Black Heart swung her blade relentlessly, advancing with every movement. She forced herself upon her enemy, who struggled to avoid the flashing sword at the cost of her life.
"Just die already!" growled Black Heart. "You've been a thorn in my side for so long!"
Purple Heart did not reply. She was on the defensive; for several minutes now, she had not made a single attack. Her endurance would not last, while Black Heart was moving with ruthless, deadly determination.
"Have you given up? Are you finished clinging to a life you don't deserve?"
"Black Heart... Noire..." the defender hissed. She dived to the ground to dodge a vicious cut aimed at her neck.
"Don't use my name!" Black Heart brought her sword down, but it slid off her target's weapon. Held at an angle, Purple Heart's sword was the image of technical excellence. Even in the face of death, she lived up to her reputation as the strongest of the four goddesses. "What, still here?"
"Why are you doing this, Noire?" the goddess whispered. "Do you really hate me this much?" Her weapon went up to parry and was sent flying out of her hand.
"Will you cry if I say yes?" Black Heart taunted. She struck at her opponent's abdomen but hit nothing. "Get back here!" she cried and gave chase to the retreating figure.
Purple Heart flew to the spot where her sword landed. The hilt was cold in her hands, and she nearly lost her weapon a second time after blocking one handed.
"You picked up your sword, now fight!" Black Heart shouted. Her voice carried an air of command, echoing with anger though it was.
"I will not!" Purple Heart yelled back. The defiance only enraged Black Heart, goading her into bringing her sword down in a fierce overhead strike. For the hundreth time in a couple minutes, it met resistance. Purple Heart placed her free hand on the length of her blade and pushed with as much strength as she could find. The downward force only multiplied, accompanied by an inarticulate yell. Locked in a battle of power and willpower, one screamed hatred and the other was dead silent.
Black Heart lifted her foot and slammed it into her opponent's stomach. The kick sent Purple Heart crashing to the ground where she lay, sword spinning out of her grasp.
"Finally!" breathed the victor. She lunged for the body on the ground and reversed the grip on her weapon, lifting it into the air. "Winning feels so—gah!"
Her downward stab never found its target. Black Heart tumbled backward and hit the grassy ground, pinned by her adversary. She thrashed and slammed her sword hand onto the back of her enemy but found that she was holding no sword. Her head whipped around and saw that it was lying several meters away.
"Noire, why are you doing this?" Purple Heart asked again. She pressed her body against the other goddess, keeping her from getting up. "We do not have to fight for something that does not hold value!"
"Shut your mouth! Coward!" Black Heart continued to beat on the weight holding her down. Purple Heart stoically endured the assault.
"You were so kind before," she went on, "until you realized who I was!"
With a frustrated roar, Black Heart threw the goddess off of herself. Before she could get up and run to her disarmed weapon, she was tackled to the ground again.
"Do you remember what you asked me?" Purple Heart demanded. "Do you remember?! 'Are you—"
"No! I was never friends with you!"
"—okay with being my friend?' You were! You did!" Tears blurred Purple Heart's vision. She hugged her rival and tightened her grip despite the constant pounding on her back.
"You tricked me!" said the white-haired goddess. "You and your stupid human form!"
Purple Heart shook her head, and Black Heart could feel water drip onto her face. "Maybe I did. But please..." Light enveloped the both of them. When it faded, Black Heart found it easy to dislodge her opponent and crawl to her fallen sword. "Prove that you really hate me."
Purple Heart's voice had changed. It was not as deep. It was a voice that Black Heart would recognize anywhere, having memorized it after hearing it every couple of seconds for a few days. She stumbled to her feet and turned to face her enemy.
Neptune stared at her.
"Nep... Neptune..." Black Heart faltered. She nearly lost her grip on the weapon in her hands. In front of her was the very first person to ever try and befriend her. "Don't.. make that face."
"Even I have to be serious sometimes."
Neptune's eyes were trained on the goddess who towered before her. She watched silently, and made no move to get up from where she was kneeling. Her shoulders shook uncontrollably, her face was still stained with tears. "Go... go ahead."
Black Heart brought a hand to her face. It was trembling. For all the hatred and abuse she had thrown only moments ago, all it took to make her hesitate was the sight of a girl who was once her friend. Once. When it had been revealed that they were sworn enemies, there was no other option but to fight.
Black Heart had taken to her task without mercy. Neptune had not fought back. It was a clear-cut display of pacifism. That the two had to meet in battle seemed to pain her greatly. Yet the war between the CPUs was ongoing, as it had been since the dawn of their world. Time and time again they had met in battle. They ganged up on each other and then struck at each other's backs. Nobody had died as of yet. It was like a greater force protected them all for some reason.
Yet it was fate that they warred for the title of True Goddess. Nothing could change that. It was destiny that one would triumph over the others and rule the world under a single flag: a united Gamindustri. It would be defying fate to show mercy to the one she was meant to kill.
"We do not have to fight for something that does not hold value!"
A blade swung with weakened resolve will not leave a weaker cut. Light enveloped her, then vanished.
Her sword fell from her grasp, and it clattered to the ground.
Conquest mark one