Wielder

Chapter 20 - The Face of Adversity

Alie was not prepared for the relentless force that was Roger Sole. He must have been hiding the extremities of his power somehow; now that they were all focused on defeating her, she felt crushed by their weight.

His dark red eyes burned with the glowing fires of passion. Though he barely moved, his entire body stood as still as stone: an unmovable force determined to defeat her. The entire plaza plunged into darkness around them. She gaped at the clouded sky in horror. How did he get even the skies to bow to his whims?

Magic surged through the Ultimate. Even it knew this was not a foe to be taken lightly. They had no time to waste on seeing how well Alie could fend for herself. It was obvious, right from the start, that she would need all the help she could get.

She could feel the Commander's power surrounding her. She sensed it reaching bony fingers of death to her neck, ready to choke her. She sank under its pressure bearing down upon her shoulders, slowing her movements. She trampled over its roots lifting up from the ground to trip her.

It sang to her. Not the song of death and defeat that the monster in the Unknown had whispered; but the melancholic song of sorrow. Of loss. Of heartbreak. Its melody sank into her soul, latching on tight with claws that meant to poison her very being.

Listening to it nearly brought her to her knees.

It was by the Ultimate's power alone that she moved to defend herself against the wave of blobs that suddenly appeared around her feet. She let the magic jolt her out of the trance she had fallen into. Still, even as golden power flowed across her skin and caused her to cut through the blobs with ease, it took several tearful blinks for her to block the dark power's song from her mind.

Commander Sole had not moved. His fingers twitched now and then, the only indication that it was his power calling forth more Evil. But he didn't reach for the sword at his side. He didn't try to grab her or taunt her.

He didn't have to. His power was enough.

The blobs became larger. Alie moved with the grace of the greatest of warriors, flitting across the road as if she had been born and raised upon it. Black horrors rose with snarling jaws and snapping teeth, only to be smashed into oblivion by her blade a moment later.

It wasn't enough. She was just playing defense. If she wanted this to end, she would need to strike back.

Magic shot out of her extended hand, whirling in a crackling bolt of electric energy straight for the Commander's heart.

He didn't even flinch. The magic erupted against a shield of darkness that rose up to protect him. It hissed and sputtered and shattered into golden dust, falling harmlessly to the ground.

The Commander's shield, made of swirling dark power, faded away once her threat of magic had expired. Remnants of it floated around his feet, ready to rise up again should he need it.

She would have to strike him with the Ultimate, then.

As if realizing this as well, the sword shifted its movements. It directed her footwork to angle toward the Commander, instead of circling around him. She inched her way forward, striking dozens of Evil down along the way.

The Commander's jaw twitched. He was growing bored.

He gave no other warnings before throwing out a wave of black power. It lifted up like an ocean wave, intent to wash her away. Just before it struck her, she imagined a shield in place around her. The golden orb absorbed the impact. Dark power washed above and around her, but could not touch her.