Chapter 1468 (2/2)

His bullet struck the other bullet, still embedded in Tykes ball. With the small pick driven only a fraction of distance deeper, the lump of metal exploded into fragments.

*****

“Ghostworld would be the best,” Wivanya grumbled as the two waited in the shadowy halls to walk out into the arena proper. The frost dragon’s tail flicked back and forth, the appendage moving as though taking out her dissatisfaction by whipping the stone walls. “Can they not see everything that the Ghosthound has done for our world? Naming the planet after him is the natural result of his divine effort for us. This is a matter of principle.”

Alana didn’t even bother to answer the moody dragon. As always before a match, her attention was focused on the inspection of her spear. She dragged her fingers across the spearhead and felt the skin of her finger easily part. The sharpness made her smile. Perhaps because she had spoken her worries aloud last night, all of that emotion had been churning in her chest for the past several hours and gradually had become excitement. She moved her hands down to the spear shaft and waved it lightly, testing the flexibility.

What sort of story will we tell the world today, I wonder…? Her fingers tightened until her knuckles were white.

Soon they received the signal to proceed out into the arena and Wivanya released a massive, dragon-sized sigh that frosted the ground in front of them. She waddled forward ahead of Alana down the hallway. “Finally time. Well, even if you balk at naming the planet after him, you must still keep your edge in battle, Alana. We will not have the opportunity to honor the Ghosthound without first seizing victory. Don’t be distracted by unnecessary things.”

You don’t need to tell me that, Alana thought with a small smile. But she didn’t bother to reply. She could sense through her bond with Wivanya that the Frost Dragon Broodmother was unprecedentedly excited for this match. So Alana didn’t mind the constant stream of cheery complaints.

Due to her ‘role’ on Earth, Alana and Wivanya were given the right to walk out into the arena first. The audience seethed and roared as the duo appeared in the mouth of the tunnel and then calmly proceeded toward the stage. With Hank having gloriously clinched victory in the third-place match, the crowd was all hyped up for the final.

Their appearance now was the signal for the simmering spirit of Earth to rise once more to the fore. This time for all the marbles.

Alana hopped up onto Wivanya’s back and allowed the dragon to carry her up onto the stage. Coming out first was, of course, a natural advantage in a duel that relied heavily upon images. The first arrival’s image would naturally begin to influence the surrounding area unless they consciously tried to prevent the phenomenon. Alana suspected that Randidly would say something if the effect was too obvious, but Alana believed that in terms of image sensitivity, few could currently match her.

And one thing she knew for sure about Randidly was that he preferred to simply remain an observer. So Alana took a risk and loosened the tight control she maintained on her image.

The surrounding air became laced with the slightest note of holy energy. That aspect of Inviolability that Alana had obtained spread outward through the air, making this space sacrosanct. Any who tried to influence the area with their own image would have a difficult time dislodging the hold of faith.

Although the volume didn’t change, the crowd's cheers and shrieks gradually faded to a buzzing. More than their cacophony, what Alana heard was the beating of her own heart.

Today, Alana was determined to act as the proper gatekeeper. She would do everything in her power to win this tournament and keep the threshold through which both she and Randidly had passed locked. Thinking this, she was unable to resist the impulse to look upward after she released her image. Distantly, she was able to make out Randidly’s face; he was laughing and shaking his head.

Alana turned back down to the arena. She was two Alanas, one a bloated and massive image based on public perception that wanted to remain a dominant force on Earth. The other was the Alana who wanted to win the tournament as proof that Randidly’s teachings were the true Path toward strength. Both desired the same thing, but Alana had learned the hard way about the dangers of accepting extraneous images.

Besides, Alana was confident that she could guard this nonexistent ‘passage’ to strength on her own for at least another year. Her grin slowly widened as the excitement once more surged back to the forefront of her mind. Heh. Alright, let them come. I’m ready.

Wivanya lowered her scaled head next to Alana’s body. Even through the already chilly winter air, the dragon’s scales radiated an intense cold that cut to the bone. “You seem different today. Are you going to be alright for the match? Your image....”

“It’s just how the world sees me, just ignore it,” Alana replied lightly. She cracked the knuckles of her hand. “Don’t go projecting your nerves on me though; if you need me to punch you to wake you up, feel free to ask.”

“Hmph. As if a human punch could have any effect on a dragon,” Wivanya snorted. But she did begin to flex her claws, cleary antsy with nervous energy.

Right on cue, Paolo and Kayle arrived. Perhaps out of respect for Alana or perhaps because of how their prior match had ended, they dropped all pretense of their weapon bet. Paolo came out cracking his knuckles and Kayle played with his knives as they came into the public’s eye. Both stood tall and proud, their own images steadily pushing back the subtle notes of inviolability that Alana left in the air.

And this is why this is a fight worth having. Show me how much you’ve grown, Alana thought with a smile. Then she turned to the crowd. Because as Paolo and Kayle arrived, the tone of their cheers changed. Because I need to show you how many more lessons you need to learn.

In all likelihood, the difference in the crowd’s reaction wasn’t even something that was done at a conscious level. It was just that from a sense of awe and respect in their voices for Alana, they shifted toward a raw, animalistic approval for Paolo and Kayle. Hearing the cheers, Alana’s eyes drifted upward through the chaotic mass of images around the arena.

These people wanted a victory. Although the bets on who the ultimate victor would be proved to be rather even, it was clear from the crowd’s expression that there was a favorite. Their approval became wishes, and wishes from strong-minded individuals became images that drifted steadily downward onto Paolo and Kayle’s parade toward the arena.

Paolo was especially voracious, rapidly absorbing any of the surrounding images and growing to an even more stupendous sky. His image presence was like a pillar of light, so bright and triumphant that it was difficult to look at it directly.

Alana’s smile deepened. Like I said. You still have so much to learn.