Chapter Nine
A soft breeze blew past the six Adepts stranded on the ground, feeling quite helpless as their fate was now lying in the hands of Isaac. Up above, the tension was thick as Isaac and Alex held their positions, neither making a move.
Isaac readied his sword. "Waiting will get us nowhere," said he. "What are you waiting for, Alex?"
Alex looked up and stared into Isaac's eyes, then laughed dryly. "This," he said.
Isaac turned too late as a thirty-foot wide boulder plowed right into his back, sending him plummeting down. "A shame it's over so early!" Alex called. "Never let your guard down!"
As Isaac fell through the sky, he swung his sword and sheared through the boulder, reducing it to dust. He touched ground with his feet and kicked back into the air, propelling himself right at Alex. Alex was ready for him, doing a barrel roll to dodge his swing, then put out his hand and fired a stream of water. Isaac twirled around and blew wind that forced the water to scatter into small droplets, raining upon the spectators below. The two duelists then flew at each other and clashed blades, then backing off prepared for another round.
"You grow weak already?" asked Alex.
"Not nearly!" Isaac replied, thrusting his arms above his head. He formed a golden orb of pure Psynergy and hurled it at Alex. Alex batted it away as if it were a toy, then thrust his blade forward and fired a serpent of flame from its tip that caught Isaac in the left arm. Isaac cried out in agony.
"FEEL IT BURN!" Alex yelled as he drew nearer to Isaac, singeing Isaac's flesh all the more. "FEEL THE SUFFERING OF YOUR DOOM!"
Isaac, with his free arm, thrust his sword forward and launched a flame snake as well, engulfing Alex's free arm in flame. The two combatants stood at a deadlock, both in complete agony, and finally they ceased. Alex then thrust his blade at Isaac's chest, but Isaac lifted a large piece of earth in front of him and blocked it. As Alex's blade made contact the earth burst into tiny clods, a shower of dirt upon Weyard below.
Garet clenched his fists, growing anxious. "Is there nothing we can do?" he demanded.
"No," the Wise One said sadly. "It is up to these two now."
"But I feel so useless," said Ivan. "We have to do something! We need to help Isaac somehow!"
"We've done all we can," Sheba replied. "We've given him our remaining Djinn, and there's nothing else left for him to use. We just need to sit back and watch now."
Once again Alex and Isaac engaged in sword combat in midair, swinging and clashing their swords repeatedly, sparks flying everywhere. They fought so hard the edges of their blades grew blunt, but it was of no importance to the two angry foes.
"Why won't you die?" Alex demanded.
"Because this world needs me!" Isaac replied. He cried out as his sword become engulfed in electricity, and as their swords clashed again it coursed through the two swords into Alex's body, and Alex gave a loud cry as it burned his flesh from inside. However, he simply grabbed Isaac's wrist and placed a well-aimed kick at Isaac's chest, sending Isaac tumbling back through the air. As he tumbled Alex charged at him, sword drawn forth. He aimed it at Isaac's head, but his swing was less aimed than his kick, and he only managed to slice off a lock of Isaac's golden hair. Isaac then kicked Alex in the face, and Alex cried out as he tumbled back, blood flowing from his nose and mouth. Both opponents stopped and tried to gather their breath.
Alex clutched his face, blood flowing between his fingers. "You bastard…" he gasped. "This is only the beginning…" He swung his arm out and cast Odyssey, but instead of the legendary blade coming from the heavens, it appeared in his hands, twenty times his size, and he grabbed the handle firmly with his two hands. "With this you shall die!"
Alex swung the great blade at Isaac, and Isaac barely managed to duck. He cried out as Alex swung down, slicing several feathers off of Isaac's left wing. Isaac thrust his sword forth, charging at Alex, but Alex swung Odyssey with all his might. In a last ditch effort Isaac held his sword in front of him to block the blow, but upon impact his sword snapped and he lost grip, his sword shards falling to the ground below.
"Move back," the Wise One said.
The six Adepts stepped back as the shards of Isaac's shattered sword fell in front of them. "Is that Alex's sword or Isaac's sword?" asked Garet.
The Wise One looked down. "It is Isaac's," he said slowly.
"Oh no!" exclaimed Mia. "I hope he's okay!"
Alex swung Odyssey again, clipping Isaac's wings. Isaac tumbled out of the sky, no longer able to stay airborne.
"ISAAC!" the others cried.
Isaac landed on the ground hard on his back in front of his friends. "Isaac…we'll help you!" Mia cried. She, Piers, and Jenna ran up to him, trying to use their healing Psynergy to heal Isaac. However, it failed them, for without their Djinn they could their healing techniques were limited to say the least.
Ivan turned on the Wise One. "Can't you do something about this?" he demanded.
"I cannot," said the Wise One. "As I have said before, I am not allowed to interfere."
"You interfered when you sent the Doom Dragon against us!" snapped Ivan.
"It was…a miracle," replied the Wise One.
"You're still clinging onto that excuse?" demanded Ivan. "How can you call yourself the Wise One? How is it wise to sit out and let the world run itself into destruction! How is it wise to allow Weyard to be allowed because some damn 'rule' doesn't let you help out? Don't you care what happens to this world? Don't you care that if Isaac's wings are not fixed we'll all die, including you?"
The Wise One stayed silent. He did not know what to do or say. He was not allowed to interfere…he was placed on this world to keep watch, not to take part…but yet…he could help sway the battle…he could turn the tide and give Weyard a future.
Alex dove toward the group, Odyssey drawn forth. "ISAAC DIES TODAY!" he yelled, swinging the flaming sword. Isaac leaped forward and was slashed across the chest, blood spraying everywhere. He collapsed to the ground, dying quickly, lying in a pool of his blood. The others watched helplessly as Alex moved in on his victim.
This is not right… thought the Wise One. Surely this is not how the world was meant to be…it is time…I took a step…AND I HELPED OUT FOR ONCE!
The Wise One lit up with the light of Psynergy, and as Alex plunged down Odyssey to slay Isaac, a great barrier appeared around Isaac, blocking the swing. The Wise One lit up again, using all of his Psynergy, and he brought Isaac back from the brink of death, healing his wounds and his wings.
Alex wheeled on the Wise One. "You defy me too?" he demanded. "You were not supposed to interfere! YOU WERE NOT SUPPOSED TO INTERFERE! IT IS AGAINST YOUR RULES!"
"Those rules are gone now!" the Wise One snarled. "They were foolish! Everyone should do what they can to save the world from fools like you! I WILL SIT OUT NO LONGER!"
"Then you will be next to die," said Alex. Alex then charged at the Wise One, swinging Odyssey. The Wise One threw up a great barrier around himself, but it shattered, and the Wise One was slashed right across his eye, a great crack made in his rocky exterior, and he was cast through the air.
"THAT'S IT!" Isaac hollered. "YOU'VE GONE TOO FAR!" He cast Odyssey, grabbing the great flaming blade by the handle. "ALEX! YOUR DEATH IS NIGH!"
Five Adepts ran to the Wise One to see if he was okay. Mia, however, stayed to watch the fight ensue. Alex and Isaac were at a stand off, both bearing Odyssey.
"Wise One! Are you okay?" Garet asked.
The Wise One could barely open his eye. "I…will live," said he. "But look! The final battle continues!"
Isaac and Alex squared off, blade clashing upon blade. As they clashed flame spewed from the earth as it began to crack under the pressure. Blood, sweat, and tears mixed as they struck.
A piece of earth struck Isaac in the forehead, drawing blood, and it streamed down his face, covering his right eye. His hair was matted to his head, drenched from perspiration due to the heat and strain of battle.
"You're weakening!" said Alex as he fought harder and harder, laying on the pressure. He intended to end the battle as quickly as possible. He had been slashed across the cheek, blood pouring down the side of his face, and like Isaac, his hair was matted with perspiration.
Isaac raised Odyssey into the air and plunged it into the ground. The ground before it cracked wide open, and flame spewed forth from the earth, engulfing Alex. Alex swung Odyssey and the flame scattered. He then thrust it forward, but Isaac blocked it in a counter swing. The two opponents then started to run, and then they took flight, launching high in the sky, and they traded swings. They then backed off and charged at each other one last time, their swords clashing in one last confrontation. They lost grip on their Psynergy and both Odysseys shattered, and they ceased for a moment, panting hard.
"You do know that you can no longer win," said Alex. "You have no sword! And with no sword, you are hopeless."
"I don't need it," said Isaac. "I have told you already, I will not lose to you."
Alex laughed. "Even with a sword you're hopeless," he said. "For I possess one more power…one more weapon that will spell your death."
Isaac watched as Alex reached into the pocket of his tunic…and pulled out the Mercury Star.