'I beat her not too long ago... so, why... am I feeling all of this stress facing her?'

 

Sneha thought the story was lies to pretty up the name of the Radiant Paladin. But as she looked at Rose, she finally understood that what she heard about her was watered down.

 

'She broke free of the Mind Void Crystal? It's not something you can just shake off because of a strong mind… wait, that darkness… if the stories are true, then… that Shadow must be how she managed to counter the curse….'

 

Rose's Gift was widely known to be the God's Senses. Her Gift amplifies her senses and turns her reflex into something none could match. However, others claim that this Gift wasn't enough to propel her to the heights of the Radiant Paladin.

 

Others claim that Rose had another Gift, and rumors circulated. Others say it was the Holy Fire that burns all heretics; others claim it was the String of Calamity that calls upon destruction and death or even the Radiant Blade that cleaves the earth, some even claims that it's a blooming flower from the blood of her enemy.

 

'However, none of them could prove otherwise. But two years ago, there had been rumors about Rose being shrouded in swirling darkness, standing atop a mountain of monster corpses. Olivia Sigurd happened to be one of the few who witnessed her power… could this darkness be it?'

 

No record was given, no response and none of the survivors even wished to open their mouths about this darkness. 

 

'She's too dangerous to be kept alive. Tsk, I knew I should've just killed her… if it wasn't for her saying she knew where the Staff of Ashen Stars was, I would've just ended her then and there… wait... could it be? Di-did she—Ha… hahahahah! So, she had been leading me on since earlier?'

 

Sneha could not help but laugh. 

 

She thought she had captured a Radiant Paladin, but she was mistaken.

 

Gravely mistaken.

 

Rose smiled at Sneha, her breathing returning to regularity. The drained magia returned like a tide returning ebbing into the ocean. The room changed, and the entire world seemed to have been devoured. 

 

Rose's eyes revolved as shadows weaved around Rose like snakes, slithering, waiting for the time to strike. The air was now cold, with Rose's mind filled with only thoughts of Theo. If she had him in her thoughts, the other memories could be pushed back. 

 

Rose was lost in her own thoughts. She was trying her best to differentiate what was fake from what was not, but she could feel a stinging sensation lingering at the back of her head.

 

At the same time, a blurry figure appeared next to her. Sneha punched and intended to stop any of Rose's advancement, but, to her dismay, her fist stopped inches away from its intended target.

 

Shadow wrapped around her ankle just before it could harm Rose. Sneha attempted a retreat, but Rose wouldn't allow her to move an inch. Rose lifted herself from the thoughts that kept her grounded.

 

Her smile slowly took a step back as her eyes were finally enveloped by a darkness that swirled from her heart, "Like I said… no more."

 

Sneha saw Rose devoured by her darkness. The demonic follower formed a crooked smile, 'That's not good.'

 

Without any weapons to speak of, Rose called upon the strength within. Her body was strengthened and behind a frame befitting that of a frail woman, she summoned untold speed and chopped off Sneha's right leg with one chop.

 

"AHHH~SHIT!" 

 

It was Sneha's turn to scream in pain. The entire base woke up, and movement was heard, but Rose had already crushed Sneha's left knee before anyone could arrive.

 

Her captor was on the ground, bleeding like a dog.

 

'I thought the stories were fake when I defeated her, but… it was all… underplaying her insanity.' Sneha was in disbelief. She had met many insane people, but not quite like Rose.

 

Sneha was overpowered and outclassed. Of course, the Triclops laughed in response to the pain; finally, there was someone strong enough to challenge her title, "THAT'S IT—ACK!"

 

Sneha roared only to feel her chest crack and cave when she tried getting up. Rose shattered Sneha's rib cage with a kick.

 

Bones pierced Sneha's heart, lungs, and other vitals. Sneha coughed up blood as she was sent flying three rooms away with another kick.

 

When Ulis opened the door from the other side, he froze just as he was about to open his mouth. In his hand, the bo staff he used to torture Rose with snapped before it could be moved.

 

Rose appeared before him, grabbing his head with a vice-like grip.

 

Ulis tried to get away. He flailed about and smacked Rose's head, he drew blood, but all he received was an expressionless face.

 

Ulis saw his imminent fate from her eyes, "N—Nooooooo!!"

 

He cried but was cut short.

 

Ulis' head was crushed like a watermelon, brain matter scattered across the floor before he could call out for help. When the body hit the ground, the others arrived as reinforcement. They watched as the mutilated corpse of what used to be their comrade hit the ground, his brain matter discarded like ground meat, his eyeballs rolling on the dirty floor.

 

The Demonic Followers' base of operation was filled with a chilling silence. Such a grotesque sight made their hearts cower, and as damp footsteps were heard, they swallowed the lump on their throats.

 

Only one person was captured and interrogated, only one person could have done this, and though they thought they had defeated her, now, a woman walked out of the torture room, slowly, without saying anything.

 

With wild hair, a ripped dress, and bruises and injuries strewn all over her body, Rose looked in no way intimidating. That was, other than the darkness that swirled just underneath her feet.

 

"Stop! Don't move!" warned one of the demonic followers, holding a sword, "What did you do to Captain Sneha!?"

 

The Demonic Followers shouted.

 

However, Rose just ignored them and smiled so beautifully that it looked creepy.

 

Enveloped with darkness, more malicious than the Wailing Monster of the West, she looked left and then right. She took a deep breath and smiled, "...I heard that demonic followers attacked him some time back. That Mother-in-Law was poisoned because of you lot... if I... if I kill you all, will I be able to keep Theo's eyes on me?"

 

Rose stopped her words as she felt a current electrical sting her head. Her smile was replaced by malicious and intrusive thoughts. The memories hurt; the thoughts eviscerated her happiness.

 

"If I slaughter all of you... will I prove myself use... will he allow me to stay? Will someone finally hold me with warmth again?" she asked as tears fell from her eyes.

 

"Yo-you crazy bitch, die!"

 

A man screamed after overcoming the tantalizing fear that encroached on his heart.

 

He swung his sword aimed for Rose's neck, but its edge was caught between her two fingers without looking at her enemies.

 

"Im-Impossible." 

 

A typical response Rose had heard many times before.

 

Rose's head tilted as she looked at the Demonic Follower. With no light behind her eyes, Rose asked, "He wouldn't leave me for someone like her… right?"

 

"What the hell are you saying, you monst—" 

 

The Demonic Follower tried to raise his arm for a swing, and his arm was ripped apart. He screamed, and soon his entrails were blown to his allies' heads.

 

Rose did not allow her enemy to take any initiative. To win a fight, it doesn't matter if honor was abandoned. She would not let anyone take her arm; she would kill them instantly. Even under the influence of the mysterious tug in her mind, Rose moved fluidly.

 

"Does anyone of you know the answer?" she asked after killing one of them, "Will Theo look at me with those eyes again? Will he allow me to approach him? Will he... will he... will he hold the hand of someone like me?"

 

…

 

…

 

.

 

She asked them… no one answered… no one would survive.

 

Rose started a slaughter, never noticing the curse fostering at the back of her head, showing her memories, overlapping with her desires and the darkest teachings she was ever taught.

 

As Rose showered in blood, she whispered, "If I am worried about Her. Then, can't I just… make her disappear?"

 

With her whisper, the darkness surrounding Rose absorbed the blood around her, "If I am the only one in his life... maybe he wouldn't leave me."

 

***

 

Her heart was crushed, her leg severed, and her organs destroyed beyond recognition, yet, Sneha's continued to live. She looked up at the moon and smiled, "She's… strong."

 

Sneha had encountered many people in the past, none of them was enough to put her in this state, "I know she's a Martial Artist, but her primary Gift is only used to increase reaction and reflex. Her Aura distribution was still a mess as I made sure to scatter that when I captured her, that means all her strength stems from that Darkness. I want to fight her some mo—"

 

While Sneha was busy thinking, the mansion violently shook, "Insane."

 

She could feel it, the malice behind every movement.

 

With adrenalin and expectation fueling her, Sneha's injuries regenerated in the blink of an eye. Her bones returned, stronger than ever, her flesh reformed, and her blood rejuvenated. She grew out of breath, but her Gifts, stacked upon each other, granted her more and more power.

 

Her exhaustion disappeared, and Sneha finally gathered enough strength to stand again. Sneha was ready to fight, but a purple light caught her attention from the corner of her eyes.

 

From three rooms away, on the ground, she found the Mind Void Crystal she dropped earlier, activating, "…The Curse wasn't completely lifted and seeing how it is still moving, that means, that the recording wasn't fully captured. I can still complete this extra mission before the Saint arrives here."

 

BOOM!

 

Behind her, an explosion echoed. Quickly Sneha checked who it was; the smoke billowed.

 

"What the!" Sneha was taken aback and froze, "Wh-What are you doing here?"

 

"Aiya, I guess I was lucky to land here." Theo walked out from behind the smoke wearing a white long-sleeved shirt and black pants. His hair was combed back, and his eyes were sharp. His right hand carried a silver book while it manipulated a green flat magic circle on his left hand. 

 

The wind blew as Theo arrived with a sharp look in his eyes. Four hours ago, Sneha came uninvited to Theo's room, and now, he arrives carrying a book, a magic circle, and a strange fluffy creature on his back. Still, he was smiling, but unlike before, he was now dangerous, "You ask me why I'm here? Didn't I just tell you a few hours ago? I'm going to kill you."

 

Theo has arrived.