Even if he had lost his reasoning, the worshiper showed a reaction. However, instead of mad, the man looked devastated.

“How could you kill a vessel of the True Gods?” he said, his eyes returning to normal for a moment. When he let out a deafening, almost animal-like scream, they became black and yellow again.

The next instant, he came rushing at the swordswoman with amazing speed.

Faela prepared her defenses, but when he swung the arm at her, Tetsuko’s enhanced edge made no difference; she was thrown in the air, rolling as she landed to lessen the impact. She stood up right away, but he wasn’t coming after her.

He knelt next to his dead companion, closing the eyes on the severed head. “You offered your life for the Truth. The Gods won’t forget,” he prayed.

With tears rolling down his eyes, he used his claws to chop his left leg. Without showing any pain, he cut the woman’s monster limb and attached it to him.

Though Faela couldn’t sense, Tetsuko could. Even if the woman worshiper was dead, the ancient Celeste was still flowing inside the limb. And when he placed it on the wound on his hips, it healed it. With a screamed that sounded too demonic, the monster leg looked as if it belonged to him.

“Crap,” Faela muttered.

Crap, Tetsuko thought.

The worshiper was more monster than human now. With one arm and one leg transformed, he couldn’t stand on his two feet and had to stay on all fours like an animal.

Then, just like his companion, he kicked the ground and came flying at Faela faster than an arrow. However, unlike the woman, who could only go in a straight line, when the swordswoman dodged, he used his claws on the ground to stop his momentum and kicked Faela on the back.

If not for her reflexes and Tetsuko, she would have a few broken bones, if not worse.

“Damn it,” she muttered, almost losing her consciousness. Even so, she still stood up. “With two limbs like that, he’s worse to deal with than two separated worshipers.”

Tetsuko realized it wasn’t just her wielder complaining. She’s past her limit. With all the fights, she won’t last long. Actually, it’s amazing she is still standing so far. But there’s no way she can fight the last worshiper. She needs to last until the soldiers get here. I don’t know what they can do, but their weapons and shields might be useful against this monster.

The worshiper kicked the ground again and came flying at her with terrifying speed.

Faela barely dodged in time. When the worshiper dug his claw against the ground to stop and twist his body in her direction, she dropped to the ground, escaping the next kick.

However, when he was passing above her, he brought his huge monster foot down.

Faela blocked it with her swords, but the force was immense. She screamed and managed to withstand, redirecting to the side. Before he could attack her again, she put some distance between them.

You need to jump to the opposite arm. Go to the normal one. Even if he can twist like that, you’ll have more time to dodge.

“Easier said… than done,” Faela panted, one eye already closed.

She can’t fight anymore. She’s way past her limit, Tetsuko realized. Damn it. If she dies here, I’m screwed. I can’t let that happen.

But what can I do?

All I can do is get sharper…

Then the soul in the sword remembered. There was something she could do. Something she had done before.

Give me your arm, she projected her thoughts to her wielder.

“What?”

Focus on dodging and let me fight.

It took an instant for Faela to understand. “Can you control my arm and still be sharp enough to wound that monster? If not… there’s no meaning.”

I’ll do it. Or you’ll die.

Despite the situation, she let out a weak chuckle. “Can’t believe this… I must be dying to think my demon sword’s idea is the only way.”

With a bitter smile, she cut herself on the left arm, almost near the shoulder, and then relaxed completely, almost as if it was limp.

Still adding the dust Celeste to the flow circling her metal body, Tetsuko used the wound on her wielder’s arm as guide. It was the limit she had to control. As she filled the arm with her energy, she almost lost consciousness. Crap… It’s like my head’s been split into two… Even so, she still forced herself.

It’s the only way.

The worshiper punched the ground, got a boulder and threw upwards. When it came down, he kicked it in Faela’s direction. It was faster and more powerful than when he threw it.

The swordswoman barely had time to dodge the rock spikes. Before she rolled out of the way and stood, the worshiper kicked the ground and was before her.

“Crap!” she shouted before diving on the ground. However, even in that situation, she rolled to the side to give Tetsuko the chance to strike him.

The soul in the sword tried to move the arm as if it belonged to her. Just like she had done with Alonso and the turned worshiper back in the city.

However, unlike those times, she didn’t have to keep feeding the dust Celeste to her edge. The best she could do was flap the arm, her tip barely scraping the worshiper.

He dug his claw on the ground, leaving deep marks on the ground before halting completely and then brought his leg down, leaving a hole where the swordswoman was standing.

“That was good. Scratch him enough and he’ll go away,” Faela muttered as she got up. She was already wobbling. “Is there anything I can do?”

Swing me in the general direction. I’ll do the rest.

“Hope so.”

With a bestial scream, the worshiper got on all fours and lurched at Faela again.

Though his speed wasn’t anywhere near when he kicked the ground, this was more dangerous. Fast as it was, when he kicked the ground, he came in a straight line. It was a direct attack, easy to dodge if you knew where it was coming from.

But when he came like this, there was no way to tell with what he was going to attack: the monster leg or the arm.

Faela raised the katana, ready to react but then she lowered it. She had no strength to keep her sword up.

The worshiper realized and swung the monster arm.

She dodged towards the human one, but he twisted his body in midair to get her with the leg. She dove diagonally, going to his left leg. He tried to stomp her but missed.

The instant she saw the opening, Faela used the rest of her strength to swing her left arm widely. Her attack had no aim and no target but it was all Tetsuko needed.

With her soul feeling like it was splitting in half, she poured the rest of the dust Celeste in her to her edge and forced the rest of the hard one to control her wielder’s wrist. Only enough to give herself a direction. To give herself a target.

And that was the back of the monster leg.

It didn’t matter how strong it was. When her enhanced blade met the back of the knee, with that speed, it chopped it off clean.

Just like any normal living creature, Tetsuko devoured the ancient Celeste. It was so much she lost consciousness for an instant.

When she recovered, Faela was trying to stab the worshiper in the heart, but he was grabbing the blade with his monster hand.

The pain is too much, Tetsuko realized when she tasted his blood. The wound on the palm couldn’t heal anymore.

She stopped controlling her wielder’s arm. She couldn’t, even if she wanted. All she had strength for now was to put that energy into her tip, making herself heavier.

Little by little, her blade dug deeper, cutting the monstrous hand as it went down.

Though he tried to move the sword away from his head, he too was exhausted.

The tip pierced his chest and his heart.

He widened his eyes and then let go of the sword. With the rest of his strength, he punched Faela in the chest, his fist going through her.

Blood came from her mouth, but she didn’t let go of Tetsuko. She used the last of her strength, the last bit of life she had in her to push the sword all the way through the worshiper.

When his monster hand grew limp and the light, and the rage, faded from his eyes, she flashed a tiny smile and toppled to the side, completely still.

You were the best wielder I had, Faela. Rest now.

“Try not to become a demonic sword,” she whispered.

I’ll try.