Selene kicks a spray of small rocks towards my face, making me blink even as she attacks.She succeeds in cutting a slash across my stomach, pain flaring in me as she grabs for control of the crowd, starting to pull them around to her cause.
I attack Selene furiously, even as I try to push my powers out into the crowd once more.My spear jabs at every gap in her guard, whirling with such speed that it’s almost impossible for Selene to keep up.Yet somehow, she does, giving ground even as she tries to lure me into overextending.
I think I see an opening, thrusting with my spear, and realize far too late that it's a trap.Selene slashes down, knocking my spear from my hands, then slashes at me again and again.She cuts low, and I leap over the attack, but that just means she can push me down to my back.Selene stands over me, and I can feel her getting full control over the crowd.It will be just seconds before Aetheria is in her grasp in every way that matters.
I take a risk now.I let go of my efforts to control the people of the colosseum.I let go of every scrap of magic, focusing on just one thing as Selene comes forward.As she raises the sword to finish me, I take every scrap of speed and power I can, throwing myself forward at her.
I tackle Selene, bearing us both to the ground.I grab her wrist, smashing it down against a rock.I slash at her with hands that are claws again.I can see Selene trying to draw up power to blast me away, but I don’t try to counter her magically.Instead, I grab either side of her skull, slamming it into the ground once, twice, a third time.
Selene slumps into unconsciousness, and a wave of fury runs through me, demanding that I keep going, wanting me to keep attacking her until there's nothing left of her but a bloody ruin.
But I don’t.Aetheria needs me more than I need vengeance on Selene.I stand, taking up my spear and lifting it.I could drive it down into Selene easily, but I don’t do that, either.I can see the eyes of some of the crowd upon me now.Many of the others are still fighting, determined to kill one another even now.
I could proclaim my victory, but there's one thing that matters far more.As the people in the colosseum watch me, I reach out with my powers, connecting with the emotions of everyone around me.I don't offer them rage or pain, the need to kill, or the desire for revenge.Instead, I give them something that matters far more: I give them peace.
I let calm and peace flow out from me in waves, letting them wash over the people of the colosseum, so that they stand, staring at one another and blinking as if they can’t quite remember why they were fighting just a few moments ago.
I push my powers out further, out into the city beyond the colosseum.Waves of peace and calm wash over Aetheria like ripples over a pond, and the eyes of animals out there let me see people falter and pull back in the middle of combat, backing away from one another and heading down side alleys.Fires still burn, but there are no screams now, and the clash of blades ceases to sound across the city.
I push out peace until I can do it no longer, forced to lean on my spear as I stand in the middle of the colosseum.I want to collapse in exhaustion, but I know I can’t.I stand, while the people continue to stare at me.
A figure appears in the senate box.I recognize Alaric at once, as he stands looking down at me.
“My friends.Citizens of Aetheria.I give you your victor, Lyra Thornwind!”
CHAPTERTWENTY FIVE
Cheers break out around me as Alaric declares me the victor.It isn’t something he has the power to do, since he’s nothing to do with the games, but that doesn’t seem to matter to the people in the colosseum.
“Lyra!Lyra!”
They roar their support for me, those citizens on my side chanting my name over and over.Selene's supporters look as though they can't make up their minds whether to run or riot.I can feel the tension building again in the crowd, and I send out more waves of calming energy, determined to quell any violence in Aetheria.
I reach out through the animals of the city, watching the streets.The fighting out there is dying down as waves of calm and peace spread, taking away the determination of every faction to kill the others.I see people standing around, looking at their weapons as if they aren’t quite sure why they’re holding them.I can’t stop every fight, certainly can’t control people with the precision of a psychomancer, but I’m not sure I’d want that kind of terrifying control.I only want to take away the rage that has spread through Aetheria like a virus, forcing people to stop and think rather than simply attacking one another on sight.
Here and now, I have the power to do it.Selene ordered magical amplification stones built into the colosseum to enhance her Grand Tournament, but now, they help me to calm people’s animal instincts throughout the city.I keep pouring out waves of peace, while around me, the crowd continues to chant my name.
“Lyra!Lyra!”
I can still see a few more determined people attacking one another out in the streets.Some of them are Selene’s supporters, not the crowds she’s whipped up into a frenzy with her popularity, but paid killers and mercenaries.Some are guards, obeying what they believe to be the will of the senate.Others are people she’s recruited from the gangs.
The resistance fights those, trying to stop them from hurting anyone.I send them help, calling on the animals of the city to rise against the enemy.Rats and stray dogs rush at them.Birds swoop from the sky to peck and claw.It’s enough to break up their formations, drive them back, and send them running.I give the resistance the advantage it needs to start to take control of Aetheria from the slums all the way to the palace.
I can finally let go of the magic I’m holding in place, relaxing and letting it flow out from me.I hope everything I’ve done in the city will be enough; I know I can do no more.I’m too exhausted and injured from my fight to do anything else.
I turn slowly, looking at the colosseum around me.The buildings Selene called into being have been mostly turned into a wash of rubble scattered across the arena floor.That’s what her dreams for the city have been reduced to, now.
Everyone is still looking down at me, the chanting fading a little as they all wait to see what I’ll do next.They aren’t looking at me like I’m just the victor in a contest, now.They’re looking at me like...
...like an empress.
I swallow as I think about the law Selene had the senate enact: that the victor of the grand tournament would rule.It seems like too foolish and arbitrary a thing to stake such power on, but then, Selene didn’t imagine that she might lose.And if she did, then whoever beat her would clearly possess such magical might that theydeservedto rule, in her mind.
Looking around at the crowd, I’m sure everyone is aware of what my victory means.They’re waiting for me to tell them what to do, and the way life is going to be in Aetheria.I know I need to saysomething.
"I fought today for everyone in Aetheria," I say, lifting my spear."I fought because it was the only way of stopping Selene Ravenscroft from simply taking power.Well, it's time for the fighting to end."
I fling my spear from myself, tossing it among the rubble that dominates the colosseum now.I walk onto one of the larger piles of it, so people can see me more easily.
