Gehrman advanced, his blade a glimmer of silver that cleaved through the air like a shimmering band of light. I ducked beneath a broad slash, yet had not time to consider riposting before he had already struck thrice more; his blows while arching and wide left only the smallest of gaps which existed only to sunder the errant hand that blundered into such brief schisms. On my trailing foot I pivoted, wringing a squeal from the broken stone beneath me as it grated against my iron sole, yet I was too slow, his sword crashing against my shoulder, tracing its path with a thin vine of crimson.

I reached deep into myself, flaring the Cinder until it burned bright as the Sun, then grasping the blinding seam where unstoppable forces clashed. Dark and Flame burned through me, pouring electric strength into my veins where it twitched and thrashed like a caged viper. My sclera turned black, my pupils glowing embers in the shadows, and white flames drifted from my skin like tongues of mist. His next blow I caught on my wrist, and wrenched aside, nearly ripping his arm from his shoulder with the indomitable force. He flipped onto the earth in a burst of dust, yet his impression had not time to form in those wilted stalks and beaten planes before he was already on his feet once more, his blade a moonlight crescent arching toward me from on high.

Crang! His blade clashed with my wrist, its mournful knell ringing through the discord of battle, sliding on past in an attempt to cross the threshold of my eye, and pierce the brain beyond. Its edge glinted with boundless hunger, yet it tasted only air as I leaned back, its planes glimmering overhead as I rolled sidelong, and came up slashing, my forearm flaring with light as his blade crunched home, passing through armor and cloak yet halted by nothing more than my softly radiant skin. Incandescent fire rolled over my frame, charring the ground in a blackened halo around me, flaring to blinding heights as I rose with his blade still braced against my arm.

Or'do laughing, his fist raised high in triumph, his eyes bright with glory. I came surging in low, my fist crashing against Gehrman's jaw with thunderous force, snapping his head back with an audible grinding of bone. No sooner had he staggered back than I was on him again, my fists fading into indistinct blurs that batted away his blade and hammered against his cloaked frame, yet even stunned as he was Gehrman was ever dexterous, twisting and weaving around my fists and slashing at my unprotected side, undeterred when a lowered elbow halted his blade or when a pivot of my own left it spearing nothing but air.

Or'do grinning, leaned back as the Bonfire's glow flickers over him. I turned, his blade grating across my jaw, spraying beads of scarlet across my pale features. My fingers close around the sword as it passes, sparks leaking between them in flickering rivers of light.

I drift in the void, a cold flame spreading along my neck where Gehrman's blighted scythe left its foul kiss. I released Gehrman's blade, dust exploding from my planted foot as I lunged, closing the distance between us, driving an armoured fist against his chin, once again snapping his head back, once again doing nothing more than broadening his madman grin.

"Enough." His voice is coarse, rough, yet brimming with excitement. "So long I have lived as a god among these creatures. So long have the few Ashen strong or foolish enough to attain this realm, my blighted domain, stood defiant only so long as their headless body remained on its feet. Yet you, you challenge me as none have. I thank you for that Ashen One, and as a sign of my gratitude, I shall grant you the permanent death you have for so long shirked." I stalked forward, leaving charred pools glowing malevolent and seething in my wake. My fist lashed forth, smashing through the air like a falling stone, yet I realized too late my mistake. He caught my fist, its flame rolling over his palm, singeing his wrist, singing its foul chorus in voices that hissed and cracked, yet he merely smirked, unmoved.

All my power, all my rage, all the strength I had gleaned was nothing to him. The Dark swallowed my Light then, and I realized how worthless our struggle had always been. It was our destiny to be used, to serve, and then be cast aside. Tears of rage and helplessness burned at the corners of my eyes, sliding like barbed caltrops along my cheek. There was nothing for us here, nothing in this world worth claiming.

Our fate was death whether fealty or contempt we offered the Flame.

This was the truth I thought fury could extinguish.

This was the truth that would consume us with its despair.