Rosie's Games-Chapter 560: Confrontation 5

Rosalind did not understand most of Dorothy's words. "I provided you a second chance at life," Dorothy stated, her tone remaining cold. "That body... belongs to me."

Rosalind swallowed and inspected her own body. She knew she had sustained injuries from battling that demon. She was healing her body but she knew it would not be fast enough. It meant that fighting against Dorothy would put her at a disadvantage.

"You have lost your mind," Rosalind stated.

Dorothy chuckled, and then her body blurred. Rosalind promptly clenched her dagger, preparing for a confrontation just in time for Dorothy to reappear a few feet away.

Seeing her surprise, Dorothy's laughter resounded across the empty expanse as she extended her hand, summoning a gust of swirling winds that hurtled towards Rosalind.

Rosalind's abilities surged within her, and with a focused thought, she countered the winds with a barrier of her own. The two forces collided, creating a whirlwind of magic.

Seeing the attack had gone nowhere, Rosalind gritted her teeth, sweat forming on her brow as she struggled to maintain her defense.

Dorothy's eyes gleamed with malice as she gestured, sending a bolt of lightning crackling toward Rosalind. With a swift wave of her hand, Rosalind redirected the lightning into the ground. The barrier trembled under the strain of these potent elements.

It seemed that Dorothy could now employ magic due to the goddess. This only confirmed Rosalind's previous suspicion that the goddess was somehow using the barrier to enhance her own strength.

However, Rosalind could not understand how she had been able to take control of Dorothy's body. Did the goddess deceive Lucas in the end?

Rosalind knew she couldn't hold out forever. She needed to go on the offensive.

She lunged at Dorothy, her dagger gleaming.

Dorothy met her with a flick of her wrist, conjuring a whip of flames. It lashed out, but Rosalind easily deflected it.

Their blades clashed, steel against steel, as they danced within the barrier. Rosalind's movements were precise, yet her inexperience was still evident.

Dorothy, on the other hand, relied on her experience and cunning. She had trained for years with Belisarius, and it was evident that her experience was extensive.

Fortunately, Rosalind had glimpsed the memories of the goddess and absorbed a fraction of her abilities.

Dorothy attempted to trap Rosalind in a web of shadows, but Rosalind summoned a burst of light that shattered the darkness. The battle raged on, a whirlwind of magic, steel, and determination to end it as soon as possible.

Both women knew time was limited, and fighting like this would only weaken them further. However, neither of them wanted to give up or reveal any weakness.

Rosalind felt her injuries slowing her down, but the power within her continued to surge. With a sudden burst of energy, she delivered a powerful blow that sent Dorothy reeling. Seizing the opportunity, Rosalind conjured a torrent of darkness that engulfed Dorothy.

But how could something like this injure someone occupied by the goddess herself?

Dorothy's scream pierced the air as the darkness consumed her. But the sorceress, though wounded, was not defeated.

She summoned a desperate surge of dark magic, extinguishing the darkness Rosalind sent and creating a powerful shockwave that sent Rosalind tumbling back.

Rosalind gasped, her vision swimming. She clutched her abdomen where the internal injuries had taken their toll. It felt like a fiery storm was raging inside her.

With grim resolve, she channeled her light blessing, allowing it to mend the damaged tissues. The pain lessened, but she knew she couldn't rely on it too often.

Struggling to her feet, Rosalind swayed, her body weakened by the fight. She forced herself to stand, staring at Dorothy, who remained unscathed.

Rosalind's heart raced, and she knew that continuing the battle in this state would be disastrous. If it continued, she might end up permanently disabled, or worse.

No.

She did not want to die just yet!

Rosalind's mind raced for a solution. She couldn't match Dorothy's power head-on, but maybe she didn't have to. With a desperate gamble, she summoned the last of her strength and launched herself forward, not at Dorothy, but toward the edge of the barrier.

This caught Dorothy off guard. She tried to react, but it was too late.

Rosalind had already reached the barrier's edge and, with a burst of magic, shattered it.

The energy binding them dissipated, and they were both flung back into the real world.

Rosalind and Dorothy crashed into the snow, their bodies battered and bruised. Rosalind's right arm throbbed with a sharp pain, and her head spun from the impact.

Meanwhile, Dorothy lay nearby, her breathing ragged as she clutched her side.

Blood seeped from a gash on Rosalind's forehead, staining the pristine snow beneath her. On the other hand, Dorothy's robe was torn, revealing a deep cut on her leg.

Both women were injured, their bodies showing the price of their intense battle. The snow around them turned crimson as it absorbed their blood, contrasting sharply with the pristine white landscape.

"It turns out... you are truly different from me," Dorothy said, her voice hoarse. "You are too foolish."

Rosalind wanted to argue but ended up closing her mouth. The pain throughout her body was excruciating. She grimaced.

"Crashing your body against the barrier would kill you!" Dorothy hissed as she weakly sat down and looked at Rosalind with disgust.

What Rosalind did would not affect the barrier's ability to shield them from the demon on the other side, but it was still considered a foolish move.

The barrier existed to repel attacks from the other side, and Rosalind should have known this. However, she actually crashed into it knowing it would react! While Dorothy sustained some damage, Rosalind had it worse!

"Was it worth it?" Dorothy asked as she pushed her dislocated elbow. She was not as strong outside of the barrier, but she was still confident that she could kill Rosalind, even with her eyes closed.

She looked at Rosalind's sorry state and snorted. Did Rosalind actually want to escape? Was it possible that she didn't know that the barrier would repel any attack? Or was she... was that Rosalind's attempt to end her own miserable life?

Just the thought of it made Dorothy smile.

She pursed her lips. Rosalind was still breathing, but Dorothy was pretty certain she would not be able to get up anytime soon.

With this in mind, Dorothy slowly got up. She steadied herself and looked at the vast expanse of snow on this continent.

Despite her calm demeanor, only Dorothy knew the real situation inside her body.

This Dorothy was but a clone. A clone that she created for unpredictable situations, like another betrayal from an ally.

The goddess knew that she was not yet strong enough and that it would take her some time to recover her strength. So, she hid Dorothy in the barrier and had her absorb the barrier while the goddess was taken by Lucas to that space.

She was intending to fuse with the powerful Dorothy soon.

When Lucas destroyed the fragment of the goddess's soul inside Rosalind, the one inside Dorothy knew about it and was enraged. She lost control of her anger and accidentally made herself known.

Luckily, Lucas was not with Rosalind or that demon would have surely obliterated her this time around!