Crimson & Light: Starting Over In A World Isn't As Easy As It Seems

Changra staggered to his feet, his body protesting with every movement. He clenched his fists, his gaze locking onto Berethia—or what she had become. The woman standing before them was no longer the friend they had known. Her eyes burned with green fire, and the magic swirling around her pulsed with erratic energy, as though it had a mind of its own.

"Changra, don't push yourself!" Jane shouted, her shield flickering as she deflected another blast of magic.

He shook his head, wiping the blood from his lip. "I'm fine," he rasped, though his legs wobbled beneath him. "We have to stop her."

Merrick grunted in agreement, his sword raised as he circled Envy. "There's no getting through to her now. We end this here."

Envy turned toward him, a twisted smile curling her lips. "End this?" she repeated, her voice laced with mockery. "You think you can end me, Merrick? You couldn't even save your precious 'family.' What makes you think you'll save anyone now?"

Merrick's grip on his sword tightened, his jaw clenching as her words struck a nerve. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, don't I?" Envy sneered. She stepped closer, the green light around her intensifying. "I know all about you, Merrick. The failures you try so hard to hide. The people you couldn't protect." Her laughter was cruel, echoing off the stone walls. "You're just like me—a failure pretending to be something more."

"Shut up!" Merrick roared, lunging forward. His blade arced toward her, but a wave of green energy surged from her staff, deflecting his strike and sending him stumbling backward.

"Merrick!" Jane cried, rushing to his side. She raised her hands, casting a burst of light magic toward Envy, but it fizzled against the shield of green energy surrounding her.

"Is that all you've got, Jane?" Envy taunted, her voice dripping with disdain. "You've always been so weak, hiding behind your books and spells. Do you really think you can stop me?"

Jane's eyes narrowed, her hands trembling as she summoned another spell. "I may not be as strong as you, but I'm not letting you hurt anyone else!" She cast a wave of magic, forcing Envy to retreat a step, but the effort left her visibly drained.

Changra stepped forward, his breath ragged. "Berethia, this isn't you!" he shouted, his voice raw with desperation. "You're better than this!"

Envy's head snapped toward him, her smile fading into a cold glare. "Don't you dare say my name," she hissed, her voice low and venomous. "You don't get to act like you're above this, Changra. You're just like the rest of them."

"I'm not—" he began, but her laughter cut him off.

"Don't lie to yourself," she spat, her magic flaring dangerously. "You think they look up to you because you're kind? Because you're good? No, Changra. They follow you because you're broken. Because you're weak. Because they think they can fix you."

Her words cut deep, but Changra pushed the pain aside. "Maybe I am broken," he said, his voice steady despite the anger simmering beneath the surface. "But that doesn't mean I'm giving up. Not on you."

Envy's smile returned, wider and more unhinged than before. "Then you're a fool."

With a wave of her staff, the corridor erupted in chaos. Green energy shot outward in wild, erratic bursts, tearing through the walls and sending shards of stone flying. Merrick dove to shield Jane, his sword deflecting a stray blast as they both hit the ground. Changra ducked, narrowly avoiding a chunk of debris that crashed down where he had been standing moments before.

The air was thick with dust and magic, the tension crackling like static. Changra surged forward, his heart pounding as he closed the distance between himself and Envy. She turned to face him, her staff glowing with a blinding light.

"You think you can save me?" she snarled, her voice a blend of bitterness and madness. "You're too late, Changra. I don't need saving. I never did."

Her magic lashed out, a wave of green energy hurtling toward him. Changra barely managed to sidestep it, the heat of the blast searing his skin. He gritted his teeth, his hands balling into fists. "Then I'll stop you."

The battle raged on, their movements frantic and uncoordinated. Merrick's sword danced through the chaos, deflecting blasts of magic as he tried to find an opening. Jane alternated between shielding and attacking, her magic flickering as her energy waned. Changra pushed himself harder, each swing and step driven by sheer determination.

Envy's laughter echoed through the corridor, mocking and cruel. "Look at you," she sneered. "Three against one, and you're still losing. How pathetic."

Her words fueled Changra's anger, but he forced himself to focus. This wasn't about him—it was about stopping her before she fell even further.

The air seemed to freeze as the battle raged on, the chaos of magic and steel filling the corridor. Changra gritted his teeth, each movement growing heavier, each breath harder to catch. The green light of Envy's magic flickered wildly, illuminating the desperation on their faces.

Merrick lunged forward again, his sword aimed directly for Envy's staff. His strikes were precise, driven by years of discipline, but Envy was faster. She parried his attack with a wave of her hand, her magic wrapping around the blade like vines.

"You're persistent," Envy sneered, her voice a venomous whisper. "But even the strongest break eventually."

Merrick snarled, yanking his sword free and stepping back to dodge another blast of energy. His eyes darted toward Changra and Jane, a silent command to stay back. "I'll keep her occupied," he growled. "You two—"

Before he could finish, Envy's staff glowed brighter, and her expression twisted into something dark and unrecognizable. "I'm tired of your voice, Merrick," she hissed. "Let's see how well you fight when you're silent."

With a sudden burst of speed, she surged forward, her staff spinning in a deadly arc. Merrick raised his sword to block, but she shifted at the last moment, driving the sharpened end of her staff straight into his chest.

Time seemed to stop.

Merrick's eyes widened in shock, his breath catching as the impact forced him to stagger back. The green glow of the staff pulsed faintly, casting eerie shadows across his face. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth as he fell to his knees, his sword slipping from his hand and clattering to the ground.

"Merrick!" Jane screamed, her voice raw with terror. She started toward him, but a wave of Envy's magic exploded outward, forcing her and Changra to stumble back.

Changra's heart pounded in his chest, a mix of fear and fury coursing through him. "No!" he shouted, his voice shaking as he tried to push forward. "Leave him alone!"

Envy pulled her staff free, letting Merrick's body slump to the ground. Her lips curled into a cruel smile as she tilted her head, watching him collapse. "So much for the great protector," she said, her tone dripping with mockery. "He was always so sure of himself. Always so certain he could fix everything."

Jane dropped to her knees beside Merrick, her hands glowing faintly as she tried to summon her magic. "Stay with me," she pleaded, her voice trembling. "Please, Merrick. Stay with me."

But Merrick didn't respond. His eyes were closed, his body unnaturally still. The faint rise and fall of his chest was barely perceptible.

Changra stood frozen, his fists clenched so tightly that his nails bit into his palms. The world around him blurred, his vision narrowing to the sight of Merrick's lifeless form. His heart pounded in his ears, drowning out everything else. A low hum cut through the chaos, growing louder and more insistent.

The Crimson Dagger.

At his side, the weapon pulsed with a faint red light, the hum vibrating through his body. It felt alive, as though it were calling to him, urging him to act. His hand twitched involuntarily toward the hilt, the rage inside him growing hotter with every passing second.

"You're feeling it, aren't you?" Envy's voice cut through his thoughts, sharp and mocking. "That anger. That fire. It's clawing at you, begging to be set free."

Changra's gaze snapped to her, his eyes blazing. "Shut up," he growled, his voice low and dangerous.

Envy's smile widened, unhinged and triumphant. "You're no better than me, Changra. You think you can fight it, but you can't. You're just like the rest of them—weak, pathetic, and ruled by your emotions."

Changra's hand hovered over the dagger, the hum growing deafening. He could feel the weapon's power coursing through him, feeding off his fury, his pain. For a moment, the temptation was overwhelming, the thought of unleashing that power against her almost intoxicating.

But he clenched his jaw, forcing his hand away. "No," he said through gritted teeth, his voice shaking. "I'm not like you."

Envy's laughter echoed through the corridor, cold and cruel. "We'll see about that."

The corridor was a cacophony of chaos. Magic crackled and pulsed in wild, unpredictable arcs, casting flickering shadows on the stone walls. The oppressive green glow of Envy's power seemed to grow brighter with each passing moment, suffocating the air with its intensity.

Changra tightened his grip on his fists, his chest heaving as he darted forward. His movements were erratic, driven by desperation rather than strategy. "Jane, cover me!" he shouted, his voice raw.

Jane, still trembling from the shock of seeing Merrick fall, forced herself to her feet. Her hands glowed faintly with light magic, but the flickering energy betrayed her exhaustion. "I'll try!" she replied, her voice breaking.

She raised her hands, sending a burst of light magic toward Envy. The beam shot forward, but Envy merely waved her staff, deflecting it with ease. The green energy spiraled outward, forcing Changra to dive to the side to avoid being hit.

"Is that the best you can do?" Envy sneered, her voice dripping with disdain. "You're not even trying anymore. How pathetic."

"Shut up!" Changra growled, his voice trembling with frustration. He pushed himself back to his feet, his legs shaky but determined. With a burst of energy, he charged at her, his movements fueled by sheer willpower.

Envy turned to face him, her twisted smile widening. "Oh, are we getting serious now?" she mocked. "Let's see what you've got, little hero."

She raised her staff, sending another wave of magic hurtling toward him. Changra braced himself, ducking low and narrowly avoiding the blast as it crashed into the wall behind him, sending shards of stone flying. He lunged forward, his hand darting toward the staff, but Envy was faster.

Her knee came up, slamming into his stomach and knocking the wind out of him. He stumbled back, clutching his abdomen as he gasped for air.

"Changra!" Jane cried, casting another spell in an attempt to buy him time. A beam of light shot toward Envy, but the green barrier surrounding her absorbed it effortlessly.

"Really, Jane?" Envy said, turning her attention toward the witch. "You think your little tricks are going to stop me? You're just as useless as he is."

Jane's hands trembled as she prepared another spell, sweat dripping down her face. "I'm not giving up on you, Berethia," she said, her voice shaking but resolute. "No matter what you say."

Envy's laughter echoed through the corridor, sharp and grating. "Oh, Jane, still clinging to your little fantasies. Haven't you figured it out yet? There's nothing left of her. This is who I am now."

Changra's head snapped up at her words, his jaw tightening. His fists clenched at his sides, his nails digging into his palms. The hum of the Crimson Dagger at his waist grew louder, the vibration resonating through his body like a heartbeat. He could feel it pulling at him, feeding off his frustration, his anger, his pain.

He took a step forward, his breath ragged. "You're lying," he said, his voice low and trembling with barely suppressed rage. "I know she's still in there. I saw her."

Envy's smile faltered for a moment, but it quickly returned, sharper than ever. "Oh, you think you can save me, don't you?" she said, her tone mocking. "You think your pretty little words will change anything?"

She thrust her staff toward him, sending another blast of magic surging in his direction. Changra dove to the side, the heat of the energy searing his skin as it passed. He rolled to his feet, his chest heaving, his vision blurred with sweat and exhaustion.

"Jane!" he shouted, his voice raw. "We have to—"

"I know!" she interrupted, cutting him off. Her hands glowed faintly as she cast another spell, this one forming a shield of light around them. The barrier held for a moment, but Envy's magic slammed against it with relentless force, cracks spiderwebbing across its surface.

"We can't keep this up!" Jane cried, panic creeping into her voice. "She's too strong!"

Changra clenched his teeth, his body trembling with the effort of holding himself together. The dagger's hum grew louder, almost deafening now, its red glow faint but insistent. He could feel it calling to him, urging him to give in, to let the rage take over.

But he shook his head, forcing the temptation aside. "No," he muttered, his voice barely audible. "Not yet."

Envy watched him, her glowing eyes narrowing as though she could sense the battle raging within him. "You're holding back," she said, her tone curious. "Why? Don't you want to win?"

Changra's gaze snapped to her, his jaw tightening. "I'm not like you," he said, his voice steady despite the storm inside him. "I won't let this consume me."

Envy tilted her head, her smile returning. "We'll see about that."

With a wave of her staff, she sent another surge of magic hurtling toward them, the green energy crackling with raw power. Changra and Jane braced themselves, but the force of the blast shattered the shield and sent them both sprawling to the ground.

Changra groaned, his body aching as he pushed himself up. His vision swam, the world around him blurring as his heart pounded in his chest. The dagger at his side hummed louder, its red glow pulsing in time with his heartbeat.

"Changra…" Jane's voice was faint, her body slumped against the wall. "We… we can't…"

But Changra wasn't listening anymore. His eyes were fixed on Envy, his hands trembling as his anger threatened to boil over. The hum of the dagger grew louder still, its call impossible to ignore.

And for the first time, he wasn't sure if he could hold it back.