Torva Messor

Chapter 16: Go Beyond

"You said her energy seemed different? Diane, what would you say changed in this moment?" The interviewer looks at me curiously.

"I used the time Lydia bought me to recover a lot of my energy. At some point that tugging feeling she felt came for me as well. Instead of holding it back like I usually do, I let the leash slip a little, not completely out of control, but just enough for a bit of a boost." It was hard to describe letting go, allowing something else to take control of you.

"That explains the stronger part, what about the more sinister part?" Great, something else I have to elaborate on.

"Emotions mix with magic, making them stronger. So if I let my anger out, let it flow freely, it'll magnify it. Same with joy, and fear, they all play a part in your energy output." I had already lost once trying to win at my normal level. I needed something more, and this was the only way I knew how. Although I didn't like the long-term results.

"Care to tell what happens next?" The interviewer asks.

"I would if I could remember, it's all a blur." I hate to admit, I only remember a few attacks and the end of the battle.

"I was there, I can tell you what happened, sort of." Lydia jumps in happily.

Maxus smiles seeing Diane take a stand, but then notices that she looks and feels different as well. He begins to take her almost seriously. Almost, he still smiles at her. Diane says nothing and begins to walk towards him. The ground in front of her swings up at her, but the moment it's about to touch her, it crumbles to dust. She stops moving and stares at Maxus, who now no longer has a smile.

"You were beaten already, Diane. Lay down and accept fate!" He pulls back his arm and shoots a massive fireball at her. Diane begins rushing him, and now he's firing one after the other. Diane grits her teeth and kicks clean through the fireball, even Maxus looks surprised.

She then speeds up and kicks through his entire volley of attacks until she's a mere few feet away. She hops in the air, spins, and brings her foot down towards his head. He moves backward and dodges, but when she hits the ground it shatters and sends shockwaves all around, knocking him back. Maxus lands and stumbles back from the added momentum but stays on his feet and stares angrily at Diane.

"How is she doing this? Her power has grown along with her speed. She even managed to block a volley of full-power attacks. All while she has one arm." Diane stands and settles into her fighting pose, even with her missing arm. Her energy flares along with an extra tinge of furiousness. Maxus' eyes begin to twitch and his fists tighten.

"This can't be possible," his own energy explodes and sends shockwaves all around, "Stop messing with me!" He shouts as he explodes toward Diane, faster than I could ever imagine. Their anger was fueling their powers, and it wasn't slowing down.

Diane swings her arm as Maxus swings, and when they collide, the entire island shifts. I find myself being blown back a few extra yards away before I can dig my feet into the ground. When I see them again, they're swinging back and forth at each other. Diane is stuck mainly on the defensive, but she does manage to slip her own hits in occasionally.

Maxus kicks and pushes Diane further back, then kicks again, she has to evade it but puts herself at an awkward range. Maxus swings and Diane blocks the punch but is sent into a backward spiral. Maxus throws several more fireballs after her. Diane lands on her feet and begins punching and kicking away the attacks. She flips backward and kicks the last one away. A rock comes up behind her and she plants her feet on it and pushes towards Maxus. She kicks, and Maxus drags his feet backward as he continues to push. He pushes her leg off and swings as she does as well. Several shockwaves ring out as they drag along, until their momentum halts. Diane lands spiraling in a wide stance before she pauses facing Maxus, arm pulled back. Maxus turns and faces her, arm pulled back.