章 34: Chapter 9: Gods and Elementals
"This day just keeps getting better and better," she stands there gloating as if she's already won. A boy walks up to her side, and the resemblance is clear. They both have that 'unhinged' look to them. It must be her brother. "You're gonna come with us, okay, Alyssa? The rest of your group dies here!"
A flamed bow and arrow appear to the side of her. The arrow launches at us and I jump in front of everyone ready to absorb but at the last second, the arrow expands in size and strikes me in the chest. I'm flung backward from its impact. My armor took most of the damage, but beneath, my chest is quickly heating up. I absorb what's left of the arrow until it's completely gone.
"Come on now, Alyssa. Stop being the hero," Florence shouts.
"Above!" Thomas yells out.
I look up to see a barrage of arrows raining down on us. Thomas swings his sword, his wind carrying the arrows in a different direction—where they crash into some nearby buildings. Thomas rushes toward the building they stand on top of but her brother slides down from the roof, and a flame comes over his hand. He runs directly at Thomas and blasts him at point-blank range.
I keep my eyes on Florence, she's watching what's going on joyously. I use the moment to push her off the roof. I send a combustion of white flames her way and she falls to the ground trying to dodge it. Suddenly more multi-seals show up and our hands are once again full. While Thomas has his hands full with Florence's brother, the rest of the Knight Squad go for the multi-seals. Amiyah and I give each other a look—one that says 'go for Florence.' Before we can do, we notice Thomas struggling with Florence's brother. Amiyah whistles for her bigger eagle and sends it their way. It swoops in and knocks the boy into a wall rendering him unconscious.
"Timothy!" Florence yells out. Another barrage of arrows fall from the sky, some even hitting members of her own army. Amiyah and I dance around, leaping and lunging to avoid getting it.We get close to Florence and she unsheathes her sword while two arrows appear on both sides of her. Amiyah whistles in a higher pitch—the smaller eagle still circling the sky crashes down on Florence. It locks its talons into the back of her armor, around her neck. I use the opportunity to point at Florence's chest. White flames appear there and she falls to the ground screaming in agony. Noticing this, Hazel soldiers come to her aid, risking getting burned by taking the pieces of her armor that are on fire off of her.
Those Hazel soldiers draw in Valentine soldiers who suddenly come rushing in to fight the others. Fire, water, earth, wind—every element is going off around us. It's so chaotic that Florence has to grab my hand just to keep us from getting separated. Despite the fighting all around, Florence stands from the ground and rushes in at us. She sends arrows our way, two of which graze Amiyah's body.
Her neck and leg are hit. She falls to the ground and I go to grab her hand but by the time I do, Florence is right in my face with her sword. She swings at me and I block it with the armor on my forearm. She presses down and I don't have the strength to push her off. Even with the eagle still attached to the back of her armor and trying its hardest to pull her off the ground. She still doesn't seem fazed.
"Fuck the orders not to kill you," she says with rage-filled eyes. "I'm gonna put both of your heads on a stick!"
A beam of white light suddenly streaks in front of me, passing through the side of Florence. I look over to see Elijah pointing this way. I push Florence off of me and grab her sword when she drops it. That pain and injury doesn't seem to bother her for long. She sets her eyes back on me and Amiyah who's still on the ground. She shoots another arrow at Amiyah. I try to jump in its way but it's too fast for me to react to. The arrow strikes Amiyah's thigh, causing her to scream out from the pain. Annoyed with the eagle still attached to her, she grabs it and rips off from the grasp it had on her armor. She throws it my way, causing me to catch it and place it gently on the ground.
Florence walks over and holds out her palm, many arrows forming in front of her hand. She sends a barrage my way, I absorb most of them but not all. About nine tiny arrows pierce my armor and begin burning through as these are aura-infused. While I fall to the ground, trying to absorb them and take my armor pieces off—we're both distracted by the sound of a loud snarl—like a sputtering engine that won't start. The sound only a panther can make. Both Florence and I look over to see a red-furred panther with glowing red aura coating its body. Standing up directly behind the panther is Amiyah, whose hair stands on end, also glowing with the same red aura.
Amiyah silently points to Florence and the panther runs so fast that I see nothing but a streak of red light flash in front of me—then she's gone, along with the panther. Amiyah falls to her knees and the glowing her hair stops. I get up to run over but another girl steps in my way. Her hair is colorful like Amiyah's, but purple, or violet.
"You're her," she says. "The resemblance is uncanny."
"Where is she?"
"She's….around. Multiple places actually. My name's Victoria." She smiles. "I've been dying to meet you."
I glance over her shoulder at Amiyah, Elijah ran over to help her up and is taking her away. Victoria moves her head over to block my view and catch my gaze again. I don't have time for this. I activate my seal and send flames her way. To my surprise, it misses her somehow and redirects back to me. What the hell? I have no choice but to absorb it.
"Come on, do it again." She grins. "I've never played with Holy Fire before."
What is with this girl?! I grab Florence's sword from the ground and charge at her. She dodges every single one of my swings easily. I start implementing fire into my swings, coating the tip of the sword with white flame. As she continues to dodge, she cups the fire in one hand and it floats above her. I stop my swings completely, utterly confused about what's happening right now.
"You'll have to do better than this." She sends the fire my way and too fast for me to react, my armor catches fire and it slowly begins to melt. I rush to take it off, coating my hands in yellow aura to avoid burns.
"What the hell are you?!" I yell out.
"Daughter of Aether….? Descendant of Aether? I'm not sure." She shrugs.
Aether? What?! I suddenly flashback to Benjamin calling Amiyah a demigod and it all clicks into place for me. I don't have much time to think further, she comes charging in again. This time she somehow takes the sword from my hand.
"I can't harm you, but we can have some fun."
She swings the sword crazily, causing me to stumble back and fall into a pit of soldiers who are fighting. I'm pushed to the ground and as I'm being pushed around, I can vaguely see her through the small gaps opening and closing caused by the moving bodies. One moment I see Victoria standing there with a grin. The gap closes and after a few seconds—opens again, and I see a blue streak crash in. Bri?!
I stand to my feet and shove the soldiers away as best as I can. I get through all of the bodies to see Brianna dashing around Victoria. She has a strange, dark blade holstered on her back. That can't be what I think it is?! She suddenly stops dashing as Victoria holds her hand out, a purple aura surrounding it as her hair stands on end much like Brianna's did—glowing with purple light.
I run over to Brianna's side. "Where've you been? We thought Helen would've gotten to you by now."
"I was fortifying the mansion, and I haven't seen her. I've been looking for her myself," she says. "But, she just stopped my dash ability….?"
"I don't know what kind of power she has. She was able to use my fire against me."
Brianna runs at Victoria with her sword drawn, Victoria braces herself and is able to block Brianna's first swing. I point to the back of Victoria and place fire there. Brianna proceeds to use her strength to push Victoria toward it.
Victoria quickly veers right, away from the flames, and redirects the fire toward Brianna who now stands in front of them. Her aura-covered body saved her from the damage and I absorb most of the fire to avoid her being burned further. Some of the flames fall to the ground, but Victoria is able to manipulate and move them. She spreads it throughout the city, causing more buildings and homes to be lit with white flames. Brianna, becoming impatient and annoyed, dashes toward her again. And once again, Victoria stops her mid dash—causing her to fall to the ground at a high speed.
"How fast do you think you go when you dash?" Victoria asks her.
I come charging in, picking up Brianna's sword from the ground. Victoria dodges, and I choose that moment to switch my style of attack. Instead of going for swings, I go for jabs—the same as Brianna does when she fights me. I'm finally able to land a hit o her. Slicing her left shoulder. I go in once more and Brianna comes to my aid. Our combined attacks land Victoria on her ass when suddenly two silhouettes swoop in. Their entrance causes debris and smoke to kick up into the air. But once it clears, we're able to see who it is. At first, I thought I was going crazy—thinking I'm seeing slightly taller versions of myself. But I soon realize what—whom I'm looking at—Helen's light and shadow self.
"Found you, darling." Both doubles speak at once—and a moment later an explosion goes off in the mansion.
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