During their walk, Na observed the landscape once again: the ruined city held his interest. Bibi stared ahead with anger and determination. She walked quickly, but was careful not to lose Na behind her. Hearing him say that he would sacrifice his happiness for her had triggered something in her. She bit her lip and thought about what she would do.

Defeat Bibha.

This woman who was the obstacle in this story. The one who was stopping them from getting to that damn Sanctuary. If Bibi wanted to look at herself in the mirror again, if she wanted to allow Na to go home and she could breathe a little, she had to beat her. She was sure there was a better way, but she didn't want to look for it.

Bibi did not want to wait any longer.

In her steps, in her eyes and in her voice. It was obvious how determined she was to win this time. She knew very well that she would never lose. She knew her own strength, her own power and her own limits. Bibha was probably a strong woman, but Bibi was not afraid of her. To finally get rid of a weight on her heart, she would defeat her. If she had accepted them without making a fuss, without wanting to kill them for some unknown reason, then she would have been able to move on without problems.

However, since Bibha had betrayed them, Bibi had to deal with the fact that she had become attached to Na.

She grew attached too quickly, but it was talking to him after they woke up, seeing his real personality and hearing him say such a thing that had really touched her heart. Bibi had no desire to make a friend...

Bibi did not want to get attached to anyone.

Bibi felt comfortable being alone...

Bibi didn't need anyone to move on......

Bibi...

- ...

They arrived in front of the rock wall after a few minutes of walking and Bibi knocked again impatiently. Na waited by her side, his heart beating rapidly in his chest. He was afraid of what was going to happen... When Bibi had beaten the Longer, they had wanted to kill them: so wasn't Naim going to try to murder them directly? He trusted Bibi, but he couldn't calm his own fear... A few seconds passed before the rock wall opened and the man's silhouette became visible. He was about to speak when he noticed the two guests. He finally laughed and walked towards them.

- Ahahah, you?! he said.

This time, the expression on Bibi's face was quite different and Naim noticed instantly. He calmed down and, still controlling the rocks that served as a wall, sighed.

- What do you want?

- To join this Sanctuary," Bibi answered coldly.

Naim watched her silently, arms crossed. He quickly turned his gaze to the man behind her, noticing that he seemed to be bothered by something. Naim sighed again.

- Bibha wanted you two dead, and you still want to join?

Bibi clicked her tongue.

- That's why I'm here, for her.

- Eeeh?

- I'm going to defeat her.

Bibi took a step forward, but Naim was not impressed.

- I will kill her if I have to.

Bibi's words were what made Naim burst out laughing. He slapped his leg, amused as ever, not believing his eyes. He tried to calm down, but laughed even harder when he saw Bibi's serious face. Na hesitantly approached his friend, wondering about the man's behavior. The girl drew her weapon and frowned.

- I won't hesitate to kick your ass if I have to.

Naim shook his head and shrugged his shoulders.

- Ahah, I didn't... Ahah, completely crazy...

He passed his hand over his eyes before looking at her with a big amused smile.

- I don't want to fight and I have no reason not to let you get beaten up by Bibha!

He snapped his fingers and the rocks fell to the ground, making it shake. Na had to grab Bibi's arm to keep from falling and the girl kept her weapon in her hand, not trusting Naim. The blue-haired man took a step back, but not out of fear.

- Violence will not get you into the Grand Sanctuary, but~

- ... But?" Bibi asked, her eyes squinting.

Naim showed his teeth from his big smile.

- But I'm sure Bibha will gladly accept such a challenge!

- Of course I gladly accept.

Bibha rose from her stone throne and looked down at the two « fugitives ». Bibi stared at her with determination and anger, wanting to get it over with as quickly as possible. Even though she didn't know her power and couldn't use her more powerful form, Bibi still didn't fear her chances. She clenched her fists.

- If we win, you let us be part of this sanctuary, right?

Bibha walked down the steps smiling and nodded.

- I betrayed you once, I agree not to do it again. Beat me and I accept you two. However...

This time she jumped down from the steps and landed in front of them. Crouching down, she looked up and stared at Bibi with an emotion she had not yet shown.

- Do we agree that killing our opponent is a possibility?

Bibi let out a toothy smile, filled with amusement.

- Of course!" she replied.

Bibha stood up and nodded, happy to hear such a thing. She told them to follow her to an arena and asked Naim to call the members of the Great Sanctuary to observe the fight. He agreed without question and Bibha started to walk north, Bibi and Na following quietly.

Bibha wasn't the biggest fan of violence, but fighting gave her feelings she couldn't experience otherwise. Her heart beat faster, the pressure of the opponent and that satisfaction when she won. Nevertheless, she hated to lose. She always wanted to earn the victory alone and asking for help was only in case of extreme necessity. Thanks to the link she had with Effuka, Mistress of the Great Sanctuary, she could call upon her in her mind to ask her to save her, but Bibha hated having to do that. She preferred to defeat the enemy alone, whether it was to make them fight or take their life. When she lost or did not have the opportunity to defeat her opponent, it made her moody and aggressive in her demeanor.

To have Bibi and Na, two people who had been saved from their clutches, come back to her in this way...

It made her so joyful!!!

Bibha finally arrived at the arena, having kept Bibi and Na waiting for a few minutes. The man beside his friend was still amazed by the arena they were in: it was so big. It wasn't as huge as the place where Bibi had faced the monster, but he could run from one side to the other but it would take a little more than two minutes. The ground was made of dry earth, but no grass was visible. Hundreds of people were standing and sitting around the arena, prepared to watch Bibha's fight. The woman approached Bibi and Na, shaking her fist.

She was so happy to be able to fight in this way. She had been beaten badly the day before, and she needed to let off steam.

- This fight is between us, no one will intervene," Bibha said with a smile.

She was sure she would win. There was no fear in her eyes, even after watching this girl's fight with the Longer.

- You'd better, because I want revenge for almost killing Na," Bibi said through gritted teeth.

She too was certain of her victory. She was powerful enough to defeat her and she had someone to protect. Bibi would not let Na perish in a city like this and would not agree to leave him behind.

These two fighters were certain of their victory.

Bibha conjured her weapon in her hand and prepared to defeat her. Bibi grabbed hers from her back and turned it in her hands before striking a fighting pose. Bibha nodded.

- Ready to feel regret?" she asked.

Bibi waved Na away, unable to fight, and shrugged.

- I'm ready to bring it on," she replied.

Bibha smiled.

- Then let me go wild.

And charged at Bibi violently.

The girl blocked the attack with accuracy, but the impact was so strong that Na, who was several meters behind Bibi, caught the gust of wind and fell to the ground. He got up immediately. He was helpless and could not help in this fight, so he would stay back. He would trust Bibi to defeat this woman and they could both go home. He just had to be careful not to get attacked, because then Bibi would have to protect him.

That was Bibi's plan: to force Bibha to focus only on her.

She pushed the woman with her foot and began to charge with lightning. Bibi didn't need to stand still to charge, so she charged back at the woman. Bibha had her weapon in both hands and waved it at her opponent, but Bibi dodged it with ease. Just as she was about to hit her with the metal bar, vines came out of the ground and headed for Bibi. She had to dodge them and could not attack, forcing Bibi to back away. She squinted and already knew the nature of Bibha's power... The shouts of the people of the Great Sanctuary could be heard; their excitement was upsetting Bibi.

- Surely this isn't the first time she's fought like this..." she thought.

She walked toward Bibha, but didn't run: she wanted to charge as much of her lightning as possible. Bibha was not a defenseless woman, Bibi knew that very well. She did not underestimate her opponent, but not believing in her was not her style. Bibha, seeing that the girl did not want to make the first move, smashed the ground under her with violence. Vines came out of the ground and ran towards Bibi, but Bibi prevented them from hitting her by hitting them with her metal weapon. Bibha waved her weapon and sent dirt towards her, but it did nothing. Bibi was about to attack when she noticed out of the corner of her eye that vines were appearing all around her: from the pieces of dirt that Bibha had thrown. She almost got caught by them, but she jumped in a feat of acrobatics before landing on her feet. She turned and swung at Bibha, but Bibha shielded herself with her weapon. Bibi squinted her eyes...

And unloaded her lightning bolts to electrocute Bibha.

The woman tensed up and forced Bibi back, but Bibi came right back at her and hit her in the face with her weapon. Bibha closed her eyes in pain and could not avoid the other attack in her stomach. Vines sprang up from the ground beneath Bibi and grabbed her by the arms, but she pulled away with ease. Bibha opened her eyes and spat on the ground.

- ...

She went straight for Bibi. Bibi also went after Bibha. Both wanted to defeat the other, even if it meant death.

In their eyes, the warlike determination. In their blows, raging violence.

One fought for pleasure, the other for someone. Because Bibha loved these sensations; because Bibi had become attached.

She would protect her Paradise; the other would protect her friend.

Na watched them fight from a distance, totally useless in this fight. Bibi didn't know why she had insisted that he needed to be in this fight.

- Maybe Bibha wouldn't have agreed otherwise...?" he wondered.

He could not join them: they were powerful while he felt only fear. He knew he was useless, but he couldn't even move...

Bibi was hit in the thigh, but she counterattacked with her lightning. Their weapons collided with force, their determinations opposed with violence. Vines managed to grab Bibi's left arm and Bibha avoided an attack from her, giving her an opening. With her weapon gripped in both hands, her muscles ready to use all their strength, Bibha attacked Bibi's body violently, sending her flying farther away. Without hearing it, she knew she had broken her ribs.

And she was right.

Bibi rolled to the ground and caught her breath. She blinked and helped herself up with her metal weapon. She cracked her shoulder to put it back in place and sighed heavily.

- ...

She clenched her fists and her body became electrified. Her weapon seized some of her lightning and Bibi gritted her teeth. She looked up at Bibha and gasped. She ran towards her, ready to finish the long fight. Bibha attacked her opponent with her weapon, but Bibi slid to the ground, avoiding the sheep's horn in her body, and arrived in front of Bibha. Vines caught her from behind: Bibha had foreseen such a thing. However, Bibi screamed so hard, using so much strength, that the vines were not enough to hold her back. She hit Bibha in the head and sent her rolling to the ground, dropping her weapon in pain. Bibi didn't wait for her to get up before kicking her with her foot and knocking her out with her metal weapon. The sound of this last attack echoed through the arena and Bibi sighed.

- ...

She was thrown further, towards Na, and dropped her weapon in turn. She had not seen what had happened. She didn't see it coming. She slid to the ground and coughed with difficulty.

- B-Bibi!" Na shouted.

He reached her and helped her up. She held her ribs, feeling her difficulty in breathing. She had one eye closed and looked ahead, wondering what had happened. Bibha was getting up in turn, her weapon in one hand. The vines were slowly circling around her and her eyes were ablaze.

She had protected her head in time, that's what had happened.

Bibi bit her lip and asked Na to hand over her weapon. Na nodded and tried to grab it, but it was so heavy that he could hardly hold it. Bibi went over and pushed him weakly before grabbing it herself. She sighed and looked at Bibha. This woman was not the strongest opponent she had ever met, but she had used so much energy in the fight before that even after hours of rest, she could not use her Power fully... Bibi knew she had started this fight too quickly, that they should have waited…

But she didn't want to wait any longer.

She turned quickly to Na and looked him in the eyes. Bibi could see it very well: yes, she could see her fear in his eyes. The shivers that ran through him. The hesitation in his heart. Despite his confidence, Na was still afraid Bibi would lose; or worse, die. He wanted her to be safe, and he didn't like to see her fight like that. Sure, he was impressed to see them so powerful, but he didn't want to see her hurt; deep down, he didn't want to see Bibha with injuries all over either. He would have wanted a peaceful way to settle this, he just wanted to go home and find Sheerah, maybe even ask Bibi to join them. Na wanted to tell her that she didn't have to go that far, but his throat was tightening by itself. He couldn't speak; expressing his emotions was only possible with the air on his face. Bibi finally smiled and grabbed his cheek.

- Na...

Yes, Bibi remembered now. Even though it had been brief, she had drifted from the path she had taken.

What a fool she had been to think she could take another?

She didn't want to take human life. She didn't want to fight unnecessarily... This fight against Bibha was necessary for Na's happiness, so it was important to her. Winning was the perfect way to allow Na to go home, to see his loved ones again, and to allow him to continue searching for who he really was. Bibi didn't care who he really was, but she wanted to learn more about him.

About the current Na.

Bibi had stepped onto another path without even seeing it. She had a friend she never thought she would ever meet and had become attached too quickly. She knew very well that she was stupid. Dumb. Naive. She didn't know him well, but she could see how pure Na's heart was and how kind his Aura was. He was even too nice, making him weaker than he already was. He wasn't someone who could survive in such a world, but Bibi had faith in his future. Taking a blow like that in the stomach had made her open his eyes again. The ordeal, the reason they were both there...

Her fault, completely stupid.

Explanations were deserved, but Bibi had to win this fight first. She had to continue on her original path and accept the future she had seen. Because she had talked about it so much, because she had thought about it so much. She had become strong for a reason. She had become powerful for one reason.

She was happy because of one person.

Because of her first real friend.

Bibi kissed Na on the lips while clutching her weapon tightly in her right hand. With her eyes closed, she held his cheek and caressed it. As she kissed him, she thought about everything she had done to get here. All the hardships, the crying and sweating to allow herself to walk such a road. The unbearable waiting, the failed plans and the sad defeats. Bibi had already accepted all this.

So she would win every battle, even if she had to sacrifice lives.

She didn't want to kill any human, she really meant it. She had never taken a life until now, and she hoped that would never happen.

Naive, but she accepted it.

She released her lips from his, opening her eyes slowly. Bibha gritted her teeth, seeing that she was underestimating her. She charged at them and would not accept losing. Kissing during a fight like this was an insult. One of the worst possible insults. Bibi looked at Na with a happy smile, a real smile. Her eyes showed so much love and joy at meeting him that she didn't know how to express it. He was a friend who would be dear to her and fighting for him was an experience she enjoyed. Na blushed, unable to take a single step. His muscles were unresponsive, his heart was pounding and his mouth was hanging open. Bibi turned around and parried Bibha's attack with ease. She forced him back and Bibi smiled again, but with her back to Na.

- Hey, Na...

The man stared at the girl's hair, dark blue and beautiful. He blinked and stood still, silent as a fish. Bibi grabbed her weapon with both hands and her whole body was filled with lightning. She lowered her head weakly and showed Bibha her teeth. However, she spoke to Na, who was behind her.

- Watch me carefully, okay?

With these words, she charged at Bibha at full speed. The woman blocked Bibi's attack and stepped back because of the force behind it. She gritted her teeth and sent dozens of vines towards Bibi as she rushed forwards. If she could use all her strength to attack her, maybe she could kill her. Bibi stared at Bibha with a smile.

This was the path she had decided to take for so long, she could not deviate from it. This was her purpose in life, this was her destiny. It was in her hands that a bit of hope had been deposited and she was the one who had set foot on this path first. She could not lose herself, she could not lose. Waiting was not acceptable, so she would force things. Because time was not on their side, she had to be careful. She wanted to get to the end of this road as quickly as possible, before anyone realized her purpose. Because she was the one who had started this countdown...

She had to get home, to his side.

She charged her body with lightning, Bibha prepared to attack her with all her might. This woman would not accept losing this fight, but neither would Bibi.

They did not have the same motivations.

The vines reached Bibi's height, but she cut them all down, even without a sharp weapon.

They were not fighting the same battle.

Bibha waved her weapon in front of her, ready to kill Bibi with her heavy weapon. If she didn't beat her after using so much force, then she would lose. Then she would have to accept them into the Great Sanctuary and still have to call Effuka to save her from death.

They did not share the same path.

Bibi looked at her with a smile, her body flashing with lightning and her weapon in her right hand. There were no more vines in her path, and she waved her weapon in turn.

They did not see victory in the same way.

And Bibha's weapon struck Bibi's body, destroying all her insides.

Bibi had been too slow. She spat out blood as she was sent further away.

She was still smiling.

Her body rolled on the ground violently, her hair flying in all directions because of the force Bibha used.

Her eyes showed no sadness.

Bibi hit the wall of the arena and her bones shattered on impact. Her eyes looked at Na one last time, because this will be the last time.

Bibi wanted to reach out.

Her eyelids did not close. Her body fell to the ground and she remained motionless. The spectators did not say anything more. There was total silence. Bibha's breathing was not even audible. Na was staring at Bibi's body with shock; he was not even shaking.

And Bibi's eyes showed no life, her heart stopped and her hand never reached Na.