Outskirts of Paris (Dani's POV)
'Yep, not going to be easy.' I thought running and dodging her barrage of air bullets. She punched forward and I sensed something coming. I raised another boulder between us. The rock was immediately shattered.
'Oh no!' The blow crashed before me and kicked up a smokescreen. I closed my eyes and shielded my face with my arms.
'She can shatter rocks with a blast of air. This is going to be a problem.' I then heard something hit the ground next to me. Then, I heard more rapid blows to the earth around me. I dove underground and remained quiet until I heard nothing. A few moments later, it was quiet.
"Marco!" she said playfully. I launched from the earth's crust and landed back on solid ground. Sybil floated above me with a grin.
"Not bad." She said. Her dark eyes were peering into my very being and sent a violent chill down my spine.
"Thanks but, I'm just getting started." She made another knife hand and unleashed her spear. I raised my hands and I rose into the sky on a pillar of rock. The spear demolished my foundation and I began to fall. While in mid-air, I kicked a boulder toward her. She smirked as she prepared her attack. She swiped at the obstacle; causing me to bend backwards to avoid. I met the earth and she landed before me.
"Okay. This is boring now. Our king wouldn't be happy if he found out I was just playing around." I readied myself knowing she was ready to finish our bout.
"I had fun but, playtime is over my friend." She crafted two orbs of air around her hands. Pushing forward rapidly, she released a countless number of spheres fashioned from compressed air. Each floated around me; until I was surrounded.
'This isn't good.' I thought stomping the ground and clasping my hands together in front of me. A large dome of rock enclosed my body.
'I hope this is strong enough.' I thought awaiting her assault.
"I'm disappointed. Too bad but, this is the end." All I could hear after that, was a barrage against my rock barrier. Little by little, the shield was being chipped away and was eventually rendered useless. I couldn't move fast enough to avoid. Before I knew it, I was overwhelmed by anguish. Blow after blow, I slowly fell into unconsciousness.
Flashback Dani's Training
It's been at least a month since Vortex and I began my training. He's been a great teacher. I've learned so much and can feel myself becoming stronger than ever. We were sitting down in our makeshift camp around a campfire. We were silent for the most part until a thought came to me.
"Vortex, can I ask you something?" He looked to me and smiled.
"Of course Dani. What is it you wish to know?"
"Why do I have this power?" I asked letting electricity flow down both my arms.
"I have already instructed you in the four main cores and their evolutions. However, there are abilities born from unique circumstances. These occurrences are entirely random and unpredictable."
"What do you mean?"
"Think about young Danny. He possesses a unique power that was gifted to him and him alone."
"What is that?"
"Aside from being half human and ghost, he possesses his Ghostly Wail technique. The ability alone is amongst one of the most powerful and dangerous attacks known to ghost kind."
"Really?" 'Danny is so cool. I wish I had a super cool attack too.'
"This power you have can rival his." I perked up right away.
"How? How can this become as strong as his attack?"
"By training. I did promise to make you stronger my child and I will uphold my word. Therefore, I will teach you a technique that only you can utilize." I was completely overjoyed at that point. I've always wanted to be a hero like Danny. He's was someone I always looked up to because he always did what was right no matter what. He was the best. Way better than my crazy dad.
"What is this technique exactly?" He smiled looking into the embers that floated and then sparked into the air.
Present Day
I began to awaken as I heard a voice close by. I opened my eyes to Sybil walking away from me.
"It's done. Now to go back, retrieve the orb and destroy the rest of those annoying guest." I clenched my fist remembering that everyone was fighting with all they had to win.
'I said I would win. I told Danny not to worry about me. How can I ask him to be my dad if I fail here? I don't deserve to ask him if I lose to someone like her.' I forced myself up and stumbled to my feet. I hung my head slowing my breathing. Sybil came to a stop and turned back toward me.
"Well well well. Seems you still have some fight in you my friend." She bared her fangs as she began to walk back to me.
"I guess I'm going to have to try harder to finish you." A white aura besieged my body and then sent a severe tremor through the earth. Sybil was caught off guard and stopped.
"You had this kind of power all along?"
"Yes. Sorry but, every surprise is worth the wait."
"Fair enough. So what now?" I widened my stance and clasped my palms together. I began to yell as a large bolt of lightning flew from the clouds and struck me. Then, a loud and powerful crash of thunder followed soon after. I continued to yell as electricity lashed wildly across the plain. Sybil shielded herself and tried to dodge the whipping energy. Each bolt destroyed the terrain easily. I screamed to the sky as a blinding flash of light robbed everyone of their sight. Sybil stood closing her eyes. She slowly opened her eyes and her mouth fell open. I looked to my hand emitting constant charges.
"It's just like before."
"This is your lightning form Dani." Commented Vortex.
"Wow!" I said looking into the lake. I saw my entire body was emitting electricity. My hair was replaced by a head of electric strands flowing freely in the breeze. My neon green eyes became a light blue, my skin was displaying a faint white glow and I grew a pair of fangs too.
"Why do I have fangs?"
"That is a sign of power Dani. Those who grow fangs have unlocked their true potential."
"Cool", was all I could say.
"This form will enhance many of your attributes but, you must understand that you can only maintain this form for at least 10 minutes tops."
"That's not good."
"However, that is the case for now. After training, you will be able to use it as you please."
"What happened to you?" asked a bewildered Sybil. I clenched my fist and looked to her intensely.
"I woke up." I vanished and reappeared behind her. I kicked her in the back. She was completely caught by surprise as she was sent flying. She recovered midflight.
"No way you're faster than me!" She turned and rushed at me at full speed. Becoming basically invisible. I raised my arm over my head as I blocked her axe kick. I could see the irritation in her gaze. She wasn't happy but, neither was I. We separated and launched into the air. We clashed endlessly in the clouds. Each strike resembled lightning as it flashed in heavens and then was followed by a loud crash duplicating thunder. I began to overwhelm her and punched her into the ground. She crashed and laid in a crater.
'Danny, I've become stronger than ever. I promise not to lose. Not here or ever again.' I slowly descended as she dug herself out. She was breathing heavily.
"No, this can't be happening! I'm the fastest!"
"Not anymore." I retorted. She attacked widely. Each punch and kick, I dodged with ease. 'She's losing her focus and thus this battle is mine.' She threw another punch to my face. I leaned out of the way, grabbed her arm and flipping her into the ground. Breaking it underneath her; she let out a loud cry of agony. She laid engulfed in anguish.
"This ends now Sybil."
"NO! Not yet!" She vanished and appeared above me. "I won't lose!" She screamed facing both palms toward me. Her muscles started to bulge as a large red ring developed before her. Inside it, a red star materialized and started to grow.
'She's really annoying.' I thought making a side horse stance. Placing the farthest fist on my waist and the other, a palm, upward toward Sybil. Electricity began to form into a ball before my hand. It steadily grew in size until it was twice my stature.
"Nice try but, I will end this quarrel!" She yelled unleashing a powerful red blast downward.
"I will end this myself!" I responded with my own powerful white blast against hers. They met in sky and fought relentlessly to emerge the victor. I could tell she was using all of her power to simply hold me back.
"I will not yield to you! I am one of the strongest of Lord Braedon's army. I will not be defeated by a nobody!" She gave a surge an energy that pushed her attack closer to me.
"I don't care who you are or how much strength you have. I have people counting on me and I won't lose. By the way; my name is Dani and I'm the one who will defeat you!" I gave it everything I had as my attack consumed hers. She had no time to react as she was instantly overtaken by its power. She screamed in pain as the blast traveled into the atmosphere. She immediately fell and was clearly out of commission.
'It's finally over.' She made contact and I landed by her side.
"I can't move." She said softly before suddenly breaking into laughter. I powered down as I realized her strength had left her.
"I never would have thought I would lose. You're a great fighter. I admit defeat Dani."
"Why do you fight for him?" I asked.
"Because, I never knew my father. He was like a dream to me. Until I was sucked into the Dark Valley and taken in by Braedon. I see him like the dad I never had. It may seem foolish but, that's how it feels. To be all alone and just looking for a place to call home." I was immediately taken by sorrow as I began to sympathize with her. I sat down on my knees.
"I know how you feel." She turned her head to me with a questioning look.
"I'm actually a clone. The guy who created me said I was his daughter but, he wanted to use me to create the perfect son. He didn't care about me at all or if I would survive. He was defeated but, I was left feeling empty inside."
"I never would have guessed. I guess we were destined to be opponents. Do you have someone you admire? Somewhere you call home?" I thought of Danny and all he did for me. I never really had a dad but, I knew Danny would be the best for me. Brave, kind, caring and who loves me for who I am and not for how I was made. I smiled unknowingly.
"I will take that as a yes."
"I do. He's the one that I was cloned from. The one who took care of me when I was weak and who I admire more than anything. I want him to be my dad but, we have to survive this war first." Sybil grew silent.
"I will not stand in your way then Dani. I yield and will not stand against you anymore."
"What are you going to do now?"
"I don't know. I never agreed with Braedon killing people to conquer the world honestly."
"I did notice you just wanted to have fun."
"Yeah. Mostly because I was robbed of my childhood. I didn't have both my parents or friends to really play with. I was on my own and was left with nothing."
"How about we become friends?" She stared at me with wide eyes. Completely taken by surprise.
"Are you serious?" I nodded.
"We didn't really meet on good terms but, you're not a bad person. You're a victim of circumstance. Much like I was when I was created. I didn't know where to go until someone showed me kindness and then the path became clear." Sybil just smiled as tears fell down her cheeks.
"Thank you Dani."
"No, thank you Sybil. You should rest because this isn't over."
"Yeah, I'm not going anywhere." I stood up and flew off back to Paris. 'Danny, I did it. I won a battle on my own. Not only did I win but, I made a new friend. Someone who understands my pain better than anyone. Now I know I can do the impossible, if I try hard enough.'
The Paris Bout
Dani versus Sybil
Winner: Dani