the invisible shield covered her.
Aya’s eyes were a furious red. “ Shield, shield, shield ! It’s that all you do? Pathetic excuse for a wielder.” She pressed ahead. “Ice.” Blue water spiraled in front of her. In seconds, it hardened into a white slab. The ice emitted a clear smoke into the night air.
Faith watched in disbelief as the point of the ice pierced the shield as if it weren’t even there. The bubble popped into a hundred smaller bubbles that took to the sky.
“Fine,” said Faith, realizing that she had to stop holding back if she was to survive. “No more shields.” She held her staff in front of her.
Aya grinned at the news. Both wielders met with a fierce clash.
The water wielder’s gloves searched for an opening. Faith’s spiraled her staff expertly, repeatedly driving Aya back.
“Kyaaa!” With a well placed kick, Aya snapped the staff in half.
Faith tightened her grip on both sides. She had repeatedly trained with double staffs. This was nothing new.
Aya went in with a low uppercut. Finally. An opening. Faith threw one half of the staff at her opponent, who deflected it with a punch. Blinded, she didn’t see as Faith circled around her and drove the other half of the staff into Aya’s ribs.
Oh, no . Too late Faith realized that Aya had done a double attack. Aya’s kick headed straight for her face. It landed on her nose with a sickening crunch. Faith drove back, hard, into a tree. She tasted the blood that dripped from her nostrils.
On the other side was Aya, down on one knee. She took shallow breaths as she clutched her aching ribs. “Not bad, holy wielder. Not many people are fast enough to break through my defense.”
Faith whisked her hands in front of her nose. Her holy aura flowed into the injury. Immediately, the bleeding ceased. The pain, too, became non-existent. That’s it. I have to heal her too.
Aya cracked her fists as she stood up straight. “Healing, huh. I’m just going to have to beat you faster than you can recover, then.”
“Well, here I am,” responded Faith, sure Aya would take the bait. “Come and get me.”
Aya gritted her teeth. “ Gladly .” With frightening speed the water wielder pounced. Faith remained still, allowing Aya to take hold of her in a bear hug. Aya tried to pick Faith up for a slam, but Faith ground her feet. Simultaneously, she closed her eyes and let the holy energy flow out of her.
“That’s not going to work!” screamed Aya. They were face to face now, so close that Faith could smell the strawberry aroma from Aya’s hair.
A sudden burst of pain rocked Faith. The darkness was fighting back. Dark tentacles wrapped around both wielders, threatening to overtake them.
Faith realized that with Aya fighting her, she wasn’t going to be able to resist the darkness.
Faith opened her eyes. “Aya, I need your help.” Crimson eyes full of hate stared back at her. “I need you to fight back with me, or this darkness will claim us both.”
Aya’s grip around her softened, and for a split second, Faith could have sworn she saw a hint of remorse in Aya’s eyes.
“Aya,” Faith insisted. As she spoke she released greater levels of holy, causing her body to glow a bright white. “Do it for your friends. Do it for Falcon.”
Aya’s red eyes changed to her usual black. A second later, they returned to a crimson and then back yet again to black.
“I…I’m t…trying,” stuttered Aya, pain in her voice.
“Close your eyes and focus.”
The girls closed their eyes. With her last ounce of strength, Faith fought off Draknorr’s veil of darkness. She could feel Aya doing the same.
Then, quite suddenly, her body felt as light as air. She and Aya crashed to the floor, battered and exhausted. Above them a wicked coat of dark mist disintegrated into thin air, wailing loudly in the voice of a tortured woman.
Despite the loud screeches, Faith allowed herself a small breath, celebrating her small victory. But just as she
Aya’s eyes were a furious red. “ Shield, shield, shield ! It’s that all you do? Pathetic excuse for a wielder.” She pressed ahead. “Ice.” Blue water spiraled in front of her. In seconds, it hardened into a white slab. The ice emitted a clear smoke into the night air.
Faith watched in disbelief as the point of the ice pierced the shield as if it weren’t even there. The bubble popped into a hundred smaller bubbles that took to the sky.
“Fine,” said Faith, realizing that she had to stop holding back if she was to survive. “No more shields.” She held her staff in front of her.
Aya grinned at the news. Both wielders met with a fierce clash.
The water wielder’s gloves searched for an opening. Faith’s spiraled her staff expertly, repeatedly driving Aya back.
“Kyaaa!” With a well placed kick, Aya snapped the staff in half.
Faith tightened her grip on both sides. She had repeatedly trained with double staffs. This was nothing new.
Aya went in with a low uppercut. Finally. An opening. Faith threw one half of the staff at her opponent, who deflected it with a punch. Blinded, she didn’t see as Faith circled around her and drove the other half of the staff into Aya’s ribs.
Oh, no . Too late Faith realized that Aya had done a double attack. Aya’s kick headed straight for her face. It landed on her nose with a sickening crunch. Faith drove back, hard, into a tree. She tasted the blood that dripped from her nostrils.
On the other side was Aya, down on one knee. She took shallow breaths as she clutched her aching ribs. “Not bad, holy wielder. Not many people are fast enough to break through my defense.”
Faith whisked her hands in front of her nose. Her holy aura flowed into the injury. Immediately, the bleeding ceased. The pain, too, became non-existent. That’s it. I have to heal her too.
Aya cracked her fists as she stood up straight. “Healing, huh. I’m just going to have to beat you faster than you can recover, then.”
“Well, here I am,” responded Faith, sure Aya would take the bait. “Come and get me.”
Aya gritted her teeth. “ Gladly .” With frightening speed the water wielder pounced. Faith remained still, allowing Aya to take hold of her in a bear hug. Aya tried to pick Faith up for a slam, but Faith ground her feet. Simultaneously, she closed her eyes and let the holy energy flow out of her.
“That’s not going to work!” screamed Aya. They were face to face now, so close that Faith could smell the strawberry aroma from Aya’s hair.
A sudden burst of pain rocked Faith. The darkness was fighting back. Dark tentacles wrapped around both wielders, threatening to overtake them.
Faith realized that with Aya fighting her, she wasn’t going to be able to resist the darkness.
Faith opened her eyes. “Aya, I need your help.” Crimson eyes full of hate stared back at her. “I need you to fight back with me, or this darkness will claim us both.”
Aya’s grip around her softened, and for a split second, Faith could have sworn she saw a hint of remorse in Aya’s eyes.
“Aya,” Faith insisted. As she spoke she released greater levels of holy, causing her body to glow a bright white. “Do it for your friends. Do it for Falcon.”
Aya’s red eyes changed to her usual black. A second later, they returned to a crimson and then back yet again to black.
“I…I’m t…trying,” stuttered Aya, pain in her voice.
“Close your eyes and focus.”
The girls closed their eyes. With her last ounce of strength, Faith fought off Draknorr’s veil of darkness. She could feel Aya doing the same.
Then, quite suddenly, her body felt as light as air. She and Aya crashed to the floor, battered and exhausted. Above them a wicked coat of dark mist disintegrated into thin air, wailing loudly in the voice of a tortured woman.
Despite the loud screeches, Faith allowed herself a small breath, celebrating her small victory. But just as she
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