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

The corridor was a swirling maelstrom of green energy and dust, the walls trembling with each clash of magic. Changra and Jane moved with frantic determination, their attacks landing only to be met with mocking laughter from Envy.

Jane's breaths were ragged as she summoned another spell, her hands glowing with faint light. "We can't let her win," she muttered, more to herself than to Changra. "No matter what."

"Keep her busy," Changra replied, his voice tight with frustration. He lunged forward, his fists clenched as he tried to close the gap between himself and Envy. Each step felt heavier, his body screaming in protest, but he refused to back down.

Envy turned toward him, her twisted smile widening. "Still trying to play the hero, Changra?" she sneered. "Haven't you learned yet? Heroes don't exist. Just failures pretending to be something more."

Changra ignored her words, his focus locked on her staff as he darted to the side, attempting to disarm her. But she was faster, her movements fluid and precise. With a flick of her wrist, she sent a burst of green energy toward him, forcing him to leap back.

"Too slow," she taunted, her laughter echoing off the stone walls. "Is this really all you've got? How disappointing."

Jane stepped forward, her hands glowing brighter as she cast a beam of light toward Envy. The spell shot forward, slicing through the air with deadly precision. For a moment, it seemed like it might hit its mark.

But Envy raised her staff, the green barrier surrounding her flaring to life. The beam collided with the barrier, dissolving into harmless sparks. She tilted her head, her smile twisting into a look of mock pity. "Oh, Jane," she said, her voice dripping with condescension. "You really think you can hurt me with that?"

Jane's jaw tightened, her hands trembling as she summoned another spell. "I'll make you stop this," she said, her voice shaking with both determination and fear. "I don't care what it takes."

Envy's laughter grew louder, more unhinged. "Stop me?" she repeated, her tone incredulous. "You can't even touch me. You're nothing, Jane. Always have been, always will be."

Changra gritted his teeth, his frustration mounting as he circled around Envy, looking for an opening. "Don't listen to her, Jane!" he shouted. "She's just trying to get into your head."

But Envy's voice cut through the air like a blade. "Why shouldn't she listen? I'm only telling the truth." Her glowing eyes fixed on Jane, her expression filled with venomous glee. "All your little spells, all your efforts—they're meaningless. Just like you."

Jane's hands flared with light, the glow brighter than before. She clenched her fists, her body trembling as she channeled all her energy into a single attack. "Enough!" she shouted, her voice echoing through the corridor. "You don't get to decide who I am!"

The beam of light shot forward, brighter and stronger than anything she had cast before. It slammed into Envy's barrier, breaking through and striking her squarely in the chest. The impact sent Envy staggering back, her green glow flickering for a brief moment.

Changra's heart leapt. "Jane, you did it!" he shouted, his voice filled with hope.

But Envy's laughter cut through the air once more, sharp and grating. She steadied herself, brushing a hand over the spot where the beam had struck. "A tickle," she said, her tone mocking. "That's all you've got?"

Jane's expression fell, the light around her hands sputtering out. "No…" she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Envy tilted her head, her smile growing wider. "You really thought you could hurt me? How precious." She raised her staff, the green light around her flaring brighter than ever. "Let me show you what real power looks like."

The faint flicker of doubt in Envy's glowing eyes didn't go unnoticed. Though she quickly masked it with her twisted smile, the way her hand brushed against the spot where Jane's magic had struck her told another story.

"You think that was something?" Envy sneered, her voice cracking slightly before regaining its usual venomous tone. "A little spark, a fleeting moment of hope? Pathetic."

Changra tightened his fists, his chest heaving as he stepped forward. "Jane, stay focused!" he called out. "You got through to her. We can do this."

Envy turned sharply toward him, her smile thinning into a snarl. "You really think so, don't you, Changra? You think she's strong enough to face me?" She laughed, the sound sharp and jagged. "Let me remind you of who you're dealing with."

Her staff flared with a surge of green energy, the corridor shaking as the force of her magic intensified. She pointed it directly at Jane, the light in her eyes burning brighter. "You've always been weak, Jane," Envy hissed, her voice cold and biting. "Hiding behind your books, your little spells, your fragile sense of self-worth. Do you think that makes you special? Do you think it makes you worthy?"

Jane's hands trembled as she prepared another spell, her jaw set in defiance. "I don't care what you think of me," she said, her voice steady despite the fear in her eyes. "I know who I am."

Envy's laughter echoed off the walls, colder now, tinged with mockery. "Oh, do you? Do you really? Because all I see is a scared little girl pretending to be brave. You're nothing, Jane. Just a speck in someone else's shadow."

The words hit harder than any spell, and Jane faltered for a moment, her glow dimming. Changra stepped forward, his body tense with barely restrained anger. "Stop it!" he shouted, his voice filled with fury. "Leave her alone!"

Envy barely spared him a glance, her focus entirely on Jane. "Why should I? She's always been nothing but a footnote, an afterthought. You know it, don't you, Jane? You've always known."

Jane's hands trembled, but she refused to back down. "I'm not afraid of you," she said, her voice breaking slightly but her resolve unwavering. "You can say whatever you want. It doesn't change anything."

Envy's smile twisted further, unhinged. "Oh, it changes everything," she hissed. "You can pretend to be strong all you want, but deep down, you know I'm right. You'll never be enough. Not for Changra, not for anyone."

Changra felt his blood boil, the hum of the Crimson Dagger growing louder, more insistent. The red glow at his side pulsed with his heartbeat, the temptation to draw it stronger than ever. "Shut up!" he roared, his voice echoing through the corridor. "You don't know anything about us!"

Envy turned her gaze to him, her smile widening. "Oh, but I do," she said, her tone dripping with malice. "You two think you're fighting me, but you're really fighting yourselves. All I'm doing is showing you the truth."

She raised her staff, another wave of green energy surging forward. Jane barely managed to cast a shield in time, the barrier flickering under the strain. The force of the blast sent her stumbling back, her legs buckling as she struggled to stay upright.

Changra darted to her side, his breath ragged. "Jane, are you okay?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.

Jane nodded, though her hands trembled as she prepared another spell. "I'm fine," she said, her voice hoarse. "We have to keep going."

Envy's laughter filled the air again, louder this time, more erratic. "Keep going? Oh, please," she said, her voice high-pitched and mocking. "You can barely stand, and you think you're going to stop me? How delusional can you be?"

She took a step closer, the green glow around her intensifying. "You've always been nothing, Jane," she said, her tone softening into something almost pitying. "Just a little girl chasing after dreams that were never meant for her. You'll never matter. Not to anyone."

Jane clenched her fists, her glow flaring brighter for a brief moment. "You're wrong," she said, her voice steady despite the tears brimming in her eyes. "I matter to the people who care about me. And that's enough."

For the first time, Envy's smile faltered, her eyes narrowing as though the words struck a chord. But the moment passed quickly, and her laughter returned, sharper and more grating. "Keep telling yourself that," she said, her voice filled with disdain. "Let's see how far your little delusions get you."

She raised her staff again, the green energy swirling like a storm as the room trembled under her power. Changra and Jane braced themselves, the air between them charged with tension.

The green glow surrounding Envy flared brighter, pulsing erratically like a storm on the verge of breaking. Her smile wavered, twisting into something unsteady, her laughter sharp and uneven. She raised her staff, but instead of striking, she lowered it slightly, her eyes narrowing as they fixed on Jane.

"Do you even know how much I hate you?" Envy said, her voice trembling. The mocking edge was still there, but it was weaker, cracked. "Do you even understand what it's like to see someone like you?"

Jane's glow flickered, her hands still raised in a defensive posture, but she said nothing. Changra stood beside her, his fists clenched, his breathing shallow. Neither of them moved, too stunned to react.

Envy took a step forward, her staff trembling in her grip. "You're so perfect, aren't you?" she spat, her voice rising. "The little prodigy, always doing everything right. So talented, so smart, so—" She choked on the words, her face twisting with anger. "So pretty."

She laughed bitterly, shaking her head. "Even when you fail, it doesn't matter, does it? Everyone still looks at you like you're some shining star. They still think you're better." Her voice broke, the green glow around her flickering as her hands shook.

"I tried," she continued, her tone softer now, almost pleading. "I tried so hard to be like you. To be better. But no matter what I did, no one ever… no one ever looked at me the way they look at you."

Tears began to gather in her eyes, but she didn't wipe them away. Her expression twisted with frustration, and she raised her staff again, the energy around her surging wildly. "And then there's him," she said, her voice trembling as her gaze shifted to Changra. "Changra."

Changra stiffened, his breath catching in his throat, but he didn't say a word.

Envy's laughter returned, softer this time, tinged with bitterness. "You're always so close to him, aren't you?" she said, her voice rising again. "Always standing beside him, always in his thoughts. He listens to you. He cares about you."

Her tears spilled over, streaking down her cheeks as her voice grew more frantic. "Why couldn't he care about me like that? Why couldn't he look at me the way he looks at you? What makes you so special, Jane?"

Her voice broke entirely, and she took another step forward, the green light around her dimming slightly. "What did I do wrong? I… I just wanted to be enough. For someone. For him." Her shoulders shook, and her staff lowered as sobs wracked her body.

The corridor fell silent, save for the sound of her crying. Jane and Changra stood frozen, their eyes wide with shock. Neither of them spoke, the weight of her words sinking in like stones.

Envy's sobs turned to laughter again, hollow and trembling. She looked up at them, her eyes glistening with tears that reflected the dim green glow around her. "But of course, I was never enough," she said, her voice quiet now, resigned. "Because I'm not her. I'm not… you."

Her grip tightened on her staff, the green energy around her flaring once more. "I hate you," she whispered, though her tone lacked the venom it held before. It sounded more like a plea, a cry for something she didn't know how to ask for.

Jane and Changra remained silent, their expressions unreadable. The weight of her envy, her pain, hung heavy in the air between them, suffocating and unrelenting.

The heavy silence stretched between them, the faint hum of magic and the distant sound of Envy's uneven breaths the only noises in the corridor. Jane stood frozen, her gaze fixed on Envy, her hands trembling at her sides. Changra, however, took a hesitant step forward, his voice soft but steady.

"Berethia…" he began, his tone low and careful. He could feel the weight of her emotions pressing against him, the volatile mix of envy and pain threatening to explode again at any moment. "You don't have to do this."

Envy flinched at the sound of her name, her shoulders tensing as her glowing eyes locked onto him. Her grip on her staff tightened, but she didn't raise it. For the first time, she seemed unsure, her expression flickering between anger and something more vulnerable.

Changra took another step forward, his hands at his sides, palms open in a gesture of peace. "Do you remember when I first woke up?" he asked, his voice soft but carrying an edge of urgency. "After my head injury? I didn't even know where I was. I didn't know anything. I could barely stand."

Envy's expression didn't change, but the green glow around her flickered slightly, her trembling hands lowering the staff ever so slightly.

"You were there," Changra continued, his eyes searching hers. "You were the one who helped me. When I was weak, when I didn't have anyone, you were there. You're the reason I'm even alive right now."

Jane's breath hitched beside him, but she still said nothing, her wide eyes fixed on Envy as Changra's words hung in the air.

"You could have left me," Changra said, his voice growing steadier, more resolute. "You could have let me die. But you didn't. You stayed. You helped me." He paused, his hands tightening into fists at his sides. "You're the entire reason I'm here. You're the reason I haven't died."

Envy's glowing eyes flickered again, her expression twisting into something unreadable. The staff in her hands trembled, and for a brief moment, the green glow around her dimmed further. Her lips parted as though she were about to speak, but no words came.

Changra stepped even closer, his voice softer now. "That's who you are, Berethia. Not this. Not… this madness. You're kind. You care. You're the reason I'm still standing here."

The silence returned, heavy and suffocating. Changra's chest heaved as he searched her face, hoping for a glimmer of recognition, of the person she used to be. But Envy remained still, her eyes fixed on him as the tension in the air grew almost unbearable.

The silence was broken by a soft sound—faint at first, then growing louder. It was laughter, sharp and jagged, echoing off the stone walls of the corridor. Envy's shoulders began to shake, her staff clattering to the ground as she doubled over, her laughter rising into something unhinged and wild.

Changra froze, his words catching in his throat as he watched her. The flickering green glow around her pulsed erratically, mirroring the chaos in her voice. Jane remained still, her wide eyes filled with shock, unable to speak or move.

"You…" Envy gasped between laughs, her voice high-pitched and trembling with glee. "You really don't get it, do you?"

Changra's fists clenched at his sides, his jaw tightening. "What are you talking about?"

Envy straightened, her glowing eyes locking onto his. Her smile stretched wide, unnatural, and filled with madness. "Everything," she said, her voice lilting and singsong. "Everything you've been through—every moment of chaos, every close call—it's all because of me."

Jane's breath hitched, but she still didn't speak, her gaze flickering between Changra and Envy.

Envy took a step forward, her laughter subsiding into a low chuckle. "Do you remember that man, Changra? The one you killed?" Her eyes glinted with malicious delight. "The one whose blood you couldn't wash off your hands, no matter how hard you tried?"

Changra's chest tightened, a cold knot forming in his stomach. He didn't answer, but his silence was enough for her to continue.

"I led you to him," Envy said, her voice dripping with satisfaction. "I wanted to see what you'd do. Would you hesitate? Would you run? Or would you snap and spill his blood?" She laughed again, shaking her head. "And oh, how beautifully you broke."

Changra's hands trembled, his breath shallow as the memories came flooding back—the man's face, the struggle, the moment the blade sank into flesh. "You…" he whispered, his voice barely audible.

"Yes, me," Envy said, her voice sharp and triumphant. "You think I've been some passive observer in all this? No, Changra. I've been there every step of the way. Watching. Waiting. Pushing you."

Her gaze flicked to Jane for a moment, her smile widening. "And that bridge… oh, that bridge." She tilted her head, her voice softening mockingly. "Did you ever wonder why you were all there? Why it seemed so… perfect?"

Changra stiffened, his breath catching as his mind raced. The memory of the bridge flashed before him—the laughter, the brief moment of peace, the sudden attack that shattered it all.

"I led you there," Envy continued, her tone almost playful now. "I couldn't stand the sight of you all. So happy, so perfect, like a little family. It made me sick." Her expression darkened, her smile twisting into a sneer. "I wanted you to die. All of you. I wanted you to feel even a fraction of the pain I've felt."

Jane gasped softly, her hands trembling as she took an unconscious step back. Changra felt his stomach churn, his fists clenching so tightly that his nails dug into his palms.

"You wanted us dead…" he said, his voice low and trembling with a mixture of disbelief and anger.

Envy's laughter returned, sharp and cutting. "Of course I did!" she exclaimed, spreading her arms wide. "Do you know what it's like to watch the people you hate living the life you'll never have? To see them laughing, smiling, like nothing in the world could touch them? I couldn't stand it."

Her smile faded slightly, her glowing eyes narrowing. "So I made sure it could touch you. I made sure you'd never forget what it feels like to lose. To suffer. To break."

Changra's breath came in ragged gasps, the hum of the Crimson Dagger at his side growing louder, more insistent. The weight of her words pressed down on him, threatening to drown him in a sea of anger and guilt. Jane remained silent, her wide eyes brimming with shock and hurt as she stared at Envy.

The corridor fell quiet once more, Envy's words hanging in the air like a heavy shroud. Her smile returned, faint and unsteady, as she took another step forward, her voice soft but laced with venom.

"You'll never understand," she said, her tone almost a whisper. "What it's like to feel that kind of emptiness. That kind of… envy."

The air felt suffocating, heavy with tension and unspoken pain. Changra's breaths came in short, ragged bursts, his chest heaving as the hum of the Crimson Dagger grew deafening. The glow at his waist pulsed in time with the anger coursing through his veins, the weapon practically screaming to be unleashed.

He turned to Jane, his hands trembling at his sides. "You have to go," he said, his voice low and strained. "Now."

Jane froze, her eyes wide as she looked at him. "What?" she whispered, shaking her head. "No. I'm not leaving."

"You don't understand," Changra said, his tone rising with urgency. He clenched his fists, the veins in his neck taut as he fought to keep himself in check. "I can't… I can't hold this back much longer. If you stay, I don't know what's going to happen."

Jane's face hardened, the shock giving way to determination. "I don't care," she said, stepping closer to him. Her voice trembled, but her resolve was unwavering. "I'm not leaving you. Not now."

"Jane—" Changra started, but she cut him off.

"No!" she shouted, her voice breaking. "You're not doing this alone. I'm staying, no matter what."

Changra stared at her, his chest tightening as conflicting emotions warred within him. Her determination was unwavering, her loyalty unshakable. But the storm inside him was growing, the rage clawing its way to the surface. He could feel it, burning hotter with every breath.

He turned away from her, his gaze locking onto Berethia—or the creature she had become. She stood still, watching him with a twisted smile, her glowing eyes filled with mockery and disdain.

The words came unbidden, his voice steady and cold. "You're not Berethia."

Envy's smile faltered for a fraction of a second, but she quickly recovered, her expression twisting into one of cruel amusement. "Oh? And who am I, then?"

"You're Envy," Changra said, the word laced with finality. It echoed through the corridor, sharp and cutting, severing the last thread of restraint he'd managed to hold onto.

The reaction was immediate. The red glow of the Crimson Dagger surged, enveloping him in a wave of heat and energy. The hum became a roar, reverberating through the air as Changra's body trembled under the force of it. His vision blurred, red tinging the edges as the storm inside him broke free.

Jane's eyes widened in alarm. "Changra?" she said, her voice filled with fear. "What's happening?"

But Changra didn't respond. His hand moved of its own accord, gripping the hilt of the dagger as the weapon's power coursed through him. The rage he had suppressed, the pain he had buried, erupted in a torrent of uncontrollable fury.

Envy's smile grew wider, unhinged, as she watched the transformation. "Finally," she said, her voice dripping with satisfaction. "Show me who you really are."

Changra raised the Crimson Dagger, the red glow intensifying until it bathed the entire corridor in its light. The weapon felt alive in his hand, its pulse matching the wild beat of his heart. The world around him seemed to fade, leaving only the rage, the dagger, and Envy.

Everything else was gone.