The Dreamer and the Delusional

Persephone was startled by the voice filled with familiarity that just addressed her. The figure acted as if she was talking to a close friend or acquaintance, the glitter of the figure's bloodshot eyes especially frightened her. While remaining cautious, Persephone thought it best to probe the situation.

"And you are?"

"I'm your best comrade in this world of course! And don't worry about attacking me, I'm sure it was just out of impulse. After all, we're the same you and me."

The uncannily positive attitude displayed by the woman lay in complete stark contrast to the scene around them. From the looks of it a hard fought battle had occurred between the two figures recently. The victor obviously being the black haired woman while the one on the floor... was the unconscious body of Justicar Dizzent. Looking closer at the body, Persephone can see a multitude of small pockets of smoke emanating out of Justicar's body. [What the hell did she do to her?]

The woman must have noticed Persephone's doubtful gaze, instantly donning a genuine frown of disapointment, explaining.

"Are you wondering what I did to her? I simply gave her what she deserved of course."

[What she deserved? What the hell does she mean by that?] Persephone felt uneasy at the self-satisfied tone of the woman

"What she deserved?"

"Yes, yes, she's one of the many, many people you are going to help me purge of this world."

"Purge?"

"Yes purge! To purge this world of its most heinous peoples. To purge all of them so that people like us can live freely and happily."

"And who are these 'heinous peoples'?"

The woman seemed shocked by Persephone's question, her jaw gapped open as if the answer was completely obvious...

"Everyone of course."

It was now Persephone's turn to be shocked, [Purge everyone? What are you insane? I know there are bad people in the world but everyone? How and why could you do something like that?] Unable to say anything, Persephone simply stood there, rooted to her spot.

"It's alright, I know you still don't understand it yet but I Lucia Vindicta will explain it all to you. Come with me."

Like preparing to embrace a close friend, the woman held her arms wide open before taking three steps forward. Persephone in response took three steps backward instead. The woman seemingly trying to not show her annoyance on her face simply took another three steps forward. Once again, Persephone took three steps back.

Three steps forward.

Three steps back.

Three steps forward.

Three steps back.

Three steps forward-

When the process was about to repeat the woman burst out into an annoyed shout.

"Why are you so hesitant to accept me?! Is it because of her?"

Pointing at Justicar on the floor, a look of disgust grew on the woman's face.

"It's her isn't it! Damn it! Why? Why is it that you care more about her than me!? Is it because she's one of your friends?"

"No it's just tha-"

"It's because she's your friend isn't it! Isn't it! Listen here!"

Unable to stop Lucia from misunderstanding, Persephone could only let her carry on with her monologue in amazed silence.

"Cast away those things. These things called 'friends.' None of them truly ever cared about you anyway. They only ever cared about themselves. We sisters and all those like us are all that would ever truly accept and love us. Trust me... I learnt it the hard way myself."

"What? You act as if you know me! As if you know everything!"

"But that's the thing! I do know! I know the harsh truth about this disgusting world. Those who call themselves your 'friends.' They are only using you, the moment you aren't need anymore they'll throw you away like any broken sword. Only we can truly trust each other in this world."

Lucia raised her hand, aiming it at Justicar, a ball of crimson red light quickly formed enveloping the halls in a red light.

"I was planning on giving you the honours but it seems that she's a distraction to you. It looks like I'll have to make this decision for you."

"Stop!"

Before Persephone knew it, she fired a chaos smite of her own, although barely charged up it still had considerable power within it. The beam blasted the red ball of light out of Lucia's hand. The two forces travelled down the hallway until exploding into a bright flash of light. Persephone instinctually braced herself from the small shockwave that followed. When her sight returned to Lucia's face, she found that it was filled in genuine irritation.

"Alright this is starting to get annoying... Please I'm trying to help you."

Lucia once again tried to charge another lethal chaos smite only for it to be immediately knocked away by Persephone's own chaos smite. As the impact of the shockwave subsided, Lucia unleashed her pent up anger.

"Stop this child! Do you not understand that I am trying to help you!? I knew you have yet to reach adulthood but I doubt that most people your age would be this stubborn. Please... Let me help you."

Lucia raised her opened palm to Persephone, giving a gesture of friendship. Lucia's face seemed tired with her faint friendly smile displaying how she's nearly reached her limit.

"Trust me. Together we ca-"

"Do nothing! I won't let you hurt innocent people!"

Unable to tolerate Lucia's insane goals anymore, Persephone sprang into action. Using the moment of confusion created by her spontaneous announcement Persephone charged up a semi-lethal chaos smite, just enough to cripple someone wearing even enchanted armour.

Unleashing the beam, it travelled quickly before exploding into a bright flash of light like before. However, unlike before, this flash of light was not instantaneous but rather a continuous explosion of bright red lights.

It didn't take long for Persephone to figure out what was going on. Lucia must be fighting against her chaos smite with her own. However, during the course of a few weeks Persephone learned how to somewhat master her power, learning some of its intricacies. One of these being that she can still power the beam even if she already fired it, as long as she didn't cut her circulation of magic, the strength of the beam can not only be sustained but even strengthened in power.

Persephone felt her arms strain as she poured more and more of her magic into the beam. Red lightning flashed repeatedly across the hallway in a blinding sight before finally a single explosion of bright red light, brighter than it's predecessors filled the room, temporarily blinding Persephone.

When her sight returned she found both herself and Lucia standing on opposite sides of the room, both with their arms raised and seemingly in a state of confusion. Looking at her hand that she that had small tiny flashes of red lightning crackling around it. Closing her hand into a fist, Persephone renewed her determination as she once again faced Lucia who stood still in utter shock.

"Ready for round two?"