Genshin Impact: Frostburn

Crucabena danced across the battlefield. Her blade arching from different directions, she maneuvered across the dome with precision as she constantly attacked Peruere. 

 With a force that they'd never seen before, Crucabena never gave them time to breathe. Leo thrusted his spear covered in black mist. It bore harrowing coldness as it brushed off Crucabena's hydro armor. 

With a leaping strike, he used black tendrils from his back to push himself forward. Simultaneously, Pereure swung her sword as she dodged Crucabena's strikes.

Crucabena spun in place, her sword blocking Peruere's blade as her arm caught Leo's spear. Leo gritted his teeth as he used more force to penetrate her armor. Crucabena threw them both into the air and readied her sword as she positioned it on her side.

She sent a barrage of hydro-slashes towards them while they were still in the air. Leo used his tentacle tendrils to pull Pereure and conjured ice to block the incoming attack.

A booming sound was heard as the barrage of slashes met his makeshift shield. It threw them toward the spectator's area and destroyed the concrete railings. Leo grunted in pain as he stood up, his body bloodied and bruised.

"Step aside, you can't win against me."

Leo looked at Crucabena as she approached them. His heartbeat rose as each moment passed. Each attack he sent was making his head throb in pain as the whispers continued to plague his mind. 

"Yeah, I can't win like this." 

Leo looked at Pereure as he stood up covered in his own blood.

"That's why," Leo clenched his teeth and clutched his vision which was turning purple. "I'm going to break my promise, and show you, our years of progress."

Multiple black circles, each of a different size. Multiple blackened ice came out, their form distorted and black liquid oozed from within them. 

Crucabena felt a foreboding sense of unease as she looked at the ice. Her mind raised alarms as she readied herself. 

With a smile on his face, he flicked his finger. "Run"

In an instant, endless volleys were sent towards Crucabena. She ran across the dome as they constantly followed her like bees. Each time she was hit, her armor would brittle, and pieces fell off.

"Accursed Dottore!"

Her pace slowed as her armor slowly chipped off. Leo kneeled as his eyes bled and turned yellow. His fingers distorted into sinister sharp edges and his clothes wavered with eerie mist.

His smile twisted into giggles, which erupted into a full-throated, maddening laugh.

He raised his arms to the sides and marveled at the chaos that he brought.

Crucabena, in a desperate struggle to break free from this onslaught of attacks, charged her sword with energy and sent it towards Leo, sacrificing her armor in the process as she gets hit by multiple shots.

His tendrils surged forward as it tried to block her attack. The slash penetrated through them and sliced his tendrils as it traveled toward Leo. As it reached proximity, Leo's eyes widened and he conjured a shield made of blackened ice.

The attack hits the ice. Leo was thrown back from the impact and hit the wall behind. He choked blood as he held his chest.

"That was a close one," Crucabena said as she cuffed for air. Her form was bloodied and her armor was nowhere to be seen, leaving her with ragged clothes which gave no protection.

She made her way towards Leo with her hydro sword in hand. "Tsk, It's a pity that I can't kill you." She raised his chin towards hers. "But know that this will be the last time this will happen."

She let go of Leo and her gaze shifted across the dome. She looked at Pereure and Clervie her eyes blazing with annoyance and disappointment.

"Let this be a lesson for you, my dear children." She made her way towards where Clervie lay still. Her foot stepping on her blood. 

Leo with gritted teeth, crawled. "Stop!"

With a smile on her face, she raised her sword and brought it down.

Time seemed to slow down as Leo watched in despair. In his mind flashed the time he spent with them. The moments he spent this past few weeks inside the house and the things he learned.

As it seemed like there was no more hope, a flashing crimson red flashed from the corners of his eyes. It illuminated the dome with its deep crimson flames. The flames spiraled as it zoomed across the dome.

It hit Crucabena, sending her flying and hitting the walls, making it crumble. 

What?!

Leo's eyes widened as he tried to process what happened. What happened? What was that?

His gaze lingered on where Crucabena landed, then shifted towards where Clervie lay. In there, Pereure stood with a single wing on her back as she caressed Clervie's hair.

Her demeanor changed, her furious face was nowhere to be seen. In front of Leo, Pereure stood with a stern face, devoid of emotion. She stood up and looked at Leo. Her eyes seemed to reassure him, her cold presence gave chills to his bones.

Crucabena emerged from the rubble, her body wrenched with wounds. "You should have stayed down." Her expression contorted into maddening anger as she lashed out. "Why do you never listen! Your mother knows what's best for you! I'm doing this for your future!"

Pereure silently approached with her sword tightly gripped in her hands. "Stay back! Don't come close!"

Crucabena slumped into place, her back against the wall. "Pereure! Do you not have any shame! I raised you! I feed you! Without me you are nothing!"

Peruere stopped in her tracks and looked at Crucabena's sorry state. "Mother,"

"Yes, yes! I'm your mother! Stop this now, and I'll even spare Clervie."

Cruabena raised her hand towards Pereure. "Let your mother guide you, and you shall be the one true king!"

Leo watched from afar, his wounds slowly healing. He watched Crucabena's sorry state, her arrogant and mighty strength nowhere to be seen. He watched in mockery as she "begged" to be spared.

"Father," 

His eyes landed on Pereure's calm demeanor. At this moment, he felt exhilarating as he witnessed the birth of Arlecchino.

"Come, take my hand Pereure," Crucabena wore the look of a loving mother as she offered her hand to Pereue.

Pereure opened her palms and within them emerged pure deep crimson flames. Her hands were smeared black.

"My answer," She thrusts her hand forward towards Crucabena and shoots out the flames. "is no."

The dome erupted and the barrier of water vaporized. It blew up the concrete materials and destroyed the arena altogether. 

Leo watched as the flames devoured Crucabena. Spiraling flames stood tall, its blinding light and scorching heat permeated his skin. What lay on where Cruabena ones stood was only a charred body that turned into ash not soon after. 

"It's over,"

His body slumped as relief came over him. His wounds stopped healing as the whispers in his head dissipated.

He looked at Pereure's figure, standing alone in the night, watching the stars above with her body covered in ash.

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A/N: It's the start of new year and here I am...

Anyway how's the start of 2025 for you guys?

It's been okayish for me

This predatory game is sho shit