Chosen By The Lover's Constellation-Chapter 85: Names, Part Fourteen

{Lianna}

Lianna did trust in Enverna’s skills, but she couldn’t help but feel slightly nervous as she watched from the stands.

"Quite skilled," the administrator commented from Lianna’s left. "Given what your team dynamic is, I’ll admit, I was curious to see how she’d perform on her own. She performed quite well, though."

"Yeah..." Lianna sounded distant. Her eyes remained fixed on the giant screen before them but her mind wandered.

The longer this tourney went on, the less time she had to figure something out.

But, no matter how much time she spent trying to find the right way to go about this, it simply felt like there was nothing she could do without at least one person dying today.

[I just wish I knew if Hollie had the only detonator at least,] Lianna thought as more players fought on the big screen. [If I knew that, it would be so much easier to think of something...]

"Lianna," the administrator said. "Your wife’s not even fighting right now and you look so worried. Is something wrong?"

As she heard that, Lianna turned toward the administrator. She was going to respond quickly but as their eyes met, an idea came to her.

"Uh... Ma’am," Lianna replied, "do you... happen to have any shielding abilities? Like, uh, going back to what I asked earlier, if something bad were to happen right now, would you really not be able to protect yourself?"

The administrator blinked.

"This is a very convoluted way of getting me to tell you more about my abilities."

"No, no, no," Lianna shook her head. "It’s not that, it’s-"

"All things considered, I’d probably just use this," the administrator responded, suddenly producing an elixir of some sort.

Lianna scanned it.

Strong Portable Shield

{Potion}

{Uncommon}

{Effect: Upon drinking this potion, the user will be given a Strong Shield for 10 minutes. This shield does not regenerate and can be broken before that time runs out.}

Lianna’s eyes bulged out of their sockets.

"THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT I NEED!" She yelled, though her voice barely rose above the cheering crowd. "Admin, can I-"

"Sure."

The administrator casually tossed the potion into Lianna’s hands, even though she was sitting right next to her.

Lianna looked down at the potion and then back up at the administrator, multiple times.

"I have a few of these lying around anyway," the administrator said with a wink.

"Thank you," Lianna replied warmly. "Seriously, I... You..."

"Stop, stop," the administrator put a hand up. "It’s not like this is the first thing I’ve given to you and it likely won’t be the last. Let’s just keep watching the battles, shall we?"

Lianna nodded.

The comment the administrator had just made did leave Lianna thinking, though.

[Not the first thing she’s given to me? Has she given me anything else? I don’t remember anything.]

---

{Enverna}

The semifinals were set to begin.

The digital arena materialized around Enverna, a vibrant and surreal landscape that served as the battleground for the semifinals. It was far more colorful than the previous stage, with trees forming a natural ring around Enverna, each one holding a plethora of rainbow-like leaves.

The announcer spoke up.

"Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed participants, and avid spectators, brace yourselves as we near the climax of the tournament! Now, in the semifinals, skill, strategy, and tenacity will converge in a symphony of combat!"

Enverna’s eyes narrowed, and her grip tightened on Storm.

Opposite her materialized her next opponent.

Hollie.

Enverna’s eyes narrowed. Her foe smirked, pulling her rapier out. T

"You may as well forfeit, you know?" Hollie said. "I mean, I’m sure you understand that I was going to win before we were so rudely interrupted."

As much as it pained Enverna to admit it, she was right.

Without Lianna’s help, and in a space as cramped as those lockers were, Enverna was almost surely going to lose.

Now, however, one of those problems had been mitigated. The spacious clearing that acted as their arena allowed Enverna to move freely.

That said, Hollie was still faster than her and had an incredible Instinct in her possession.

[An Instinct that literally stops you from getting tired, that allows you to exert yourself at full power with no drawbacks... That is crazy.]

Still, Enverna couldn’t afford to lose here. This wasn’t just a battle for victory in the tournament; it was a clash of hidden agendas and looming threats.

Time was running out, and the impending danger to Zura weighed heavily on her conscience. Every passing second in the tournament brought them closer to the inevitable detonation, and the gravity of the situation pressed upon her.

[Focus, Enverna. You can’t let the urgency cloud your judgment.] Enverna took deep, steady breaths. [If you win here, maybe there’s a chance to salvage the situation.]

Enverna took a deep breath, centering herself amidst the chaos.

Enverna tightened her focus, shutting out the internal noise and the looming threat that lingered beyond the virtual realm. She stared at Hollie with unwavering determination, her mind echoing with a mantra of victory.

[This is a battle is bigger than you. Treat it as such.]

And, on that note, the clash began.

The first exchanges were swift and fierce, a fiery dance in the virtual arena. Enverna’s spear met Hollie’s rapier in a symphony of clashing steel, but it was becoming apparent that Hollie possessed a level of agility and precision that was challenging to match.

Try as she might, Enverna felt a frustrating distance between her attacks and Hollie’s defenses. It was as if her opponent anticipated every move, evading with an almost supernatural grace.

A series of rapid strikes ensued, and Enverna found herself on the defensive. Hollie’s rapier grazed Enverna’s left thigh, leaving a burning, glowing mark. The damage, while minimal, still had Enverna sweating.

Enverna gritted her teeth, determined to turn the tide. She lunged forward, spear poised for a counterattack, but Hollie seamlessly sidestepped.

Frustration seeped into Enverna’s thoughts as she struggled to keep pace. The wide arena felt like a cage closing in on her, limiting her movements and options. Either that or Enverna was just very, very nervous.

In a bold move, Hollie closed the distance, exploiting another opening in Enverna’s defense. The rapier struck true, piercing Enverna’s left arm. Pain shot through her as she winced.

The once fluid movements of Storm became strained as Enverna grappled with the injury, holding her weapon with one hand. The spear, an extension of her strength, now felt like a burden.

Just as the shadows of despair began to cloud Enverna’s resolve, a sudden shift occurred. The world faded, and Enverna felt an unfamiliar surge of awareness. In an instant, her senses were replaced by Lianna’s.

Under the loud cheers of the audience, Lianna said:

"This might be hard, but it’s probably better for you to fight like this." She whispered it, quiet enough to where the administrator didn’t even hear her. "Ready?"

[What other choice do I have?] Enverna wondered. [I can’t beat her on my own.]

"Now, let’s start."

With her eyes firmly on the screen, Lianna began to hand out instructions.

"Feint left and go for her blind spot!" Lianna’s voice resonated in Enverna’s mind. "She stops attacking anytime her Instinct runs out. Exploit that moment!"

Empowered by Lianna’s guidance and looking at herself through the screen, Enverna adjusted her stance and executed the suggested maneuver.

The digital world responded to her newfound clarity, and Storm sliced through the air with purpose.

"Huh!?"

Hollie, momentarily caught off guard, stumbled. Enverna’s strike disrupted her rhythm.

The spear found its mark, leaving a shimmering trail of water in its wake as it pierced her midsection.

Just barely, though.

"Agh!" Hollie gritted her teeth. It looked like she’d only just now realized she had a real fight on her hands.

The tide of the battle shifted as Enverna regained control, now fueled by Lianna’s tips.

Amidst the simulated battleground, Lianna’s guidance flowed through the intricate threads of Enverna’s consciousness. It was a dance of shared thoughts, a silent symphony played in the digital expanse.

"Shift left, Enverna," Lianna’s voice echoed softly in Enverna’s mind, a gentle nudge guiding her movements. Lianna wasn’t even blinking, trying to make sure Enverna could see everything that happened.

At the same time, Enverna could feel how nervous and hopeful she was.

She didn’t want to disappoint her.

Enverna, responding to the ethereal orchestration, sidestepped with grace, avoiding Hollie’s rapier with newfound finesse.

The crowd watched in anticipation as it looked like she’d found a second wind.

"Now, lean right and go low," Lianna’s direction resonated, each word a note in the harmony of battle. Enverna followed the guidance, her movements mirroring the whispered commands. The rhythm of the fight shifted, and Storm became an extension of their shared will.

As the culmination approached, Lianna’s guidance intensified, a conductor in control of an unseen orchestra.

"NOW!" Lianna yelled, standing up. The administrator looked at her, raising a brow. "Dash in! She’s gonna lean down, aim for her chest!"

As Enverna executed the final strike, a water-infused strike rang out.

Enverna’s spear found Hollie’s neck as she did exactly what Lianna said she would. Enverna’s senses were returned to her just after the crowd erupted in cheers.

Hollie staggered, defeated but not broken.

The virtual world flickered, signaling the end of the battle. Soon, they’d leave the simulation.

Enverna, catching her breath, stood victorious. Hollie, fading away into pixels, managed a defiant grin.

"Congrats... You may have won this round," Hollie taunted, her words a lingering echo. "But you can’t stop us. It’s already over."

The cryptic proclamation hung in the air as Hollie dissolved into digital fragments, leaving Enverna with an unsettling sense of foreboding.

Enverna, despite her triumph, couldn’t shake the ominous weight of Hollie’s parting words.

As the simulated realm faded away, Enverna found herself standing alone, contemplating the enigmatic warning that lingered like a haunting melody.