“What’s wrong with her?!” Thalia shouted, sprinting as the relentless wave of swords surged after them…. like a Tsunami, each one cutting through the air with deadly intent.
“I have no idea… Maybe the game twisted her, turned her against us,” Raven answered, running faster while cradling Helena in her arms, since Helena not good with running.
Helena, her brow furrowed, kept her gaze locked on Aqualina, who stood calmly atop the raging sword-tsunami. “No,” Helena whispered, shaking her head, “I don’t think she’s twisted… She still looks exactly the same—cold, indifferent… like when I first met her.” Helena shivered at the memory, watching Aqualina’s calm and detached expression. ‘What could have happened to her?’
“We can’t keep running forever, right?” Thalia glanced back at Raven.
Raven’s voice rose above the clanging swords. “Aqualina! What’s happened to you? You told us not to betray each other—and now you’re going back on your own words?”
But Aqualina didn’t respond; her expression remained stoic.
Raven gritted her teeth. ‘Something’s definitely off,’ she thought, glancing at Thalia with a sharp nod.
Thalia flashed a grin and came to a sudden stop, her stance firm.
Helena frowned, watching her. “What… what’s Thalia planning to do?”
Raven continued running, whispering, “Just wait…”
Thalia spread her arms and slammed her hands down, her eyes blazing with fierce energy as she faced the oncoming wave of swords head-on. “If you want to stop a tsunami…” She struck the ground with explosive force. “You send one of your own!”
BOOOOMMMMMMMMM!!
The ground fractured, rumbling as it rose up in a massive wave of earth and stone, rushing toward Aqualina’s sword tsunami. The two forces clashed, sending swords spinning and earth crashing in a chaotic swirl.
A faint smirk played on Thalia’s lips. “Let’s see you cut through that…”
But the smirk faded as she saw Aqualina step calmly through the chaos, unphased by the wave of shattered earth and scattered swords. Aqualina’s eyes were locked onto Thalia’s, cold and intense, and for the first time, Thalia felt a chill run through her.
“I don’t know what’s gotten into you,” Thalia growled, her voice low, “but I’m not backing down!” With a surge of determination, she channeled her energy, her hands crackling with raw power. She thrust her hands forward, sending a wave of energy hurtling toward Aqualina.
Aqualina’s eyes narrowed, and with a swift flick of her wrist, she conjured another wave of blades, sharper than before. They clashed in a stunning explosion of sparks as energy met steel.
Tang!
Tang!
Ting!
Sparks flew in every direction as the clashing forces filled the air with a metallic clangor.
Raven watched Aqualina’s every move, her eyes narrowing. “This… this isn’t like her,” she muttered. “She’s fighting as if she—” But her words were cut off as Aqualina moved with lightning speed, closing the distance between her and Thalia almost instantly.
Thalia barely had a second to react. She raised her arms in defense, but Aqualina’s blade was already upon her, slashing dangerously close to her face. Thalia ducked just in time, a few strands of her hair falling to the ground, and twisted away, narrowly dodging the deadly strike.
Thalia countered with a swift kick aimed at Aqualina’s torso, but Aqualina sidestepped with a graceful dodge, her movements unsettlingly precise. With an almost serene calmness, Aqualina flicked her blade, slicing a thin line across Thalia’s leg. Thalia grunted, the pain sharp, but she managed to jump back, though…. Aqualina’s sword was already at her throat.
Thalia’s eyes widened in shock, her breaths shallow. Just as Aqualina’s sword was about to meet her neck, when,
Tang!
Raven appeared just in time, her thin sword blocking Aqualina’s in a strained clash. Aqualina pushed against her with surprising strength, forcing Raven back. But before Aqualina could press her advantage, a burst of flames shot toward her.
Helena, standing a few feet away, had her hands raised, fire sparking from her fingertips. “Stay away from them!” she shouted, her face set in determination.
Aqualina took a step back, narrowly dodging the flames, her expression unreadable. For a moment, there was a tense silence as Aqualina’s gaze swept over Raven, Thalia, and Helena, as though calculating her next move.
Thalia clicked her tongue, “Tsk. She tried to kill me without a hint of hesitation.”
Raven narrowed her gaze, her eyes fixed on Aqualina. “Looks like there’s no need to hold back anymore…” she muttered, steadying her stance. Despite her words, Raven knew she couldn’t bring herself to truly harm Aqualina—Aether would be devastated if she did.
But she’d have to act like she was serious if they had any chance of holding their own.
Thalia caught Raven’s glance and nodded. She’d only been toying with Aqualina before, not taking the threat seriously. But now… Thalia could tell they’d have to step it up if they wanted to survive.
Helena’s brow creased in worry, but she managed a determined nod. “Be careful, Raven… she’s not herself.”
Aqualina’s laughter sliced through the air. “Not herself? What nonsense are you all babbling about?” she sneered, her voice dripping with amusement. Her expression shifted, cold and deadly. “Hand over those pieces to me, and maybe I’ll be gracious enough to let you all crawl away with your lives,” she added, her tone as sharp as the blades that spun menacingly around her.
Raven met her words with a defiant stare. “That’s not going to happen,” she declared. In a flash, she lunged forward, her thin sword slicing through the air toward Aqualina’s hand.
Aqualina’s smirk widened, her eyes glinting with cold amusement as she raised her hand to meet the blade. Her fingers closed around the sword’s edge, stopping it dead in its path, mere inches from her wrist. Raven’s eyes widened, her grip tightening as she tried to push forward, but Aqualina’s hold was as solid as iron.
“You think you can wound me with this pathetic attempt?” Aqualina sneered, her voice laced with contempt. “Do you even understand who my mother is? What she capable of?”
Thalia clicked her tongue, “Of course anyone know about the Blank Card Lady….” with slight respect.
Aqualina smiled, “Then you should know what means to be her daughter with Rainbow Card!”
Before Raven could react, Aqualina twisted her wrist, sending the sword flying from Raven’s grasp and forcing her to stumble back. With a flick of her hand, Aqualina summoned a new whirlwind of blades, which circled around her in a dizzying, lethal dance.
Her laugh rang out, dark and chilling, as the blades spun faster, forming a wall of deadly steel around her. “Come on, then! Show me what you’re made of!”
Thalia clenched her fists, her eyes blazing. She glanced at Raven, determination flashing in her gaze. “Raven! On my mark!” Power crackled around her hands, casting a fierce light over the ground beneath her.
“Roarr!! Thalia let out a roar as she slammed her hands into the earth. A massive shockwave erupted, splitting the ground apart and launching huge chunks of earth and debris straight at Aqualina’s barrier of blades.
Raven moved in sync with Thalia’s attack, leaping from rock to rock as the debris hurtled forward. She closed in on Aqualina, her sword back in hand and glowing with energy.
But Aqualina was faster than they’d expected. In an instant, she blurred, evading the attacks with an eerie fluidity, and reappeared directly behind Raven.
“You’ll need to do better than that,” Aqualina taunted, her voice like ice. Before Raven could react, Aqualina’s hand shot out, gripping Raven’s shoulder with a crushing force. Raven winced as Aqualina’s nails dug into her skin, pain flashing through her.
“Give. It. To. Me!” Aqualina demanded, her grip tightening until it was nearly unbearable.
A split second later, a massive ball of white flames shot toward Aqualina from behind. Startled, she released Raven, twisting to deflect the fiery attack. The impact sent her skidding back, her expression hardening with irritation as she steadied herself.
Raven staggered back, her face twisted in confusion, “Just… what level are you?” Something felt wrong—Aqualina’s power was far beyond anything they’d expected.
The last time Raven had checked, Aqualina had been around Level 35. Even among the strongest fighters, like Thalia, who had reached Level 35, or like Aria and Selene, who had hit Level 50 for unknown reason!
Aqualina’s smile turned wicked, her eyes gleaming with triumph, “Level… 70!”
Thalia’s face went pale, her mouth dropping open. “Are you kidding me?!” she yelled, unable to hide the awe and dread that hit her.
Helena stammered, “D-Did you lie before? I saw your level… You were 35! How could you possibly…”
Aqualina raised a brow, her smile widening, wicked and taunting. “Lied? Oh, please… I simply kept a few secrets. I never promised you the truth,” she chuckled darkly, her fingers twitching as a fresh surge of energy crackled around her. With a flick of her wrist, she summoned another wave of swords, this time more massive and overwhelming than before.
Helena’s face went pale as she watched the wave gather behind Aqualina, each blade shimmering with deadly precision. It was a wall of swords—hundreds, thousands, maybe millions—all poised to strike.
500(600(650)…) PS=1(1(1)…)Ex/ 50(100(120)..) GT=1(2(2)…)Ex
