Heaven: A Maiden's Curse

21 - True Power Unleashed

The battle raged on, and I could barely move. My body was still trembling from the aftermath of Hyacinth's brutal assault earlier. My vision swam, but I forced myself to focus on the two figures locked in combat.

Freya and Hyacinth collided in the center of the broken battlefield, their strikes echoing in the still air. Freya was relentless, but Hyacinth was something else-untouchable. She moved like a serpent, her cane now twisting and shifting in her grasp, growing longer and darker, turning into a cursed snake of black energy that slithered through the air with deadly precision.

Freya's attacks were bold and desperate. She fought like she had nothing left to lose. But every strike she made was deflected, every movement countered. It was clear she was weakening, and Hyacinth... she was toying with her. At first, it was just her cane, but now it was more. The cursed snake seemed to come alive, wrapping around Freya's strikes, blocking her blows with an eerie ease.

"Is that all you've got, daughter of Forge?" Hyacinth taunted, her voice cold and mocking. "You think you can avenge your pathetic father? How laughable."

Freya's breath came in ragged gasps, her legs buckling beneath her as she stumbled back. She was injured-too injured to keep going, but still she gritted her teeth, her gaze burning with defiance.

"Shut up," she growled, her eyes wild with pain and fury. "You won't get away with this."

But Hyacinth only smirked. "Oh, but I already have."

Freya collapsed to her knees, blood staining her clothes. Hyacinth stood over her, her once-gentle smile now twisted into something far more sinister.

"You still don't understand, do you? All this power I possess, all this... strength," she said, her voice dripping with mockery. "It was all forged by your father's death. By the blood of your family, the ashes of your village. It was his foolish attempts to stop me that made me what I am now."

Freya's face contorted with rage, but she couldn't move. Her body was too broken. She could barely lift her head, let alone strike back.

"Do you want to hear how I killed your dear old father?" Hyacinth's voice was like honey, smooth and chilling. "It was a mercy, really. He never stood a chance against me. His hammer... so useless against my power. And as for your mother and everyone else in that pathetic village? They screamed. Oh, how they screamed."

My chest tightened at the words. I wanted to move, to stop her. But my body wouldn't obey. Not yet.

Freya, however, did not flinch. She was barely holding on, but the fire in her eyes refused to die. She forced herself to her feet, trembling, blood dripping from the cuts across her face. "You're nothing but a monster, Hyacinth. Killing all those innocent people... you think that makes you strong? It makes you a coward."

Hyacinth's eyes narrowed. "You still don't understand, do you? Power is everything. And you... you're just a broken girl. You can't even touch me."

But Freya, weak as she was, wasn't done yet. With what little strength she had left, she staggered to her feet, dragging herself to a standing position. I could barely see it through my hazy vision, but Freya had set something. Traps, maybe? I didn't know what they were, but I had a gut feeling it was something big.

Hyacinth, too absorbed in mocking Freya, didn't notice. She took a step forward, her foot landing right on one of the traps.

The explosion was deafening.

Hyacinth was thrown back, her body shuddering violently as she was engulfed by the blast. Smoke filled the air, and for a moment, I couldn't see anything. I forced my eyes open, trying to find any sign of life from either of them.

When the smoke cleared, Hyacinth was standing, her eyes burning with fury. She was unscathed, but I could see the rage building in her. She glared down at Freya, her voice now a low growl.

"Enough," she hissed. "You've gone too far."

Freya smirked, her bloodied face twisting into something close to a grin. "I'll never be the helpless little girl you think I am, Hyacinth. Your time is over."

But Hyacinth wasn't done yet. Her eyes narrowed, her hand clutching her cane tighter, and her entire body seemed to ripple with dark energy. The ground beneath us trembled, and I could feel the air grow heavy with a suffocating presence.

She stepped forward, her movements slow and deliberate, as if savoring the moment. "You think you can stop me with a few tricks? You have no idea what you're dealing with."

And then, with a flick of her wrist, Hyacinth's true power was revealed. Her cane twisted and split, forming dark tendrils of black energy that swirled around her. The air crackled with an overwhelming force, and I felt a suffocating weight press down on my chest.

Freya staggered back, her face pale, but still defiant. "What is this...?"

Hyacinth's voice echoed through the air, the words like a death sentence. "This... is the end."

The darkness around her surged, and I could feel the curse inside me stir, urging me to move. But it wasn't enough. I was too weak. I was powerless.

And Freya, despite her bravado, seemed to realize it too. The look on her face was one of pure determination, but also one of despair. It was the moment she knew she couldn't win alone.

But she would never give up.

"I will see you burn, Hyacinth," Freya whispered through gritted teeth.

And as Hyacinth's true power began to consume everything in its path, I realized... this battle was far from over.