It's a matter of endurance now.
Killian stepped forward again, reaching for the dagger in his thigh garter, and calling for the smoke bomb in his inventory. There was one more plan up his sleeve.
It was as reckless as all his other plans had ever been. But it could be effective. After all, there was no one else that could save them.
He couldn't yet defeat a Knight of the Goddess that possessed his cousin's body.
"Don't be reckless, Killian. Give me more control—"
"No."
The red veins in his eyes increased in numbers, forming cracks along the black pupil.
Killian stepped forward, holding the smoke bomb and massaging his throat.
"I said, I will kill him myself. This time without holding back."
"But you could also kill Juda."
Killian said nothing, rushing to counter the Knight's incoming attack. He closed the distance again, his body moving on instinct as he swung the Void-Bat down.
The tendrils gave way immediately as he clashed against the Knight's arm, the impact sending a shock through both of them.
The Knight struck back instantly, his hand and eyes glowing as he pushed forward.
Their attacks met again and again, bat against arm, Void and Fire against Holy Fire.
Each strike caused cracks on the broken walls and ground of the cave.
Killian noticed the damage, and his hits weakened.
Juda's body was breaking under each hit.
There were multiple wounds over the old scars he had as a Fire Element User. Killian couldn't bear it and pulled back, slamming a round-house kick against the Knight's chest.
His leg slowly descended as he held onto the walls, glaring at the Knight that fell back in the other direction. He was obviously weakened in Juda's body but was dead-set on breaking it.
"You are a persistent little pest."
"Back at you."
Killian frowned, remembering Juda said those exact words to Evelyn. He had been under the Knight's partial possession even then.
"You killed those orcs under the divine mission too?"
The Knight raised a brow, before answering. "That? I was trying to make Juda look cool for the girl. Who knew she'd look at him like he was a monster."
"You are. Not Juda." Killian raised the smoke bomb in his hand. "It was a horrible performance from you."
The Knight's eyes followed his hand. He wiped the sweat and blood dripping from his forehead. "You want to hide and run? Do you think I will just let you go?"
Killian looked at the surroundings.
The cave was far from the cliffs where Evelyn and George would be waiting.
The cave was by a forest that hid sounds and mana that would be hard to trace. But noise wouldn't.
His tendrils dug into the ground, and one raised the smoke bomb higher. "Not quite. But you might run and hide…"
Mana pooled into Killian's throat, and down his chest making his words trail off as no sounds came out.
The Knight regained his amused expression, but it didn't last when he realized.
The Sound Bead lit up in Killian's throat, glowing as it fed from the mana he supplied.
The Knight's eyes widened. "What—!"
<"RELEASE JUDA!">
BOOM!
The sound waves tore through the cave and a deafening explosion ripped the skies in two.
Killian's body was thrown in the opposite direction. His body was covered completely by the tendrils that protected him at the last second.
Killian's jaw tightened as he tried to stand.
"Don't push yourself, Killian. George must've heard that. Your plan worked."
"Juda. I need to know." He limped toward the other direction. "I need to know he's okay first."
He reached the other side, and Juda's body was backed to a tree, his head bled profusely.
His body was weakened, and he didn't look like strength or mana would be found in him.
Killian felt a pang of guilt, and clenched his hand on the Void-Bat. "Are you still in there!"
The Knight smiled faintly. "Do your worst."
Killian's nails dug into his skin till it bled. "Very well. I will wait till my leader comes here, and you will be sent to the priests for exorcism. You evil spirit."
The Knight's expression twisted in disgust. "Evil… a pure being like me? Exorcism? That is for filth like you. Do they also know you have the Void?"
Killian rolled his eyes. "I have the Fire Element to complement it too. No one will ever know."
"Then I just have to tell them."
Killian huffed. "And who do you think they'd believe? Me, a promising newbie with my victimised cousin. Or you, a rogue Knight who possessed a kid."
The Knight's smile remained and that made Killian uneasy. George would likely believe quickly since he already suspected, or fully knew he had the Void.
I didn't even know if George had set this up.
Calling him here might destroy me, but the Knight clearly said he'd kill him and Evelyn too.
So maybe he's not an ally.
Also, if anything, Juda should be saved.
Depending on the possession type, Juda might also know about my Void. I'd just talk to him later.
"Well then." Killian raised the bat to hit him. "Goodnight to you."
But the Knight caught it, letting the flames burn him.
"Your hit is now really weak, Killian. It seems you didn't go unscathed against one-twentieth of my strength. We will definitely meet again—"
"Stop talking and get lost!"
The Knight actually stopped, his eyes softening slightly.
"You actually feel guilty for your cousin, don't you? I guess you do have a heart."
Killian froze for half a second.
"That boy is crying in here," the Knight continued. "Do you know what he told me before?"
Killian still said nothing.
"He said he only wanted to bloom an ember," The Knight scoffed. "A cheap skill. He said his cousin was doing really well and he feels he's slugging behind. He just wanted to look good to you and that girl."
Killian's grip tightened on the bat, and his eyes darkened.
"Then why did you possess him? Was killing me with the hand of my own cousin such a thrill for you?"
"He's such an innocent fool," the Knight said softly. "So I wanted to toughen him up. Nothing else."
Killian retrieved the bat from his hold. "You are truly disgusting. Leave."
"I will. You win this time." The Knight eased his shoulders. "And for when we meet again, my name is—"
BAM!