NINETEEN
1228 Words
A heavy silence descended on the cave as everyone seemed to reorient themselves to the reality of what was going on; the looks on their faces ranging from sheer anger to utter confusion. All of them were trying to understand why the seer would betray them.
But even though their understanding of the situation was quite distorted, they were all still able to agree on one thing: the Conqueror's flames had to be prevented from being unleashed once more on the realm; no matter what it took.
Gripping her sword firmly in her hands in readiness of whatever might happen, Kyra stepped forward to speak to Ariel. "Please Ariel, think carefully about what you're doing," she said to her. "The Conqueror's flames isn't something to be toyed with. It’s a destroyer, it’ll destroy everything that we’ve worked so hard to build."
"But you're wrong, Kyra," the seer returned. "The flames isn't the destroyer of worlds, it's that which is going to help us build a new world."
"Enough of this madness, little girl!" Isidora cut in before Kyra could try again. "Hand over the staff now or I swear by the spirits I'm going to teach you a very intimate lesson in pain." As if in support of her threat, a strong wind began to blow around the dark witch; the air collecting in her hands to become a very thick thundering purple energy.
But contrary to what might have been expected at the sight of the Dark power, Ariel didn't show any sign of being frightened. In fact, what she proceeded to do was smile; an action which proved to be quite menacing in that her eyes seemed to burn brighter at that moment. "Give it your best shot, dark witch," she challenged.
Needing no further invitation, Isidora unleashed her power on the seer. But just as the latter was about to be hit, the fire on the staff suddenly created a shield around her, the energy unable to penetrate it even as it came in more torrents.
"I'll give it to you Isidora, you are powerful," Ariel said to her through the attack, almost sounding like an admirer then. "But thing is, even the most powerful of things is not immune to fire."
Before anyone could understand what the seer had said, the purple energy suddenly burst into flames; its force backfiring to hit so hard to fling the dark witch across the room.
"Isidora!" Kyra shouted as she saw the fire hit her away. But just as the Soul of magic was about to run to check on the fallen dark witch, a part of the flames shot out and struck her too; the force flinging her into the wall at the other end of the room closer to Ariel. Then, the flames transformed into a barrier that kept her enclosed in her corner with the seer.
Richard, Lucian and the twins all tried as they could to find a way through the barrier to get the women on the other side but all their efforts was to no avail; there was just no getting through the fire.
Ariel, on the other side however, gave no indication that she even saw the people having a go at the barrier; her sights set instead on the fallen Soul of magic. "Hello, my lady," she said as she came to crouch next to her. "You and I have much to discuss."
***
Kyra was no stranger to punches. From the time that she had begun her swordsmanship training to when she took up the identity of the Knight, she had been exposed more than once to strong punches. Even her life as the Soul of magic wasn’t without its punch incidents. But from all of them, she had easily recovered.
But the strike that had sent her flying into the wall was a lot more than just a punch. It was magic on an aggressive level; at least that was how it felt when it hit her.
She hadn't actually seen it coming; she was more concentrated on Isidora's condition after all. The initial hit actually took the wind out of her, the force of it feeling as if she had been pelted with a thousand rocks all at once. Everything felt disorienting as she rolled through air before slamming unceremoniously into the wall; the pain in her body so intense upon impact that it was a miracle that she actually did fall unconscious as she fell to the ground.
As she opened her eyes even though it felt like lead at that moment, she saw Ariel crouching next to her, her reflex immediately causing her to go for her sword; but she was disappointed when the weapon was nowhere to be found.
"Looking for your sword?" the seer asked, an amused smile on her face as she stood up and walked away from the Soul of magic. "Well, it won't be relevant in the conversation we're about to have."
"Well, since you're in the mood to talk, how about you clarify something for me," Kyra returned, swaying onto her feet just then. "Was it always your plan to betray us or was that just an afterthought?"
Words actually seemed to fail the seer at that question; her expression turning solemn as she looked from the Soul of magic to the rest of the group still fighting to get through the barrier. "I know that you're angry at how things turned out," she eventually replied after a while, "but I had to do it. It was the only way I could get the Conqueror's flames."
"So you always knew where the flames was then," Kyra deduced from the response. "You didn't care about how we were going to be risking our lives for the illusion you've created, only how you can use us."
"Actually, I was pretty interested in you, Kyra," Ariel countered, looking almost sad at the intense glare that the other woman was shooting her; but Kyra suspected that it was just another of her manipulation. "You know, I thought that with the Soul of magic at my side, the realm will finally be as it should," she said. "But then again, I didn't know then that what was left of the most powerful witch to have ever lived was this weak pretentious being of a Knight."
Kyra screamed as rage surged through her at Ariel's words; the feeling so much that she grabbed a dagger out of her boot and threw it right at the seer. But the weapon never reached even anywhere close to her before it suddenly stopped midair in a force of fiery bubble.
"This realm will burn, Kyra," Ariel said to her, pure seriousness in her voice, "and there’s nothing you or anyone can do to stop it." And with that, the seer vanished in a blaze of fire; taking the Conqueror's flames with her.
"Kyra," the Soul of magic heard Richard call from behind, turning to see him and Lucian coming to check on her as the barrier had also vanished alongside its creator. "Are you okay?" he asked.
"Yes," she replied, waving away the concern. "But Ariel’s gone, and she’s taken the most powerful weapon ever to be used on the realm with her."
- Writer
