The flames of Determination surged across the floor, consuming everything in its path like a tidal wave of heat.
The air trembled from its sheer force as the darker Sable lifted her hand, conjuring a magic circle in midair.
Dipping her blade into the magical formula, it was coated in a shadowy flame before she sliced forward.
"Blackthorn Divide!"
A blast of shadow fire erupted outward, slicing into Sable's flames.
The two spells collided, exploding in a burst of opposing emotion; Sable's grief and perseverance versus her false self's envy and bitterness.
Fire and shadow twisted into a cyclone of chaos in the center of the arena, causing the crowd of shadowy spectators to fall into silence.
Sable gritted her teeth as she held her ground, feeling the blast wave wash over her from the devastating impact.
"You're just a shadow of what I could've been!" Sable shouted with her voice cracking. "But that's not who I want to be!"
Dark Sable's crown cracked slightly under the strain of the energy around her. Her expression twisted into jealousy.
"I was made for this!" The doppelgänger barked as her magic circle flared with dark energy. "You think your failure makes you strong?! You've done nothing but crawl while I soar, Sable Hasteheart!"
She rushed forward faster than the eye could see, moving at subsonic speeds.
Her blade came down like a scythe meant to erase Sable from existence.
Sable widened her eyes, barely able to react in time. Raising her hands, her emotions carried her greatly, thus, she conjured another spell.
"Ashcloak!"
Determination Flames wrapped around her body like a living second skin, forming a protective shell of fire and will.
The impact of her blade rang out like thunder as sparks flew across the air.
Ashcloak remained strong, but Sable was still thrown back by the raw force.
She tumbled across the arena floor, landing hard on her butt. "Ghhh!" Her breathing was hesitant as she winced her eye, staring at her other self in the face.
"You're pathetic!" Dark Sable hissed with a frown. "You cannot stand before me! I exist to outclass you, Sable!! I'm your better self!"
She raised her hands to the sky, forming a giant array of layered black circles.
"Final Crown—Eclipse Judgement!!"
"What??" Sable widened her eyes.
Shadow magic rained down in the form of chains, aiming to consume the arena and trap Sable within.
"I will chain your existence in this realm forever! You will remain here in your subconscious, eternally bound by your weakness!"
Sable's heartbeat accelerated even faster; worry was evident in her expression. Her legs trembled on the ground, but she didn't fall, not yet!
Raising her hand again, she concentrated on Dark Sable's magic.
"I'm not gonna let it end here! My hopes, my dreams! I still haven't avenged my dad! I refuse to die!!"
She spread her fingers and erected a magic circle above her.
"I'll destroy you!"
Standing up to her feet, the ground beneath her shattered, forming a crater. Her mana surged all wild and clumsy, but it was still enough to worry her other half.
"…How are you still able to perform magic? You don't even know the basics! It's illogical!!"
She thought of every time she wanted to quit. Every time she screamed alone, clutching that book. Every second she believed she wasn't enough!
Those feelings formed the center of her Expression.
Her voice elevated, screaming to the sky.
"Determination Cannon!!"
From her magic circle came an orange and red fireball of pure willpower. Launched like a cannon, it went skyward, colliding with Eclipse Judgement.
There were hundreds of thunderous explosions, as one by one—the falling chains of shadow turned to dust—dissolving into particles as the flames moved through them like a comet.
Dark Sable's eyes widened in disbelief as she stepped backward.
"N-No… No! That's not possible!"
"Anything is possible if you break your limits!"
Sable ran across the arena, balling her hand into a fist.
"Now get ready, other me, this is what happens when you fuck with a real Hasteheart!"
Dark Sable tried backing away, but she wasn't fast enough.
Sable closed the distance on her in mere seconds, cocking her fist back.
"You better clench those teeth!!"
Launching her fist forward, she smashed Dark Sable in the face, knocking her off her feet.
Sable's strike was powerful enough to knock her backward and reach her heart; to the part of her that feared being forgotten. Being weak. Being Sable…
"Gaaaahhh!"
She tumbled across the ground and slowly stood back up, but to her surprise, her form began to shake.
Her body cracked like glass and light poured from within.
She stared down at her hands and her crown crumbling atop her head.
"What… is this?" She whispered.
"It's a reminder..." Sable said softly. "That perfection isn't power. Trying is!"
The false version of her dropped to her knees as the arena around them began dissolving into that same starlight she saw in the other room.
Dark Sable lowered her head and accepted her fate.
She smiled, looking up at Sable with sad eyes.
"You've thought of me ever since our Father's death. You hated yourself for being weak, and always dreamt of becoming powerful, and legendary. That's why I exist." Closing her eyes, she exhaled. "I am the Sable that feared being forgotten, and being weak; always worried that I wasn't worthy enough to continue Atreus' legacy. That's why I became perfect, to never let that happen… but you proved me wrong."
Sable stared at her other half with wide eyes.
"Even though you're still weak… you're not forgotten." Said Dark Sable. "Even though you're still weak… you continue to try… for Father's sake."
Sable nodded her head with a smile, closing her eyes.
"Yeah, exactly! Just because I'm not strong enough, that doesn't mean I can't continue Pa's legacy and change the world. I'll finish what he started, even if I have to see Jesus a few times, ahaha!"
Dark Sable lowered her head into a laugh.
"Pwa ha ha! Yes, that does sound like you." She nodded her head, placing her hand on her chest. Her expression became teary-eyed. "Please, change this world, Sable."
And with that final word—
She shattered into ash, before the arena did the same.
Sable stood in the silent void, smiling at the floating particles of her other self. It was finally over—
But then a warm voice echoed from above.
"Well done."
All of a sudden, Morpheus stepped into view once more, applauding gently with an unreadable smile.
"You've confronted your fear of inadequacy… and now your fear of magical weakness. One trial remains, Sable."
A new door appeared before her, pure white this time. Sable turned to it with weak legs, though her spirit remained unshaken.
She didn't say anything for a moment… then nodded.
"…Let's finish this." Sable approached the door, seemingly impatient.
"Wait just a moment!" Morpheus stopped her in her tracks.
"Huh?" Sable turned around, lifting her brows. "What is it?"
"How did you do it, Sable?"
Morpheus spoke to her with a curious voice, crossing his arms.
"Do… it?"
The spirit nodded.
"Yes. You used magic."
Sable fully turned around, placing her hands on her hips.
"Oh, you mean that…"
"Mm." Morpheus nodded. "I am the Spirit of Dreams, I saw everything; all your dreams and goals. You were born Manaless, then given mana from the Book of Spells, thanks to your Father. But never in your life were you trained in the Arts of Magic, you don't even know the basics, yet you conjured high-level expressions, and magic circles."
Sable widened her eyes, looking to the side in thought.
"Oh… uhhh… I dunno?"
"Huh?" Morpheus dropped his jaw, uncrossing his arms. "You.. don't know?"
"Uh, yeah? I just kinda… did it? I dunno how." Sable shrugged.
"Are you… serious? Magic is a complex art! In order to use it, you must remember thousands of information particles and shape them together to form a magic circle!"
Morpheus was utterly baffled.
"Ohhhh… so that's why the first trial was to see if we could memorize 1,000 rules, right?"
Morpheus stumbled in his words.
"Uhm… I… uh… yeah! If you can't remember 1,000 rules, then how will you be able to cast a basic magic circle? Memory is key in the arts of magic."
Sable laughed, rubbing the back of her head.
"Pwa ha ha! Well darn, I guess I'm just lucky or something, I dunno! I just kinda thought about magic and I did it."
Morpheus couldn't put his confusion into words.
Someone born Manaless, which means naturally having no potential in mana, could use magic circles and high-level expressions?!
Such a thing was impossible, but here was Sable, defying all odds.
The Spirit of Dreams has never seen this once in his life.
"I've visited countless dreams by traversing the dream world, and by far… you have the strongest willpower. It may even be equal to Elizabeth Rozenheart's, how peculiar…"
Sable tilted her head to the side.
"Huh? Elizabeth Rozenheart? Who's that?"
Morpheus shook his head, snickering.
"It's nothing." Turning around, Morpheus faced the other way. "I wish you luck on the final chapter, Sable."
"Oh, thanks!" She lifted her hand, giving a thumbs-up. "I'll need it!"
Morpheus chuckled before departing.
"I bet your Father is proud to have a daughter like you."