Decay No More

The tension in the clearing could be cut with a knife as the trio stood their ground against the lone corrupted elf.

Sylvanie narrowed her eyes, gripping her sword in both hands. Though Oreon still bore wounds from his earlier clash with Rot, he stood ready beside her. Behind them, Celestia fought to stay upright, exhaustion plain on her face as a faint glow lingered around her hands.

Rot smirked at what he saw. "So, this is what your last stand looks like." A wide grin remained fixed on his face. "The Velyrian sisters fighting side by side with a human, how utterly…Pathetic. Makes one wonder if you were ever worthy of taking up the throne." He gestured towards Celestia. "How do you think the elves would feel? You." He pointed towards her with his knife. "Siding with a human to save your own life?"

Celestia's resolve did not waver. "My people will understand that survival sometimes demands unlikely alliances," she said, her voice calm. "What they will not understand is how one of our own could sink so low as to serve those who enslaved us." Her gaze stayed locked on Rot. "What is truly shameful is that you chose to stand aside and watch the ones you serve burn down your homeland." Rot kept his knife aimed at her. "My choices, and what I choose to do, are mine to bear, Rot. But yours…" Celestia's hands glowed brighter. "Your choices end here."

Chuckling at Celestia's remark, Rot bent down a little, readying himself to strike.

"End here?" His dark chuckle echoed as a dark purplish color began to envelop his blade. "You still don't understand a thing!" He exclaimed. "I've tasted power far greater than your pathetic light show! You and your sister are weak thanks to the time you spent in the Order's dungeons, and all you have on your side is a human weakling, barely able to stand. What could you possibly do against me? The one that the Order saw potential in and decided to elevate with power beyond your comprehension!"

"Says the one that still hasn't finished off the human," Sylvanie spoke up, swinging her sword before letting the blade rest on her shoulder. "Even with whatever enhancements the Order gave you, this pathetic human is still standing." She pointed over at Oreon, who raised an eyebrow at her.

"Huh?" Oreon blinked for a moment before dropping his guard as he turned his head over to Sylvanie. "Uh, excuse me? Pathetic? Just who the hell side are you on anyway?" His head grew comically big as he yelled at Sylvanie. "I'll have you know, fighting against an elf, who is naturally stronger than a human, is NOT easy!"

"Oh, please." Sylvanie rolled her eyes dramatically. "I'm just stating facts—you're still breathing, aren't you? That's more than most humans can say after facing one of us, one on one, and besides, if this guy is half as strong as he says he is, you would be dead already." Sylvanie turned her attention back to Rot, a slight smirk etching on her features. "But it seems that even the mighty enhanced elf, who the Order has given power, can't even slay a simple human thief."

Rot's expression faltered slightly. "You sly mouth, little —" He growled under his breath before he sharply inhaled, exhaling before smiling again. "Fine then, allow me to show you what power the Order truly gave me."

In an instant, Rot vanished too quickly for Oreon to follow and nearly too fast for even the sisters to track. "I'll start with you!" he shouted, reappearing before Sylvanie with his decayed knife raised high above her head.

Rot's strike crashed down with monstrous force, his blade falling at an inhuman speed. Even weakened, Sylvanie raised her sword in time to block it, but the impact hurled the dark elf backward. She quickly recovered, bare feet touching down as she slid across the ground.

"Tch—" Sylvanie tightened her grip on her blade. "Is that all you've got? You—what?" Her head snapped to the left as Rot appeared beside her again, his blade already poised to strike. "How did he—?" The thought barely formed before Rot slashed at her. Sylvanie blocked with her sword, but the result was the same. The force sent her flying backward, her body crashing and rolling across the ground.

"Sylvanie!" Celestia shouted as Oreon charged towards the corrupted dark elf. His twin daggers gleamed as he leaped towards him.

"You're mine!" Oreon shouted, slashing downward. Rot slipped past the attack with ease and struck back in the same breath. Oreon raised his daggers to block, but the impact shattered his guard and nearly wrenched his shoulder from its socket. He tried to meet the next slash with his right blade, only to be blown backward and sent sprawling across the ground.

"You're too slow, human!" Rot screamed, rushing toward Oreon as he struggled to rise. Before he could reach him, Sylvanie slid between them and swung for Rot's throat. He deflected the strike, and the two fell into a fierce exchange, their blades ringing with each clash.

"Damn it!' Sylvanie cursed at the sound of their weapons connecting. "He's getting faster the more he fights! What the hell is this!" Sylvanie's movements were fluid despite how drained she was, but Rot's enhanced speed was relentless—every time she thought she had an opening, he was already countering, his blade moving through the air almost faster than she could keep up with.

Sylvanie brought her blade down, but Rot baited the strike, slipped left, and drove his knife toward her throat. Time seemed to slow as the tip closed in, only inches from her skin. Then a barrier of golden light flashed into existence, stopping the blade cold and forcing Rot to recoil before landing on his feet.

For a moment, Rot only stared in confusion. Then understanding dawned. Celestia's hands shone brighter than before, sweat beading across her brow as she strained to hold the barrier around her sister.

"Oh, I see," Rot smirked, twirling his knife in his hand. "The former queen decided that it was time she joined in on the fun, too. But tell me, Your Majesty. How long do you think you can protect her in that weakened state?"

"Long…Enough to bring down a monster like you." Celestia answered back, biting her lip a bit.

Oreon slowly picked himself up from the ground, gritting his teeth a bit, breathing hard. "He's hitting harder than he was before. What gives?"

"That's what I'd like to know," Sylvanie questioned, trying to catch her breath herself. "He's getting faster, too. I can barely keep up with him."

Rot couldn't help but smirk as the trio tried to gather themselves.

"Still fumbling in the dark," Rot said. "Then allow me to enlighten you." He lifted the blade before his face, its rotting energy pulsing along the edge. "This is no mere enhancement." His tongue slid out, dragging across the decayed knife once more. "The Order granted me the power of Decay. But that is not all..." He slashed a nearby tree, and it withered in an instant as green particles streamed from its bark and sank into the blade.

Dread settled over the three as they watched the tree collapse, its stolen life flowing into Rot's blade—and then into Rot himself.

"You can't be serious…" Oreon was the first to speak as Rot smirked at them.

"This blade can rot away anything it touches, whether living or not." His smirk deepened. "It devours the essence of solid matter, feeding itself—and in turn, feeding me." He pointed the knife at Sylvanie. "That battered sword of yours? You've been pouring what little shadow magic you had left into it to keep it from corroding. But all you've done is give my blade more power to consume."

Sylvanie's eyes widened just a fraction before narrowing into slits. She glanced down at her sword—sure enough, faint wisps of her violet shadow magic were being siphoned away from the metal, dissolving into nothing as they touched the lingering traces of Decay left from their earlier clashes.

"Great—" She hissed through her teeth, her grip tightening around the hilt of her sword. "So that's why I feel so drained…I knew it had to be more than just those stupid collars that the Order latched around our necks."

Realization struck Celestia, her determination giving way to concern. "Every time you blocked him… every time your blades crossed…" Her voice faded as the golden barrier around Sylvanie thinned, its light drawn into Rot's blade. "Even my magic…"

"Finally catching on!" Rot laughed. "Every strike, every futile attempt to protect yourselves, your desperate attempts to hold me back! It all feeds me!" He breathed. "The magic of Elven royalty tastes so delicious, even if it is nothing but scraps, heh-heh-heh."

"You damn parasite," Sylvanie spat. Beside her, Oreon lowered his gaze to his daggers, silently questioning Rot's claim. They had clashed against that decayed blade again and again, yet his weapons showed no signs of corrosion—only the familiar wear of past battles.

"Hmm…" He muttered to himself quietly as he looked up at Rot, who continued his monologue, but slowly returned his gaze to his weapons.

"The Order corrupted you with the power of Decay and the ability to drain life from anything touched by magic." Celestia slowly regained her composure, though her guard remained high. "But that soldier you killed… You cut through his armor. How could—"

"It also had magic in it." Rot's grin stretched wide. "The armor was enchanted. Most of the Order's gear is blessed or reinforced with divine magic to strengthen their soldiers. But to me?" He tilted his head, his smile widening. "It's a feast. The moment my blade touched that blessed armor, it rotted away like spoiled fruit. Then the man inside suffered the same fate."

Everything magical feeds him… our weapons, our barriers—and neither of us has enough strength left to keep fighting like this. Celestia's thoughts raced as her gaze flicked between Sylvanie and Rot before settling on her sister's sword, where dark spots slowly gnawed at the blade. I should have conserved my magic for as long as I could… but who could have guessed they would send a monster like him after us?

"This is bad," Sylvanie muttered, noticing the corrosion spreading across her sword. "If we keep using magic, we'll only make him stronger. But without it to protect us from that… thing…" She growled as the full weight of their situation settled over her. Those damn collars already drained us in the dungeons, and now this nuisance shows up. What the hell are we supposed to do? she thought, silently weighing how dire things had become.

Rot locked eyes with Sylvanie, and the despair on her face stretched his smirk even wider. "Despair," he said with a dark cackle. "That is the look I wanted to see on a Velyrian's face. The horror of knowing there is nothing you can do, no matter how hard you fight. The only choice left is to give in—to accept that you are nothing, that everything you lost will never return." His voice dropped lower, each word dragging like a blade across stone. "Your kingdom, your crown, your reign… all of it is gone. Over."

Rot's words hovered over the sisters like an umbrella, seeping into their minds. For a moment, Celestia's composure wavered—her hands trembling slightly, the light on her palms flickering, mimicking a dying flame.

Sylvanie glanced at her older sister, frustrated, at a loss for words and unsure what she could do, then turned her head back toward her enemy.

Oreon, however, was silent. His gaze remained fixed on his twin blades, turning them over in his hands. "Hmm…No Decay. No Corrosion. Nothing…” He continued to think to himself before he finally looked back up at their adversary.

"Well," Oreon said, stepping forward and drawing every eye to him. "I don't know much about despair, and sure, that whole 'feeding on magic' thing is kinda terrifying. But you know what I noticed?" He rolled his shoulders as he moved, ready to strike at any moment.

Rot's gaze slid to Oreon as he stopped between the Velyrian sisters. "Oh? And what would that be, human? That you finally understand how hopeless this is? That you—"

"No, not quite." Oreon cut him off, raising one of his twin daggers so the dim light glinted along its edge. "These. We've been trading blows this whole time, and you've struck them with everything you had." He watched Rot's face closely. "But they haven't decayed. Not even a little."

Rot's expression slightly faltered as the clearing fell silent.

Sylvanie's eyes shot up as she glanced at Oreon's weapons, then back at her own corroding sword. "Wait—he's right…"

Celestia let out a gasp. "Your weapons… Do they have no magic in them at all? But even if they were regular steel, wouldn't corrosion still—"

"Hell if I know." Oreon glanced at Celestia, then down at his blades. "They belonged to my mother before they were passed on to me. All she ever told me was that they were special—and that they would never break." He leveled one blade at Rot, his eyes narrowing. "I don't know what they were made of, but I know this much: your decay can't touch them."

Rot's smirk slipped for a heartbeat before twisting into a look caught between amusement and irritation.

"How unexpected…" He muttered, his eyes narrowing as they locked onto Oreon's twin dagger blades. "A human wielding weapons that resist my Decay. Interesting…”

Sylvanie leaned in, studying Oreon's blade up close while still gripping her own corroded sword. "Well, well…" A faint smirk curved her lips. "Looks like the 'pathetic human' might be useful after all."

"Gee, another compliment from the elf I rescued from a dungeon. Thanks," Oreon replied dryly, never taking his eyes off Rot. "Just admit you need me right now, alright?" Even as his gaze stayed fixed on the corrupted dark elf, a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"Don't push it, human." Sylvanie leaned back. "Our enemy is still alive, and there's still your little family matter that we have to discuss after this is over." Sylvanie reminded him.

"Seriously?" Oreon's guard dipped as the tension slipped from his mind for a moment, and he glanced at Sylvanie. "We're fighting the same guy here, you know."

"And?" Sylvanie shot back. "Fighting beside you doesn't mean I'm ignoring the fact that you're the Order's spawn." She twirled her corroding blade once, then pointed it at him. "So, if we survive this, you owe me answers—and maybe I won't stab you with this."

Rot watched as the two bickered with one another, wondering if they had forgotten that he was standing there.

"What the hell is wrong with you!" Oreon countered.

Celestia released a long, weary sigh and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Sylvanie… must you really do this now?" Her voice carried the unmistakable exhaustion of an older sister at her limit.

A vein began to slowly form on Rot's forehead as he tapped his foot, waiting for this pitiful display of childishness to end.

"What? I'm just making sure he knows where we stand." Sylvanie shrugged. "I don't see the problem in letting the human know he's still on thin ice."

"You are really unbelievable, you know that!" Oreon retaliated. "I—"

"ENOUGH!" Rot snapped, instantly dragging their attention back to him. His earlier manic grin was gone, replaced by raw irritation. "You dare…" His body twitched. "You dare bicker like children in front of me?" He sucked in a sharp breath, fury twisting his face. "This is a battle. An experiment that I'm conducting. You are fighting for your freedom, and yet you still waste time squabbling like ignorant whelps!"

"Oh, right." Oreon turned back to face Rot, adjusting his grip on his blades. "Almost forgot you were there for a second."

"YOU—" Rot's face twisted with rage, veins bulging across his forehead. He forced himself to inhale, then let out a low chuckle. "You almost had me, human. Mocking me to provoke my emotions."

Oreon slightly tilted his head in confusion. "Um, I wasn't trying to—"

"No matter. Nothing changes the outcome of what's about to happen." Rot pointed out. "So what if your blades resist my Decay? You're still just a human, Weak. Slow…” He paused for a second. "Fragile…" He drew the last word out with a deep breath as he pointed his knife at Oreon. "One swipe on your flesh is all it takes to turn you into a pile of beautiful artwork."

Oreon prepared himself as he crouched a bit. "Well, that just means I'll have to make sure that stupid blade doesn't touch me then."

Sylvanie, still in her mood, snorted at the comment Oreon made. "Bold words for someone who was just getting tossed around like a rag doll." She crossed her arms, looking away from him.

"Again, really not helping—"

"Both of you, focus!" Celestia cut in, looking down at Oreon in his fighting stance, eyes fixed on Rot. "Your weapons may resist his power, but Sylvanie is right—one touch to your skin, and it's over." She bit her lower lip, thinking fast. "We need a plan. If we're going to survive this, it can't rely on magic alone."

"Even if we come up with one," Oreon said, "you two still aren't in any shape to fight him. Right now, you need what little magic you have left to defend yourselves—but if he can drain it, that only makes things worse." He drew a slow breath, his expression turning serious. "That means I'm the only one who can face him without feeding him any more power. The problem is… he isn't wrong about our situation."

"The biggest difference between us is simple: he's an elf, and I'm human. That alone puts his strength far above mine, and I've only kept up this long through luck." Oreon flexed his aching fingers around the hilts of his blades. "Every clash feels like it's breaking my arms. They go numb each time we trade blows, so I don't know how much longer I can hold him off before he finally cuts me down." He glanced back at the two elves. "So while I buy time, I need you two to come up with something."

"Are you insane?" Sylvanie turned back towards him. "You're just as beat up as we are; what can you possibly do against him? You're just throwing yourself out there to die, human."

"Only if you guys can't come up with anything," Oreon responded. "And if that's the case, we're all as good as dead anyway." He finished. "Well, at least I am. He's planning on taking you two back to the dungeon."

"You're going to die, human," Sylvanie snapped. "What part of that are you not understanding?" She looked back at the rotten elf before them. "He's already absorbed some of my magic—and my sister's too." Her gaze returned to Oreon. "You know you won't last long out there, right?"

"That's where you two come in," Oreon said, glancing briefly at Sylvanie. "Figure out how to beat him so I don't have to die. Shouldn't be too hard, right? Just use that brain of yours, and everything'll work out." He gave a weak grin. "And if not… well, maybe the ground will think I'm good food or something." Sylvanie planted a hand on her hip and drew a deep breath.

"Sister, tell this human that charging in alone is a terrible idea." Sylvanie looked to the older sibling.

Celestia's eyes studied Oreon for a long moment, her expression unreadable. Then, slowly, she nodded. "Alright…" Her voice was soft and determined. "If you're willing to buy us time, then we'll make it count."

"Sister—" Sylvanie started, but Celestia raised a hand, silencing her.

"He's right, Sylvanie." Celestia turned her gaze to her younger sister. "Every clash with that monster drains more of our magic. If we keep fighting recklessly, we'll only make him stronger—and make it easier for him to drag us back in chains while the human dies buying us time." She paused, looking down at her glowing hands as the light flickered faster. "But if he can hold him off… even for a few minutes, we may still have a chance." Her eyes sharpened. "I have a plan."

"Time's up," Rot stated as he slowly began to make his way towards the trio. "I've waited long enough; it's time to return what was taken."

Oreon's eyes narrowed as he watched Rot approach. "A few minutes, huh? Well, don't know if I can, but we're about to find out!" Oreon broke out into a sprint, closing the distance between them before Rot could reach them.

"Come, brat…" Rot said as Oreon launched himself into the air and slashed down. His blades crashed against Rot's knife, and the two fell into a furious exchange. Steel rang with every strike, and each block or parry sent pain screaming through Oreon's arms.

Oreon ducked beneath a strike aimed at his head, spun, and slashed for Rot's ribs. Rot blocked with ease and answered with a horizontal swipe toward Oreon's chest. Oreon crossed both blades to parry, but the force hurled him backward. Midair, he flipped and landed against a tree, then pushed off just as Rot rushed in. The corrupted elf's knife carved through the spot Oreon had occupied, and the tree rotted away in an instant.

"Not bad for a human brat!" Rot screamed, his earlier madness returning as he pressed the attack. "But as I said before—you're too slow!" He rushed in, his knife slamming against Oreon's left blade and breaking his guard. "Too weak!" Another strike crashed into Oreon's other blade, knocking it aside with ease. "And far too fragile!" Rot spun once and drove his knife toward Oreon's chest. Oreon raised both blades to block, but the impact slammed him into the ground.

Oreon tumbled across the ground, then sprang back to his feet just as Rot crashed into the spot where he had fallen. He slid back as Rot lunged again, swinging for his head. Oreon ducked, and when Rot reversed into a backhand slash aimed at his skin, Oreon slipped out of range and countered. His blade cut only air. Rot ducked beneath it, spun low, and swept his knife toward Oreon's waist.

Seeing the low sweep, Oreon threw himself backward just in time, Rot's blade missing his waist by a hair. His hands hit the ground, and he kicked himself upward, both feet slamming into Rot's face before he flipped away. Using the momentum, Oreon snapped a kick into Rot's jaw mid-spin and brought his blade down for a counterattack. Rot recovered in an instant, meeting the slash with a brutal swipe of his own. Steel rang through the clearing, and the force sent Oreon flying again—this time straight through an old tree, which collapsed beneath the impact.

Oreon crashed through the rotting trunk, splinters and bark bursting around him as the tree groaned and collapsed. He hit the ground hard, rolled several times, and finally skidded to a stop, chest heaving as he fought to breathe.

"Damn it…" he muttered, forcing himself up on trembling arms. Blood trickled from his cuts, and every breath sent pain screaming through his ribs. His hands shook around the hilts of his blades, but he still dragged himself back to his feet.

Rot stalked forward slowly, his corrupted grin stretching wider. "Is that all you have, human?" He tilted his head, almost mockingly. "I expected more from someone who dared to challenge me. But I suppose…This is the limit of your kind."

Oreon spat blood to the side, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "Yeah…Well…” He steadied his breathing, raising his blades again despite the pain. "I'm still standing, aren't I?"

Rot's expression darkened, his amusement fading into irritation. "Not for long."

Meanwhile, Celestia and Sylvanie stood a short distance away, watching the brutal exchange between the two.

"He's getting destroyed out there," Sylvanie growled, glancing briefly at her sister. "Are you sure you have a plan? Because if not, I give the human one more minute before he caves." She spoke with the grim certainty of someone predicting the inevitable.

Celestia kept her eyes fixed on Oreon and Rot's battle. Her focus stayed mostly on Oreon as he struggled to hold Rot back, each exchange leaving him more battered than the last. "Sylvanie," she called calmly, not once looking away. "Can you summon your scythe one more time?"

Sylvanie blinked, caught off guard by the sudden question. "What?" She looked down at her hands, then back to her sister. "I couldn't summon it earlier, but if I use the last of my strength, I can bring it out. Not for long, though." Confusion flickered across her face as she tried to understand what Celestia wanted from her.

Celestia kept her eyes on the fight as Oreon narrowly twisted away from another killing swipe. Her jaw tightened. "That's fine… I don't need you to hold it for long. One strike is enough." She finally turned to her sister, wearing an expression Sylvanie rarely saw. "Sylvanie, give me your sword."

Sylvanie's eyes widened slightly. "My sword?" She glanced down at the corroded blade in her hand, its edge barely holding together. "Sister, this thing's practically useless now. It's been decaying since—"

"I know.' Celestia cut her off, her tone firm. "But I don't need it to be perfect. I just need it to hold together long enough."

For a moment, Sylvanie hesitated, studying her sister's face. Then, slowly, she extended the deteriorating blade toward Celestia. "…What are you planning?"

Celestia accepted the sword with care, her fingers closing around the hilt as she felt its weight. It was unnaturally light—Rot's corruption had hollowed it out. She closed her eyes and drew a slow breath. "You never did favor swords," she said softly. "I remember you saying they weren't your style." She extended her left arm to the side, and a faint golden glow began to coil around the damaged blade, forming a shape only Sylvanie and the elven high court would recognize.

"Sister…" For a moment, Sylvanie was too stunned to speak. Then she closed her eyes and stood beside Celestia, extending her own arm as blackish-purple shadow magic sparked around her shoulder. Her gaze shifted to the battlefield. "That's because it always suited you better," she said.

A faint smile touched Celestia's lips, her eyes still closed as the golden light around the blade burned brighter. "I suppose you're right…" Her voice stayed calm, even as the effort of drawing on her last reserves of magic weighed heavily on her.

Sylvanie glanced at her sister, then snapped her gaze back to Oreon as he dodged another blow—only to be knocked down again when he tried to counter. "One strike," she said. "That's all I have left."

"One strike is all we need." Celestia's eyes snapped open, glowing faintly. Beside her, Sylvanie mirrored the motion, a devious smile spreading across her face.

Sylvanie gathered the last dregs of her magic, her eyes flaring red to mirror Celestia's blue. Dark tendrils raced down her arm like living serpents, converging in her palm before taking shape as her signature crimson scythe.

Finally ready, Sylvanie spoke without taking her eyes off the fight. "Just like we used to? I'll go left…"

"And I'll go right." Celestia finished.

Without another word, the sisters shot forward, matching Rot's speed as they entered the battlefield. They moved in perfect sync, their steps light against the ground as they closed in.

Sylvanie surged ahead, her scythe dragging a trail of dark energy behind her. Celestia followed a heartbeat later, moving with the silent grace of a trained assassin closing in on her target.

Meanwhile, Oreon barely deflected another blow from Rot, the impact sending painful tremors through his arms and into his bones. His vision blurred for an instant before he tried to leap back and put distance between himself and the advancing dark elf.

"You're out of time, brat," Rot said calmly, closing in on the exhausted Oreon. "You're clearly outmatched, yet you still cling to this pointless struggle. How very human." His words slid from his lips like venom as Oreon's chest heaved and his legs trembled beneath him.

"No argument there. Fighting you one-on-one is pretty pointless." Oreon forced a grin through the pain and raised his blades one last time. "But I guess I'm just… stubborn like that."

Rot's expression shifted, his smile disappearing, replaced by a colder look. "Stubbornness won't save you."

Oreon braced himself for one final push as a soft breeze swept through the clearing. "It just did…" His grin made Rot realize the truth a heartbeat too late. When Rot snapped his gaze left, Sylvanie was already there, scythe raised for a sweeping strike. His teeth clenched as regret flashed across his face—he had noticed her one second too late.

"Grr—damn elf. That won't work on—" A chill ran through Rot as he snapped his gaze right and found Celestia closing in from the other side, the corrupted sword in her hand wrapped in golden light. "Even you—" He twisted his body to parry Sylvanie's strike first. "I'll stop you before—" pain flashed through his eyes as Oreon shot past his vision, his blade slicing into the arm that held the knife.

"Don't forget about me…" Oreon said as their eyes met for a fleeting instant. Then Rot's arm was severed completely, leaving him defenseless between the Velyrian sisters' crossing blades. Oreon crashed to the ground, skidding to a stop as he forced his head up just enough to see the opening his final strike had created.

Rot's severed arm spun through the air; his corrupted blade still clutched in its lifeless fingers before it hit the ground with a dull thud. His eyes now showed fear for the first time.

The moment hung in suspense as Sylvanie's scythe carved through the air from the left, while Celestia's blade, now blazing with golden light, came from the right.

"You--!" But there was no time. Both blades converged on Rot's exposed torso in perfect symmetry, forming an X-shaped slash that tore through his corrupted flesh.

"GAAAAAHHHH—!" Rot's scream tore through the clearing as the impact sent a shockwave rippling outward, hurling him backward into several old oaks and kicking up dust and debris. His body convulsed violently while the Velyrian sisters' opposing magics surged through him, ripping apart the corruption that had sustained him.

The corrupted energy radiating from Rot flickered and faded. Around him, the dark magic seeped back from the trees and earth, allowing the forest to slowly return to its natural state—though the scars of the battle remained.

Rot slumped against the shattered oaks, his chest rising and falling in ragged breaths. Black ichor seeped from the X-shaped wound across his torso as Celestia's golden light burned through the corruption within him, while Sylvanie's dark magic devoured what remained.

"Impossible…" Rot wheezed, his voice barely more than a whisper, all arrogance stripped away in a single strike. His remaining hand clutched weakly at the wound. "I… I was supposed to reclaim them… to be praised by the Purifier… to ascend to royalty." His crimson eyes, once burning with malice, dimmed as they drifted between the two sisters.

Celestia slowly lowered her blade as the golden light faded, her magic finally spent. The sword crumbled into dust in her hand, its purpose fulfilled. Exhaustion struck her all at once, making her sway—but somehow, she stayed on her feet.

Sylvanie was no better off. Her scythe unraveled into wisps of shadow magic before vanishing completely. She dropped to one knee, breathing hard, one hand braced against the ground to keep herself upright. "Damn parasite… I told you we'd put you in the ground where you belong," she muttered between breaths.

Oreon, now standing but just as battered, staggered forward. His blades hung loosely in his grip as he stared at Rot's broken form. "Is…Is it over?' he asked, his voice rough.

Celestia's gaze never left Rot. "No…Not yet." She spoke quietly. "He's still breathing." She said as she slowly made her way forward, finally stopping in front of the fallen corrupted elf.

"You… you think this changes anything?" Rot slowly lifted his head, his glazed eyes settling on the blonde elf before him. A harsh, broken laugh slipped from his lips as Sylvanie and Oreon joined Celestia, staring down at their defeated enemy. "The Order… won't stop. Not until everything is purified."

Celestia looked down at him, her expression plain—neither triumph nor pity showed, just…exhaustion.

"Perhaps," she replied softly. "But you will not live to see it." Her hands slowly clasped before her, a stark contrast to the woman who had held a sword moments ago. "All your vile deeds—the crimes you committed against your own people and anyone unfortunate enough to cross your path—end here."

Despite the pain, Rot gritted his teeth. "Your pretty words mean nothing here, Your Majesty. I did what I did because I enjoyed it." He rasped, then leaned his head back against the bark. "Even before the Order found me, cutting down royal hypocrites like you was one of my greatest pleasures." His gaze shifted slowly toward Oreon. "The Order will come. The shard you stole will be reclaimed, and then the Divine Season will begin."

"The Divine Season?" Oreon repeated, taking a step closer. "

Rot's lips twisted into a weak, crooked smile despite the pain tearing through him. "You really don't know anything, do you, human?" He coughed, black blood spraying from his mouth. "You broke in and stole the shard—an artifact with incredible power on its own, yet still only a fragment of something…" Another cough shook him. "Something far greater." His smile held as the trio loomed over him, curiosity and unease shadowing their faces.

Oreon knelt in front of him. "Just what the hell are you talking about?" He pressed. "Just what the hell is the Divine Season? What do you know?" Oreon gritted his teeth as he questioned him.

"Spit it out," Sylvanie snapped. "You're already knocking on death's door. Keeping secrets won't help you now." She crossed her arms with visible effort as Rot slowly shifted his gaze from Oreon to Sylvanie, then to Celestia, whose calm, stoic expression never wavered.

"Down fall the elves," he murmured, making all three of them raise their brows at the strange opening. "Corruption hunts the dwarves. Judge the beasts for their sins, for their cause is no more." His smile widened as the words slipped out like a broken hymn, his voice slow and rasping. "Purify the land; the non-humans will do." His tone grew more frenzied, more unhinged. "And as for the humans who refuse to believe…" He paused, tilting his head until Oreon was fully in his sights, then smiled wildly. "Death will come for them too… Heh-heh-heh… HA-HA-HA-HAHAHA—HAHAHA!”

Rot's manic laughter rang through the clearing, bouncing off shattered trees and scattered debris. It sounded hollow and deranged, like the cackle of something that had surrendered all reason. His body convulsed with each rasping laugh, black ichor spilling faster from the cross-shaped wound carved into his chest.

"HAHAHAHAHA—YOU'RE ALL GOING TO DIE! JUST LIKE YOUR KINGDOM! DOWN FALL THE ELVES! DOWN FALL THE ELVES! DOWN FALL THE—"

Without warning, Sylvanie slammed her foot down on Rot's face, crushing it and cutting off his final words.

"Just shut up and die already…" She hissed.

Silence settled over the clearing as Rot's body went limp, his movements finally stilled by his crushed skull.