Diane had fallen in one precise blow when her power faltered. Lydia and Zulu watched it happen in anguish and fear. Diane had definitely hurt Maxus, but he was still a monster beyond recognition even tired. Every second he wasn't at his maximum power, his body would produce more and more magic bringing him back to his full strength. Diane would soon perish, and he'd toy with the lives on the island, then the mainland. Until there was nothing left. Nothing.
So if losing now meant total antihalation, what was there to fear in at least trying?
Lydia without thinking flew down to the battlefield and stood between Maxus and Diane. Maxus furrowed his brows.
"Ah, the girl. Need another beatdown like last time?" Maxus raises his hands but a sucker punch to the jaw sends him back a few steps. Lydia's chest is covered in ice, along with her hands, feet, knees, and elbows like before. It's not simply frost like the last time they faced, they are solid ice, stronger, and harder when a blow connects. Lydia had grown since their last battle, she knew that, but she still refused to use anger in her mind. The air around them grows cold, and Maxus knows that this won't be an easy win.
"My name is Lydia," She says as two ice hammers form in her hands, "and I'm here to kick your ass!" Lydia flies at Maxus and swings her hammers. The ice shatters off his guard then reforms with each swing. Maxus blocks another hammer swing then hits Lydia square in the chest. The force ripples through Lydia and sends a shockwave out behind her. It hurts even with the ice for protection. Is this how hard they've been hitting each other the entire time?
Lydia ducks under another punch and then leaps in the air above a leg sweep. Maxus gives chase and is met with a sharp and cold wind that sends him spiraling backward. Maxus lands on shaky feet but remains standing. Maxus was tired from his battle with Diane, but Lydia was too from defending the city. She had to get him to his max to stop him from gaining back strength. Which meant she had to push herself more than she already was.
Lydia draws in a quick rush of power from the magic around her and then flies down toward Maxus. Maxus shoots a fireball up at Lydia when she gets close. Lydia barrel rolls out of the way then hits Maxus in the hip with an ice hammer. Maxus kicks and Lydia blocks it and returns the kick with one of her own to the chin. Maxus stumbles back and grunts from the exertion. Lydia uses a blast of wind from behind Maxus to bring him towards her. Maxus kicks and Lydia blocks it as she jabs her hammer into his stomach. Maxus lands flat on his back and the ground under him knocks him in the air. Lydia leaps in the air and connects her two small hammers to make one large war hammer. She spins and swings and connects with Maxus' chest, and knocks him back down through the rock that popped him in the air.
Maxus rolls to his feet as Lydia lands and pushes towards him. Maxus ducks under a punch from Lydia, and his power bursts forth again. He connects with Lydia's cheek and opens up a cut. The air around Lydia cools further.
Maxus swings again and Lydia ducks under the punch and uppercuts Maxus' chin. Maxus swings and Lydia blocks it. Lydia swings and Maxus blocks it. Maxus throws two punches, but only one connects. Lydia hits Maxus' stomach then his cheek. Maxus hits Lydia with a left, then a right, then a left that sends Lydia rolling across the ground. The ice around her body was cracking and failing her. Lydia takes a knee and catches her breath as Maxus approaches.
"You're strong girl, but you waste that strength defending these mages, including Diane. The strong are supposed to run the world, not fall in line with the rest of the sheep." He says, opening up his arms in presentation, his power surging.
"I will never hold my power over people for my own gain," Lydia says, looking to Diane, who still hasn't moved yet. Lydia needed to buy more time or take down Maxus on her own. Did she even have the power to do that?
"Then what is it all for? Why seek power if you don't intend to wield it!" The question Lydia has been asking herself since she started training with Diane. Lydia considers her morals and everything she's learned over the years. Why was she here? Why did she desire strength?
"I want the power to protect the people I want to protect! Diane may have fallen but she isn't weak! I have the power I have because of her!" Lydia's energy begins to burn hot, without the emotional out, all of her emotions were clinging to her higher grips of magic.
"It's because of Diane that I can stand here today! It's because of her that I have the power I need to protect the people I care about!" Lydia notices the heat behind her magic and calms her mind. She was here to protect people, not let out anger towards Maxus. Not venting anger from her parents. She was defending the race of mages. Lydia recalls one word that Diane constantly repeated in training. One word that always gave Lydia a slight boost whenever she grew too tired.
"It's because of her," Lydia climbs to her feet and her energy skyrockets back to normal, "I can rise!" The ice around Lydia hardens, losing any cracks and deformations from their previous battle.
Maxus comes in fast and swings. Lydia blocks a left punch and a right one but takes a fireball to the chest. Her ice does not waver. Lydia swings back, and both of her punches are blocked. Lydia leaps and kicks off Maxus' guard and gains some distance.
Rise
Lydia draws in more magic from the air. It's littered with it from Diane's and Maxus' long battle. Years of the mages on this island doing nothing but using magic. It floods into her like a waterfall into the river below. Maxus rushes in again, not allowing Lydia to gain too much power. Lydia blocks a punch and immediately returns it, but Maxus blocks it as well. Maxus leaps and kicks at Lydia's neck but she ducks under it. Lydia leaps to him with her knee sailing through the air. Maxus spirals out of the way and shoots a fireball at her back. Lydia turns sharply and kicks the fireball away and it explodes against the ground away from her. Lydia raises both hands above her head and blows Maxus away with an ice-cold wind.
Lydia finds her feet on the ground, but Maxus is on her again. They both swing and lock their knuckles.
"What!" Maxus shouts. They swing again and again, and each connection of their fists shakes the entire island. Maxus swings and Lydia ducks under it and connects with Maxus' chest. She swings twice more then kicks Maxus away. Maxus slides backward on a knee, dragging his hand through the ground to stop his backward momentum.
Rise
Lydia shouts and draws in more power from around her. In a perfect circle around her, the ground around her freezes into solid ice. The ice around her fists rises up her forearm. The ice on her feet stretches up her shins. The ice on her elbows and knees stretches upwards, guarding her biceps and thighs. The ice on her chest turns into a full-on chest plate and covers her back as well. Lydia's hair dances wildly against a raging ice wind that circles around her.
Lydia grits her teeth and stares at Maxus. In the blink of an eye, she's kicking over Maxus' head that he barely manages to duck under. An ice hammer forms in her hand and she turns and swings it down on him. Maxus blocks it, but it leaves a bright bruise where it connected. The shattered ice pieces spiral and return to the hammer as a second one forms in Lydia's other hand. Lydia spins and swings her hammers repeatedly, knocking Maxus around with each hit that he blocks. Lydia swings her hammer and then follows it with a kick that connects to his hip. She jabs him on the nose with the hammer. Maxus swings and Lydia spins smoothly under it. Lydia holds her hammer with two fingers and sends a fireball into Maxus' stomach.
Lydia charges Maxus and hits him with a flurry of hammer swings then kicks him in the chest. Maxus flips backwards and as he lands another fireball hits him in the chest and knocks him to his knee. He's fully exhausted now. Yet Lydia breathes heavily as well. She holds her hammers tight in her hands as her body moves with her heavy breaths. Lydia glares at him.
"No matter what. I will rise!"
"You'll die trying!" Maxus shouts as he flies at Lydia with a new form of strength still untapped. Lydia charges back. Both pull back their fists and plan to engage in another battle. A shockwave knocks them both off balance and they turn their attention to it. The explosion of energy is hot and wild and makes the island shake more than it has all day. Both turn their attention to the source, to see Diane has risen to her feet.
YOU ARE READING
Torva Messor
ActionI did not want this power, nor the judgments you laid down upon me. I have lived and survived both. Growing. Learning. I've lived in fear, but now the world will know that same fear. For none have seen what I've seen. Done what I've done. Sacrificed...
