Defenders of the Earth: This Is Their Side Story
Preview
Presented by Marzena
Amy tries to get rid of her powers and asks Damian Dark to ban them since Mandrake won't help her.
"About Our Arrangement"
Amy touched down on a desolate island, landing in a field that was wide and green. Her eyes were locked on an elegant house, a home as large as her father's own. Rather than traditional walls of brick, it had glass panes on the bottom floor, strips that allowed her to see within. Dark didn't care about privacy; he likely didn't get a lot of visitors.
Just as she was making her way to the door, she tensed upon feeling a pang in her mind — a little alert that she got sometimes. Someone was near. Someone strong.
Immediately, she raised her palms just above her head, summoning a telekinetic shield. A bolt of lightning came down on her, stopping just before it could make contact, Amy's defense holding it at bay.
The lightning crackled, viciously, trying in vain to burrow through.
"I heard you were good," a girl called out.
Amy squinted, eyeing a perch, seeing a teen in a silver dress. Her black locks fluttered in a small round bun. A dark cape wavered around her frame. She had both hands pointing straight at Amy; it seemed that the lightning had come from her.
The girl disappeared. Perhaps she'd warped. Amy could sense she hadn't left the grounds. Was she coming in to attack up-close, thinking Amy couldn't protect herself?
Obviously, that would make great sense. Amy had a lot on her shoulders now — figuratively, and literally.
She glanced at the bolt with an angry grunt, pushing the lightning several yards away. A crackling explosion arose nearby.
Then the girl appeared right in front of her, glaring at Amy as she swung her fist.
Amy blocked a right, then blocked a left, then parried another with a stiff forearm. Amy back-flipped and threw a hard kick out, catching the girl right across her chin, using her power to enhance the strike.
The kid recoiled, holding her face.
Amy skidded back toward the sprawling house, leaving track marks as she crossed the field. Keeping her gaze on the distant foe, she reached backward and threw a palm at the glass, breaking it telekinetically.
She flung huge shards at the powerful girl, each piece bigger than Amy herself.
The girl barely managed to raise her hands, thrusting long streams of lightning out. Her blasts broke the shards into tiny bits; she covered her face as they flew at her.
A sprinkle of rain hit the area. The ominous clouds turned a darker gray.
The girl looked over at the house again. Her target stood waiting with a hand on a hip. She shot another cluster of lightning forth. It passed directly through the target's chest, shattering one of the lengthy panes.
The girl made a glare, and then looked tense. Perhaps she realized that she'd shot an illusion — which gave her opponent an opening.
Amy's apparition faded out of view. The real Amy walked up behind the girl, summoning a mystical blast of her own.
"Enough," called a voice.
Amy glanced up.
Damian Dark stepped out of the home, his own cape fluttering around his back. "Welcome, Amy," he said with a smirk. "I see that you've just met my daughter, Veena." He cleared his throat. "I failed to inform her that you'd be here."
Veena stepped back, raising her hand, white sparks twirling around her palm.
"Peace, my daughter," Damian said.
Veena relaxed.
Amy did too.
"So then..." He grinned. "About our arrangement..."
Scene Commentary
Amy skidded back toward the sprawling house, leaving track marks as she crossed the field. Keeping her gaze on the distant foe, she reached backward and threw a palm at the glass, breaking it telekinetically.
She flung huge shards at the powerful girl, each piece bigger than Amy herself.
The girl barely managed to raise her hands, thrusting long streams of lightning out.
When I read the scenario for this part of the tale, it seemed only natural for these two to collide. I wouldn't quite call this a dream match-up, seeing as Veena is a new character, but I was still very excited to write it — and I'm someone who's never really liked crafting fight scenes.
While Veena probably isn't as powerful as a character like Zorelda, she's still a formidable gal.
But so is her opponent.
I like how Amy uses her surroundings as tools in battle. It was also fun to integrate her telekinetic shield, and to affirm that she can sense the presences of beings like herself. And, besides the telekinesis, I had to throw in another of her father's famed abilities — illusions used as distraction. Overall, I think that Amy should be a pretty intelligent combatant, and it was nice to explore her fighting style.