Cycles of Eternity

The air was heavy and suffocating in the enclosed chamber. Darkness spread through the corners like a living entity, and the torches flickered weakly, casting wavering shadows on walls etched with arcane runes that pulsed with a malignant energy. In the center of the room, Eriri stood, her sword clutched tightly in her hands. Her blue eyes reflected a mix of determination and fear as she faced the skeletal sorcerer floating before her.

Her opponent was an unnatural aberration, an amalgamation of ancient bones wrapped in a spectral green aura that seemed to consume the very space around it. Its staff, adorned with pulsing purple gems, emitted a hum that pierced the mind, like a mocking laugh on the edge of consciousness.

Without warning, the sorcerer raised its staff. A magic circle materialized beneath its feet, and a rain of spectral spears erupted from the ceiling, falling with relentless precision.

Eriri dove to the side, rolling across the floor as the spears struck the ground, exploding in flashes of purple energy. She barely had time to rise before another barrage of arcane projectiles surged toward her. Her sword came up, but the blade seemed incapable of breaking the magic. Every attempt to block was futile; the spells surrounded her, forcing her to dodge again and again, rapidly wearing her down.

A whip of dark energy struck her side, slamming her against a stone wall. Eriri gasped, the impact knocking the air from her lungs.

"What is this thing?" she whispered through gritted teeth, gripping the hilt of her weapon as she staggered to her feet.

The skeleton raised a hand, and its staff glowed with an overwhelming intensity. Magic circles began to appear throughout the chamber, spinning slowly like gears in an infernal machine. From them emerged three more skeletal sorcerers, each wrapped in a similar, albeit fainter, aura.

Eriri instinctively stepped back, cold sweat soaking her brow. The spectral voices of the new enemies resonated in the air, chanting in a long-forgotten language. The runes on the floor responded, glowing with a malevolent light.

"This… this can't be happening," she murmured.

The storm of magic began again, but this time from all directions. Shadowy arrows, whips of energy, and arcane explosions cornered her. There was no refuge, no moment to catch her breath.

The first hit struck her shoulder, tearing a scream from her lips as she fell to the floor. A dark whip coiled around her leg, burning her with its spectral touch. Eriri slashed desperately with her sword, but the magic resisted each strike, mocking her efforts.

As she struggled, a desperate thought crossed her mind: "I can't win… this is too much."

The onslaught continued, driving Eriri into the center of the chamber. Her movements slowed, her muscles screamed for rest, and despair began to consume her.

But then, something changed. A faint blue aura began to surround her left eye, barely perceptible at first, like a spark in the darkness.

The change was sudden. A surge of energy coursed through her body, and her senses sharpened. The magic that had seemed invincible now appeared fragile, as if a crack had formed in its structure.

When a dark whip lashed toward her, Eriri reacted instinctively. She raised her sword, and this time, as it struck, the magic disintegrated in a brilliant blue flash.

"What…?" she murmured, glancing at her weapon and then at the aura surrounding her eye.

The sorcerers gave her no time to process. More magical projectiles rained down upon her. With newfound strength, Eriri began to cut through them, each strike releasing a blue flash that briefly illuminated the dark chamber.

For a moment, it seemed she could tip the scales. She moved with speed and precision that defied her limits, shattering spells and closing the distance to her enemies.

But the skeletons were no ordinary opponents. Adapting quickly, the four pooled their energies, forming a magical barrier that held her at bay. Then, the leader raised its staff once more.

A new magic circle formed beneath Eriri's feet, glowing with a dark brilliance. Before she could react, spectral roots burst from the ground, wrapping around her limbs. They were as black as the void, covered in thorns that pierced her skin, drawing a strangled cry from her.

"No!" she screamed, struggling with all her might, but the roots tightened with inhuman strength. Her sword fell to the floor, out of reach.

The leader of the skeletons floated closer, its skull tilted as if evaluating her. At the tip of its staff, a black orb of energy began to form, spinning faster and growing with each passing second, radiating a power that made the chamber walls tremble.

Eriri, trapped, looked up with eyes filled with rage and fear.

"Is this… the end?" she whispered.

The skeleton responded by raising its staff. With a fluid motion, it unleashed the final spell. A black beam shot forward, engulfing Eriri in a deadly radiance.

For a moment, everything fell silent. Then, a horizontal slash ripped through the space, tearing the room apart with a thunderous sound.

Eriri's body split in two. Her upper half fell to the ground with a dull thud, while her lower half remained suspended in the air, still ensnared by the spectral roots.

Blood pooled beneath her, and her sword, lying just a few meters away, reflected the dimming torchlight. Her eyes, once full of life, were now empty, staring into the void.

Blood dripped from her mouth, staining her lips as she struggled to breathe, but the air wouldn't come.

Everything began to darken. The room, the skeletons, the light—all of it faded slowly.

In the final moment before darkness consumed her entirely, a faint blue spark flickered in her left eye. It was barely a glimmer, but enough to pierce the absolute silence.

The room remained quiet, the air thick with palpable tension. Was this the end?

.

.

.

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The air was cold and heavy when Eriri opened her eyes. Her senses took time to adjust, and her body trembled, still echoing the pain she had experienced moments ago. She looked around in confusion, expecting the dark room or the macabre faces of the skeletal sorcerers. But what surrounded her was entirely different.

She was standing in a desolate land, the ruins of what had once been a great city stretching as far as the eye could see. Collapsed buildings, wrecked vehicles, and rusted metal structures formed a surreal landscape under a starry night sky. The silence was sepulchral, broken only by the faint creak of debris shifting in the wind.

But the most disturbing sight was what lay scattered everywhere: bodies. Hundreds, perhaps thousands. Monsters of impossible shapes, humans riddled with wounds, and twisted machines that looked torn from a battlefield. Eriri took a step back, her hand covering her mouth to stifle a scream.

"Where am I?" she whispered to herself, her voice echoing faintly in the emptiness.

Her legs wobbled, but instinct drove her to move forward. Something was calling her. In the distance, atop the remnants of a large metallic structure, she spotted a solitary figure. It appeared to be a person, still and unmoving, gazing at the starry sky. It was the only sign of life in the barren wasteland, and with no other choice, Eriri began walking toward it.

The journey to the structure was arduous. The ruins were strewn with obstacles: fallen beams, rusted scrap, and bodies she tried her best not to look at. Every step felt like a battle against the unnerving sensation that something was watching her, though she couldn't say what.

When she reached the base of the structure, she saw that much of it had been destroyed, with collapsed sections making the ascent treacherous. Yet, an unknown impulse urged her to continue. She climbed the metallic remains carefully, the cold steel biting against her hands as the night wind lashed her face.

Finally, after minutes of climbing and seeking a safe path, she reached the top. There, standing with her back to her, was the figure she had seen.

It was a girl with black hair tied in two uneven pigtails that fell over her back. She wore a black coat with white stripes, and in the center, a star emblem stood out prominently. The coat fluttered softly in the wind, and beneath it, she wore a black bikini that revealed an athletic figure, along with short pants.

The girl didn't seem to notice Eriri's presence, or perhaps she didn't care. She remained still, staring at the sky, as if searching for something among the stars.

"Who are you?" Eriri asked cautiously, her voice tinged with unease.

The girl didn't respond immediately. After a long silence, she spoke in a calm, emotionless voice.

"So, you're finally here."

Eriri frowned, confused.

"What do you mean? Where am I?"

The girl finally turned around. Her blue eyes were cold and empty, devoid of any emotion. Her face was expressionless, but there was something in her gaze that pierced Eriri to her very core.

"It doesn't matter where you are," the girl replied. "The real question is: why do you keep fighting?"

The question took her by surprise. The words echoed in her mind, dragging up memories she had buried deep within.

When she was a child, Eriri had always felt lonely. Her family, made up of a diplomat father and a businesswoman mother, lived surrounded by luxury and comfort, but it had never brought her happiness. At school, other children admired her from afar, but no one dared to truly approach her. She was the "perfect girl," untouchable but also unreachable.

Everything changed the day she met Kaori and Shizuku, two girls who seemed unimpressed by her family name or her wealth. They shared laughter, games, and secrets, and for the first time, Eriri felt she had a place where she belonged.

Later, her life changed again when they found Shirogami in the forest. At first, he seemed like a strange boy, almost inhuman, but his vulnerability awakened a protective instinct in Eriri. She remembered one night in particular, when she found him trembling in his bed, trapped in a nightmare. She sat beside him, whispering soothing words until he calmed down.

That night, Eriri had made a promise. She would protect Shirogami, no matter what it cost her. He was her family now, and she wouldn't let anything harm him.

"Why do I keep fighting?" Eriri repeated, returning to the present as she looked at the girl before her. "Because I want to protect my family and friends. This can't be a coincidence. Everything we're going through… there's a reason for it, and I won't give up." 

The girl tilted her head slightly, as if evaluating her words. 

"And what are you willing to do to achieve that?" she asked, her tone as cold as ever. 

Eriri stared at her intensely, her voice filled with determination. 

"Whatever it takes." 

"Then, what do you desire?" 

The question struck her like lightning. For a moment, Eriri hesitated, but then her eyes darkened, filled with a dangerous resolve. 

"Power. As long as I'm strong, I can protect them." 

The girl nodded slowly, as if she had been expecting that response. 

"If that is what you desire…" 

A cracking sound filled the air, as if something invisible had shattered. Eriri felt the world around her begin to spin. Her vision blurred, and a dizzying wave forced her to stagger. 

"Wait! Who are you?" she asked hastily, trying to remain conscious. 

The girl took a step back, looking at Eriri with a slight tilt of her lips—almost a smile. 

"You can call me Stella." 

Before Eriri could respond, her body succumbed to the dizziness, and she collapsed to the ground. Her consciousness faded, but not before she saw Stella turning away and gazing back up at the starry sky. 

However, something had changed. The star at the center of Stella's coat, which had shone brightly until that moment, now had a broken point. 

The wind blew stronger, carrying away the remnants of that strange encounter.