Slashing and clashing sounds could be heard all over the place, the other aces were on standby not so far away from the battle field. William ran all around the place, circling Antonella who was rooted in her place.
William could have easily go on offensive and return the damage he have taken but because it was Antonella he was facing, he could only go as far as getting on defensive.
“Why wouldn’t you fight me?” asked Antonella with an edge of irritation in her voice. “You indeed see me as someone who is weak! That’s what I hate most about you, it’s always you… the genius, the best, the healthy and outstanding William!”
The nearest root started to attack William, he sped forward, towards Antonella but a smoke that was violet in color crawled towards him and he knew that if he inhaled that smoke, he would faint. So in one swift motion, he avoided the attacking root and distanced himself from Antonella.
The harsh wind as he speed up brushed away the tears that was falling from his eyes.
“Are you that hurt Nellie?” he painfully asked the ender who was gritting her teeth at him.
William understood it, when Antonella was kidnapped they fed her the ender eye which made her like this, all the compassion, kindness and love gone. It was only the hate and envy that was left. But even if she was like that, Antonella was still his sister.
“How did you become like this Nellie?”
Accelerating by running fast, William jumped from the sprouting flowers around Antonella,
*“Divine and great the speed of light
Grant me boost
To break the force
Haste!”*
It was an incredible feat to run up in the air, but William has proven to the spectators that he was more that deserving to be called a genius and be part of the aces. But what pained William more was the things he have seen as he was above, the flowers and plants that Antonella grew was now laced with dark energy. The fresh blooming atmosphere was replaced with a sinister ambience.
In just a matter of seconds, William crossed the distance between her and Antonella, successfully evading all the attacks directed to him and using his sword to cut all the roots Antonella was controlling.
But suddenly, when he blinked he found himself back at the same place he was before as if he never moved. Antonella snickered.
“Why now brother, why haven’t you move an inch from your place? Not interested on bringing me back anymore?”
William knew her sister was different, even the power that she holds have become different. He was warned beforehand by the others and it could not be said that he did not see this coming. But he missed her bickering sister, she was so close to him right now but she was so far away. The bond between the two of them was strong but now, William felt like it was cut off by a giant scissor.
“Did you know why they did this to you?” William struggled to ask Antonella as the clashing began once again.
“Because I was chosen by the Grand Arch Wizard! Why, do you envy that it is not you but I?”
“No!, I never envied you Nellie,”
“Yes, because it was always me who envied you,”
William was taken aback by surprise. For a moment there Antonella looked like her twin Antonella, the emotions, the expression and the painful gaze she gave him. And just as it appeared so suddenly, it was immediately replaced by her darkened face.
“William! Don’t let her lay her eyes on you, that is the reason why you cannot attack her!” shouted Nathaniel Arammi from a distance.
When Antonella turned to the direction where his shout came from, a fireball met her gaze.
“William! Don’t make a fool out of yourself, if you want to save your sister, then kill her.”
“What are you talking about Lucianna?!” William angrily shouted at Lucianna.
William was enraged by what he heard. Killing her sister was way out of line. But could he really not if the safety of the whole Sinofiory is at stake?
“Listen to her William; right now there are two Antonella, the ender and your sister. You need to kill the ender.” The head seer emerged from Lucianna’s back.
He did not want to believe what Soraya was saying, the thought of piercing his sword in his twin’s body made him sick. He would rather die with her. But it was seer Soraya’s words. If there was a chance that he could fulfill his duties as an ace and save his sister at the same time, he was more than willing to give it a shot.
With his unfathomable speed, he circled five times around Antonella to create a wall of dust; William heeded the headmaster and avoided to be on his twin’s line of vision. Successfully creating a wall, he approached his comrades and faced Seer Soraya.
“What do I need to do?” the urgency in his voice was impeccable.
“I need to touch her to identify where the ender is,”
“Is there no other way?” it was extremely dangerous to bring someone close to the current Antonella.
William do not have any problem stopping his sister but it was a different story if he was protecting someone.
“No, unless you can let her say it herself,” Seer Soraya replied. William tilted his head in futile defiance, he knew it too, he would have no choice but to do it.
Time was definitely not on their side. As he was fighting with Antonella, he felt the looming destruction in the center of the forest.
“Do it William, I’ll cover you. Just let Seer Soraya touch her once.” Lucianna’s voice was impatient that it made William hesitate even more. He saw the headmaster nod at him that made him close his eyes unable to receive that trusting eyes of his.
“First tell me what your attribute is,” William to Seer Soraya.
Seer Soraya showed him a pleasant smile as if she knew what was his worries and he was telling him that was fine, William felt the guilt creeping to his chest more.
“William! Time is running out!” Lucianna hurried him, but William stood there, waiting for Seer Soraya to answer his question.
“When I touch a person, I could see a memory that I wanted to see,” Seer Soraya finally answered.
Then without further ado William held her hand, pulling Seer Soraya closer to him, he carefully held the head seer on his arms and sped through Antonella’s direction.
“Pardon me for my actions, but this is the only way to reach her safely.
Once I give the signal, please do what you need to do,”
Seer Soraya nodded and William focused his eyes to his twin. But then a huge plant in front if Antonella, the plant has sharp thorns which was enough to pierce a hole on anyone’s body. Seer Soraya found it curious when William ran straight to the plant without speeding down, she wondered but she was not scared because for some reason she felt an assurance that they would pull this off.
Seer Soraya closed her eyes and clasp her hands, ‘Oh sacred tree Gaearandys, share with me once again the blessing you have showered,’ she chanted on her mind.
When she opened her eyes, the huge plant was in ashes and she could see Antonella. Lucianna already disintegrated the obstacle and in that moment of surprise for the opponent, William lunged forward, “Now!”
Soraya opened her palm wide and grabbed Antonella’s hand and just before she sprouted a poisonous flower Soraya let go. William ran back to Lucianna and the headmaster with a giant tree flailing behind them, a monster tree that looks like an omnivore.
Yet weirdly it was only Soraya who was seeing the monster tree. William clashed swords with the roots controlled by Antonella and he saw how Seer Soraya was frozen on her place staring in front of her, but there was nothing there, worst, a tree branch as sharp as a sword was ready to attack her on her side.
“Seer Soraya!” William sped through the head seer but it was too late.
*“Burn!”* Lucianna pointed her wand to the incoming attack targeting Seer Soraya.
“Now, where is the ender?” asked the headmaster as soon as he pulled the head seer.
“In her heart, pierce it and this will end,” she grimly said.
“But that will kill her!” William shouted in the middle of deflecting the attacks from Antonella.
“No, once you shattered the ender you need to pull your sword out, the ender, it’s covering her heart.”
“I can do it if you are hesitating,” Lucianna voiced out. Despite her cold voice there was concern in her eyes. After all, William has been her comrade for years, there has been a sense of camaraderie between them.
“No, I’ll do it. Please have Mayo on standby.”
Without waiting for their reply he ran towards Antonella, not minding the attacks around him. Blazing fire circled him burning all the plants trying to attack him. But as he went faster the fire started to dissipate. It did not stop him, he zigzagged his way towards his sister, convincing himself that she was an enemy stealing her face.
“Arrgghh!” he yelled as he thrust his sword straight into Antonella’s heart.
Time slowed down as it all happened, he saw it, the shocked face of Antonella and the tears she shed as she looked at him. William shed tears with her.
As soon as a black energy left Antonella’s body, William retracted his sword and caught the fainted Antonella.
“Mayo!” William called as he stopped the blood flowing out of his sister’s chest.
“It was a relief that she was still not adept in using that power, I’m glad we could save her.” Lucianna said and walked away.
“I’ll send a message to the others so we could proceed to the next step,” she said as farewell.
Nathaniel Arammi patted the back of William’s shoulder, “You did well,”
William nodded as he watched Mayo shrink into his child form and heal the gaping hole in Antonella’s chest. Then after a moment her sister’s golden yellow eyes met with his.
“Hi there twin brother,” she said in a raspy voice.
And William broke into tears.