I know I should probably celebrate Zoya's victory which had to be exhausting both physically and emotionally. I'd love to know what happened between them when the cameras lost contact with them. But I don't pry since it's a personal thing between Zoya and her old ally.
I spend most of the time browsing on my pentop where I make final tweaks to my research. I can't believe the solution to the biggest problem in the Castaway world is so simple. That's probably because all the researchers who tried it before me didn't have the courage to assume it's that easy.
I pointed out some interesting clues and tried to think outside the box. And I succeeded.
The complete RNA analysis of a flu virus appears on the screen. To make things more arranged, I lay the pentop on the table and enable holographic screen projection. The file appears in front of me as a hologram. This way, I can open more files at once, this time the notes from my research, and compare them to the genome.
And finally, there's a file called Final_product. This is the Holy Grail that will make me famous. And also save countless lives and stuff, but it will make me famous. Zoya is already a celebrity - Tempest is already among the most searched terms on Google. But I think I also deserve my share.
However, it's not only about money, fame and yeah, saving lives. Once I reveal my discovery to the public, I'll have a target drawn on my back. There are many people and companies who would like to use the discovery for their own profit. And I can't let that happen. They will most probably try to kill me and steal the data. But I am ready for it. Besides, I have Zoya who will protect me. At least I believe so.
I'm sure it's gonna work. I've run countless simulations on my computer at home and my invention was successful in 96,38%, which is a really good result. Now, I only have to synthesize the first prototype and find someone to test it on.
"Working again?" Zoya laughs as she steps into the room. With unkempt hair, black tank top and white cotton shorts, she looks much younger than she actually is. It's hard to believe this little girl will be fighting for the title of the most powerful fighter of Europe. Only her bright eyes give away her powerful spirit.
"After the Showdown, I'm finally going to finish it," I say. "This time for good. I only need some more time and an opportunity to work without interruption."
"You still don't want to tell me what it is?"
"Definitely not here. You know... someone may be listening." Like that orange-haired bitch who caused us so much trouble in Bifröst. "But I promise that once I'll have the first sample, you will be the first one who will know what it does. You should now focus on tomorrow."
"I know," Zoya's mood rapidly drops. "I'm... afraid. That I will fail. We can't let Nightingale have what she wants! And now, preventing it is only up to me!"
I sigh. "Right now, I should start a speech like it's not the end of the world if you fail, don't be so harsh on yourself and so on. But you know, I'm not good at these things. So I'll say one thing: just do your best. Fight her so you wouldn't be able to point out anything you should've done better. Of course, I'll be able to point out a hundred of such things, but it's important what you think."
"Okay," she nods. "I'll try."
"A long time ago," I say, "a wise man once said: Do or do not. There is no try."
It's good to see a smile on her face again. "So you're just gonna cheer me up with a quote from a movie created long before the Impact? The worst thing is that you succeeded. I won't go down easily, you can bet on that. With everyone counting on me, I have no choice."
"You already did your part," I look at the holographic screens with complex equations and databases on them. "Without you, this would never be possible. If it comes true, I'll give you the credit you deserve. Together, we'll be able to improve and elongate lives of coutnless Castaways."
She curiously stares at the screens, but it seems she doesn't understand a single line. "That sounds... unbelievable," she voices. "I guess we were both made for great things."
The finale day is here. All Europeans get a day off from work and school. The viewer ratings of TV Neoclash International are averagely on 94%. Since morning, they broadcast the best moments from the whole Showdown commented by various celebrities and Neoclash experts, including past winners.
There was also a several-hours-long block dedicated solely to me and Nightingale, a summary of our careers. With a great dose of nostalgia, I watch my very first official fight, the one where I cried on the ground after the first hit. It's still embarrassing, but it's great for comparing how far I've come.
Then, Nightingale and me, accompanied by Ryan and Célia, go to the stadium, already swarmed with impatient viewers who watch TVNCI on giant screens. We are up for a long live broadcast of interviews. We meet some of the celebrities mentioned earlier and talk to them. Some of them are actually funny and/or wise, but then, there are annoying and condescending ones.
Valentina handles the popularity with professional grace. After all, it's not her first time doing it. This time, instead of her provocative outfits, she's wearing a long, blood-red dress with long sleeves and prominent cleavage. She's a true lady, or at least good at pretending it. I have my standard jeans and hoodie and my interviews feel a bit awkward compared to Valentina's.
However, according to Ryan, that's what the audience likes about me. I may be a bt clumsy, but I'm natural, contrary to mannered, condescending Nightingale.
The fight is getting closer and closer.
All my friends wish me good luck. Everyone from Odin's training centre is also there. So many people support me. So many fans chant my nickname everytime they see me. And maybe, somewhere over there, Isaiah is also watching.
If he really wants to leave my life, at least I'll make him remember me as a victor.
When I step into the dressing room, I hear the audience roaring above me. They all came just to see me and Nightingale settle our accounts. The pressure on my shoulders is immense. I take several deep breaths, trying to calm myself down. Still, I tremble all over my body, consumed by anxiety.
Almost a billion people watching. And moreover, there's the thing with Nightingale's scheme. Who knows what can happen if I lose.
I undress my casual clothes and put on the leotard I wear as a Champion costume. Wings in the front, the hurricane on the back. I suddenly feel so awfully exposed even though the outfit is still relatively modest. When I see my scrawny figure and thin thighs, I feel this is all some kind of joke.
Europe's most powerful fighter? My (non-existent) ass.
As I reach into the bag for the wrist guards, I touch something strange. I turn the bag containing my Champion outfit upside down and let all its content fall down. There it is. A hairclip with a feather attached to it. I'm surprised I've carried it the whole time.
I remember how much it freaked me out the first time I saw it. Actually, it still does, but I remember Shaman's lesson and close the fear inside me. I reach for the hairclip and grab it. The feather is soft, probably coming from a real bird.
I am no longer afraid, Valentina.
Without much hesitation, I weave the feather into my hair. It sure looks great in the mirror. But besides that, it has much more important meaning for me. And if Valentina notices it, it can send her a message.
Your wings won't paralyze me on the spot this time.
I leave the dressing room and, on my way to the arena, I encounter Valentina, as always in her lingerie, domino mask and with the wing-shaped cloak on her back. She gives me a condescending smile. I keep a neutral expression and run my hand through my hair.
She notices the feather hairclip and her smile suddenly freezes. However, after a moment, she puts it on again. "Exactly as I planned," she purrs. "You will be the one who will witness my triumph."
"We'll see who will be the one to laugh last," I counter.
Side by side, we step into the arena. The fateful moment has arrived.
...
We will fight in a so-called Sky Arena. It consists of numerous floating metal platforms of various sizes. The central ones has roughly seven meters in diameter, the others are much smaller. The height they're floating in also varies. The bottom of the arena, the place we usually fight in, is covered by mist resembling clouds. Whoever causes her opponent to fall down, below the lowest platform, scores a Fatal point.
"I hope you realize you're here only because I helped you," Valentina mocks me. "You are good, but not that good. But your annoying, meddlesome nature caught my attention. Fortunately for you."
I don't reply. Valentina's arrogance doesn't need more fuel.
The mobile platforms near the arena entrance carry us to the central platform. Before we start, we hear a long speech by the commentator and then, Chairman Havel himself wishes us good luck. And then, the five Fatal point fight observed by the whole Europe can finally begin.
Arena configuration complete. INF system active. Champions on their spots. Ten seconds for preparation remaining.
Get ready. Begin.
The audience roars in excitement. The voices of all my friends are there. The feather in my hair motivates me even further. It tells me everything is possible.
Nightingale gets ready to attack. I jump on a smaller platform behind me and then on another. The metal discs powered by Counter-gravity engines sway when they feel my weight on them. I'm now high above the central platform, able to see Nightingale's progress.
She spreads her wings and goes after me. I have one advantage - my jumping is much faster than Nightingale's gliding. She makes a huge mistake by trying to reach my platform right away without using the stopover platform like I did.
Did I mention her gliding upwards is rather slow?
The menacing wings aiming towards me would paralyze me if I didn't learn to contain my fear - and maybe that's what Nightingale reckons with. Either that or she lost her mind completely. Actually, the wings still invoke unpleasant memories in my mind and make my legs wobbly. But Shaman's lesson is stronger.
With a great pleasure, I watch Nightingale's expression change from smug to terrified as I jump from the edge of my platform. I rocket forward and stick my leg out. As I fly past Nightingale, my heel connects with her shoulderblade area. At that moment, the mechanism in the artificial leg activates, kicking down powerfully enough to send Nightingale to the central platform where she crashes.
___|____X | Tempest | Nightingale | _____|___
I land on the central platform next to her. I run away and skip on some more platforms. Come on, Valentina, try it again. I'll be ready for you.
Nightingale gets back on her feet with furious expression on her face. She expected me to stay on the platform and fight her directly, but now, there isn't time for honor anymore. I mock her with a smile and she rushes forward again. Good. The more angry she is, the more mistakes will she make.
This time, she doesn't try to access my platform directly. Instead of using her wings, she jumps just like me. When she's about halfway through, without a warning, I drop to her platform (3 meters in diameter) and try to surprise her with a quick hook kick. To my surprise, she blocks it and counterattacks, thrusting her fist into my stomach. I double over and stagger backwards, finding myself on the very edge of the platform.
Nightingale shoots forward, trying to strike me down into the white clouds. I blindly jump backwards and to my relief, I land on another platform, even smaller. It takes me a while to regain balance. Nightingale is already there, attacking me with the talons on her feet.
I roll to the side and firmly grab her artificial ankle. The platform sways; our struggle is probably too much for it to take. It spins like a coin tossed in the air. Nightingale manages to spread her wings, saving herself from the fall. I still clench her leg, hoping I can save myself somehow.
Nightingale slowly glides towards the central platform, trying to shake me off. Then, she manages to wrap the talons around my forearm and squeeze tightly. I shriek as I let go and fall down...
...
___|____X | Tempest | Nightingale | X____|__O
Walking in the fake clouds is like a journey through the afterlife. All is hazy and I'm shaken from the impact. I wonder how can I get back and continue fighting. Then I find a platform hovering low above the ground.
When I step on it, the metal disc flies up like an elevator. I finally see the daylight again. From the elevator platform, I jump on the central one where Nightingale is already awaiting me.
She immediately attacks me again. We end in a furious fight the viewers can hardly observe. She is a skilled fighter, but so am I. She has both her talons and claws on her hands. I only have my legs, but I'm smaller and faster. Also, Nightingale's cloak significantly reduces her agility.
I feel several kicks and punches hitting me, but I can score, too.
OO_|____X | Tempest | Nightingale | XX___|__O
I have to turn it around somehow.
I wait until she raises her talon to attack again. Then, I squeeze her artificial calf between my shin and thigh, then use my other leg to spring up and spin in the air. Nightingale's balance is gone; she falls on her back and I immediately try to stomp on her chest. She rolls to the side, but I respond with a quick kick hitting her lower back area which scores me at least a Clash point.
She gets back on her feet with a handspring and tries to tear me up with her claws. I evade with a backflip, then counter her both hands with my leg and use the other leg to deliver a crushing kick into her chin. Valentina moans and makes a step backwards. Her eyes look dazzled.
___|__XXX | Tempest | Nightingale | XX___|__O
A partial victory is achieved - if this was a normal fight, I would win. However, the final fights are made to be longer. For a reason. The audience is just getting started, their cheering is getting deafening.
"My Little White," Valentina smirks. "If you only knew how futile your effort is. No matter what, no matter who will be today's winner, you won't like what will follow."
"Are you... trying to intimidate me?" I raise my eyebrows.
"I'm just telling you what's inevitable."
Then, she retreats on a rather distant platform before I even notice where did she go. I start to pursue her, but she is already on the other side of the arena. I jump from one platform to another, but she's playing a cat-and-mouse game with me.
What is she up to?
Without me even realizing, we get close to each other until we stand on neighbouring platforms. She looks at another platform, but at the last moment, she turns around and jumps on my platform instead. That's her plan. She wanted to recover and then use a moment of surprise.
I cross my arms in front of me in a feeble attempt to defend myself, but one of Nightingale's talons quickly rends through it. Then, the other talon pins me to the platform. Streams of white light symbolizing the INF system at work run across my belly, indicating Nightingale's triumph.
___|__XXX | Tempest | Nightingale | XXX__|__O
And suddenly, she takes the lead again.
I let my guard down.
The current platform is one of the smaller. As soon as I get up on my feet, Valentina stomps on its edge and makes it spin. She spreads her wings and glides away, but my situation is worse. Before I fall, I try to coordinate the direction at least a little so I have a small chance to land safely.
I fall towards one of the bigger platforms, but it seems I'll miss it by a few centimeters. In the last desperate attempt, I stretch out my hands. I feel the very edge of the platforn underneath my fingers. Instinctively, I grasp it firmly. I dangle above the abyss; it's easy to believe I'm really high in the sky, above the clouds.
I try to pull myself up. But then, my opponent lands on the platform and makes it sway a little, foiling my attempts to regain my footing. My fingers and muscles freeze and my stomach tightens upon seeing the majestic winged silhouette towering above me against the sun. My fear is still here, but I won't let it take control.
...
As expected, she raises one of her talons and tries to tread on my fingers, making me release the edge. Before her foot stomps, I let go, dangling on one hand only. It hurts like crazy and my knuckles turn white. I do a half-turn and grab the edge again, facing away from the platform.
Trust me, it's really uncomfortable.
Before Nightingale makes another attempt, I gain momentum by swinging forward and valut on the platform again using a risky backflip. For a second, I'm afraid my plan will fail since only my heels touch the platform, but fortunately, I can make a step to the side before I lose balance completely.
It seems my luck outweighs my skills - Nightingale tried to attack me from behind, but my step to regain balance was so well timed (unintentionally) she can't halt in time and she stops at the very edge of the platform. All it takes is a little push - which I do.
She falls over the edge with a short shriek, but she manages to spread her wings and fly into safety. These goddamn wings. If she didn't have them, she would be down there, among the clouds. At least I have time to completely regain my footing and prepare for another strike.
She lands on the central platform and then jumps on the very highest disc in the arena. I rush towards her, sometimes skipping two platforms with one jump. She just stands here, waiting for my move.
But in the end, it's her who strikes first. She spreads her wings and jumps down from the platform, controlling the direction of her flight with slight movements of her arms. She dives towards me, no matter where I run. I see her menacing shadow on the ground.
I would be probably able to escape by quickly jumping on a higher platform, but my fear finally breaks free from the cage I've been holding it in and starts to creep into my mind again. Nightingale's silhouette flying towards me just brings the memories too powerfully. I almost hear her cackling as I, panicked, run in circles around the platform.
Then, finally, I trip over my own feet and fall down with no chance to stand up again. I try to control the phobia again, but even though it ceases after a while, it's too late. The present and the past melt into one moment. A giant crow is landing at me to disembowel me with its talons.
I scream. The claws bury deep into my flesh and blood gushes on the platform. I hear loud cawing and wingbeat above me. I failed. Shaman's lesson was useless. The fear was only toying with me, seeking the worst possible opportunity to leave me helpless.
After a painfully long moment, I realize I'm not hurt. There are no crows, only Nightingale. My head is spinning and I have to gasp for breath. Nightingale looms above me with the signature smile on her face. She sees nothing more than a slight annoyance.
___|__XXX | Tempest | Nightingale | XXXX_|__O
"I presume you don't need this," she smirks and reaches out for the feather decoration in my hair. "You are trying to be brave, but you are failing miserably."
One thing is for sure - her condescending tone and the anger it fans within me are the best to erase the fear. Back in the reality, I shoot my hand forward and grab her forearm before she can reach the hairpin. I look into her eyes - much to her surprise, there's not a trace of phobia in mine.
I yank her hand down and, as she loses balance, thrust my fist into her exposed belly. She doubles over as I throw her on the platform, jump on my feet and stomp on her, all within just a few seconds. Then I retreat before Nightingale can rise up again.
O__|_XXXX | Tempest | Nightingale | XXXX_|__O
The score is even. I can be either extremely careful... or do something extremely risky, something that would rank #1 on all video-streaming servers. The thing I pulled during my fight with Comette got me kinda famous and I had the first place in Trending for about a week.
Let's do this, Valentina.
I seek the smallest platform in the arena. Yeah, that one - only about a meter. There's no way it can hold two people and serves solely as a stopover.
Nightingale is already on the move. I advance on a platform closest to the tiny one and watch my opponent as she makes her way to me.
...
Her wings once again make me shiver, but I try to ignore it. If I don't screw up, I can end this right now. I just have to wait until she gets close enough...
Yeah. I see the hatred-driven resolve in her eyes. My last attack was pretty surprising and it didn't improve her mood at all. If I don't end it now, she'll tear me to pieces as soon as she gets close to me.
I have to time it perfectly.
Now or never.
As Nightingale opens her arms to let her Counter-gravity cloak carry her on the next platform, I jump off my platform towards the smallest one. Then, I rev up my mechanical legs since their power will decide the result. At the moment she soars up, I put all my power into one kick.
My leg connects with the edge of the smallest platform. After a loud bang, it rockets forward straight towards Nightingale. I land on a platform below me in a safety roll and watch as the tiny platform flies towards Nightingale like a big frisbee.
She tries to change direction, but my improvised projectile is too fast. I watch the disc strike her stomach. Nightigale screams as both her and the out-of-balance platform fall down. She tries to spread her wings to avoid falling into the abyss, but even if she succeeded, the fight is already decided.
Valentina disappears in the artificial layer of clouds, her scream drowned out by the audience's cheering. I try to catch my breath, trying to comprehend what just happened. I hear the commentator proclaiming me a winner. The Champion of Champions of the year 132.
I know I should look all powerful, majestic, beautiful and stuff, but I can't do anything more than sit on the platform with half-open mouth. The platforms slowly descend to the ground, the clouds already disappeared. It's like the fight I've been through didn't happen at all.
While the audience's chanting during the fight was unintelligible, now it's crystal clear. Tempest! Tempest! Tempest! I finally stand up and raise my arms in victorious gesture, then wave the crowd. "I did it," I whisper. Then, I raise my voice into shout. "I DID IT! Everyone, I DID IT!"
I notice my friends on nearby terraces. Ryan is hugging Svetlana, both exulting like little girls. Sotiris, with satisfied smile, carries Helena on his shoulders. Both her and her sister cheer for me, just like Jensen and Sajid. It's all so unreal. Like a dream.
Then, I notice Valentina walking towards me.
Her arrogant expression tells me nothing about her state of mind. She looks down her nose at me, about twenty centimeters taller. "Congratulations," she spits out. "You probably think this is over."
I look her dead in the eye. "It is, Valentina," I counter. "The championship is over and I won. You were good, Valentina," I smirk. "But not that good."
"I'll just tell you one thing, Little White," she says. "What will happen in the upcoming minutes is only your fault. It didn't have to end like this. But you chose to resist... and so I'll have to execute plan B."
I frown. "What are you talking about?"
Valentina gives me a sinister smile, then turns to the audience. "Showtime!" she shouts.
Only one word is enough to unleash Hell.
First, I only hear screams coming from the terraces -due to their size, I have no chance of finding out what's going on. Then, I see swarming of blue uniforms. Wardens. Gunfire soon follows and the whole stadium descends into chaos.