“Nora? Is it Odel?” she says scared of facing her own Master.

Nora shakes her head as a ‘no’ answer. “It’s not that bad, but you won’t like it either”.

‘Fuck, it’s Amon’.

She is irritated, not wanting to hurt her friend.

Amon appears in the picture with some other Paladins. ‘Gee, he appeared with his friends’ she thinks with an ironic expression.

He is frustrated, not sure how to react.

“What are you thinking Val? Please, don’t do something you will regret!” he shouts, practically begging for her to not do it.

This pains her, seeing her friend like that, but she knows there’s no turning back now.

“Amon, you know I can’t back down now”.

He grinds his teeth and clenches his fist. He was determined to not let her go, even if it meant to drug her by the hair.

“If you do this, there’s no way back, I will have to hunt you down!” his voice is breaking just by uttering these words.

“You know that the moment I started this, there was no way back. Punishment will await me no matter what. Just do what you have to”.

She tries to ease his pain on what is about to go down.

Both parties have readied their weapons, silently waiting who is gonna attack.

Amon feels a small relief as they are five Paladins versus two. At the same time though something disturbs him, is it on her eyes, looking like a demon?

Valerie throws first, by sending her blade on Amon. He barely blocks the attack, as he wasn’t expecting her to go for him. The Paladins attack and Nora creates a shield, blocking them. Another comes from behind piercing her through her heart with his spear. What he didn’t know though is that this is a clone and that the real Nora is just behind him, stunning him. Two Paladins protect Amon, as the head of the squad.

“She is just a girl, barely a Paladin” one of them speaks. They underestimate her, but this won’t end well for them.

Both men charge in, swinging their spears. She ducks, dodges by flipping her body in the air. One of her abilities is to be quick and swift, avoiding the spears, going for the main target; Amon.

She knows that he will try to use the hourglass to slow the time, so she won’t be able to use her ability of fast movement. He is her opposite; Yin and Yang.

She directly runs up to him, grabbing his legs. He falls on the ground and she is on top. He frees one of his legs and pushes her away. He stands up again calling for his Item. The big scythe lands on his hand and he lunges at her, trying to cut her in half.

She notices he isn’t holding back, but at the same time not using the hourglass. At first, she thought it was because of his unwillingness to harm her, but by seeing him put his all in this fencing, she realizes that he can’t use the hourglass yet.

He has only one more shot at this, and needs to be the perfect moment, and the perfect moment would be when she weakens.

Both parties exchange ammo, fighting to the death. Nora grabs a Guardian by the neck with her tail, smacking him against on one of the columns. Valerie continues fencing, throwing blades at him, only to see him blocking them. He isn’t using his scythe to attack yet, but keeps it folded, more like a sword so he can defend, and to have one hand free for the hourglass.

All her attacks aim at his pocket were he hid it. She knows she can’t lose focus. The portal shakes as it is ready to fire and she knows they don’t have much time before the Masters arrive.

She starts sweating, as his defense can’t be penetrated. She runs fast, charges and jumps in the air, knowing she can only come close from above. He realises what she is about to do, and he is about to turn the hourglass.

She is mid air, and she already feels the time changing.

‘No’.

Her hand is so close to grab it, yet he has almost flipped it completely. Their eyes meet as she comes closer.

Her finger is about to touch the hourglass, putting all of her strength. The time goes slower, and his hand is about to complete the cycle and everything will be over.

‘God please help me. Even though I’m considered a traitor, even if you hate me, give me power’.

Her finger touches the hourglass, and fire comes out of it resulting in an explosion. His hand is pushed back, blood gushing out of it. She immediately grabs the hourglass and kicks him to the side.

He stands there, not moving. She throws the hourglass, since it won’t obey to her, and she runs for the portal.

‘What did just happen?’.