In The Tomb Of Valor And Envy [Veralia/Amaranta]

THE FIRE OF ENVY NEVER DIES

THE FLAME THAT BURNS THE BRIGHTEST

The moment Amaranta vanished, Veralia instinctively sensed the surge of energy approaching. Her body moved before her mind could fully process the danger. Sonido Rastro Envidioso left fiery trails in her wake as she narrowly dodged Amaranta’s initial strike, her flames licking at the edges of the burning claws that had aimed for her. The clash of their weapons sent sparks flying, but Veralia held her ground, her eyes burning with a fierce green glow.

"Every soul is selfish and you'll die if you don't have some amount of self-preservation."

Veralia growled through clenched teeth, the weight of Amaranta's strength pressing against her.

"But when you fight for someone else, you tap into something more."

Grunting with focused effort, Amaranta was a tough customer, and it took a valiant effort to deal with her flames. While her flames could suffocate many, and Veralia felt their intensity, a great burst of emerald flame surrounded them and punished back that intensity as her eyes ignited with their envious fire.

"If someone or something you care about is in danger... that’s when you wake up. That’s when kings and queens fought—when warriors laid down their lives—for something greater than themselves. There is glory and honor in that, even if from a self-serving place like we hollow are."

With a swift motion, Veralia twisted her blade, forcing a gap between their clashing weapons. In that instant, she summoned Envy’s Eruption, moving rapidly around Amaranta’s form to create afterimages. Emerald flames erupted in all directions, each afterimage self-destructing in bursts of fiery energy as Veralia circled her opponent.

"And with all that raw power you have, there's nothing you could fight for outside of yourself? Your internal strength makes my envy boil, but I'm sure if you had something worth a damn outside yourself, you'd be unstoppable."

Capitalizing on the chaos, Veralia reappeared behind Amaranta, using Envy’s Strike to focus all her power into a single, precise blow aimed at a vulnerable spot—Amaranta’s side—hoping to break through her fiery defenses with a combination of speed and concentrated strength. As her blade glowed with emerald energy, Veralia swung with all the conviction she had, her voice low but resolute.

"But, maybe I’m a lovesick fool. Fuck if I know. But the only way to find out is to keep pushing forward, growing stronger... and protecting what matters to me. Even if it's from a selfish place of feeling wanted."

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