Darius stood still, staring at the woman in front of him as if analyzing every movement she made. His face was cold and emotionless, but the hatred in his eyes was clear.
"You will never understand... I can't let you get any closer," Darius said in a low voice.
She didn't know what those words meant exactly, but from the way he acted, it was clear that he had made up his mind.
"Why? Because I'm just... me?" she asked, her voice growing harsher.
Darius didn't answer. He simply raised his hand and quickly used his magic. Lightning struck the ground, and the entire area was set ablaze. The woman was thrown back.
But she quickly regained her footing. The wounds caused by the magical strike healed almost instantly—like she had some hidden power that couldn't be seen.
"You think surviving this means you'll survive me?" Darius growled, moving closer to her again, this time determined not to let her escape.
She smirked, her voice cold. "I never planned on running."
The moment those words escaped her lips, her body shot toward him, moving faster than before—like a predator ready to strike. Darius barely had time to react, but he managed to avoid the attack.
"What are you trying to do? Do you want me to kill you?" Darius snarled.
But the response came in the form of another strike, one he couldn't anticipate. Darius had to push his skills to the limit to defend himself.
Eventually, the battle reached a point where Darius could no longer control his rage. Every movement of his was fueled by years of suppressed anger.
But she still stood her ground, her body unfazed by the violence around her.
"Are you going to kill me?" she asked, her voice laced with challenge.
Darius stared at her silently before halting and speaking softly, "I... can never let you be near me again."
She smiled mockingly. He still didn't understand what he was up against.
Suddenly, Darius grabbed his sword and swung it down fiercely. But just as he was about to strike, he found that she had disappeared.
"Why... why are you still here?" Darius asked, not getting an answer.
And in the darkness that enveloped everything... she remained—like a shadow of death that would never leave.
Darius stood still, watching the woman in front of him as if analyzing every movement she made. His face was cold, hiding his emotions deep inside, but the hatred was evident in his eyes.
"You won't understand... I can't let you get any closer," Darius said in a low voice.
She didn't know what those words meant exactly, but from his expression, it was clear he had already made up his mind.
"Why? Because I'm just... me?" she asked, her voice growing harsher.
Darius didn't respond. He simply raised his hand and quickly cast a spell. Lightning struck the ground, and the entire area was engulfed in flames. The woman's body was thrown back by the force.
But she quickly regained her footing. The wounds from the magical blast began healing instantly—almost as if she had some invisible power that couldn't be seen.
"You think surviving that spell will make you survive me?" Darius growled, moving closer to her once more. This time, he wouldn't let her escape.
The woman smiled at the corner of her lips before speaking coldly, "I never thought of running."
The moment those words escaped her lips, her body shot toward him, faster than a predator ready to pounce. Darius wasn't prepared, but he managed to dodge the attack in the blink of an eye.
"What do you want? Do you want me to kill you completely?" Darius asked, unfazed.
But the answer he received was another attack, one different from before—Darius had to use higher-level combat skills to protect himself this time.
The battle continued, and eventually, Darius reached a point where he could no longer control himself. The anger he had bottled up for so long was unleashed in every move he made.
But she still stood firm, her body remaining upright amidst the chaos, refusing to fall.
"Are you going to kill me?" she asked back, her voice laced with defiance.
Darius stared at her silently before stopping and whispering, "I... I won't ever let you get close to me again."
She smiled mockingly. He still didn't understand what he was facing.
Suddenly, Darius swiftly drew his sword, but as he was about to strike down, he found that she had disappeared.
"Why... why are you still here?" The question that Darius didn't get an answer to.
And in the darkness that enveloped everything... she was still there—like the shadow of death that never left.
Darius stood still, his gaze drifting to the dark corner of the battlefield. The whisper in his mind seemed to challenge every decision he made, but this was his choice—there was no going back.
"You made me make this decision..." Darius muttered to himself, knowing full well that there was no turning back now.
"Why... Why are you doing this to me?" she asked, her tone still cold, but now laced with a hint of pain that Darius had never seen in her before.
Darius remained silent for a moment before speaking in a low, icy voice, "I have to do this because... if I don't, I will never breathe the same again."
She smiled bitterly. "Breathe the same? Is that really your answer?"
Darius said nothing. He simply raised his hand and unleashed his full magical power. This time, it wasn't just a bolt of lightning shooting forward—it was a wave of dark energy capable of destroying everything in its path.
She didn't dodge. Instead, she stood her ground, facing the power without fear.
"Are you really going to kill me?" Her voice rose amidst the storm of energy. "If so... do it."
The attack was fast and brutal, faster than Darius had expected. But even so, he managed to defend himself at the last second.
"What are you trying to do?" Darius asked, his voice thick with challenge. "Do you think just surviving this attack means you've won?"
She didn't answer, but the smile that lingered on her face was unforgettable.
"If you think you've won... think again," Darius said softly before using his dark power once more.
But just as the wave of dark energy was about to strike, she disappeared in an instant. Only silence remained in its place.
Darius paused, unsure of what had just happened. Something deep inside him told him that he was being tested.
"Where did she go...?" The question echoed in his mind. He looked in every direction, but she was nowhere to be seen.
Then, from the darkness, came the sound of a cold laugh.
"I haven't gone anywhere... Darius."
Those words seemed to penetrate every corner of his min
...
Darius remained still, his tall figure radiating dark energy, as if preparing for something he had never anticipated. But he could feel the tremor in the air, like something unfamiliar was about to happen.
"You don't really know me, do you?" he said in a low voice, as though he didn't want anyone to hear.
The woman stood before him, her gaze unwavering. A small smile played on her lips, a sign that something was about to unfold differently than Darius expected.
"I know you well enough," she replied with a firm tone. "You're not doing everything just to destroy me... but because you're still afraid of something."
Her words seemed to strike something within Darius. Though he tried to hide it, the feeling that it was striking something deep inside him made him feel as if he was being watched.
"Afraid?" Darius sneered. "You think I'm afraid?"
The woman took a slow step forward, her eyes filled with confidence. "You're not just someone who's afraid... you're someone who runs away from things you can't control."
Darius felt as though she had just stabbed him with her words, but he refused to show it. "You don't know what you're talking about."
"I know perfectly well," she replied. "I'm just saying the things you're unwilling to admit to yourself."
Suddenly, her figure moved quickly. Darius was unprepared, but just as he was about to react, she disappeared from his sight.
"Where did she go?" Darius frowned, scanning the surroundings, but she had vanished as if she were a shadow fading away.
A soft laugh echoed from the darkness. "I'm not going anywhere..." Her voice was laced with challenge. "I'm just right here... in the very thing you're afraid of."
Darius felt as if he was trapped in a snare. No matter where he moved, it felt like there was something beyond his control surrounding him.
"Why..." He clenched his fists. "Why won't you leave?"
"Because I still have the answer to a question you've never asked," she said coldly. "The answer that isn't 'yes.'"
Darius fell silent. He knew exactly what she was referring to, but he refused to accept it. He was being tested by something he had been avoiding for so long.
"Your answer... is to run away from the truth you fear, isn't it?"
A question that had no answer. Darius felt like the entire world was about to collapse in front of him.
And in that stillness, he knew that the decision he would make next would be a turning point, one from which there would be no return.
...
Darius felt as if he was trapped in the darkness of feelings he'd never encountered before. The power he'd once been so sure of now became something confusing as she spoke.
"What did you say?" Darius asked in a low voice, yet he still couldn't allow himself to show any emotion.
The woman smiled coldly. "Just the answer you refuse to hear."
In Darius' eyes, she was like a shadow that had followed him throughout his life. She would never fade away, no matter how hard he tried to avoid it. She had become something that kept him from moving forward, just like he once had.
"You think you can make me accept it?" Darius asked, furrowing his brows, but not daring to linger in that position too long.
The woman shrugged. She didn't immediately respond, but moved closer, in a manner that seemed almost challenging.
"You don't even know… that the truth you fear is right in front of you," she said with a defiant tone, yet she didn't shy away.
Darius stepped back slightly, his gaze locked onto hers. In his mind, he struggled to regain his composure, but his heart was filled with feelings he couldn't deny.
"What are you going to do?" Darius asked, sensing that he was now the one at a disadvantage.
The woman gave a faint smile before speaking softly, "Just make you see what you've never noticed." Then, in an instant, her form lunged toward Darius with incredible speed.
Darius stood firm, but he could feel something unfamiliar. The speed and power were something he couldn't easily match, forcing him to defend himself with all his might.
"You're making me understand myself less and less," Darius muttered. And in that moment, something inside him burst forth.
"You can't avoid it forever," Darius said in a low voice as he tried to pressure the woman standing before him. But he knew he wasn't in a position of control anymore.
The woman smiled faintly. "Well, try and see."
In that instant, some unknown force surged between them, a power neither could predict, as Darius stood still, his confusion growing. But he knew well that this wasn't a fight he could control anymo
Darius stood still, his eyes hardened, jaw clenched as he looked at the woman before him. It was as if the entire world had frozen with her presence. He felt something spiraling beyond his control. It was no longer hatred—it was a fear buried deep within.
The woman smirked coldly, matching his tension.
"You really think you can kill me?"
Her voice was steady, but it echoed like a whisper from the abyss. It sent a tremor through Darius—one he had never expected. His confidence, once solid, now cracked with doubt.
Darius raised his hand and summoned another spell. The power surged outward in a violent arc, lightning slashing through the air with a deafening roar. The ground shook under the force.
But the woman didn't flinch. Her body was struck violently, thrown back—only to rise again moments later. The wounds vanished instantly, as if nothing had happened at all.
"You thought that would be enough?" she said, her voice laced with challenge.
Darius gritted his teeth. His magic, almost enough to bring anyone to their knees, had barely fazed her. Why wouldn't she break?
The smirk on her lips twisted into something sharper. Then, she moved—faster than before, like a predator in the hunt. Darius couldn't react in time as she closed the distance again.
"Stop!" Darius shouted, casting a barrier with all the power he could muster. But each time, it felt weaker—like something inside him was starting to give out.
This battle... it wasn't what he thought it would be. He wasn't in control anymore. Rage was consuming him, inch by inch.
And yet she still stood, unwavering. Her voice cut through the chaos with a cruel calm.
"Kill me, then... Do you really think that'll end everything?"
Darius didn't answer. He went quiet. A strange calm settled over him—only to be shattered by the storm still burning in his chest.
He drew his sword from his side, steel gleaming with intent. He raised it, ready to strike.
But in that instant... she was gone.
He froze. His eyes scanned the darkness around him—nothing.
"Why... why won't she disappear?"
A question he never thought he'd ask, whispered only in his mind.
And in the darkness that wrapped around him, she was still there—
Like a shadow of death that never left.
Darius's breathing grew heavier. He stood motionless like a statue in the midst of a storm, his heart pounding as if it were about to burst from his chest. The silence between them wasn't peaceful—it was thick with tension.
She slowly stepped closer. Her body bore a few wounds, but her expression remained cold and unchanged.
"Is that all you've got?" she asked, her voice calm but laced with mockery.
"You're a demon..." Darius gritted his teeth. "Not human... You shouldn't even exist in this world."
"But I'm still standing here," she replied, locking eyes with him. "And you—still haven't managed to kill me."
Darius's eyes flickered with doubt for the briefest second before he lunged at her again, sword swinging with everything he had. But in that very moment, she raised her bare hand—and stopped it.
Sparks exploded from the point of contact. The air was thick with the smell of burning steel.
"Impossible..." Darius whispered.
She ripped the sword from his hand and flung it aside with ease. His body staggered backward.
"You're getting weaker... Not because of my magic—but because of the fear inside you."
Darius clenched his teeth, his heart fracturing with every breath.
And still, she walked toward him. Amid the silence, her voice was soft, but carried weight.
"The truth is simple, Darius... You don't hate me... You're afraid that if you admit you love me... you'll never be able to kill me."
That sentence struck deeper than any spell he'd ever cast.
Darius froze for a moment, as if her words had pierced through the armor he'd built over the years. His face went pale, as though his mind had detached from his body.
"Stop talking…" he murmured, his voice no louder than a breath.
But she stepped closer, eyes unwavering and resolute.
"You're afraid of your own feelings… Afraid that if you admit them, you'll lose control over everything," her voice was calm but chilling, laced with quiet confidence.
"You don't know what I've lost!" Darius finally shouted, magical energy bursting from him, threatening to tear everything apart.
But she stood her ground. Her body trembled slightly under the force of his power, but her gaze never faltered.
"Maybe I don't," she said softly, "but I know there's still something left in you—something you're trying to protect. Even if it's just a fragment of what you once felt."
Darius fell silent. The wild energy around him began to settle, bit by bit, like a storm that had spent itself.
And in that moment—in the quiet space between unhealed wounds—Darius spoke again, softer than ever before:
"I… don't know what to do with you anymore."
She fell silent for a moment before speaking in a soft yet resolute voice.
"Then don't do anything to me… Just don't stand in my way."
Darius clenched his fists, overwhelmed by a flood of emotions—anger, pain, fear—all tangled beyond recognition.
"You shouldn't have come back…" he whispered. "You shouldn't have made me remember the past."
The woman looked at him, unfazed by his words, then slowly walked past him, as if daring him to do what he feared most.
"Sometimes… what hurts more than death is surviving while no one remembers you," she said. "But I won't let that happen again."
She left those words behind and vanished into the darkness, leaving Darius alone with a truth he never dared to face.