Their power pushed on mine, countering my wave with one of their own, two against one. My wave stopped… then inched backward.
No!
I couldn’t allow them to win, couldn’t let them block me, as soon as they banished my wave, they’d go back to crushing me and I’d die down here, having dug my owngrave. I couldn’t let that happen, couldn’t stop fighting, I had to overpower them… somehow!
I dug deep, using everything I had: the power Koar had lent me, my bond with Myel, my spirit-link with Vyns, my fear for Rook and Olinara. I couldn’t fail or I’d be dead, and this world would lose all hope. Saldrea and her mother would win and rule as tyrants.
I took all the fight within me, all the rage against injustice and tyranny and screamed in my little hole as I threw all of myself into one final push with earth.
Nothing happened.
I screamed louder, pushed harder…
The resistance against me faltered.
Yes… maybe!
I roared, punching the earthen wall in front of me and poured all the anima I had into one final push.
In an instant my wave of earth overcame the others and swept over the field, pushing Saldrea and Golana behind the line.
I collapsed against the side of my hole, breathing hard, shaking with the strain of what I’d just done. Had I really done that? Had I… won?
The walls of my hole began to close in.
What?
But…
That little fucker. She’d lost and was still trying to kill me!
I shot myself up out of the earth so fast I launched myself into the air, flailing, and couldn’t stick the landing, falling unceremoniously on my rump.
The crowd was deathly silent as the bell rang marking the end of the match. Even then, they remained silent for a beat, perhaps wondering how wise it would be to celebrateSaldrea’s loss. But once one person did — a faint cheer and clap coming from somewhere — the entire crowd broke and roared with applause so loud it deafened me.
And that was the power of one person. If one person cheered, they all could, safe in the knowledge Saldrea wouldn’t be able to pinpoint anyone to lash out against.
I laid back on the sand, chest heaving, heart pounding, but smiling up at the sun.
I’d won.
Somehow… me and my team… we’d won!
Fucking hell! We’d WON!
It was a damned miracle.
I couldn’t help the laugh which bubbled up out of me, manic and pure.
The crowd’s cheers slowly died out to silence once again.
I knew why. I felt it through the earth: the stomping footsteps of — it could only be — Saldrea heading straight for me. It was curious that even after I’d spent so much strength, I could still use my earth-sense. I guessed Lhorine’s training had ingrained it well.
“You!” Saldrea spat, stopping to loom over me. “How…? What…?” she sputtered, clearly at a loss. “You can’t defeat me!” she screamed.
“Guess again,” I panted, smiling. I couldn’t help but goad her. She was insane and dangerous, but she wouldn’t kill me here, out in the open… would she?
“How? You’re orange rank? You’re nothing! How?” She was near to frothing at the mouth.
