Michael tasted ash and blood as he looked over the battlefield, beaten down and low on mana he watched as a towering demon stood in front of a destroyed village.
"Start preparing for the end!" the man said. "I don't think we're gonna make it out of this one Selene. Begin gathering mana while I get his attention." Tears rolled down his face as he talked. "That demon is going to kill us any wipe the planet out, if we don't stop him here."
"Is it really coming to this?" a female voice replied. "We can win this if we stick together… We have to win this, for everyone."
The battle raged on. Michael jumped in wildly, slashing at every opening he could find on the towering demon. Selene backed him up with her magic. The duo had been together for what felt like a lifetime.
In their time together, they grew unbelievably strong and built a life. They were known as the best demon hunters this world would ever see. Back home, everyone was praying they would return safely.
"I'm going to try something, Michael. If this doesn't work, then it really will be over. This is our last chance."
Selene began chanting in a foreign tongue. A glow sputtered up around her from every living thing nearby. She gathered as much energy as the world would allow. "If you can hold him off long enough, we will win," she said, bracing as Michael blocked another crushing blow.
As she powered up her spell, Michael took the Demon King head on, absorbing blow after blow so she could continue chanting.
"I don't know how much more of this I can take!," Michael said, urgency rising in his voice. "How much longer!?."
"A few minutes at least Michael…" she replied, making quick eye contact. "You can do this!"
The Demon King stood before them, large enough to pierce the heavens. Fire burned at his feet and black clouds enshrouded his form. The ground cracked beneath the weight of him.
"You two really think you can defeat me?" the towering entity roared, his voice rolling through their bodies like an earthquake.
"I am Calzareth, the bringer of destruction, the ender of worlds... Your magic is useless against one like myself."
"You don't know what you're talking about," Michael shot back. "You aren't the first monster I've killed. You think I fear death, demon?"
The Demon King focused on them and began gathering energy in front of his mouth, preparing to end the fight.
"Michael, come here," Selene called. "Use this time and get behind me. Charge me with your mana. It may be enough if we work together."
Michael landed beside her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "I don't have much mana left, but I'll give you what I can."
Her aura surged instantly, distorted with orange and green hues. The air cracked in response and the ground trembled as mana gathered.
"If this doesn't work, we will not be the only ones to get hurt," Michael said. "We have to protect the ones we left at home… End this bastard."
"Who do you think will finish charging first?" Selene asked with a faint smirk.
"You will… I know it. You have always shown up when needed. It just sucks we won't get to say goodbye."
"You two just don't know when to stop, do you?" Calzareth bellowed.
"No!" Selene shouted. "You will die here, and this world will keep moving. Eventually forgetting you ever existed."
Calzareth laughed, the sound rumbling like a collapsing mountain. "You sound just like the heroes from other worlds I have destroyed. They thought they were chosen too. You are not even that."
"What are you talking about? What other worlds?" Selene demanded.
"I was born from sheer destruction, with an insatiable thirst for death. I have devoured worlds far older than yours," Calzareth declared.
Selene's aura flickered. For a moment, she hesitated. If he had destroyed other planets, snuffed out others like her, how could she possibly defeat him?
"You've got this," Michael said, steadying her. "Focus on what matters most. The power of our love, and the love of those around us. That will let us prevail."
Something in his words struck deep within her.
"You monster," Selene cried. "You have killed countless people. If I let you live, the cycle continues."
"Let?" Calzareth scoffed. "I am the one who allowed you to get this far. You are nothing more than playthings."
"Just a little longer," Selene whispered. "I am sorry, kids. I will not see you grow up. But know this. You were loved."
"Use it. End this monster," Michael commanded. "Let's protect everyone."
The beam released with precision, aimed directly at Calzareth's mouth. A continuous surge of pure life energy shot from the heroes.
Calzareth answered with his own. The air around it corrupted, stripped of color.
The collision was bright and violent. Selene's beam shattered the attack and tore through, forcing the demon to stagger.
"Get him, Michael," she said.
The words ignited him. Magic enshrouded his body as his expression hardened.
"Gladly."
He launched forward, blade raised. Calzareth struck at Selene, but Michael intercepted the blow, taking the brunt of the impact.
"I will cut you down, demon."
He leapt again, faster this time. The strike met resistance. Too slow.
Michael climbed the god's massive form, slashing upward until he reached eye level.
"With this last strike, you will fall."
"No, Michael, you can't use that! Not without mana. You'll die!" Selene cried from below.
"Last Oath."
The air parted around the command.
The blade aligned with it.
Judgment fell in a single stroke.
Calzareth split in two.
"What have you done?" the Demon King gasped as his body began to crumble. "You cannot defy inevitability."
Michael fell to the ground beside Selene and reached for her, clinging to her in their final moments.
"We did it," Michael whispered. "You saved the world."
"We won?" Selene asked, breath shallow.
Without mana, their bodies began to fail.
"I'm sorry," Selene whispered. "We should have lived longer. Loved deeper."
"No," Michael said. "You did everything right."
Selene's eyes dulled, her body turning to dust in his arms.
They died together on that battlefield, souls touching as they slipped into the afterlife.
To be reborn again.