Chapter 203: Isabella Ashford [3]

"Damn... Lady Luna actually lost!"

The murmurs spread across the spectators gathered around the dueling grounds. At the center of the arena Luna sat on the ground looking up at the white-haired young woman standing above her.

Despite everything a small smile appeared on Luna’s face.

"You’re strong. You actually defeated me."

Isabella brushed a strand of hair from her face. "Of course. That’s what happens when you underestimate your enemy."

She turned toward the arena exit. "Anyway the duel is over so I’ll be leaving—"

"Enemies?"

Isabella paused and turned back.

Luna had her hand around Isabella’s wrist. "Why enemies?"

She tilted her head. Her purple eyes were completely open and completely genuine.

"Can’t we be friends?"

Back in the present Isabella’s lips moved into a smile.

A real one. The kind Luna had almost never seen from her.

"You know it’s a little late to say this," Isabella said. "But you’re still as naive as you were back then."

Luna’s expression went somewhere between confused and offended. "...Huh?!" She stared at her. "NAIVE?! What are you talking about all of a sudden?!"

"Anyways, thanks and don’t worry I got this, okay?"

Nivara let out an exaggerated sigh before either of them could continue. "Ugh. What a boring bunch of blah blah blah."

The vines wrapping her body withered and fell apart.

Isabella’s eyes sharpened. ’She broke free that easily?’

Nivara brushed a few stray leaves from her clothes with complete disinterest. "Excuse me. I have more important things to do than listen to all this unnecessary chatter." She glanced toward the distant academy. "So if you’ll excuse me."

She bent her knees.

The ground beneath her cracked.

She launched herself toward Astral Academy.

CLANG.

A golden thread shot through the air and caught her fist mid-flight. Nivara jerked to a stop.

Luna stood behind her with one arm extended and her Anchor humming with tension. "You’re not going anywhere."

"...What?"

Nivara turned her head.

Isabella was already there right in front of her.

"Got you." Her leg came forward.

BOOOOOOM.

The kick hit Nivara square and sent her crashing down into the ground below. The impact threw up a massive wall of dust that spread outward across the surrounding area and swallowed everything beneath it.

Luna peered into the smoke. "Did you get her?"

Isabella said nothing. She kept her eyes fixed on the cloud.

She knew better.

Nivara stepped out of the dust.

But not the same Nivara. A crimson aura covered her now and her form had shifted into something larger. Like a Beast form.

She rolled her shoulders and looked at the two women like she has run out of patience.

"Ugh. What a pain you two are." Her eyes narrowed. "Even after I explained that I don’t have time to play around you still insist on getting in my way?"

Neither Isabella nor Luna answered.

Nivara clicked her tongue.

She looked toward the distant academy.

’If I use that, most of my power will be drained. But once I have the Helion Core I can disappear. They can deal with whatever’s left behind.’

The decision settled. A slow smile moved across her face.

"Oh wait."

She tilted her head like she had just remembered something amusing.

"If you two are so desperate to keep me entertained I’ve got a wonderful idea."

She raised one hand.

The ground trembled.

RUMMMMMBLE.

A pressure swept across the battlefield that had nothing to do with mana. Soldiers staggered. Several dropped to their knees without understanding why. Enormous shadows began falling across the ground from somewhere behind the distant structures.

One by one colossal beasts stepped into view.

A soldier looked up and his weapon slipped from his fingers.

"W-What... what are those things?"

Nobody answered.

The first was a turtle. Twenty meters tall at minimum. Its shell was so vast that a small city could have sat on top of it comfortably. The second was a horse with a single horn rising from its forehead and a presence that made the air in front of it feel dense. The third was a serpent with three cold eyes that moved across the battlefield independently and a body wide enough to crush a building just by turning.

Each one radiated something oppressive. Something that bypassed thinking and landed directly in the part of the human body that exists specifically to tell you that what you are looking at intends to kill you.

Isabella clicked her tongue. "Damn it..."

Nivara burst out laughing. "Wonderful aren’t they?" She glanced back at the three monsters with something approaching genuine fondness. "Some of the finest beasts in my collection."

Then she crouched and launched.

BOOM.

The ground under her feet exploded outward. She was airborne in an instant soaring toward Astral Academy and leaving the two Spires behind with three colossal monsters and however many lives happened to be standing within range.

Luna stared after her. "She’s getting away!"

"I know."

Isabella’s expression went grim. She turned toward Luna. "Theodore should arrive here any minute. I’m leaving the rest to you."

Luna understood immediately. "Wait. You’re going after Nivara yourself?"

"Of course."

"But what about these monsters?!"

Isabella looked at the three beasts then back at her friend. "Hold them off until Theodore arrives."

Luna clenched her teeth. Then she let it go. "Fine. I’ll do my best." A pause. "But please Isabella. Be careful."

For a moment Isabella’s expression went soft again. The real version. The one that didn’t come out often.

"Don’t worry." She turned toward the distant academy. "I’ll be fine."

She launched herself into the air and disappeared after Nivara.

Luna watched her go until she was a speck and then nothing.

Then she slowly turned around to face the three enormous beasts.

A long slow sigh came out of her.

"...Why does this always happen to me."

The serpent’s three eyes all moved toward her simultaneously. The turtle’s shell vibrated with a sound that was felt rather than heard. The horned horse lowered its head.

They roared.

The ground shook hard enough to feel it through the soles of her boots.

Luna’s grip tightened on her Anchor. Golden threads spread through the air around her in every direction.

"Fine! Come on, then!"

Far above the human lands inside Apothesis Ulvakor stood beside Constantine sighed.