Chapter 106

“So, what’s the challenge?” Roxanne asked the assembled group.

“He is essentially challenging Athena to a duel or else he will release his wrath upon the Yr’ch. If he wins, the Vultoqi will be released. If he dies ... well, game over,” Lagertha replied.

“Your thoughts, Athena?”

“It’s possibly some sort of trap, but the threat to my people means I do need to respond,” the goddess shrugged.

“Alone?”

“He never said single combat.”

“Una, could you bring up a view of his positioning please?” Roxanne asked politely.

‘Of course, Mage Roxanne, ‘ came the melodious voices of the Psiontial gestalt as an overhead view of the echtra grounds came up, showing a motionless Säräquyael standing almost dead centre and simply waiting.

“Right where we expected him to be,” Arch nodded.

“Have you replied to his challenge?” I asked.

“Only to say I’m considering it,” Athena answered.

“Tell him its game on. We’ll go with the plan,” Roxanne replied. “Crnnch, are your people ready?”

“We are, Mage Rahksahn. Our goddess will not lack for worship, or moral support.”

“Dunon, Tchac’trar, are your little surprises in place?”

“They are, Mage Roxanne,” Tchac’trar buzzed as Dunon gave a nod at the same time.

“The rest of you know what to do. May the Almighty grant us victory,” Roxanne stated as the meeting ended and Athena sent out her acceptance of the challenge.

Säräquyael waited in seething impatience. Time passed slowly since he had received confirmation that this puny Power had received his challenge and was considering it. Yet such a wait was within the few rules the Powers had in dealing with a dispute amongst themselves, the breaching of which would bring a response from the Almighty itself and Säräquyael was not ready for that, not yet.

Finally though, acceptance! It was all Säräquyael could do not to crow out his delight as he was certain he surpassed this Athena in all ways except when she was amongst her people, which was why he threatened them, to force her to act.

Carefully he prepared his defences. That he was certain he could win was a given, that he was stupid? Most definitely not and only a fool left something to chance.

He felt Athena appear at the edge of the echtra and calmly walk towards him, taking her time and no doubt intending to irritate him into a rash move. Yet he held himself still despite the raging torrent of hatred he felt towards her for ridding creation of his children ... or at least putting them somewhere where he couldn’t get at them.

It was then that the surprises began...

Athena manifested herself in her Yr’ch warrior form. This was to give confidence to her children. She strode forwards to where she could sense Säräquyael and the seething bands of quantum energy he’d wrapped around himself in order to wipe her from creation. ‘So predictable’ she thought. ‘He really hasn’t learned anything new in æons.’

At this point other portals opened behind her and the Yr’ch worshippers, led by Crnnch and Seekta, emerged. They immediately began a song of praise to their goddess and for protection upon those who stood by her and were ready to fight for her.

‘What is this?‘ came an outraged message from Säräquyael.

‘You threatened them as well as me. They have the right to stand by me should they desire ... and they do, ‘ Athena replied mildly. ‘You never mentioned single combat, now, did you, Säräquyael?‘

‘It matters not. The last thing they shall see is their goddess die, ‘ he replied sniffily.

‘We shall see, ‘ she chuckled as the Loegrian and Vedan defence grids rose up from the ground to surround the fighting area.

Säräquyael was off balance and he knew it. Athena had surprised him by bringing along worshippers who were also channelling the prayers of the rest of her followers on Draenoric. What he had thought would be a one sided fight had levelled up somewhat, though he felt his æons of experience would still carry the day, admittedly not so easily. Another shock was the sudden rising from the ground of the weird looking towers. He was not impressed by their puny weaponry; still, it did start to make him wonder just whether he had been duped into fighting here.

“Move into position,” I ordered my team, plus a few additions; all of whom were good at long range sniping.

We all moved out around the edge of the bowl, taking advantage of cover and all toting our Loegrian adapted self-nulling ammo. In the distance I could see the Drow Battalions spreading out to defend the Yr’ch worshippers of Athena. I hoped that Athena’s claim that she could defend us from Säräquyael was justified. For now though we just got into position and watched as she finally got to within fencing distance of him.

“You demanded my presence?” Athena stated when she had come to a stop.

“I called you forth to die,” Säräquyael countered.

“For all the good that will do you ... assuming you even can,” she replied contemptuously.

“Your death will free my children to cleanse the universes of impurity,” he snarled, clearly having difficulty in dealing with Athena’s contempt.

“Astonishing! Cleansing the universes of what you see as impure with what is, essentially, something impure as and of itself,” she mocked.

“Do not mock me Athena; my creations are pure, unlike the creations permitted by the Almighty. Mockery will only prolong your death.”

“Ah, you think something that cannot change or adapt is pure? No wonder we beat the patripure so easily. They were simply outclassed in tactics and manoeuvre,” Athena laughed as she produced her sword.

“That is mine!” Säräquyael screeched when he recognised it.

“Not any more. Shouldn’t have left it lying around where anyone could find it,” she grinned.

“For this I will see your agony endures for æons!”

“Only if you intend talking for that long.”

In a blindingly fast manoeuvre Säräquyael then drew a blade and attempted to cleave Athena in two. Only to step back in amazement as she easily parried him and moved into an attacking stance.

“I see you no longer subscribe to the niceties of blade combat,” she chuckled.

“Pah! You are unworthy of such,” he sneered.

Athena then darted forward, venturing several blows herself, all of which were countered easily by Säräquyael, though it was obvious he was surprised at how good she was.

The pair then went at it hammer and tongs, so to speak, both keeping to just swordplay and neither using magic on their weapons, as yet. It was clear Säräquyael was testing Athena and it was also clear that she was more than capable of holding her own.

“Well, it appears you have a modicum of talent after all,” he commented as they broke apart after their prolonged exchange.

“One hates to disappoint,” she responded, sarcasm dripping off every word.

It was at this point Säräquyael changed tactics and went after Athena’s Yr’ch worshippers. He levitated a huge boulder and threw it at them along with another blindingly fast attack on her with his sword. This was what we had been waiting for; the Seers raised a shield around the Yr’ch that deflected his attack with ease and we got the signal to open up selectively with our weapons.

Adsila got off the first attack with her sniper rifle, aiming not for Säräquyael himself, but at his sword. The nulled bullet hit it and knocked it away from its chosen path. This allowed Athena to graze him with a fine cut that oozed a slight trail of ichor ... or whatever it was the Powers constituted themselves with in the physical dimensions.

“Attack my friends, they attack back, Säräquyael,” Athena commented as she went on the offensive for a few strokes.

“They are as nothing to my power,” he sneered.

“Ah, but you need all your power here to keep yourself safe from me,” she chuckled as another Null bullet tore through his outer shield and slammed off his inner one.

This time Säräquyael created a dust cloud to obscure our view, adding a few large rocks in it to block bullets and occasionally to launch at where we were sporadically sniping from. Unfortunately for him, they were taken out by the defence grids that were now activated and none came close to hurting us or the Yr’ch. Nor did the dust protect him from Adsila who had his position pinpointed by the Seers and Psiontials and who could hit the sword he wielded with great accuracy. The body and tip of it were outside his shield. This was enabling Athena to get in the odd blow and cut, though nothing serious as yet. Säräquyael was at least as good as Roxanne with the sword.

The two opponents drew apart for a second, each watching the other carefully. Athena still acting defensively as she tried to gain a measure of Säräquyael’s style as despite Roxanne’s training, she still had limited experience.

“You are indeed a worthy opponent,” Säräquyael conceded. “I shall enjoy your death and remember you fondly.”

“Only the patripure and adelshaut will miss you, no one else, as to the universe you are no more than a blight upon creation,” Athena shrugged.

“I will free them soon to cleanse creation!”

“You’ll have to find them first and killing me won’t help you with that,” she chuckled.

“Do not lie! I know your death will free them!”

“No, it won’t. The lie was spoken to make you challenge me on a ground where you could do no harm to my people, or damage the planet Vultoq. The Powers here gave me permission to engage you here where they could witness your death.”

“Impossible!”

“All too possible,” she replied sweetly.

“No!” he raged and suddenly his sword crackled with red flames as he surged to the attack again.

Athena, however, was ready for this. She activated the wards in the Sword of Tyrsis and met Säräquyael head on in a massive clash as the energies released hammered into the shields we had around us and the Yr’ch.