One flap of her wax wings, fire spewing from the ends, sends Aubrey flying toward Doc and Lahar. Doc fires a yellow ball at King and then fires a cannon shot at Aubrey. Aubrey slices the cannonball with her blade as if it were a piece of construction paper.
The yellow ball becomes dust and soaks into King's body. His body reconnects as he gets up. With his legs still glass, King sprints to Aubrey. He can hear his legs crack and break with every step, but he still pushes through. Lahar fires a shot at Aubrey. This time it isn't a blast but a stream of water. Aubrey flies up toward the sky, but the blast nicks a wing. She looks at it to see the area now frozen.
Lahar's heart beats rapidly, and her eyes follow Aubrey flying toward the sky. This isn't new; she has fought before. She has made it out alive and has even won. Especially this time. She is ready and has backup.
Aubrey looks down to see Doc and Lahar staring at her. Then she hears a cracking noise. She looks up to see King in the air above her, with his legs completely shattered. With both arms he slams down.
Aubrey uses her wings to prevent him from hitting her body. Her wings burst into flame, turning his arms to glass. He pushes through and slams down. His arms shatter as she is sent falling down like a meteor. The wax wraps around her body in a ball and protects her from the impact. The wax ball slams onto the beach, sending a shockwave through the field and beach. Before King's body can hit the ground, Doc dives and catches him.
Aubrey emerges from the crumbled wax ball to see Lahar standing by the water. Parts of her body are covered in ivory, and she holds the knife in her hands. "This is it; it's over," Lahar says. With that she uses her spell. Before Aubrey can react, streams of water fly from the ocean and encase her in a glacier that covers a large portion of the beach, leaving nothing but her head free.
Lahar breathes heavy, as this spell always leaves her exhausted. "Now I want you to tell me who you are," Lahar says, furious.
"Why are you barking orders at? Do you think this is over since I am in here? Oh, hon, this isn't over."
"No matter how hot you get, this ice won't melt. It's colder than the Arctic itself. So, yeah, I am pretty sure it's over."
"Well, I am not the one out of breath," Aubrey says with a smile. Steam emits from the glacier. The ice around her body melts as flames burst from her skin and sword. "I really hope this wasn't your ace in the hole," Aubrey says as the glacier melts in front of Lahar's eyes. A cloud of steam bursts from the glacier and covers the beach.
Ivory armor covers Lahar's arms and chest. She grips the knife tightly and holds the knife and water gun up. She aims down the sight of her water gun, knowing Aubrey is in this cloud, ready to strike.
Lahar is alone. Doc is tending to King. Pie and Crew are far from where she is. Arena is not here to protect her. "I got this," she thinks. She stares at the knife in her hand and knows she can handle this alone.
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Lahar closes her eyes. A light shines beside her and moves fast. She holds up her knife, blocking Aubrey's sword. Flames spark from their contact. Lahar is easily being pushed down the beach. She pulls the trigger, but nothing comes out. She opens her eyes to see the barrel of the water gun covered in candle wax.
Lahar is kicked in the stomach and sent bouncing out the cloud of steam. The water gun is knocked out of her reach, but she still holds the knife. Aubrey bursts out the cloud, thrusting her blade. King's training circuits through Lahar's mind and body. She uses the knife to block most of Aubrey's attacks, using the armor to knock the blade back when her knife isn't fast enough.
"Pretty fancy bladework," Aubrey says calmly.
"Is she even taking this seriously?" Lahar thinks. Lahar looks at the expression on her face and can tell she is not. This is nothing to her. From the beginning, Aubrey has been sure of her victory. Never questioning her ability. She has no fear. To her, Lahar is a child trying to stop a giant.
Lahar tries to push toward the offensive by thrusting her knife in or trying to jab her with her armored fist.
"I like the initiative. Too bad it was a second too late," Aubrey says with a grin. Lahar can't move her feet anymore. She looks down and sees her feet covered in hardened candle wax. She's open, vulnerable. Aubrey knocks the knife out of her hand with her sword.
A ring of fire surrounds Lahar as the candle wax on her feet stretches to bind her arms together. Lahar looks at Aubrey as sweat falls from her face. Plans rush through her mind with the few spells she knows—anything that will help her out of the situation. Lahar is about to speak, when a flash of bright light blinds them. The sound of metal clashing is heard.
Lahar opens her eyes to find herself next to Doc and King. She looks behind her to see Pie's flames wrapped around her. She looks forward and sees Aubrey's sword clashing on a golden shield. Arena holds a golden shield of light. His knees shake, and sweat rolls down his face. Several Crews hold Aubrey back, but even then she is able to get a swing in. The blade's fire shines as bright as his shield.
"What the hell is all this!" Arena shouts. Aubrey looks to see Arena's face. With the Crews holding her back, she musters her strength to knock Arena off balance and give him a powerful right hook.
"Let me go, Pie. We have to help," Lahar says, but he doesn't listen. The Crews pull her back but stop once they hear Arena say, "Let her go." They stand there in shock for a moment and then do as he said.
"All right, I deserved that," Arena says. He gets up, using the shield as leverage. He looks up at a sight that breaks his heart—a sight that utterly confuses everyone on the beach except for Arena, Aubrey, and Pie.
Tears roll down Aubrey's cheeks. "You're damn right you deserve that. You deserve way more than that. Look at you—chewed up, a mess, like you got your butt kicked by a dumpster," Aubrey says through her tears. She runs to Arena with blade in hand. She wraps her arms around him and buries her face in his chest. Lahar can hear the muffled sound of her crying.
Lahar tries to make sense of the situation. Is this a friend or maybe a girlfriend from the past? Could he have a girlfriend? Lahar becomes flustered and is washed with guilt for a moment, until Aubrey lifts her face from his chest. Her blue eyes glimmer, even through her tears. Then she sees it. Arena's eyes fade from red to the same blue color. The familiar features she has seen before, in pictures. She feels stupid for not realizing it sooner.
"Arena," Lahar says nervously. Aubrey gazes at Lahar with a stare that could pierce through stone. "Is...is that your..."
Beforeshe can say it, Arena nods his head. The woman who ripped a hole in reality.The woman whose skill in magic rivals Arena's. The woman who made Lahar, King, and Doc her playthings is crying her eyes out. She is being held by Arena as he tries to comfort her. As he tries to comfort the sister he hasn't seen in so long.