"Sasha." Jaden broke his silence at the edge of the battlefield, where he had witnessed everything, "What is Mother's status?"

She's broken through to the Epic realm.

But she's struggling here? Jaden mused. That closed the power gap somewhat, but it wasn't enough.

He watched his mother fighting tit for tat with the Champion. A sense of pride welled up within him. Though that feeling was short-lived, abandoning him when he realized that the opponent was evidently toying with her.

Evan and Brawn slowly approached, dragging a cart with Queen Araya onboard. Turning to them In annoyance, he motioned for them to be silent.

He turned back in time to witness his mother break her staff against the Champion's head. Has her faith in her beliefs failed here? No, that's not it. It was a moment of weakness. She felt killing him was the only answer. Knowing Mother, she's going to regret that.

"Jaden? Why are we waiting here?" Evan asked. Brawn looked upon Vivian, and although he also wondered, he did not voice his concern.

"Mother can grow stronger, and this opponent is a catalyst that could push her even further," Jaden replied.

Vivian looked down at the broken remains of the staff in her hands. She nearly dropped it when her body shivered involuntarily. I had struck to kill him. Turning her gaze at the fallen Authen, a weight lifted from her shoulders; he drew a breath.

"Damn, that hurt. I'm lucky you haven't got that new strength of yours under control." Typhan groggily pushed himself back up into a sitting position. He gripped the sword that pinned his hand to the ground and pulled it free. Turning his face away, he dragged his finger along his cheek. "It stings all along here. Do I have a mark?"

1850/1900

"Not yet, unfortunately. I'll have to try again." Vivian responded with disdain, hiding her anxiety. What can I do with only half a staff?

"If you still think you're in a position above me, or as my equal," rising to his feet, he shook his head to clear the remaining haze, "then it's high time I end that farce."

Typhan grinned. He spun his sword in a flourish before grasping it in both hands and charged. Vivian brandished what remained of her staff and prepared to meet the coming strike. His sword sang as it cut the air, a heavy blow. A chill enveloped Vivian, entombing her; death was making its presence known. The staff dulled the momentum slightly. Her arms bent, her grip faltered. She gasped in surprise; her weapon flew out of her hands and out of reach.

She watched in horror as the sword turned into a blur in her vision. Vivian backed away, attempting to dodge and evade.

Vivian! What are you doing? Fight back!

She threw her arms up defensively. Pain from an increasing number of cuts sequentially inflicted all over her body overwhelmed her. Her blood coated his sword. She tried and failed to suppress herself from screaming in agony. Two purposefully-aimed strikes cut the muscles in her legs, ending her futile resistance. Unable to keep herself standing, she slumped to the ground.

700/1000

Typhan laughed victoriously. The moment he was waiting for had arrived: it was time to torment his victim. He beamed with excitement, ready to reap his prize. Nothing satisfied him more than breaking his prey until resolve and determination transformed into despair and wails of pain. His sword weaved around her body; his face twisted with malice. He carved into her existing wounds, edging just slightly deeper every time to start her blood-curdling screams anew.

But something didn't feel right to him. For each cut that he inflicted, the wounds that followed required more strength for the same result. Is Vivian's body getting tougher?

350/1000

Tears splayed over her cheeks. She was unable to suppress the pain from surfacing on her face. Her body wretched and trembled from the abusive treatment. The constant screaming turned her voice hoarse. Typhan paused to examine his handiwork, looking her over like a sculpted statue. Panting from all the screaming, she calmed her breathing and looked up at the Authen. Eyes that evoked courage and determination, even now, pierced him. He became determined to plunge her into a sightless world of despair. He raised his sword, preparing to cut her eyes.

Jaden! Save my host! Please!

"King?" Queen Araya voiced her concern in a single word. The wind carried the odor of the Authen her way. Mixed with the scent of blood and coupled with a woman's anguished screams gave Araya some idea of what was happening.

Jaden, coming to terms with reality, drew his staff. He launched forward, his foot buried itself deep into the Authen's unprotected belly. Jaden jumped, performing a somersault in the air. "Mind if I cut in?"

Shock clouded Typhan's face; his body thrust forcefully up into the air. Pain twisted his features. Jaden jumped again, performing a bicycle kick. Typhan soared through the forest. A collision with a nearby tree halted his flight, making his journey short and the landing uncomfortable.

"Ja...den?" Vivian blinked back her tears and looked upon her son's back. Her body, leaking blood like a sieve, was riddled with more wounds than she dared to count. The pain from each cut weakened her, making breathing difficult. Her blood poured onto her skin. What remained of her clothes soaked up what blood it could. The tattered rags quickly became saturated and then clung to her tightly.

Typhan stared straight ahead; eyes wide in disbelief, he watched his status indicator deduct drastically from his health pool. He held his gut and struggled to his feet as the pain only increased, "I wasn't expecting you here."

Jaden gritted his teeth, stepping towards Typhan, "Nothing is set in stone until it happens; you should know that already. Prophets don't know everything. I wonder if I'm about to fulfill a prophecy or stray from it."

Vivian sat in silence, feeling a sinister air descend. It frightened her, eliciting her body to shiver in response.

"Mother, I had thought you'd benefit further from fighting him if I stayed out of it, but I was wrong," Jaden looked upon his mother's sad state, his voice coated with remorse and bottled rage, the latter directed at himself. "I didn't think it possible you'd lose to him."

"Typhan, wasn't it?" Jaden returned his attention to the threat. He burst into a run, "Let's find out if you know what fear truly is."

1550/1900

Typhan coughed up blood as he watched Jaden getting closer. When he wiped his mouth, his health finally settled. His eyes rocked in their sockets as he focused on the number. "That can't be right!"

"Oh I'm just getting started," Jaden taunted with a swing of the staff in his right arm. "How about I start with the mark?"

Typhan started to lean back in an attempt to avoid the staff on a collision course with his face. Seconds later, the weapon connected with his left cheek, hitting the same spot Vivian bashed initially. The blood vessels popped, leaving him with a mark instantly and left him dazed. Jaden spun his body around, counter to the direction he just swung, and brought the staff down. He clipped Typhan's right leg, crushing his kneecap.

1200/1900

Typhan roared; the new pain cleared the haze in his mind. His right leg buckled, unable to support him. He shifted his weight to his left leg.

Jaden shifted his hands to the middle of the staff, rotating it around his body. He clipped Typhan in the jaw and whacked his three remaining limbs. Bones crumbled, and Typhan fell to the ground with a grunt.

"I'm not one for torture, but for what you've done to my mother, you've earned at least this much." Jaden looked down at the crippled Authen.

"The monster of the prophecy. There's nothing I regret more than letting your mother escape that day." Typhan retorted.

"Your actions give me little choice concerning my future. I'll become a monster to stop your future atrocities." Jaden shrugged, "Have you never stopped to consider you've deciphered the prophecy incorrectly? Not that it matters now. You won't have to worry about it much longer."

Typhan felt genuine fear take hold of him for the first time in his life. "No don't kill me!"

"Yes, you're right. Death would be too good for you. But you aren't exactly quality slave material either. Of any kind. Even less so with all your limbs broken." Jaden paused to slap the Authen in the chest with his staff. "Not much reason to keep you alive."

"How does it feel? To be powerless while I hold your life in my hands? I know you enjoy being in my position. But what about playing the victim? Don't answer." Jaden swung his weapon, breaking the Authen's jaw.

"Ah shit. I needed you to answer some questions. Your life just lost even more value." Jaden slammed the staff down in three spots on the Authen's chest, shattering his ribs.

100/1900

"Now, I could just leave you to slowly bleed to death," Jaden tapped on his chin with a finger, then looked down at the Authen. "I thought you'd have something to say, this concerns you."

Typhan cried pitifully. The feeling of his blood leaking inside his body was neither pleasant nor without its own brand of pain. He closed his eyes trying to avoid watching his health pool slowly draining. Where did I go wrong? My god made me a Champion. I was in the midst of sweet revenge when-

Jaden smacked Typhan over the head one final time with his staff. "Anya, do what you will with him." He sighed and returned to his mother. I'm sure his god is furious about now. He approached, seeing Brawn and Evan had started dressing her wounds. Araya stood just to the side, waiting.

"King. That was wonderful." Araya praised approaching him and snatched up his hand, "You overwhelmed him as no other could."

Vines sprouted from the ground encircling the dead body.

It's over. Anya confirmed that the silence descending upon the city marked the end of the fight. Her tensed companions relaxed visibly, daring to breathe again. She looked over the fallen tree and the crater where it lay, a slight frown contorting her face. Leaving the others behind, she approached the tree.

"Ish Aunty Vivi okay?" Emily looked up at her mother.

She's a little beat up, but she'll be good as new when I recover enough of my mana. Anya injected into their minds, her hand placed sympathetically on the tree. The tree cracked and groaned. Anya absorbed it into her body. She waved her hands lightly; the crater erupted with plantlife.

"That's a beautiful display, Anya." Molli admired the haphazard arrangement of flowers bursting into bloom. Reds, yellows, blues, every color of the rainbow had a flower representing it, and each flower was as unique as its color. The petals and leaves danced as the plants swayed gently in the breeze.

Emily's eyes brightened and sparkled, taking in the radiance of the new flower garden. She hopped merrily forward, predatorily gazing down at the flowers.

Bayne took his wife's hand, a contented smile upon his face. Molli squeezed his hand; the couple fondly watched their daughter amidst a backdrop of flowers. Emily tiptoed delicately; she was careful not to step on any of the precious plants.

Daryl and Lulu watched Emily with thoughts of their son running through their minds. Even now, when they watched her weaving through the flowers by herself, they naturally pictured Evan with her.

Brains sat in silence, shaking his head; he observed the clan. "Aren't you worried about her?"

Mother is fine. Anya's voice exploded within his mind.

It's no wonder Anya hates me. Brains sighed, recoiling from the mental impact of her unrestrained animosity. I only gave the orders to use explosive powder inside her city.

Giving her a simple nod that he got the message, he cast his eyes in the direction Vivian had retreated, taking the aggressor with her. Just what is she? Her rate of growth is unprecedented. Brains scratched his head out of habit. Casting his gaze over the little village, he witnessed one of the grey skins passing around intricately crafted smooth wooden cups filled with raspberry wine to the others.

"Thank you, miss." Brains bowed his head respectfully when she stopped before him. Lulu's face bloomed into the biggest smile he'd ever seen. He took a drink of the chilled wine, feeling his fatigue evaporate as the alcohol took effect.

"Vivian should be back soon, I wager," Bayne stated. "I'm sure she could use a bath and some rest."

"I just wish she didn't have to protect us on her own," Daryl said.

"She doesn't have to." Brains interjected, "The question is, could you stand beside her if you needed to?"

Brains looked critically at Bayne, Molli, Daryl, Lulu, and finally on Anya. "None of you can."