PATH OF ASCENSION
by Ulquiorra9000
Chapter 12
Jaina wasn't surprised to see Alexander kill Jero; after all, Jero had lost his grays, lost his powers (making him near-useless to the League), and most of all, led Jaina straight to Madam Apolla's island. But even with Jero gone, Jaina still had other problems.
Alexander chuckled as he stalked closer to Jaina's party. He playfully slashed the floor with his mana whips as a show of force, daring his opponents to face him. Jaina gripped her swords tight, but her weapons had never felt so useless. What good could her metal sticks do against power like that? She had never seen anyone use three colors of mana before, not even the battle-wise veterans of the Reverent Army.
At the same time, Madam Apolla got to work on her ritual. Crackling blue mana swirled around her as she placed her palms on the stone floor, and the very air seemed to thicken as the ritual spell intensified. With Alexander standing between her and Jaina's party, Madam Apolla looked very comfortable with her situation. In fact...
"He's fueling her power," Sophia told Jaina urgently.
"Huh?" Jaina was preoccupied with more pressing matters.
Sophia made an impatient noise. "No single person could have enough mana to use a ritual spell on so many people. Alexander is helping her. See the mana streams?"
Jaina squinted. Now that she looked away from Alexander's mana whips, she saw faint trails of blue mana flowing from Alexander's body to Madam Apolla's hands. So, defeating Alexander could shut down the ritual? Simple.
But not easy.
"Raaaaah!" Alexander snapped his left wrist and sent his left mana whip crashing to the floor. The black mana barely touched the stone surface when the pulsing red mana ignited. A string of blinding explosions threw Jaina off her feet; she actually felt herself fly through the air and fall heavily onto her side. Groaning, Jaina sat up and saw a deep, scorched impression on the floor where Alexander's mana whip had struck.
Cadoc, too, had fallen, but now he sprang back to his feet with a feral expression. "Katrina, Jaina, Petros, cover me. I'll finish him."
Sophia and the hoplites hung back while Jaina charged Alexander with the others. Jaina let loose a cry and let her years of training with Mr. Loxan and the other instructors take over. Her blades whirled through the air in a deadly pattern as she pressed into Alexander's right flank. The blue-black mana whip lashed through the air, but too slowly; Jaina leaped to avoid the sizzling cord and she pressed her attack.
Hardened black mana absorbed the impact of Jaina's swords, but still, Jaina allowed herself a small grin; so she could break through Alexander's guard, and that meant that Cadoc could, too. Now, if Cadoc got the chance...
Petros nocked an arrow, drew it back, and fired. The arrow flashed through the air and forced Alexander to bring up his right mana whip to block it. During that split-second distraction, Katrina spun around and unleashed a mana-infused roundhouse kick that caught Alexander on the head. Again, the black mana barriers saved Alexander from harm, but now Cadoc's attack plan was complete.
A whirling drill of red and white mana encased Cadoc's hand as Cadoc sank his fist into Alexander's gut. For a few seconds, both men stood their ground while mana flared around them. Then, with a burst of energy, they flew apart.
"I think that one connected," Cadoc gasped as he stumbled back. Sweat ran down his face and his clothes were burnt from the clash of mana, but he had a grim look of satisfaction on his face.
Jaina could see why; Alexander's mana barriers had failed him, and the smell of burnt flesh filled the room as Alexander clapped a hand to his smoking belly. The trusted one's chest heaved.
"Not bad, kid," Alexander growled, looking down at the wound. Then his head snapped up and he locked eyes with Cadoc through his mask's eye holes. "Let's see if you can do that twice."
Again Alexander's whips snaked through the air, and his red-black whip extended far enough to catch Petros on his midriff. The archer cried out as he was thrown against the wall, then he slumped to the floor.
"Petros!" Jaina tried to rush to Petros' aid, but before she could, Alexander's other mana whip found her. The blue-black lash smacked her across her face, but oddly, there was no pain. In fact, it felt... good.
Jaina blinked a few times. Since when was Madam Apolla's ritual such a big deal? In fact, she wanted to see the ritual spell carried out. So many pretty shades of blue. And Cadoc... what was his deal? All he did was attack others and push others away emotionally. He needed to be taught a lesson.
"Jaina! Stop!" Cadoc howled as his fellow warrior turned her blades on him. Cadoc's mana-infused fists blocked Jaina's rapid blows as they came, red and white magic clashing loudly with tempered steel blades. But long, grueling matches against Mr. Loxan had sharpened Jaina's abilities to a fine edge, and before long, Jaina scored a shallow but long wound across Cadoc's chest.
Something green and hard collided with Jaina's belly a second later. Before Jaina could land another blow on Cadoc, Katrina's left foot had landed a solid kick that threw Jaina aside like a doll. Stunned, Jaina scrambled to her feet, but everything had resumed clarity. The light, funny feeling in her mind vanished and she realized what had just happened.
"Cadoc, I'm sorry! It was Alexander's..." Jaina started.
Cadoc nodded, wincing. "I know. Now that you're back on my side, let's try this again."
This time, Daxis and Lagro joined the fray. Although the hoplites were better trained for soldier-on-soldier battle, they raised their weapons and charged the enemy headlong. Petros, meanwhile, had recovered and loosened a second arrow to back them up. Finally, Jaina, Katrina, and Cadoc surrounded the trusted one and attacked from all sides.
It was no good. Alexander let out a whoop of laughter and slapped his red-black whip onto the floor, and another string of explosions threw up a fiery wall that stopped the assault cold. When the smoke cleared, Alexander stood tall and proud in his gold robes.
"Is that all you people can manage?" he taunted them. Behind him, Madam Apolla's spell intensified even more. "All of Theros will belong to the Shadow League pretty soon if this is all the opposition we'll get. You guys are ridiculous! What a joke."
Jaina snarled. Blood pounded in her ears as she re-evaluated her pompous opponent. If only there was a way! Maybe... "Follow my lead!" she announced, then sprinted past Alexander's left flank.
Once again Alexander's whips snapped through the air, but this time, Katrina sprang into the air and bashed the lashes aside with a few kicks. Taking her chance, Jaina broke past Alexander's flank and closed in on Madam Apolla. Jaina swung her blade at the old woman with all her strength...
And a barrier of sky-blue mana deflected it. Jaina felt her swords wobble in her hands as the shield threw back all the energy of Jaina's attack. Another barrier! My swords can't break it... maybe Cadoc can shatter it.
Too late. Alexander's red-black whip snapped through the air between Jaina and Madam Apolla, then it released a violent blast of red mana that sent Jaina sprawling onto the floor once again. Jaina's ears rang and she numbly felt hideous pain radiating all over her body. Her skin felt stiff and charred, and when she felt her chest, her fingers ran over burnt flesh. Agony flashed through Jaina's brain and she went limp, groaning.
From her vantage point on the floor, Jaina saw Alexander catch Katrina with his blue-black whip. The trusted one threw back his head and laughed as Katrina knocked aside the hoplites with fierce kicks, and even Cadoc and Petros were hard-pressed to defend themselves from Katrina's assault.
We can't lose. We can't! Jaina wailed in her mind. She slowly reached out and gripped the stone floor, slowly dragging herself to Alexander, who had his back to her. Carefully, so as not to aggravate her burn wounds, Jaina extended her other hand and inched ever closer to her opponent. What could se do once she caught him? Not much, but some kernel of defiance overrode all of Jaina's other thoughts.
Destroy Alexander. That's all that mattered.
Katrina, meanwhile, shook herself free of Alexander's influence at last and whirled around to face the trusted one. She took a flying leap and threw an impressive kick, but it was for nothing. Alexander's red-black whip caught her halfway and tossed her aside with a blast of fiery mana.
Despair sank into Jaina's mind as she watched. She had been so sure that her quest would end with success, but Alexander was putting a quick end to that idea. If Jaina and the others didn't do something now, Madam Apolla's ritual would finish and every wealthy and influential person on Theros would fall under Shadow League control.
Jaina remembered the smug, happy faces of the people above her, who enjoyed their evening ignorant of the danger below them. She didn't really identify with such people, but they didn't deserve to become psychic slaves of the Shadow League. No one did.
That thought reminded Jaina of her obligation as a reverent warrior. What was Jaina's own life against the fate of so many? She owed those people her own life if that's what it took to defeat Alexander and stop the ritual spell.
A tinging sensation spread across Jaina's body from head to toe as she watched Alexander toss around Cadoc, Petros and the others. Jaina felt her mote of defiance swell in her, growing and hardening into pure resolve like she never felt before. She didn't have the strength to defeat a trusted one like Alexander, but gods be damned, she certainly felt righteous fury in the face of Alexander's wicked power.
Somehow, Jaina's body felt lighter and the pain in her burns faded. Was she dying? If so, death wasn't so bad. It felt like a warm, soft blanket that wrapped itself around her, glowing pure white, with specks of light like diamond shards...
But something was off. That wasn't death. That wasn't Erebos dragging Jaina to the world beyond the Five Rivers.
It was Heliod's favor.
Jaina hardly dared to believe it, but there was no denying it now. She found the strength to get to her feet and stand tall, and her legs didn't even wobble or buckle under her weight. Her burn wounds ad been healed, too.
Elated, Jaina scooped up her swords and put them in the ready position. To Jaina's amazement, shimmering plates of ethereal white mana augmented both swords' blades. The stars of Nyx glittered on the swords' metal edges, and similar enchantments plated Jaina's body like armor from neck to toes.
Then Jaina heard Heliod's unmistakable voice booming in her mind: "Persevere."
I can do that, big guy, Jaina thought, and she felt a grin crossing her face. Just watch me!
Alexander whirled around just in time to see Jaina lunge with her swords whirling through the air in a blur of pearly mana. Shocked, the trusted one blocked the blow just in time with his mana whips. Multi-colored mana sizzled and spat at the point of contact.
"You've got some fight in you, girl," Alexander sneered, but Jaina could hear concern in the man's voice. "So, you got Heliod's favor? Then let's see whose god is superior."
Jaina was eager to find out, too. With an almighty heave, she knocked aside Alexander's mana whips and jabbed her right blade at the trusted one's exposed chest. Alexander narrowly dodged the blow, but Jaina's blade still ripped through his gold cloak and scorched it. Then, before Alexander could strike back, Jaina withdrew and joined her fellows.
"Jaina, you did it!" Sophia exclaimed, her eyes wide. "After all this time..."
"The big man upstairs decided to be generous," Jaina babbled. She had worked so long for this, and here it was: Heliod's blessing, the power needed to fight people like Alexander. Now the Shadow League was in trouble!
By now, Petros had recovered, and he now joined Jaina and the others to confront the trusted one. Everyone was prepared to take the fight to Alexander once again, bolstered by the presence of Jaina's newfound favor.
Still, Alexander was far from beaten. He huffed and returned his whips to the ready position. "Don't think you've won," he warned Jaina. He slashed the floor with his blue-black whip for emphasis.
Jaina merely grinned and led the charge with her fellows.
This time, Alexander sent both whips at Jaina simultaneously. Bracing herself, Jaina crossed her blades in front of her and let her favor take the brunt of Alexander's assault. It felt like trying to lift a mountain; the sheer pressure of Alexander's assault was incredible, and Jaina felt her cocky eagerness melting in the face of sudden panic. Jaina's vision was filled with a wall of black, blue, and red mana that bore down on her enchanted swords and arms.
Baring her teeth, Jaina strained her muscles and threw every bit of her strength against Alexander's. Still, she felt herself being slowly pushed back. Her sandaled feet skidded across the stone floor, slowly, inexorably. I can't keep this up! Someone... help! Her arms trembled and her favor flickered in protest.
Then, the pressure lifted. Jaina threw aside Alexander's whips at last and saw that Cadoc and Katrina had both caught Alexander in his flank. Cadoc's mana drills and Katrina's enchanted feet had both bashed the trusted one aside, and now the gold-cloaked figure was tumbling helplessly across the floor.
Petros released another arrow as Daxis and Lagro moved in for the kill. Alexander rolled to avoid the hoplites' weapons, but he couldn't stop Petros' arrow from piercing his back. The trusted one's scream blasted through his gold mask.
"You're all dead!" Furious, Alexander sprang to his feet and tossed aside his gold skull mask, the better to breathe. Sweat ran down his face and his stylish red hair now hung in damp, messy clumps.
"Come and get us, punk," Petros grinned fiercely.
Alexander complied. His red-black mana whip lashed through the air and caught Petros right on the midriff. A pair of wall-shuddering explosions blasted Petros through the air, and the archer once again sprawled to the floor.
In another instant, Alexander's blue-black whip coiled around Daxis' head and squeezed. With shaking hands, Daxis dropped his spear and drew a combat knife from his belt. Then, the hoplite drew the blade across his neck. Blood seeped from the wound for a few agonizing seconds, then the hoplite crumpled.
"No!" Jaina aggressively resumed the attack, swords flashing everywhere. Her blades clashed repeatedly with Alexander's whips, exchanging heavier blows than Jaina had ever felt. Faster and faster the warriors traded strikes, and although Jaina felt Heliod's power driving her, she knew that the power was draining away fast. Fatigue settled back in, and the divine favor dimmed a little with each exchange.
But Alexander was in trouble too. His mana whips became slower and less responsive, and that gave Jaina the chance she needed to land a few glancing blows on her opponent. By now, Cadoc and the others simply hung back, unwilling to get caught in the middle. The battle had escalated beyond what either of them could handle.
Then, Alexander knocked Jaina aside with his blue-black whip and lashed Petros again with the other. Another string of explosions tossed Petros' charred form like a doll, and from here, Jaina couldn't even tell if Petros was still alive. She prayed that he was.
With a final burst of strength, Jaina brought down her favor-enhanced swords upon Alexander's head. She poured all her remaining power into the blow, and likewise, Alexander defied her with a final spurt of dark power. For a few seconds, the two warriors strained against each other in a colorful vortex of mana.
Then, just as quickly, they breached each other's defenses and landed desperate blows. Jaina's enchanted blades carved into Alexander's chest while the red-black whip slashed across Jaina's torso. Utterly spent, both warriors backed away from each other, staring each other down but unable to deal another blow.
Just a little more! Jaina encouraged herself, but she knew that she could do no more. Her vision went fuzzy and she felt her legs wobble underneath her.
Similarly, Alexander was covered in mana burns and cuts and his whips had fizzled out, but he managed to stagger back, clutching his belly. Painfully, he cracked a small grin in spite of himself. "Well fought, girl."
Jaina opened her mouth to respond but never managed to say anything. She crumpled to the floor, her vision went black, and she knew no more.