Fading Flames and Old Memories

The sun sank beneath the horizon, devoured by ashes, staining the firmament an unhealthy scarlet over the conquered fortress.

"Well...?"

Inside the outpost's main office, the atmosphere felt heavy, saturated with a suffocating tension.

"... I want to hear the reason."

Before the desk, the demonic messenger remained on his knees, trembling uncontrollably upon the stone flagstones in the presence of one of the Demon King's four Great Commanders—the terrifying entity who had once served humanity as a righteous and virtuous paladin before falling into the clutches of corruption.

"Why was that annoying human bastard not killed?"

Sonia remained standing, observing her subordinate with relentless coldness.

"If the answer does not satisfy me... are you aware of the fate that awaits you...?"

She had once again put on her revealing black armor—resembling a dress in appearance with intricate cuts—while holding the hilt of her massive sword of crimson runes with a single hand, keeping it upright with unsettling ease as she stared at the terrified messenger beneath the soles of her boots.

"We are deeply sorry! But that human appears to possess considerable combat experience; neither the advancing soldiers nor the firepower of the city wall can efficiently kill him... If we engage, casualties are guaranteed... And according to your instructions, My Lady, we must avoid losses in defensive battles. Please... give us your orders!"

On the other hand, in response, the messenger stumbled over his words, his voice choked with panic and his head held low as he fearfully awaited his leader's judgment.

"Tsk, a bunch of good-for-nothings..."

As a result, Sonia clicked her tongue with open impatience and set aside the documents she was holding in her other hand to process the incoming information. Immediately, she released her grip on her massive weapon...

(¡CLACK!)

Because of that, the sword plummeted toward the ground, but before it could touch the flagstones, the paladin kicked it with practiced skill—sending the blade spinning through the air until it slotted perfectly into the scabbard at her waist.

(Tack... tack... tack...)

And immediately after, without wasting another second, she strode forward with firm steps toward the indicated location, while the messenger quietly guided her along the way in absolute silence.

"....."

Thus, upon finally arriving at the top of the fortress wall, Sonia silently analyzed the heavily armed demonic soldiers.

(... The atmosphere has changed.)

At the post, the guards were sweating profusely, prepared for battle yet visibly broken by an inexplicably crushing pressure.

"Is that the human...?"

Such a scene was enough to raise the fallen paladin's guard, who immediately lowered her gaze toward the outer courtyard.

(He is strong.)

Below, a sizable group of demonic spearmen stood in absolute silence, maintaining a semicircular encirclement formation.

"..."

And with a calm yet overwhelming presence despite remaining silent, the sharp tips of their weapons pointed unwaveringly at the hooded figure standing at the center of the ring.

(A man...? No... that isn't right...)

Consequently, Sonia focused her gaze and concentration on the mysterious figure, analyzing every detail until she noticed the long silver hair cascading in soft waves beneath the dark hood that concealed the intruder's expression.

(... Her height... and build... look like those of a woman.)

Immediately after, using the information gathered from the stranger's visible physical features—and despite the hidden face—Sonia arrived at a swift conclusion about what she was dealing with.

"Ah... have you come seeking revenge?"

Based on her past experience, a soft sigh escaped her lips as she recalled previous situations, where relatives or lovers blinded by the grief of loss had vainly attempted to face her in search of vengeance.

(Clac, clac, clac.)

Convinced of her deduction, decided, and with absolute coldness, Sonia took a step forward over the edge of the wall, ready to handle the situation once again...

"Is it you...?"

... Yet upon her arrival, the hooded figure finally reacted.

"Are you the one rumored to be able to use black fire?"

Immediately, the hooded figure questioned her sharply and without any apparent emotion, letting out an icy voice upon seeing her approach atop the wall.

"..."

In response, Sonia stopped abruptly, her eyes widening slightly in surprise for a brief instant.

(From the tone of voice... is she a young girl...?)

Reevaluating her initial impression, she noted from the timbre of the voice that it belonged to someone young—understanding from the tone that while she was not strictly a child, she was not a fully grown adult either.

"And what if I am...?"

As a result, attempting to gather more information before engaging in combat, the paladin responded with another question as she methodically unsheathed her massive black sword.

"..."

To which the silver-haired figure maintained an absolute silence.

(¡Sshhhíiiing...!)

And without flinching, that figure calmly unsheathed her own weapon—which, unlike Sonia's dark blade, was of a lustrous silver, framed by intricate deep-black decorations that kept a perfect harmony.

"My name is Silvia."

Immediately after, the hooded figure introduced herself with decorum. And right then, she stared intently as she pointed her massive sword with a single hand toward Sonia, while an intense flash of electric blue gleamed for an instant beneath the shadows of her black hood.

"I am Sonia, General Commander of the Great Demon King."

Because of that, following out of pure habit the chivalric code of etiquette she had once professed, Sonia met her gaze, her own eyes glowing in a burning crimson.

(¡BOOOOM!)

Following which, a sonic explosion echoed across the courtyard as Sonia propelled herself forward in a fraction of a second, unleashing a powerful downward slash with the intention of cleaving the intruder in two.

(¡CLANG!)

However, just as the devastating strike was about to connect, "Silvia" parried it with an instantaneous counterattack.

"¡?!"

And taking advantage of her own body's rotation and the weight of her weapon, she executed a precise spin that completely deflected the force of the impact to the side.

"Show me."

Yet without stopping for a single second and continuing the pursuit with ferocity, Sonia's right leg crossed paths with 'Silvia's', becoming instantly locked.

"Your flames..."

In that same microsecond, the intruder utilized the trajectory of the deflected sword to launch a devastating strike directly at the paladin's still-relentless attack.

"Huh?!"

Nonetheless, at the very last instant, Sonia's sharp instinct for danger sent her a frantic alarm.

"¡¡!!"

And reacting out of pure reflex, she dodged in the final fraction of a second to leap back and gain distance from the direct impact.

"... Haaaa... Haaah... Haa..."

However, even though the swift maneuver allowed her to evade the worst of the direct collision—limiting the damage to a heavy blow on her flank that her dark purplish-black armor managed to partially block—the sheer brute force unleashed in that exchange was so great that it breached her defense, leaving her with a severe wound.

"What are you waiting for?"

Yet despite having repelled her with such overwhelming strength, the mysterious hooded figure did not rush in pursuit.

(Ssshhh...)

Instead, while the wind blew gently between them, raising a faint curtain of ashes, Sonia found her adopting a seemingly vulnerable stance—filled with obvious openings, yet keeping her weapon held firm in position.

"What arrogance...! You are nothing more than an inferior being!"

Feeling deeply insulted and humiliated by that contemptuous attitude, the paladin's rage flared in an instant.

(¡¡FWOOOOSH!!)

Causing black flames to ignite along her dark blade.

"I will grant your wish before sending you to the other world!!"

Throwing herself back into the assault with a roar of fury, the trajectory of her slash gave birth to an imposing dragon of black fire that pounced savagely upon her opponent.

(Fwoooosh...)

As a result, the ashes and vegetation around them withered the moment they came into contact with the noxious heat of the attack.

"... I knew it."

However, viewing it head-on, "Silvia" immediately recognized the essence of those flames—and how, once they touched a living being, they would not extinguish until leaving them completely charred.

"Unforgivable."

The atmosphere shifted in a single breath.

"¡?!"

A thin, almost imperceptible membrane of gray ash coated the intruder's massive silver sword.

(¡CLANG!)

And immediately after, both swords collided head-on.

"Impossible...?!"

Yet to Sonia's absolute shock, the destructive effect of her black flames was completely neutralized the moment they made contact with the grayish aura enveloping her rival's blade.

(¡CLANG! ¡CLANG! ¡CLANG!)

Thus, the clashes of steel succeeded one another in an uninterrupted burst of flashes and sparks...

(¡CLANG! ¡CLANG!)

... Giving way to old memories.