Lienna.
My legs trembled beneath me as I stepped forward, steeling myself against Veronica’s sardonic gaze. Her dark powers billowed behind her like a malicious storm, its immense energy threatening to consume everything in its path. The air thickened with her evil tent and all the hair on my body stood on end.
I inhaled deeply, drawing upon the moon goddess’s powers within me. My heart pounded in fear and determination, letting the powers flow through me.
Veronica’s eyes sparkled with amusement as she unleashed the first wave of darkness. I raised my hands, conjuring a shield to deflect the attack. The force slammed into me, sending me stumbling backward. My feet scrambled for traction on the ground.
Regaining my balance, a chord of fear resonated through me. That had been close.
Veronica clicked her tongue, shaking her head. “Still so weak,” she taunted. “You’re going to need to be faster and stronger than that if you hope to land a hit on me.” Her smile twisted. “I need a challenge.”
Gritting my teeth, I summoned even more power, channeling the moon goddess’s energy into a concentrated blast. Veronica effortlessly swatted it aside, as one would swat a fly. Her nonchalance infuriated me.
“You think you’re above this?” I spat, my voice laced with defiance. “You’re not invincible.”
Veronica chuckled. “We’ll see about that.”
With a flick of her wrist, a dark tendril snapped toward me. I leapt aside, narrowly avoiding its deadly touch, my breathing ragged.
From the corner of my eyes, I saw Hermes and his soldiers launching a valiant assault on Veronica, but her powers effortlessly sent them flying like rag dolls. Their battered forms crashed to the ground, struggling to rise.
My anger doubled, and I unleashed another attack, but Veronica deflected it with ease.
“Now, that is just pathetic,” Veronica muttered, a frown twisting her lips. I panted, sweat dripping down my face, my ragged gasps echoing through the air. My gaze locked onto Veronica, burning with determination.
None of my attacks were landing and I was quickly approaching my limit. I couldn’t afford to land any useless attacks.
Caspian’s training flashed through my mind. I recalled his advice on exploiting an enemy’s emotions.
I resolved to infuriate Veronica, to distract her enough to land a decisive blow.
“You think I’m pathetic?” I yelled at the top of my voice, taking several steps back, my eyes blazing with defiance. “You are the most pathetic one here! Selling your soul for something as measly as this!” I spat, venom dripping from my words.
Veronica’s expression darkened, her face reddening with rage. She launched a ferocious attack in my direction.
I raised my hands, deflecting the assault. Veronica’s anger was palpable, her movements erratic.
“It’s working,” I thought, a glimmer of hope rising within me.
Her eyes blazed like infernal embers as Veronica advanced, dark energy crackling around her like a living shroud. Her presence seemed to darken the air itself.
“If it’s measely, why haven’t you laid a scratch on me?” she asked in an odd, lilting tone, cocking her head to the side. Her gaze dripped with disdain.
I let my lips stretch into a calculated smirk. “I’m waiting for the perfect moment to strike.”
Veronica’s eyes narrowed, her pupils constricting with interest. “Then you wouldn’t know what hit you,” she promised, her voice dripping venom. With a flick of her wrist, another wave of darkness hurtled toward me.
I rushed to deflect it, grunting as the force threatened to buckle my knees. My legs trembled, but I stood firm.
Hermes must have recognized what I was trying to as he shouted out a command, ordering his men. “Attack!” he bellowed, his soldiers charging forward with a fierce battle cry. They hurled themselves into the heart of Veronica’s magic, disregarding the peril.
Some met their end instantly, consumed by the darkness. Yet others fought on, cutting through the shadows and dispersing the magic.
I watched, dazed for a moment, as the chaos unfolded. The soldiers’ bravery stirred something within me.
I definitely cannot fail now, I thought, steeling myself.
Veronica’s focus remained fixed on me, her assaults relentless as she disregarded the soldiers attacking her shadows. I defended against her blows, grasping a crucial insight.
After enduring her onslaught, I realized Veronica couldn’t summon massive waves of shadows without complete concentration. Her powers wavered, slowly dissipating under the soldiers’ relentless barrage.
Seizing the opportunity, I unleashed an icy blast of bright light directly at Veronica and another to sever the right side of her powers. Veronica deflected the direct attack but missed the peripheral strike.
My powers sliced through her darkness, astonishing everyone as it dissipated into thin air.
“You snake!” Veronica shrieked, her eyes widening in rage.
She conjured a vortex of shadows, hurling it at me.
I struggled to summon the moon goddess’s powers in time.
Hermes intervened, leaping before me and slicing through the vortex with a flash of his sword. I screamed, shutting my eyes as the blades cut through both the shadows and our sides.
Hermes shielded me from Veronica’s continued assaults.
“What’s the plan?” Hermes muttered, his breathing labored.
“We must prevent her from killing more soldiers,” I replied. “It renews her powers. We also need to distract her long enough for me to land another direct hit.”
“Got it,” Hermes said. “How are you holding up?”
“Not great,” I admitted, my strength waning. “I’m losing power. Fast.”
“Leave it to me,” Hermes muttered, his eyes locked on Veronica. “Fall back!” he yelled to the soldiers, charging forward.
Veronica’s gaze shifted to Hermes, her expression twisting in annoyance. “You’re still alive? And still being a bother,” she murmured, unleashing a flurry of attacks.
“Maybe I should get rid of you first,” she added, her assaults intensifying. Hermes snarled, deflecting each blow with swift sword strikes.
“Not today,” he vowed. She began to attack and I saw the opening I had been desperately looking for. Seizing the opening, I gathered every last shred of power left in me.
“Help me, please,” I whispered, calling upon the moon goddess. With trembling hands, I raised my arms, targeting Veronica’s heart. A super-concentrated blast shot through the air at incredible speed. It smashed into Veronica’s chest, exploding with a deafening boom.
Veronica froze, her powers vanishing instantly. She screamed, clutching her chest. “It burns!” she wailed. Without hesitation, I summoned another blast. Weaker than the first, but all I could muster.
My strength was spent. Veronica’s rage knew no bounds. She attempted to summon another attack. But nothing happened. Enraged, she tried again. This time, her skin began to blister. Burn marks spread, worsening by the second.
Her screams turned to anguish-filled wails. Hermes took advantage of her distraction. He struck, his sword aimed at Veronica but she avoided it just in time.
“I’ll get you.” She seethed, unadulterated rage in her eyes. She dissapeared in an instant, taking whatever was left of her shadows with her. The camp fell silent almost instant, destruction in its wake before a deafening scream pierced the air. We had won. Against Veronica, we had defended ourselves.
I wanted to smile but my legs gave way and j found myself falling to the ground. Hermes grabbed me just in time and the last thing I saw was Hermes terrified face before I lost consciousness.