Cecilia's attack came like a tidal wave.

One instant she stood frozen, eyes pale and empty, and the next, she was upon him, faster than he'd ever seen her move before.

Her fist, wrapped in spiraling flame, slammed into Noah's chest, the sheer force sending him stumbling through the air.

His Aegis of Hades armor absorbed the blow, but the heat seared through, making his ribs ache.

"Cecilia!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the glowing cavern. "It's me!"

There was no response, not even recognition.

The soft, undulating music from the walls continued to hum, eerily serene despite the violence unfolding within it.

The rhythm of the tune seemed to match Cecilia's movements, rising and falling in sync with every strike she made.

Her eyes were lifeless, her expression calm in a way that was wrong.

She moved like a weapon. Efficient, deadly, and without hesitation.

Her fire spells burned through the air in tight spirals as they surged towards Noah.

Noah ducked under one, twisting sideways to avoid another. The heat licked across his face, and he winced, momentarily blind.

He couldn't fight back properly. If he unleashed a Void Bolt or even Feast, there was the possibility that she could die. He had to restrain himself, even as she showed no such mercy.

"Damn it, Professor, wake up!" he growled, blocking another punch with his forearm.

The impact made his armor ring, and his arm went numb from the shockwave.

Cecilia didn't slow. Even he could tell that a part of her was holding back, but it didn't matter as her movements were a blur he was finding hard to see through.

She kicked low, sweeping his leg from under him, and he barely managed to roll aside before her palm crashed into the ground, melting a crater into the stone floor.

Noah came up in a crouch, panting. "That could've fucking killed me…" he muttered.

A streak of fire landed across his shoulder, some of the heat passing through to land on his bare skin.

He hissed in pain and dove forward, closing the distance.

His fist slammed into her abdomen, the impact forcing her back a step, but she didn't react like a human. There was no grunt of pain. Nothing to show that she'd been affected.

Flames burst from her feet as she spun, her heel slamming into his ribs.

He grunted, the force sending him flying into the cavern wall. The armor absorbed most of it, but his lungs still felt the force from the impact.

The music swelled softly, almost soothing, as if mocking the chaos between them.

Noah pushed himself up, chest heaving, his eyes fixed on her as she approached again.

The sigils on the walls pulsed brighter now, responding to her movements like an orchestra obeying its conductor.

"Alright," Noah murmured, tightening his stance. "You want a fight, then fine."

Cecilia blurred forward, flames trailing behind her. Noah met her in the middle.

Their blows collided, sending sparks scattering through the cavern.

Each attack she made came with the ease born of mastery, and each counter he threw came with desperation.

A fist met an elbow. A kick met a block. And so, they kept fighting.

Noah ducked under her next swing, catching her wrist, but she twisted effortlessly, reversing the grip and slamming her knee into his stomach.

He coughed blood, then retaliated with a headbutt, sending her stumbling back.

"Professor! You're fighting me, not a monster! Snap out of it!" he shouted.

Nothing.

Her body glowed faintly with magical heat, her aura burning brighter. And she launched herself forward again.

Noah ducked, barely dodging a fire-coated elbow aimed at his throat.

Her speed was maddening. If not for his own physical enhancements, she would've killed him already.

She spun, landing another burning kick to his ribs.

He caught her leg at the last second, twisting it just enough to unbalance her. Then he surged forward, his hand glowing faintly with mana.

"Sorry about this," he muttered.

He struck her squarely between the shoulder blades with a palm strike, channeling mana into the blow.

The contact sent his mana rippling through her. Her flames flickered, and her body froze.

Cecilia staggered, her breathing stopping for a heartbeat. The milky white haze in her eyes shimmered, and for an instant, gold bled through.

"Noah…?" she whispered, voice faint, disoriented.

But before he could answer, the gold vanished. Her pupils clouded white again. The trance reasserted itself like a vice tightening around her mind.

Her flames reignited, hotter than before, crawling across her arms and shoulders as she turned to face him once more.

And without any warning, she flashed towards him.

Noah's eyes widened in shock, and he braced himself, bringing his arms up to block.

The first blow landed, and it felt like someone had thrown a mountain at him. He choked in pain, feeling his bones creak from the force.

And just when he was about to get used to the pain, another one landed. And they didn't stop coming.

"Professor, stop!" he shouted, but she didn't even flinch. Her face was blank, her eyes a milky void.

She finally slammed a flaming fist into his guard, the impact forcing him back several steps.

He barely had time to regain his footing before she closed the distance again.

Her next strike came faster than the previous one, but he'd been expecting it. He twisted his body to avoid the blow, but her follow-up caught him squarely on the arm.

There was a sickening crack.

Pain exploded through his body.

Noah screamed, clutching his limp arm. The bone was broken cleanly.

Cecilia didn't pause. Instead, she kept attacking, moving like a puppet on invisible strings.

Noah grit his teeth, dodging to the side, every movement sending fire through his nerves.

"Damn it, Professor!" he shouted again, desperation leaking into his tone. But she was beyond hearing.

He raised his remaining arm, blocking another blow, and that was when he saw it. Really saw it.

The sigils carved into the cavern walls weren't just glowing, they were pulsing.

Each flare of light matched Cecilia's movements perfectly, like a heartbeat synchronized to her rhythm.

Every step she took made the patterns brighten, and every strike made them thrum like strings on an invisible instrument.

Noah's eyes widened.

The undulating music still playing softly in the background wasn't just sound. It was the sigils themselves.

They were feeding her power.

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