Fight and Anger

The cart raced down the dusty road, though it wasn’t an ordinary cart. There were no horses or oxen pulling it: beneath the floor, a constant hum echoed like a beating heart, and every now and then, a blue spark slipped from the metal seams. Axel watched the mechanism in awe, unable to contain his curiosity.

—H-How… how does this move? —he asked, leaning toward Lucy, who was sitting beside him.

She adjusted her hood and smiled, as if the question amused her.

—People like us make it move —she answered—. But not fighters. There are people with a very high energy flow, more than they could control in combat. Some have no martial talent; others simply chose not to wield weapons. Their way of helping is this: they keep the vehicles moving, the defenses running, the support systems active.

Axel raised an eyebrow.

—And if they have that much energy… wouldn’t it be better for them to fight?

Lucy shook her head patiently.

—War isn’t just about fighting. Some people can’t bring themselves to pick up a weapon, even with huge energy reserves. Some tried, and they ended up worse off than if they’d stayed back. Everyone contributes where they can. Trust me, Axel, if they didn’t exist, we’d be walking for days instead of arriving in hours.

The boy nodded, still intrigued. He leaned against the wood, lost in thought. The cart’s rattling made it hard to organize his thoughts, but there was something he couldn’t get out of his head.

Lucy, meanwhile, glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, then sighed.

—Axel… promise me something. —Her tone suddenly turned serious— When we get there, don’t jump into the fight.

He turned to her, surprised by the sharp order.

—Again with this?

—It’s not a whim. —Lucy leaned toward him, her expression darker than usual—. If the worst happens, I want you to have this.

She pulled from her side a circular object, just larger than the palm of a hand, with a faintly glowing metal rim. She clipped it to Axel’s arm like some kind of clasp.

—A… shield? —he asked, incredulous—. But it’s tiny. Will this really protect me?

Lucy smiled with that mischievous touch of hers and shook her head.

—Try it. Put some energy into it.

Axel hesitated but closed his eyes and focused. As soon as he let his soul flow into the device, the metal rim vibrated, and suddenly a dark blue disc expanded around his arm, solid and radiant.

Axel’s eyes went wide.

—Wow!

—It works like the sphere you trained with —explained Lucy—. That’s why I’m giving it to you. You know how to handle that kind of flow. When you sense danger, activate the shield and pour in all your energy. The blow won’t reach you.

Axel ran his free hand along the rim, amazed.

—So… it’s not useless after all.

Lucy tapped his shoulder, smiling.

—Don’t get confused. This is just to keep you alive, not to play hero. —Lowering her voice—. Seriously, Axel, I don’t know what’s up with that girl, Alma, but I have a bad feeling. Stay out of it. You’re not ready. Just coming with us is enough. I can feel Lexus’ scoldings from here, you know? —She wrinkled her nose, half amused, half serious—. I’m lively, yes, but I don’t want to get killed by lectures afterward.

Axel looked at her silently, then sighed.

—Alright. I promise.

The tension eased slightly until Martín, who was at the front of the cart, spoke for the first time.

—Okay, let’s go over the plan. First, we stay outside the village for a few minutes to observe. I’ll use my detection ability to estimate how many there are.

—Detection? —asked Axel, curious—. Something like what Lexus does?

Martín nodded.

—Similar. I can sense the number of souls within about two hundred meters. It doesn’t cover the whole village, but it’s enough to get an idea.

—But… —Axel frowned— how do you tell who’s an enemy and who isn’t?

Lucy joined in.

—There’s no such thing as “good souls” and “bad souls.” But you can tell when they’re corrupted, like those who took the pills. We can also sense magnitude differences: the stronger the soul, the more it stands out.

Axel didn’t look convinced.

—And if they sent really powerful people?

Lucy raised an eyebrow and chuckled softly.

—That would be weird. If Alexis IV wanted us gone for real, he’d send his elite—and that hasn’t happened yet. Must just be to annoy us.

Martín, a few seconds later, muttered from the front:

—Well… maybe Axel wasn’t completely wrong.

Lucy tensed.

—What do you mean?

The young man paused, weighing his words.

—The two presences I sense… are big. Very big.

Lucy closed her eyes, inhaling deeply to focus her perception. A wave ran through her, and she immediately felt it: an immense pressure, as if something was crushing her from within. Her gaze hardened.

—It can’t be… —she whispered, shivering—. That energy… I didn’t expect her to be here.

Axel looked at her, intrigued, but Lucy didn’t explain more. She just gave quick orders:

—Axel, stay back with the two guards. They’ll protect you.

The soldiers nodded seriously.

—We don’t want to lose you again —one of them said.

Axel swallowed hard, suddenly feeling small. The tension of everyone around him sparked a fear he couldn’t hide.

Lucy adjusted her tunic, grabbed her whip and a short sword. Her gaze, usually lively, turned sharp and cutting. Martín drew his sword and lifted his shield, ready.

—Prepare yourselves —Lucy said—. In less than ten seconds, there will be a blast.

Axel barely had time to process when the whole cart shook violently from a brutal impact. An invisible force threw them back, making the wood creak. Lucy had stopped the attack with her hands, yet the shockwave had tipped the vehicle over.

Instinctively, Axel activated the shield. The dark blue disc appeared, blocking flying debris from the cart. The guards raised their own barriers, resisting the push.

A sharp laugh echoed in the air.

—Look who we have here… Lucy the crybaby.

Lucy’s eyes snapped open, recognizing the voice.

—No… —she muttered through gritted teeth—. Violet.

From the dust emerged a slender figure, jet-black hair, dark red lips. She wore a pink tunic, and in her hand shone a whip lined with metal spikes. Her sharp eyes carried a mix of mockery and malice.

—We didn’t expect to see you here, traitor —Violet spat.

Lucy faced her immediately.

—Traitor, me? You’re the ones who betrayed everyone’s trust. You abandoned entire villages to hand them over to Alexis.

Violet raised an eyebrow and chuckled softly.

—It’s war, dear. And in war, anything goes. We don’t harm anyone who doesn’t deserve it.

—Lies! —Lucy snapped, fury contained—. I saw what you did. I saw the terror you left behind.

Violet tilted her head, savoring every word.

Axel listened, heart pounding, too overwhelmed to intervene.

Then another shadow rose from the ground, looming over everyone. A giant man, over two meters tall, muscles like a tank. His steps made the ground tremble.

—Violeta —he growled in a cavernous voice.

—Yes, Gori —she replied with delight—. What a lovely reunion.

Axel swallowed hard. If one of those fists hit, he doubted anyone would remain standing.

Lucy, holding her breath and eyes burning, adjusted her whip between her hands. There was no turning back.

Lucy hadn’t moved back. Her breathing was ragged, but her eyes held the steadfastness Axel had learned to recognize.

Axel, without wasting time, asked quickly, his voice breaking:

—Why did she call you “traitor”?

Lucy barely glanced at him and answered flatly:

—There’s no time for explanations, Axel. The only thing you need to know is that we were on the same side… but at a crucial moment, she betrayed us.

Axel frowned, confused.

—But… she called you traitor, not herself.

Violet, with a twisted smile and playful sparkle in her eyes, stepped forward like a cat sniffing prey:

—Answer him, Lucy. Tell the truth, don’t be shy.

Lucy clenched her teeth and shouted:

—Shut up!

Violet ignored her and hummed mockingly:

—What Lucy won’t say, dear Axel, is that at that instant there was a moment of weakness… so many doubts in her heart, so many hesitations. Poor thing. And when she decided to take the step… ah, how can one forget the face of poor Lexus when you almost did that… when you almost gave it all away.

Lucy roared:

—Enough! Don’t say another word!

Violet arched her brows, that venomous smile capable of breaking anyone’s calm.

—Really? You don’t want Axel to know? What if he knew how close you were to giving up?

—Shut up, Violet! —Lucy shouted, trembling with fury.

Then Violet turned to Axel, as if he were a curious kid being told a forbidden secret, and whispered with a malicious edge:

—You know what, Axel? There was a moment when Lucy almost… chose my path. That’s unforgettable for me.

Axel’s eyes widened, but he had no time to react. Violet tilted her head playfully, looked back at Lucy, and with a voice filled with venom and sweetness said:

—And one more thing… yes, darling. I obviously know he’s Axel. How could I not recognize that face? Although, I must say, the other Axel was more handsome. Don’t you think, Lucy?

That was too much. Without a word, Lucy attacked. She drew her whip and snapped it fiercely toward Violet. But Violet, agile and elegant, dodged and countered: she swung her own whip like a living snake, coiling it around Lucy’s leg. The metal spikes dug into her skin, and instantly an electric spark ran through her body.

—Aaagh! —Lucy screamed, writhing.

Violet smiled with cruel pleasure and pulled the whip to bring her closer.

—Oh, dear, always so impulsive… that’s why you always had to hide behind your older brother. I wish he were here. I still remember Lexus’ face when…

—SHUT UP! —Lucy roared, and with a flash of spiritual energy, imbued power into her leg and the whip that held her. The whip disintegrated in a burst of sparks, freeing her.

Violet clapped softly, delighted:

—Oh, how naughty. You learned new tricks.

Axel watched with eyes wide as plates. He couldn’t understand how these two women could fight with the same fury they spoke to each other, as if every blow was also a bitter memory.

Martín, seeing Axel freeze, shook him by the shoulder:

—Focus, Axel! That fight is Lucy’s. We have to deal with the big guy.

—I’m not a big guy —a deep voice growled—. My name is Gori. And I didn’t come to kill you, relax. We just want to give you a little scare… and maybe take you with us.

Axel swallowed. His legs were shaking. Lucy was right: he wasn’t ready for this.

Martín saw the fear on his face and shouted to his men:

—On guard!

The guards and warriors surrounded Gori, while those who had pushed the cart hid behind rocks, afraid of getting caught in the fight.

—Axel, I’d tell you to run —Martín said, eyes fixed on Gori—, but it won’t help. So do what Lucy said: watch, learn, and don’t intervene.

—O-Okay —Axel stammered.

Martín raised his sword and rallied his men:

—Alright, remember Pedro’s training! Do you remember when he generated that giant? Think like that: big people move slow. Take advantage!

—Yes! —they all shouted in unison, full of courage.

Martín attacked first, swinging a frontal strike at Gori. He laughed and raised an arm, letting the sword sink into his skin, though not deeply. Then he lifted his right fist and slammed it toward Martín.

The blow would have crushed his skull, but another soldier pushed him just in time, deflecting the impact. A third soldier took advantage of the distraction and touched Gori’s back.

Gori tilted his head back, eyes burning, and fired a lightning beam from his pupils. The soldier screamed and fell to the ground.

Soldiers four and five moved in sync, attacking from both flanks while Martín, already recovered, charged spiritual energy into his sword to strike Gori’s stomach.

Everything seemed coordinated, a perfectly synchronized attack. But at the last second, Gori roared with force. The blows landed, yes, but had no effect.

Martín stepped back, confused:

—What…? I don’t feel my energy touching him.

Gori smiled, showing metallic teeth.

—That’s my secret. I don’t just use energy… I’m made of energy. Look.

With a tug, he pulled the sword from his arm. Instead of blood, a blue glow and sparking circuits emerged from the wound.

Martín’s eyes went wide, incredulous.

—What… are you?

Gori raised his head proudly.

—An experiment from Alexis. And this is the best testing ground.

Axel froze. This wasn’t human. It was like a living mecha, a creature of steel and energy.

Meanwhile, Lucy and Violet continued their duel. Violet licked her lips, amused.

—Little Lucy, you’re still not ready for me… but you might have other chances. Why not come with me?

Lucy raised her sword angrily:

—Shut up! I’ll never join your side.

Violet tilted her head playfully:

—Always with the “sides.” Why not do what really amuses you? Life’s short, even more in wartime. Entertain me, Lucy… and we’ll see if this kitty has learned new tricks.

Lucy dropped the whip, gripped the sword, and charged at her.

Violet smiled like watching an angry puppy.

—Oh, a sword. That’s new too. Though I don’t know if it’s your style. Remember when we trained together? I taught you how to hold a sword… and you always ended up hitting yourself. So clumsy and cute.

Lucy swung, but Violet had already reforged her whip. She tensed it with both hands, forming an elastic arc. Lucy’s sword hit it, but the whip absorbed the impact and the blade snapped in two.

—See what I told you? —Violet murmured, approaching dangerously—. Clumsy as always. You put energy in the wrong place. Letting your emotions take over.

Taking advantage of Lucy’s momentum, Violet released one hand of the whip and grabbed her. Her painted nails dug gently into Lucy’s skin.

Violet looked into her eyes, playful and wicked, blood-chilling:

—Too bad you left me. You were always beautiful, Lucy. I could have made you part of my collection.

Lucy struggled, eyes full of rage and shame, while Axel watched helplessly as his mentor was at the mercy of this dangerous enemy, a woman who played with pain as if it were a game.

A woman who played with pain as if it were a game. At that moment, Axel began forming an idea in his head: the help Lucy had given him. The shield. He knew what she had told him before, but if it really was him, if he had something of the “worthy” Axel, he wanted to bring it out now. He didn’t want to see anyone die. Lucy had been the kindest person to him since this whole madness began.

Meanwhile, Martín and the soldiers kept fighting Gori, unable to land a scratch. Martín tried to block the blows, pouring a huge amount of energy into his arms so Gori couldn’t break them. He shouted to his soldiers:

—Do what I do! Watch the energy I put into my arms! If we don’t do this, we’ll end up with every bone broken.

Gori, with a cold smile, replied:

—I see you made a good analysis.

Martín paused, unsure if he was facing a human or a robot. The signals were confusing, and uncertainty weighed on every move.

Meanwhile, Violet still held Lucy by the neck.

—It’s a shame, little girl —she said, playful and cruel—, but it’s time to end this. I still don’t know if I’ll kill you or not, but for now, I’ll make a little change to your sweet face.

Suddenly, she tightened her grip on Lucy’s neck and threw her forward. With her right hand holding the whip, she began channeling her energy. The whip grew in strength and thickness, the spikes enlarged, and charged with power, it swung directly at the blonde’s face.

Lucy instinctively raised her arms to protect herself but felt no impact. When she opened her eyes, she froze for a moment: Axel’s silhouette. But this time it wasn’t like the other times; it was the Axel of now, who had stepped in just in time.

With his perfectly energy-infused round shield, he formed a barrier that stopped Violet’s whip. The blow hit the defense and didn’t reach Lucy.

Axel breathed deeply, his face tense and determined, and whispered:

—Sorry, Lucy… but I couldn’t just stand by.

Violet, surprised, frowned at seeing her attack neutralized, while the scene froze in midair, tension at its peak.