The duel had ended. The thick fog of shadows which had clouded the arena covering it up in smog, Faded away. Revealing the tykers centers to be back, once more. The silver moon was high in the sky giving off the only light, apart from the lampposts whose rays died inches from the dirty tungsten bulbs.
The shadowmancer just like her predecessor lay flat on her face. Clothes ripped and body fully exposed she lay burnt by the massive explosion caused by the dragon. She shook Ferociously almost like she was going into shock and her face was covered in burn marks.

Reishi sprinted over to the other side to check on her fallen adversary. She stopped just before reaching her body tried to stop the violent convulsions by holding the shadowmancers body still.

Cheŕe: I'm sorry…. I'm sorry…. I'm sorry….

She chanted to herself as she lay face down in defeat.
Reishi quickly knelt down and coddled Cheŕe with her arms.

Reishi: Don't talk! You need to preserve your energy!

Cheŕe: F-For what? I'm going to be fed to the shadows A-Anyway…

Reishi looked down at the shadowmancers leg which was slowly being dissolved by the purple shadows which haunted the realm.

Reishi: …

Reishi was silent as she realized she could do nothing to prevent the inevitable.

Reishi: Why'd you join the shadowmancers exactly?

Cheŕe: Why do you care, mon ami?

Reishi: I think if I know I might be able to understand the group a bit more.

Cheŕe sighed.

Cheŕe: L-Life is a lie monsieur. They always tell you "Everyone is special." Or "Belief in yourself", But all that is a lie.

Cheŕe: I grew up not feeling like I had a purpose in the world. Like life was full of despair and S-Sadness. Not knowing if things could or would get better.

Cheŕe paused for a couple of seconds.

Cheŕe: T-Then the masked queen came along and P-promised me everything. A home, A life and most importantly a purpose. It was all perfect!

She exclaimed.

Cheŕe: I didn't care if we were sending people to their dooms! It gave me something to do! Something To appreciate! Is that so wrońg?

She asked. In reishi heart, she could feel herself no longer harbor any negative feelings for her adversary.

Reishi: You said this all before… but now I think I kind of get it.

Reishi: I've been wondering what my purpose is too. -

Cheŕe: Then you should understand why I joined.

Reishi: Hold on. There's a difference between you and me.

Reishi: - When I question My life or my purpose I turn to my friends, My family or the light. Not the darkness.

Cheŕe: How foolish. What can any of those things do for you?

Reishi: My friends give me hope. My family gives me Love and The light gives me courage.

Cheŕe: ….

Reishi: -And no offense. But look where siding with darkness has gotten you.

Half of her body had been dissolved by this point.

Cheŕe: Teehee~ I -G-G-Guess that's true. -But before my soul départs into the ténèbres. Let me tell you something.

Reishi: W-What?

Cheŕe: …

The shadowmancer moved the rest of her dissolving torso closer to reishi's benevolent and haughty ears.

Cheŕe: Lè masque est plus proche que vous ne le pensez.

Her tongue said it's last breath in her native language, Rendering a foreign testament to reishi ears.. Her eyes turned to gray and her face went white as her body was swallowed up by the shadows.

Cheŕe's body disappeared in a puff of smoke and ash that expunged all over reishi, Leaving a mark of the human being she had just slain.