive me, mother. I thought I could defeat him without this. I should have listened." A cruel smile tugged at his lips. "Better late than never."

He placed the talisman at his neck. Kazuki flung another chain of light, but as it neared the Demon Lord, the links unraveled and vanished, scattering like dust before they could bind him.

The Demon Lord sneered. "Light magic won't touch me anymore, Kazuki. How will you fight me now?"

"Vada, stay with Ardent," Zephyr said firmly.

Kazuki tightened his grip—but before he could answer, Zephyr stepped forward, sword raised, her light flaring.

Their gazes met for a heartbeat. No words were needed between them.

Side by side, they would either bring the Demon Lord down—or fall with their blades in his chest.