Now, Sabrina was at a disadvantage. Even though invoking the power of the Queen made her spells as strong as Asmodeus's, she was still limited to her own mana reserve. In a battle of attrition, her energy would run out long before her siblings'.
"Why don't you just give up already? The power of that fake Queen is nothing compared to the true Primordials," Asmodeus taunted from a safe distance.
Sabrina knew her brother's intent was only to provoke her. She also knew that, despite being younger, the Queen was one of the great Primordials, and her power matched that of the ancient ones. Still, every time Asmodeus called her beloved Lilith a fake Queen, it was like a dagger piercing her heart.
Consumed by rage, Sabrina launched into the attack. She had never been as talented at spellcasting as her brother, so she developed a technique that combined mystic arts with martial arts to compensate, the Dance of the Black Serpents, a name given by their father.
With a violent stomp on the ground, Sabrina leapt into the air, leaving a small crater behind. One of the black flame serpents, summoned with the Queen's power, followed her, opened its massive jaws, and swallowed her whole.
She now was the serpent. Engulfed in black flames, Sabrina controlled them through the movements of her own body. With a sweeping arc of her arm, one of the serpents mimicked her precisely. All the serpents had become extensions of Sabrina herself.
And they danced in the air, graceful and powerful movements. A nearly divine spectacle to her allies, but a nightmare to her enemies.
Sabrina knew she didn't have much time. She had to end the duel. She lunged at Asmodeus directly, but the goat-headed giant always blocked her path. That was exactly her brother's strategy, an impenetrable wall between them.
The serpents attacked the giant from all sides, their strikes precise, trying to clear a path to Asmodeus. But the giant's body, forged from violet lightning, was nearly indestructible. His axe sent out shockwaves that scattered the serpents in every direction.
If the fight continued like this, Sabrina would run out of mana, and defeating Asmodeus would become impossible. But she knew her brother didn't crave mere victory, he took pleasure in pain. Hiding behind the giant wasn't his only plan. The incantation she heard him recite confirmed her suspicion.
"Oh Horseman of Death, the fourth and true Lord of the Apocalypse. Hear the call of this mere bearer of the Lance of Destiny. Grant me your power and make me your herald. Deliver your judgment and turn my spear into your instrument of execution. Mark with your seal the skin of those who must die."
The Mark of Death. Sabrina knew: if she was marked, all Asmodeus had to do was throw the Lance of Destiny, it would not stop until judgment was fulfilled. That had been his plan all along. He just needed time to gather enough mana as an offering.
She had to avoid the mark at any cost. As a desperate countermeasure, she decided to use the same tactic her brother had once used. All the serpents began fusing into one. A race against time began, who would finish their final move first?
Asmodeus watched Sabrina closely, trying to understand her strategy. When all the serpents merged, Sabrina emerged from the head of the massive serpent. But they split again, now, there was a Sabrina on the head of each serpent. Clones?
Would this really work? She had easily defeated her brother when he tried this trick.
Twelve serpents. Twelve Sabrinas. They surrounded Asmodeus and the giant from all sides. Even though his spell called for death's judgment, it was still up to him to apply the mark. If he marked a clone, all his efforts would be in vain. He hesitated. That was her goal, that brief moment of doubt.
Asmodeus positioned himself behind the giant's head, using it as cover. He used the same strategy as his sister and quickly identified the Sabrina wielding the true Twin Blades of Hell. But was that really her? What if she'd given the blades to a clone just to fool him?
Before he could decide, an explosion drew his attention, from inside the giant. When he turned, a black-flamed serpent's head was bursting out of the goat-skull of the creature.
And from the serpent's mouth emerged Sabrina. Empty-handed, with a right hook cocked, she threw the punch straight at Asmodeus's face.
That was the real one. It had to be.
He marked her before she could flee and teleported away.
"You're already marked for death, dear sister. There's no escaping the 'Lance of Destiny'," Asmodeus declared, then hurled the weapon with all the strength he had left.
The mighty spear flew at blinding speed. Caught off guard, Sabrina didn't even react. The weapon pierced her chest and her body began to disintegrate. Her clones and serpents vanished with her.
Asmodeus admired the scene, savoring the despair in his sister's eyes as she faded. But then... something was wrong.
A searing pain in his chest. Flames burned him from the inside out. He looked down to find the tip of a blade sticking out through his torso.
"You overthink things, little brother. Maybe trust your instincts next time," whispered Sabrina in his ear.
The blade was one of the Twin Blades of Hell. The real Sabrina had always been the one wielding them. She had never handed them to a clone.
"Our father forgave you. But I never will, not after you chose that damned Queen over me. Next time we meet, I won't go so easy on you," were Asmodeus's final words.
"If that's your wish, little brother, then I'll be ready. Tell Daddy I'm sorry," Sabrina replied.
And then Asmodeus disappeared.
One precise strike, that's all Sabrina needed to end the duel.