Gift of the Goddess

Chapter 109 - Stryder Vs Zack, this is the end.

I dropped back onto the ground and rolled to my feet. Only to be met by the rain of Zacks hell fire. I jumped back and pulled out Ascaleon. The blade shined blue and I summoned armor over my body. Then, I slashed at the oncoming barrage. His blasts we're intense. Each one threatened to send me flying. Think Stryder! Think! He's already shown he's gonna take advantage of the fact that you're not gonna kill him! And I can barely match his barrage of magic without going with killer intent! If I hold back I'm just gonna die and if I go for the kill he may die! Hell, we both could die!

"Tryna think right!?" He yelled next to me. 

I turned and Zack was behind me. A huge grin plastered on his face. He reeled his arm back and punched my chest plate. 

“Not happening!”

BOOM! He let off a blast of green fire, but it was weaker than before. My armor didn't shatter this time. I flew back and the wind oddly wrapped itself around my body. Crap! He must've sent my chest plate away again! Before I could even summon more armor on my body, it was like a train crashed into my back.I flew and clipped the side of a building. My world started to get fuzzy and all I could see was a bright green blur. Then, it felt like a missle hit my stomach. I was blasted back and finally crashed into the ground.

 Funny enough, my vision started to return. The embers of the sun started to flicker away. Slowly being consumed by the darkness of night. I sat up and coughed, every inch of my body was on fire. It was even tempting to just lay back down. Then suddenly the ground below me shook, before I could react a vine snatched my ankle. I was lifted up into the air and flung hard into the side of the building. 

Rocks crumbled below me and the vines peeled me from the side of the building. Then threw me back down onto the streets. Sending my mind back into a state of disarray. Just when I thought I'd get a break, the vine decided to lift me up. It turned me around like dangling bait, making me face Zack. Who was standing on the sidewalk. But his smile was gone. 

"Wow, you're really pathetic. Here I thought things would be more fun." He sighed.

The vine raised me into the air, then whipped me down and slammed me back into the street. A new vine came out and wrapped around my neck. Progressively getting tighter and tighter. I choked and dropped Ascaleon so I could grab at it. This pain woke me up, but that burst of energy did nothing for me. The vine lifted me up into the air and over to Zack. While I kicked and used my strength.doing whatever I could to get out.

"Ah! Icarus was right! That summoning crap works off concentration. Focused so much on breathing you can't summon anything under that vine." Zack called out and stepped toward me. 

I choked and frantically thrashed around. Yet nothing worked! Damn! He must've put everything he had into this vine!

"This is it then." Zack held out his hand and his fingers erupted into flames. "I'm gonna be free!"

Ssssssss pweeee! 

Just before he could reach me, a whistling echoed through the streets. Zack turned, but it was already too late. A small bottle rocket came and blasted him in the face. I glanced over and my heart sank. It was Valentina and Alexis! What were they doing here!? 

Zack grumbled and held his face. While Valentina ran in. She pulled out a roman candle and blasted it at Zack.

"Alexis!" She called out.

Alexis zoomed past her and tackled Zack. Soaring back and slamming him into the side of the building. Which happened to lessen the durability of the vine. It ripped underneath my fingers and I dropped onto the ground. I gasped for air and Valentina ran over to me.