****
Eclipse could hear the clashing of weapons as Ren and Akira fought each other. She could not worry about him as she now stood face to face with Svana and four of her teammates.
Svana slowly walked around Eclipse and dragged her sword through the soil creating a circle. “We fight inside here. Just you and me. No barriers, just our weapons.”
Eclipse wondered how true her words were and made sure to keep her senses alert of any movements from the other Iron Maidens. Knowing Svana, she would use every advantage she had.
“I promise you, just you and me,” said Svana.
Eclipse inspected the circle Svana had drawn. There was little space, but it was enough for two. From afar, Ren and Akira were still fighting, but Svana’s team ignored them.
As soon as Svana stepped into the circle, she took a step forward and brought her sword down. Eclipse took a step back in surprise, her feet at the edge of the circle.
“If you step out of this circle, my friends will make sure to finish you,” said Svana, narrowing her eyes on her.
So this was it. Eclipse was confident she could handle each one of them, but all together would not be so easy. She leaned back inside the circle and slowly walked around measuring Svana’s steps. Svana moved in and struck at her several times, but Eclipse held Kuro in both hands and defended herself, pushing Svana’s sword away. Svana did not stop and tried to sweep her legs, but Eclipse jumped just in time and used her knee to strike Svana’s chin.
Svana stumbled backward to the dismay of her team who seemed ready to intervene. She quickly regained her balance and ran toward Eclipse. Eclipse moved to the side and evaded her attack, but as she did, Svana blinked behind her and struck her spine with the hilt of her weapon. Eclipse fell to her knees in pain and was then struck once more with the hilt to the back of her head.
Her head was spinning. Svana smiled and raised her sword above her to land a final strike. Eclipse willed Kuro to her as Svana’s sword clashed against the black steel in midair. She then jumped to her feet and attacked Svana from every angle. The pain in the back of her head persisted, but she forced herself to go on. Svana’s attacks became faster, and she was pressed back against the edge of the circle. Svana came in hard and with her blade pressed down against hers. She could feel the intensity Svana was applying as their eyes locked on to each other. Svana then kicked her in the stomach forcing her to the ground, and her head landed over the line. One of the Iron Maidens tried to stamp her head, but Eclipse rolled to the side and used Kuro to help her get back to her feet. She was firmly back inside the circle and gripped Kuro tightly as she glared at Svana.
In the distance, Eclipse could see Akira still fighting Ren, both of them near exhaustion. Svana saw her looking over to them. “They’ve had long enough. Finish them,” she ordered.
The Iron Maidens drew their weapons and raced toward Akira and Ren, leaving Eclipse alone with Svana.
“There’s no circle anymore. Give me everything you have!” said Svana as she came at Eclipse with renewed fury.
****
Something was wrong. He could feel the presence of many Users fading away from where Whisper and Thrace were located. At first, he was worried that Whisper and Thrace were in danger when he sensed at least two other User groups near to them, but now he could hardly feel anybody. The presence of Whisper and Thrace was becoming weaker.
He was almost there, and through the next section of trees, he saw the devastation before him. The ground was scorched, and signs of fighting were everywhere, but there was no one to be seen. He searched the area for any clues, but there was nothing. He could see no one, yet he was sure he could sense them.
As Kry turned to go back, he was restrained by an invisible barrier. With confusion, he placed his hand in the air and felt the energy around him. As he touched the invisible barrier, energy rippled across revealing the entire perimeter around him. Kry knew he was now trapped.
His two-level barrier sparked as something invisible struck it. Again and again, his barriers sparked. Kry could feel the increasing pressure on his barrier, but he could not see the attackers. Something was wrong. Kry tried to break through the invisible barrier, but it only rippled and pushed him back.
The forest around him began to shake, and suddenly the Cube shifted. The trees vanished, and he found himself on a sandy beach with the ocean waves hitting against the shore. Kry’s barrier continued to spark as some invisible object continued to strike at him. He remained focused and tried to locate Whisper and Thrace once more. Their presence was still here, but where were they?
Kry sensed something inside his mind telling him to be careful. He did not know why, but he slammed his fists into the ground releasing a shockwave which rippled all around him.
The power of his shockwave caused the invisible barrier around him to fall. He widened his eyes in shock as he saw Whisper and Thrace tied up together, their mouths covered with tape near the center of the beach. He could neither hear their thoughts nor send his thoughts to them. With no concern for his safety, he went to untie them, but they vigorously shook their heads. As he drew closer, there was an intense heat coming toward him, and he blinked away just as the fireball landed in the sand.
Members of the New Order suddenly appeared and surrounded him. Sonus was emotionless as he stared at Kry.
“Let me guess, the invisible barrier was your work?” said Kry.
Sonus remained silent while Whisper and Thrace struggled against their ropes.
“Why not defeat them and push them out of the tournament? Why the necessity to tie them up?” asked Kry. At that moment, he knew why. Sonus’s silent anger told him everything he needed to know. He was going to do to them what he did to Xu. The very thought of this made him lose his concentration, and the rage inside of him began to take over. “No!” shouted Kry, his booming voice filled with energy knocked the New Order members to the sand.
The energy was growing, and his anger of believing Sonus was going to kill his friends made him irrational and erratic. Before Sonus could react, Kry blinked next to one of the New Order students, striking his barrier so hard that it fractured on impact. A flash of light shot up as the first member of the New Order was eliminated from the Cube.
Sonus’s eyes showed new determination. “You’re not who you say you are!”
Kry was too enraged to comprehend what he was saying and ignored his comment. Instead, he unleashed a multitude of elemental attacks. Sonus and the remaining New Order members returned their own attacks with an array of fireballs, ice shards, and lightning bolts which caused Kry to go on the defensive.
Show them.
Kry flinched as he heard the voice inside his head. Unlike the warmth of the female voice he heard long ago, this voice had a different sensation. It was powerful and persuasive.
Weakness cannot protect your friends. Only Strength. Show them.
He did not know where the voice came from, but it guided him, and he allowed the energy to flow through his body.
He stood trapped against Sonus and the New Order, but he felt different, very different.
****
Eclipse blocked Svana’s sword with Kuro and then returned an elbow strike toward her face. Svana was gaining in speed and evaded her attacks. With every strike, Svana seemed to grow stronger, faster, and more deadly. Eclipse was surprised at how Svana was not becoming tired because, even for her, the muscles in her arms were beginning to weaken. She danced with Svana on the sandy beach, hardly noticing that the Cube had shifted.
They were now fighting at the water’s edge, their feet deep in the wet sand. Eclipse struck Svana with Kuro and launched into the air. Svana smiled and followed her, their weapons clashed as they fought in the air, then back on the ground, and then in the sea. Their contest continued, but Eclipse knew she had to finish this soon. She could no longer see Akira and Ren since the environment had changed. The other Iron Maidens were nowhere to be seen, and Eclipse could only hope that Akira was sti
ll in the fight. She had to finish Svana now.
Svana bounced a ball of energy off the surface of the water, creating a small wave which crashed into Eclipse. The flood of water overwhelmed her as Eclipse tried to regain her balance. She was then struck in the stomach and swept off her legs into the water. Eclipse came back up with a big breath of fresh air; her hair was drenched, and she felt a renewed fury. Eclipse flipped into the air and released Kuro from her grasp. Svana was surprised as the black blade was attacking her independently. Eclipse controlled Kuro with her mind as Svana tried to defend, but Svana then detached herself from her sword, and now both their weapons clashed against each other. Eclipse could feel the power of Svana’s mental attacks. Kuro was being pushed back as Svana controlled her sword with finesse. Svana then launched a bolt of lightning while their weapons were in midair. Eclipse barely avoided the attack as she rolled to the side, but in doing so gave Svana’s sword the chance to swipe at a weakened Kuro and knock it to the ground. Eclipse rolled once more as another lightning bolt struck the water. She quickly ran toward where Kuro lay, picked it up and blinked toward Svana who was without her sword.
The sudden attack by Eclipse caused Svana to panic as she tried to bring her sword back to her, but Eclipse kicked her down into the water and turned to grab Svana’s sword as it came from behind. She stood over Svana with both weapons in her hand.
Svana spurted water out from her mouth. With disappointment in her eyes, she lowered her head and bowed. “Well fought.”
The change of Svana’s demeanor took Eclipse off guard. She was not expecting Svana to act this way.
“You’d better hurry,” said Svana, indicating toward the end of the beach.
“Well fought,” replied Eclipse, returning Svana’s weapon back to her.
Svana bowed once more and then disappeared as the flash of light removed her from the Cube. Eclipse was still surprised at how Svana handled defeat. She had no time to think for long as she ran down the beach toward where Akira was fighting.
By the time she arrived, she was once more surprised as Akira and Ren were now fighting side by side and had almost defeated the remaining members of the Iron Maidens. Akira dealt the final blow to Siri, while Ren did the same to the last Iron Maiden. There were two flashes of light and then the Iron Maidens were gone.
Akira and Ren turned to each other.
Eclipse ran toward them. “Svana is defeated!”
They ignored her. Akira still had a fury in his eyes despite having fought alongside Ren.
Akira was about to strike, but Ren bowed and offered his weapon to him.
Akira was in as much shock as Eclipse. “What are you doing?”
“My team is out. I’m the last, and I’ve little chance left,” said Ren.
Akira flicked his blade away. “You will fight me, Ren. I demand it!”
Eclipse was apprehensive but made no move to intervene. Once members of the same faction, now they were bitter enemies.
Ren bowed once more. “I’m sorry.”
Akira growled. “Sorry! Sorry for what? You will fight!” He swung at Ren who stepped backward, but Ren did not return his own attack.
“I’m sorry for the death of your sister,” said Ren.
Akira hesitated and lowered his weapon. Eclipse could see how affected he was.
“I never meant for her to be hurt,” said Ren. “I was weak, a coward, and ultimately ashamed.”
Akira shook his head. “You took her away from me! I know you killed her!”
Ren looked up and returned a deadly glare. “No! I never did! I’d never! I loved her! Even if she did not love me back, I never would’ve hurt her!”
“Liar!” shouted Akira.
“I didn’t kill her, but I also was not strong enough to save her,” said Ren, his voice faltering.
“What are you talking about?” asked Akira.
Ren’s face was one of sadness. “I tried to talk to her inside the Cube. Our faction was separated as the environment had changed, but the Cube was merciless as it changed not twice more, but three times. Do you remember?”
Akira tried to remember. “Yes, I remember the Cube changed three times in quick succession.”
“We were trapped in a cave when it happened, and the Cube then transformed into mountains. The change happened so fast that we were thrown up into the air, and I tried to grab her hand, but I could not reach her…I’m sorry. I was not strong enough.” Ren could not look Akira in the eyes.
Akira fell to his knees. “Why did you not tell me the truth before?”
Ren’s eyes began to water. “I was too ashamed—ashamed of being weak. It was better for you to think I killed her than to have others think I was not strong enough to save her.”
“Why now? Why tell me now?” asked Akira.
“Because as I fought by your side, I realized how wrong I was. Once, you were my brother, a member of our faction, and I had forgotten the meaning of what that meant. I’m sorry, Akira,” said Ren. He bowed once more and offered his weapon to him in defeat.
Akira stood up and pushed it back to him. “You still have honor. You shall leave here with it.”
Ren straightened himself, took his weapon and bowed. He then disappeared in a flash of light.
Eclipse respected the honor they shared. There was beauty and art in victory and defeat.
“We have to go. Are you alright?” she asked.
Akira returned his katana to his scabbard. “I feel a great weight lifted. Let’s find the others.”
****
Kry expanded his two-level barrier to protect himself from the continual bombardment of the New Order. From every direction, he was being attacked with a collection of elemental energies. He tried to push forward with his barrier, but Sonus had expanded his own barrier to resist Kry’s advance. The rim of their barriers touched as both Kry and Sonus fought to overcome the other. Kry then released a huge shockwave which forced the New Order students to lose their balance.
Show them all.
“You won’t do to them what you did to Xu!” said Kry, so loudly that his words shook the ground around them.
Sonus spat on the ground and fired fireball after fireball at his barrier. Kry ignored them as if they were nothing and even grabbed one and threw it back. The fireball exploded in the sand causing some of the New Order students to become disoriented. Another New Order member tried to get behind Kry, but before he realized what was happening it was too late. Kry already knew of his presence, held him in the air and then slammed him into the rocks nearby. There was a flash of light, and then there were three.
Whisper and Thrace struggled to break free, and there was a shared concern expressed in their eyes about Kry’s actions.
The burning rage continued as something else took over. Kry’s hand trembled as he continued to push back the New Order.
Sonus joined hands with his remaining team and strengthened their combined barrier, but the energy Kry was creating was more than any of them had expected.
Whisper finally snapped his ropes and untied Thrace. “We have to hurry before Kry does something he regrets.”
Thrace caressed his wrists which were red from the pressure of the ropes. “Something’s changed. He isn’t the same as before.”
Kry experienced a surge of energy and unleashed a wave of lightning bolts toward the New Order’s combined barrier. The energy was so powerful that the barrier fractured and knocked all three of them to the ground. Kry moved quickly, blinking to one of the fallen New Order members and bashed his barrier with a piercing blow. The flash of light was instant. Only two remained.
Sonus was red with rage, but Kry blinked, colliding into his barrier and throwing him into the water. The other New Order member look terrified as he tried to get away, but Kry was too fast and held him with his mind. He raised him into the air.
Whisper tried to connect his mind to Kry, but something was blocking his telepathy. Nothing he said would get through to him. Whisper blinked next to
Kry and tried to get his attention by placing his hand on his barrier, but he realized that was the worst thing he could have done as Kry turned to him with eyes engulfed in white flames. Whisper was thrust back across the sand. Thrace rushed to his side.
“Kry! What are you doing?” shouted Thrace.
Whisper was dazed, and his head was spinning from the force.
Sonus now returned from the water with his whole body ignited with fire. He raised his arms and unleashed a wall of fire spreading toward Kry.
Kry released the New Order member in the air to tackle the new threat. He had not even realized what he had done to Whisper as if his mind was no longer there—something else was.
Kry spun his hands to create a wave of water to quench the oncoming fire. Sonus was already on his next attack as he and the other member linked together once more, creating a shimmering barrier around Kry.
The white flames in Kry’s eyes intensified, and he burst forward trying to reach Sonus, but the newly formed barrier forced him back. Suddenly, a glow of dark matter began to fill the space inside the barrier.
“I’ll kill you, Kry! And then, your friends!” screamed Sonus.
Thrace pulled out his daggers and let Whisper lie on the ground while he flanked Sonus. With a whirlwind of fury, Thrace spun toward the New Order in an attempt to break their link.
It was not enough as Sonus flicked his hand, knocking Thrace into the water. A huge wave then came and swallowed Thrace up into a swirling echo of cries.
Kry’s eyes reverted to its original shade, and he understood what was happening. Then the normality went once more, and his eyes returned to a fiery white glow.
“Sonus, why are his eyes on fire?” asked Sonus’s teammate.
Sonus tried not to show fear, but even for him, he felt the power Kry was emanating. “Let’s finish this.”
With all their strength, they focused their minds and continued to fill the barrier with dark matter.
Rise of the Young: Warriors are not made; they are forged (The Ascended Book 2) Page 29
