As Axel and Veronica ran toward the noise and past the fleeing people, they see a knight similar to the one last night. But the differences was it's weapon of choice, a halberd.
Upon seeing the two, it twirls it's halberd with finesse. "Luminary! Thou hast been marked for death! Prepare to meet thou god!'
Axel quickly dons his armour and draws his greatsword. "Veronica, keep back!"
Veronica nods, "Don't need to tell me that!"
Erik and Serena join them. "Hey, is this that knight's cousin or something?"
The Halberd Knight points it's weapon at Erik. "YOU! Thou were the one who slain thy Subordinate! I shall make thou suffer!"
Veronica grew agitated from it's speech, "Talk normally, who talks like that!?"
"Hendrik at times." Axel pips in as Veronica suddenly turns her head to glare at him. "I-I mean no one!"
The Halberd Knight rises it's weapon and gets into stance, "Enough of this foolishness!"
Serena draws her Paladin Spear and twirls it in each expertise, "Not so fast!"
Her spearhead collides with the blade of its halberd, which she uses the three ponged blades of her spear to lock it, "Erik! Now!!"
Erik draws his swords as he Falcon Slashes the abdomen of The Halberd Knight, who doesn't even flinch.
"Petty tactics don't work on me." It said as it knees Erik in the face, before pulling it's halberd out of Serena's spear, then slashing them both, knocking them away.
Axel growls as he charges at the Knight, crossing weapons, "Damn you! Who are you?! Why are you after me, who are you siding with!?"
The Halberd Knight growls, he wasn't expecting Axel to pressure him. "I will not tell you the name of thy master, Luminary! Only that he's been watching you from the very beginning, even when you turned back time..."
Axel would think a little, who would remember what he did in the timeline during Yggdrasil's fall? Was it that Doppelgänger? Was it that figure?!
Sudden, a fist flies toward Axel, who ducks in time.
A fire ball heads straight for the Knight, who gets struck from behind, "Urf!?"
Veronica, in her kid form, held her staff at it, "You look heated up, Allow me to cool you down!!"
She slams her staff into the ground and sends spikes of Ice toward the Knight.
He flings Axel at them, but instead of impaling him, they simply grabs Axel, and then throw icicles at the Knight.
The Knight spins his halberd and slashes the icicles in bits and pieces, before hurling a wave of fire at Veronica.
She'd run towards Axel and envelopes both of them in a shield of water, the fire wave evaporates, and Veronica throws the barrier onto the Knight.
Axel takes no time in Zapping the Knight, who gets a shocking surprise.
Erik slowly gets up, Serena was unconscious. "Serena?!" He calls over, "Damnit, Serena! If you're awake, say something!"
He crawls over to her, "Serena!?"
The Knight charges at Veronica and Axel, who crosses blades with the Knight. But was suddenly grabbed by it.
The Knight throws Axel into a window, sending the Luminary crashing into crates and a bookcase, knocking him out.
Veronica gasps as she's grabbed from the neck by the Knight. "You annoying little brat...! Out of the Luminary's companions, you were by far the biggest thorn in thy master's side!"
He'd raise her high, "It was because of your death that The Luminary rewound time! You took victory from us twice!!"
Veronica began trying to kick the Knights head only hitting his wrist, but he didn't flinch, she'd cry out and he'd carry on talking, drowning out her yells of anger and frustration.
"I'm going to kill The Luminary...and I'm going to have you watch as the life leaves his eyes...!"
She'd now start casting fireballs at him, hitting him directly in the helmet's visor, causing him to roar in pain.
It threw her hard to the ground in response and anchors the end of it's halberd shaft through her leg and into the ground, causing her to let out a pained scream that echoed through out the port town.
Axel's hand sparks a blue light.
Serena awakens to this. As she'd Peps Up, her leg was broken and the gash on her abdomen was excruciating and everything was dim, but she began to channel magic to use Moreheal.
The halberd was draining Veronica's magic power, causing to shudder uncomfortably, "I'M NOT...D-DONE WITH YOU!!!" She shouts.
The Knight ignored her as it pulls the unconscious Axel out of the shop, with a sudden shake, he awakens, his vision blurry. "Watch, Luminary..."
Axel looks to see Veronica crying out in pain as the halberd pins her down. "Veronica!!!" He suddenly snaps out of it and reaches out for her.
"She will witness your death... just as you witnessed hers." Axel began to punch the Knight, who began to grunt as each punch struck.
"ENOUGH!" It throws him down to the ground, it's foot slams on Axel's back, "I'll crush your spine then!"
"STOP! LEAVE HIM A-GAAAAGGGH" Veronica lets out another scream as the Knight plunged the halberd deeper, "Quiet, brat."
Serena crawls over to Erik to heal his injury. "No...! H-Help Ver-onica...!"
Over Veronica's screams, the Knight kneels down, "Listen...how does it feel to hear the sound of your loved one suffering? The helplessness of being unable to save her... This is the fate of the Luminary.
To live this waking nightmare...but don't worry. I shall make your nightmare come to an end...a painful end!!"
It now stomps on Axel's back, grinding it's heel into his spine.
Axel then begins to cry out in pain before full on screaming, he'd stretch out his hand out to Veronica and she does the same.
Suddenly, the Knight is grappled by someone.
"You will hurt the Luminary no more!!!" It was Hendrik! He throws the Knight over his shoulder, sending it flying into a stone fence.
"Sir Hendrik of Helidor! I'd say it is an honour, but it would be appealing to see you on the side of thy master." It would stand up.
Hendrik draws his greatsword, "Silence your tongue, monster!"
Serena weakly pulls out the halberd from Veronica's leg, who cries out and follows it with an angry growl. It wasn't an angry growl, it was an absolutely livid one.
Veronica even had slight drool and her eyes were full of anger. She'd Pep Up within an instant and with an angry roar, immediately casts Zammle.
The Halberd Knight failed to realise it until it was too late. With in seconds. It was bombarded by Zammle again and again, roaring in agony.
Hendrik turns to face the angry Veronica, who walks past him, towards the Knight, constantly blasting it with dark magic. Her pupils were now gone, this actually scared Hendrik.
The Knight's pained roars were drowned out by Veronica's angry roars.
She'd grab it before surging fire magic into the helmet.
Fire bursts from it's visor as it eventually stops resisting.
Veronica releases her grip on the helmet and the armour collapses in on itself, ashes fly from the suit of armour.
She turns to walk to Serena, her eyes dimmed. Her pupils return and tears stream down her face. Her legs wobble.
Axel was being treated by Hendrik and Rab. "Don't worry, Laddie! We're here!"
"Grandpa...? Where did...you come from...?" Axel asked. "Never mind auld me, lad, just focus on getting better."
He'd look to the stumbling Veronica, who was being treated by Serena.
She hiccups lightly, "S-Serena...?" She asked, looking pale. "I-I... I don't feel..." She'd hold her mouth, Erik turns away in slight disgust as Veronica is sick on the ground.
"Get her a bucket and some aid! Quickly!" Hendrik demands as he goes to help Erik.
Axel's back is finally healed and it was then he saw it all.
The remains of The Halberd Knight and his weapon. The blood trail from the hole to said remains, then to Veronica, who was being ill. The town's partial destruction...
He turns to Rab. "Grandpa...what... What happened...?"
Rab frowns, "That Knight pushed the poor girl over the edge, and now she used too much power. If I recall from her symptoms, she drew on her wellbeing, rather than her magic. She's suffering from Over-Exertion."
Axel weakly walks to Veronica and Serena. She looked out of character. "I look like a mess, d-don't I?"
Axel nods. Looking around, he sees the people returning, frowns and people sobbing from their wounded friends and family.
A few cleaners were also wiping up the blood trailed behind by Veronica, as well as her upchuck accidents.
The Knight's armour and halberd eventually vanish...
Axel sees the figure on a cliff. It was more visible...it was smirking...it was getting to him. Axel shook his head, "Why...Who are you...!?"
Everyone looks at Axel has he finally snaps, he roars at the figure on the cliff, "WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM MEEEEEE!!!!!!"
But the stress from everything caused him to collapse.
He heard only muffled voices... mostly shouting his name.
He thought it was all over. He was hoping that he could finally settle down with Veronica, but every time he thinks it's over. He's dogged by a mysterious opponent and his friends get hurt.
He sees Veronica at his side, and takes no time trying to take her hand. But she takes his.
A black figure stood on the cliff near Puerto Valor. "So...Rashimon was defeated by her. That anger of hers is... phenomenal..."
The figure hears Axel's cry. They smirk under the helmet. "I want this world under my reign..."