Let's Train Heroine

Maris stood victorious in the shattered remains of the battlefield. The sealed space had crumbled under the intensity of their clash, the walls dissolving into nothingness as her holy magic settled. Breathing heavily, she wiped the sweat from her brow, her eyes scanning the battlefield for any signs of Nyx. Silence reigned, broken only by the soft hum of residual magic fading into the ether.

"I did it," she whispered to herself, her eyes still alert, yet her heart finally beginning to calm.

The puppets that had fought for her were gone, scattered in pieces across the battlefield. The sheer scale of the battle had pushed her to her limits, but she had prevailed—or so she thought.

Just as she allowed herself a moment of relief, a faint chuckle echoed through the empty air.

Maris froze.

Slowly, she turned, her heart sinking. There, standing behind her, was Nyx. Completely unharmed, not a scratch on her. Her dark eyes gleamed with amusement, and a wicked smile curled on her lips.

"Did you enjoy yourself?" Nyx's voice was smooth, dripping with playful malice.

Maris' breath hitched, her mind racing. How was this possible? She had fought Nyx to exhaustion, overwhelmed her, destroyed her… hadn't she? Confusion flashed across Maris' face, and Nyx's grin only widened at the sight.

"I must admit," Nyx said, slowly stepping forward, her boots clicking softly on the ruined ground, "you put up quite the fight."

Maris took a step back, her expression darkening. "What are you talking about? I won. I—"

"You didn't fight me." Nyx cut her off, her voice soft yet powerful, sending a cold chill down Maris' spine.

For a moment, silence hung heavy between them. Maris's eyes darted over Nyx's form—completely unscathed, as if the battle had never happened. There wasn't even a sign of weariness in her movements. Her body exuded strength, calmness, and worst of all, control.

Maris frowned. "What do you mean?"

Nyx's smile grew, her dark eyes dancing with amusement. "You've been fighting a clone of mine the entire time."

Maris staggered back, her eyes widening in disbelief. "That… that's impossible!"

"Oh, but it's true," Nyx said with a light laugh, enjoying the bewildered expression on Maris' face. "A very well-made clone, I might add. Half my power, but still... enough to entertain you."

Maris stared, her mind struggling to comprehend the revelation. A clone? The whole time? She had poured everything into that battle, believing she was facing the real Nyx. Every strategy, every attack, every ounce of energy—wasted. Her heart pounded in her chest as her confidence began to crumble.

"You were fighting a shadow," Nyx continued, her voice teasing. "But a good fight nonetheless. I'll give you credit for that."

Maris's hands clenched into fists, frustration bubbling to the surface. She had been completely fooled. The battle had taken everything out of her, and now she realized that she hadn't even faced the real Nyx.

"You're lying," Maris spat, her voice tight with disbelief. "I fought you—your power, your magic—it was real."

Nyx's eyes glinted with mischief as she raised a finger and tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Oh, it was real, my dear. Just not all of it." She took another step closer, and Maris instinctively backed away. "You've been dancing around with a mere fragment of my power."

Maris shook her head, trying to make sense of it all. "Why... why would you—"

Before she could finish, a sudden, sharp sensation tugged at her mind. Lucan. Something was wrong. Her connection with him, pulsed with a sense of danger. Maris's eyes widened in alarm, her body tensing. Without hesitation, she sent a part of her remaining energy to shield him, reaching out across the distance with her magic.

Nyx watched her curiously, sensing the shift in Maris's focus. "Sending your power away in the middle of a fight?" she remarked with a raised eyebrow. "How noble."

Maris ignored her, her mind laser-focused on Lucan. Stay safe, she thought desperately as she poured more of her holy energy into the connection. She had to protect him, no matter what. In a flash of light, she also reached out to Reshmi, sending a message.

"Reshmi," she whispered, her voice carrying across the magical thread, "protect Lucan. Something's wrong."

The connection was brief but clear. Reshmi's acknowledgment came immediately, her magic flaring in response as she moved to safeguard Lucan.

Once she had done all she could, Maris's attention returned to Nyx, but the weight of the situation was beginning to press down on her. She had divided her strength, already drained from the previous battle, and now she faced the real Nyx—completely fresh and unharmed.

Nyx chuckled softly, her eyes glinting with amusement. "You really do care about him, don't you? But now, Maris, you have bigger problems." Her voice was calm, but there was an undercurrent of danger lurking beneath it.

Maris's gaze hardened. There was no turning back now. She had to defeat Nyx, real or not, and protect everyone she cared about. But doubt gnawed at her. Was this truly Nyx? Or another clone?

She couldn't tell. The real Nyx had toyed with her the entire time, and now she didn't know who she was facing.

Nyx noticed the hesitation in Maris's eyes and smiled. "Confused? Don't worry. This time, I'm the real deal. But I understand if you're feeling unsure. After all, you couldn't even tell the difference."

Maris's chest tightened with frustration. She had been deceived, but she couldn't afford to waver. Not now. Her magic flared, the holy light surrounding her growing brighter as she began to weave another spell.

"I don't care if you're real or not," Maris said, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside. "I'm going to finish this, and I will defeat you."

Nyx's smile faded slightly, her eyes narrowing with interest. "Is that so?"

Without another word, Maris reached out with her magic, summoning the same sealed space she had created earlier. The battlefield shimmered, reality itself bending under her will as she tried to trap Nyx once more.

But this time, Nyx didn't wait. With a flash of dark energy, she teleported in front of Maris, her movements too quick to react to. Before Maris could defend herself, Nyx raised her hand and flicked her finger against Maris's forehead.

The impact was immediate and devastating.

A shockwave of force erupted from the point of contact, and Maris was sent hurtling through the air with terrifying speed. The world around her blurred, the ground a distant memory as she flew thousands of kilometers across the landscape. The sheer force of the flick left her disoriented, her body crashing into the ground with a violent impact.

Dust and debris flew everywhere as Maris lay sprawled on the ground, dazed and winded. The pain shot through her limbs, her magic faltering as she struggled to regain her senses.

Nyx appeared beside her in an instant, standing over her with a calm expression. "I told you," Nyx said softly, her voice almost gentle. "What you fought earlier was only half of my power."

Maris's vision swam as she tried to sit up, her body trembling from the impact. She looked up at Nyx, her eyes wide with shock. "Half…?" she gasped.

Nyx nodded, her expression unreadable. "You fought well, Saint. But you were never facing the full extent of my power."

Maris thoughts raced, her heart pounding in her chest. She could no longer summon her marionettes, the limit of her magic reached. She had poured so much into the previous fight, and now she was left with little more than determination.

But despite the overwhelming odds, Maris's resolve hardened. She couldn't give up. Not now. She would find a way, somehow, to defeat Nyx.

Nyx tilted her head, watching Maris with curiosity. "What will you do now, Saint?" she asked, her voice soft but laced with challenge. "You're out of tricks. No more marionettes. No more sealed space."

Maris gritted her teeth, pushing herself to her feet despite the pain.

"I'll fight you," Maris said, her voice steady as she raised her glowing hands, "with everything I have left."

Nyx's smile returned, wider this time. "Good. Let's see what you've got."

And with that, the battle resumed. Experience tales at empire