The Lost Mage's Journey

Chapter 54: The Final Sacrifice

Setting: Marcellus's dark, oppressive lair. Shadows twist and coil in the air, thick with malevolent energy. Lyka stands before Mira, her face streaked with blood and exhaustion, yet her eyes burn with a fierce determination. Across the chamber, Marcellus sneers, amused by her defiance. Mira, consumed by dark magic, stands between them, her red eyes empty and expression twisted, bound by Marcellus's control.

Lyka tightens her grip on her weapon, breathing heavily as she fends off Mira's relentless attacks, each strike faster and more vicious than the last. She knows Mira's true self is somewhere in there, but Marcellus's dark magic is too strong. With each passing moment, Mira's attacks grow sharper, her body moving in ways that feel more like a weapon than a person. Lyka's heart aches with each blow.

Marcellus: (Mocking, his voice dripping with malice)
"Give up, Lyka! Can't you see? Mira belongs to me now. Your weak little heart can't save her!"

Lyka's hands tremble as she blocks another attack. She's weakening, and her magic is barely holding up. She glances toward Mira's face, hoping to see even a hint of recognition, but Mira's eyes are cold, void of the warmth she once knew.

Lyka: (Panting, her voice strained)
"I... I won't leave her to you, Marcellus. I don't care what it takes."

Carina's voice echoes within her, gentle yet insistent.

Carina:
"Lyka, there is no need for this. We're running out of options. If we retreat, we can regroup and—"

Lyka: (Interrupting, her voice filled with quiet resolve)
"No, Carina. There's... there's a spell. A way to break his control. But it means I have to get close to her. It's the only way."

Carina falls silent, sensing the determination in Lyka's heart. She knows what Lyka intends, but the thought of it fills her with dread.

Carina: (Her voice wavering slightly)
"Lyka... that spell... it's dangerous. Reckless. You won't survive if you get close to her like this. Please, let's escape while we still can."

Lyka closes her eyes for a moment, taking in Carina's concern, but when she opens them again, they are clear and resolute.

Lyka:
"Thank you, Carina. For everything. But this is my choice... my fight. Please, keep my body alive as long as you can."

Marcellus, watching their struggle, sneers with sadistic glee, sending another surge of dark magic into Mira, twisting her further. Mira's movements become frenzied, her strikes almost feral. She closes in on Lyka with blinding speed, blade raised high.

Lyka stands firm, her weapon lowered. As Mira lunges toward her, Lyka whispers to herself.

Lyka:
"Mira... I promised I'd bring you back. Even if it costs me everything."

Instead of dodging, Lyka opens her arms, and Mira's blade plunges deep into her abdomen, the sharp edge cutting through flesh and bone. Blood spills from the wound, staining her clothes, and her body goes rigid. But she doesn't cry out. Instead, Lyka reaches up and wraps her arms around Mira, pulling her close into a tight embrace.

Marcellus: (Laughing triumphantly)
"Hahaha! Foolish girl! Did you really think your sacrifice would change anything? Carina, you are finally mine!"

But Lyka's voice cuts through his laughter, low but filled with powerful, holy resolve.

Lyka: (In a broken but fierce whisper)
"Mira... I'm here. I'm right here. And I'm never letting go."

Ignoring the pain, Lyka raises one trembling hand, tracing a glowing symbol over Mira's back, her own blood mingling with the holy magic forming from her fingers. Her voice rises, filled with the power of a spell only a Crowned Princess of Lusitania can wield.

Lyka:
"Judgement Cross!"

A blinding white light bursts from Lyka's body, bathing the entire chamber in a radiant glow. The holy spell, infused with all of Lyka's love and purity, pulses outward like a wave, tearing through Marcellus's dark magic. The light is so bright that Marcellus shields his eyes, feeling the intense heat and purity of it searing into his own dark power.

The spell envelopes Mira, piercing through the layers of dark magic and reaching deep into her soul. Mira's body tenses, the dark sigils marking her skin beginning to shatter and dissolve in the purifying light. Her red eyes soften, the cruel expression fading as memories of her life with Lyka return — every moment of warmth, every shared laugh, every promise.

The darkness lifts, and Mira's eyes clear, becoming the gentle brown they once were. She looks down, seeing Lyka's bloodstained face, her weak but familiar smile. Lyka's arms still hold her tightly, her body slumped yet filled with relief.

Mira: (Voice trembling, horror dawning in her eyes)
"L-Lyka... what did you..."

Lyka's smile is weak, her face pale, but her eyes are filled with a soft, relieved warmth as she looks at Mira.

Lyka: (Coughing softly, tears streaming down her cheeks)
"Finally... I saved you, big sis. You're back."

Mira's hands tremble as she sees the blood on her own hands and the sword still embedded in Lyka's side. She's paralyzed with shock and horror.

Mira: (Voice cracking, tears forming in her eyes)
"No... no, no, no, Lyka... what have I...? Why... why did you...?"

Lyka: (Whispering, her voice barely audible, but filled with warmth)
"Because... you're my sister, Mira. You've always protected me... and this time, I wanted to protect you."

Marcellus stares at them, his face twisted with rage. His plan, his control, shattered by the very bond he sought to sever. He raises his hand, dark magic swirling as he prepares to strike again, but Mira, with a fierce cry, pulls Lyka close to her chest, shielding her with her own body.

Mira: (Screaming at Marcellus)
"You won't touch her! Not again!"

With a surge of newfound strength, Mira summons a protective barrier around herself and Lyka, her face hardened with a mixture of fury and despair.

Lyka's eyes start to close, her breaths shallow and weak. She reaches up with a trembling hand, resting it against Mira's cheek, her blood-streaked fingers leaving faint marks. She smiles one last time, her tears mingling with Mira's as her voice fades.

Lyka: (Softly, her voice trailing off)
"Thank you... for everything, Mira... I'm... so happy... you're back..."

Lyka's eyes close, her body going limp in Mira's arms. Mira stares down, her vision blurred with tears, shaking Lyka gently as if willing her to open her eyes.

Mira: (Desperate, voice breaking)
"No... Lyka, please... don't leave me. Please... I... I can't..."

Marcellus, watching the scene, grins cruelly, savoring the devastation. But Mira's gaze hardens, a fiery determination igniting in her eyes.

Mira: (Through gritted teeth, voice seething with rage)
"You will pay for this, Marcellus. I will make you suffer for every moment of pain you caused her!"

Without another word, Mira holds Lyka's limp body close, her own tears falling silently onto Lyka's face. She gathers her strength, preparing to teleport them both back to Lusitania, where she hopes against hope that something, anything, can be done to save her sister.

As the portal begins to open beneath them, Mira looks down at Lyka one last time, her voice a soft, broken whisper.

Mira:
"Hold on, Lyka. Just... hold on. I'll bring you home."

With a surge of magic, she disappears, leaving Marcellus in the ruins of his lair, his laughter echoing through the darkness.

End of Chapter 54