Killian said nothing. It seemed riling up the opponent to make a reckless move wouldn't be helpful here.
Especially as the opponent wouldn't mind yapping.
Juda calmly raised his hand.
Another blast.
Killian prepared for it. The movement was still easy to read because it was Juda's.
A ball formed, but not of flames. Killian knew it.
It was Holy Fire, the advanced purifying version of Healing Fire based on his studies. Hence why Juda was a suitable vessel for whatever that was.
But the attack never came.
BAM!
Killian felt it behind him. His body jerked forward, as something slammed into his spine.
The force knocked the breath out of him as he dropped to his knees, his hands hitting the ground to stop himself from collapsing completely.
The fire spread quickly, as if eating at the Void inside of him.
My mana… it isn't coming back.
The uniform on him glowed red as the fire resistance material struggled to keep it all in.
The Void sigil in his chest tightened. Sharp pain coursed through his body, enough to slump his shoulders.
"Counter with flames, Killian. The Void can't save you. I… can't save you. Keep the tendrils away or it will—"
"Stop panicking!"
Fire burst out from Killian's arms and limbs, engulfing his body and aggressively mingling with the one eating him.
An amused chuckle echoed in the cave. Juda leaned on the cave's wall, staring down at the one on his knees. "Fire? Who died and gave a brat like you that… Oh." He paused, holding his head.
"From Juda's memories, you do have the Fire element. But you have already corrupted it with the Void that it dared burn my Holy Fire away."
Killian forced himself up from the ground, his legs shaking slightly as he held his stance. Blood dripped out from his lips and nose. The back of his uniform was charred, and barely stayed together.
Burn his Holy Fire…?
His thoughts were hazy, but he tried to think for solutions before the next attack.
Void is weak to his flame, but my corrupted Fire stood a chance.
I have to... combine both.
"Is there a reason... anomalies have to die?" Killian stared at his burnt blood-stained gloves. "The Goddess gave this element to me... didn't she?"
"Don't dare accuse my Goddess. The Void chose you. Blame him for your death."
Juda folded his arms.
"But of course, he chose you because you were like him. Forbidden. Unwanted. Useless. Would anyone care if you died here? Are you loved at home?"
Killian said nothing. His eyes burned with hatred as they locked onto the person in front of him, even while his body strained under the pain.
Every word spat was laced with disgust and irreverence— a feeling he thought he had forgotten about.
The insults dragged themselves on a wound that should have already closed.
"I am... not useless."
Juda hummed as reply, a ball forming in both palms. "So I am right about the rest then?"
Killian's shoulders lowered as the demeaning glances he endured for the past nine years came rushing back.
From his own parents, and even the twin brother who once shared his happiest moments.
His sister wasn't always around to fill the void of irrelevancy that creeped into him over time.
"If you have any capability because of the Void you possess," Juda stopped in front of him. His position would send a direct blast through Killian's chest.
"As a Knight of the Holy Goddess, I can't let you walk Her ground. I will kill you, Killian Dominic. And rid you of your pathetic life."
There was silence in the cave, except for the burning of the flames surrounding Killian's form.
With a thought, he accessed his inventory, and the Void-Bat dropped into his hands.
Fire extended from his arms to the bat, encircling its shadowy form and morphing to a black fire variant.
Killian's grip tightened on the bat, as he lunged forward "I will kill you first."
Those words were more certain than his last ones.
The Knight's eyes angled at him, considering.
"Kill me? Even without my real form here, you can't do such. But go ahead. Try to kill me. You kill me... you kill your cousin."
Killian's bat stopped an inch from his face. The Knight smirked.
"Why do you stop?"
The heat pressure increased as he spoke. They became more physical, sending waves crashing down on Killian's body.
A knee hit the ground again, but the other didn't follow. His breathing became uneven.
He knew he shouldn't close the distance. He knew his body was weaker. But the HEART pumping inside of him thought otherwise.
"Nobody is coming to save you," The Knight continued, his voice echoing. "Get on your knees, and accept it."
Killian's vision dimmed at the edges, and he closed his eyes. He clenched his hand around the other item he took out of his inventory.
With his thumb, Killian snapped the vial open.
"I will gladly be your executioner." The Knight smirked.
"Anomalies die alone, but I'd send this cousin after I'm done. I will even kill that girl and that Warden. You wouldn't really be all alone now, would you?"
"Pity." Killian said slowly.
He raised his head, and gulped down the vial. He wiped his mouth. "Is that pity you feel for me?"
The Knight's hand twitched once. Killian noticed.
For a second, the ball dimmed in controlled output like it was resisting. The real Juda was still in there.
Then it flared. "You bastard! Hurry up and die! I'm losing hold of this body!" The Knight snapped.
The ball's intensity grew and expanded within the narrow cave. It blasted directly at him, scorching the sides of the cave walls it touched as it sped to him.
Killian forced himself off the ground,
[Unknown Skill Generated!]
The sigils on his chest, the Void and the Fire, engraved deeply to his HEART, beat at the same time.
<....>
Their flow synced.
Killian slammed the blazing Void-Bat against the fireball rushing to him.
The fireball crashed through the fire on the bat, and the Void sank it deeper, eating it out slowly as it fueled the corruption of the Fire.
[Warning! Sync Unstable!]
[Warning! Sync Unstable!]
With the intensity of the fireball, it returned to the sender. Killian followed, hiding behind it. His HEART made a beat again.
"Don't play with me!" The Knight slammed his hand against the ball of fire. It vanished completely.
Even better.
Shadows rose from Killian's feet, rapidly consuming every inch until it was only darkness in the cave. With only light from his corrupted fire left.
[Warning! Integrity Critical!]
Killian ignored it. He had to end this now.
With no Holy fire, the place was left at his mercy.
"I can just create another ball of—"
Killian stood in front of him, only an inch between them. His eyes opened and looked directly at him.
But they weren't red.
They were black, with red veins pulsing through the sclera.
The Knight took a step back, shivering. For the first time, he had nothing to say.
SLAM!
"I told you."
Killian's voice dropped, hungry and certain. But as he moved, cracks formed on his own skin. Black blood trickled from his nose.
"I will devour you."