Refragmentz: Souls of Memory

Chapter 7- Violet Flames

The ceiling cracked and dust fell on top of our heads. Outside, I could hear screaming, the ringing of alarm bells, and the sound of steel clashing.

"They are attacking the camp!" Vexa shouted. "Lyssara has come with the whole Right Wing!"

I ran to the iron door and pulled at it, but the suppression shackles on my wrists made me too weak. Vexa tried to help, but she had the same problem. We were both trapped in the middle of a battle.

Then I heard footsteps hurrying down the corridor, and the door opened. It was Commander Hale. He had blood on his face, and one of his arms was bleeding.

"Ardent," he said, breathing hard. "I do not like this, but I need every sword I can get. Can you fight?"

"Take these shackles off, and I will," I said.

He hesitated for a second, and then he took out a key and unlocked my wrists. Then he looked at Vexa. "And her?"

"She will fight too," I said. "Not for you. For me."

Hale looked at Vexa for a long moment. She stared back at him without blinking. "If she makes one wrong move, I will kill her myself," he said, and he opened her shackles as well.

We ran outside, and the lower camp was a sea of fire. Violet flames were burning the tents and the wooden walls, and hundreds of demon soldiers in dark purple armor were pouring through the broken gate. The Right Wing had arrived, and the human knights were falling back everywhere.

I picked up a sword from a dead knight and said, "Radiant Sword Arts, Second Form."

A ring of white light burst from my blade and cut through five demons at once. Vexa stood beside me, her red cloak flying, and she caught a fallen spear and used it like a staff. She was fast and fierce, and she took down demons with every swing.

"Do not die, Chase," she said, without looking at me.

"You too," I said.

I think we fought for almost thirty minutes. The human knights slowly started to rally around us, and the demons began to retreat from the center of the camp. I truly believed we could win.

Around us, the battle was getting worse. A young knight with a broken helmet was trapped against a burning wagon by three demon soldiers, and he was crying while he held his sword with both hands. I did not think. I ran to him and cut down two of the demons, and Vexa took care of the third one with her spear.

"Th-thank you, Sir Ardent!" the young knight said, shaking all over. "I am Pip! I thought I was going to die!"

"Then stay behind me, Pip," I said. "And do not stop moving."

Just then, a group of demon soldiers charged at Vexa from the side. She raised her spear to meet them, but the soldier in front suddenly stopped, and his eyes widened.

"Commander Vexa?!" he shouted. "You are alive? We were told that you were dead!"

"Lower your weapons," Vexa said coldly. "The Right Wing has no authority over the Left Wing's soldiers."

"But Commander Lyssara said that you betrayed us! That you sold yourself to the humans!"

I saw Vexa's fingers tighten around the spear. "Did she? Then tell your commander something for me. If she wants me dead, she can come and do it herself."

The demon soldiers hesitated. Some of them took a step back, and others lowered their weapons, unsure of what to do. For a moment, the whole group stopped fighting. I think that was when I truly understood how much the soldiers had respected her.

"They were my soldiers once," Vexa said quietly to me, so that only I could hear. "Many of them died on that ridge because of my orders."

"It was not your fault," I said.

"It was. But I will not let anyone else die for the Right Wing's lies."

She struck the ground with her spear, and a wave of red light pushed all of the hesitating demons away from us. She was not trying to hurt them, only to give us space. I felt a warm feeling in my chest, and I did not know whether it was from the buff or from something else.

Then the sky turned violet.

Above the camp, a black banner unfurled, and Lyssara descended slowly, her violet armor shining under the moon. Her veil was fluttering in the wind. In her hands, she carried a long spear that was burning with violet flame.

[Heartbound Resonance detected.]

[Effect: All stats increased by 100%. (Total: 200%)]

My whole body felt lighter, and my breathing became easier. Even with my chest full of mixed feelings, I knew that this was my chance to talk to her.

"Lyssara!" I shouted. "Please, listen to me! Do you remember me? Do you remember Selene?"

She tilted her head and her golden eyes narrowed. "Selene? Is that a name that I am supposed to know? How strange."

"Please," I said. "Look at me."

"I am looking at you, little knight." She put one hand on her chest, and her voice became colder. "Do you know what is strange? Every time you open your mouth, my heart hurts. I hate that. I hate it so much that I want to cut out your tongue."

She dashed forward before I could react. Her spear blazed in the air, and I barely raised my sword in time. The impact threw me back ten paces, and my boots left long marks in the dirt.

She was incredibly strong. Even with my stats at triple, I could barely keep up with her. Her spear came from every direction, and violet flames burned my armor and my skin. I did not want to fight her, and every time I held back, she cut me deeper.

"Fight back!" Lyssara shouted. "Do not look at me like that! Fight me!"

She swung the spear with both hands, and I knew I could not block it. I was about to take the hit when someone jumped in front of me.

It was Vexa.

The spear went through her shoulder, and she screamed in pain. Blood splattered across my face, and I caught her as she fell backward.

"Vexa!"

"Do not... say my name like that," she said weakly, with a small, crooked smile. "I was only paying you back for the ridge."

Lyssara looked down at us with wide eyes. For a moment, I thought I saw something shake behind her golden gaze. Then her face turned cold again, and she raised the spear high above her head.

"What a touching scene," she said. "I will end you both together."