Chapter 19: One's Purpose

Purgus, while fighting Howl, senses the shift in Wendy's Battle. A wave of concern washes over him, distracting his focus for a split second. Seizing the opportunity, Howl capitalizes on Purgus' momentary lapse and launches a powerful counterattack. Purgus was caught off guard, unable to defend himself in time, and was knocked to the ground.

Kolra and Kayo had been holding their own against Maer, using their combined skills and teamwork to put up a fierce fight. However, as they feel the shift in Wendy's energy, a wave of panic engulfs Kayo

"Wendy is in Danger!"

The realization that Wendy might be on the verge of defeat sends him into a state of distress. This momentary lapse in focus allows Maer to exploit their openings, delivering a devastating kick to both of them that sends both Kolra and Kayo through several trees in the forest. They stood no chance against Maer's might with and were sent crashing to the ground, their bodies battered and bruised.

Wendy's vision blurred as she lied on the ground with the body bloodied and bruised from Yenza's relentless assault. Every breath felt like a huge struggle and her muscles screamed 'stop'. The limitations of her body was threatening to crush her spirit.

Thoughts raced through Wendy's mind. She knew that if she were to be defeated this battle, that was it. Purgus, her loyal friend who had stood up against the family, would be left to face Howl alone. The thought of him enduring their wrath filled her with dread. They would surely be killed. Kolra and Kayo, who had fought alongside her, would surely suffer the same fate.

Defeat...losing everything including her life... To let everything end here....

Wendy couldn't allow that to happen. She couldn't let everyone who came to help her be killed off. With every ounce of strength she could muster, she willed her body to rise 'No..NO! I refuse!' Wendy told her body defying her very own limitations. Gritting her teeth, Wendy's trembling limbs pushed against the ground, inch by agonizing inch.

Through her own willpower, Wendy managed to rise to her feet . The pain still coursed through her, but she didn't care. The fire in her eyes burned brightly, fueled by the love and loyalty she held for those she fought for.

"I refuse to lose, not when their lives are at stake. I won't let them down! Not like this!" And with that declaration, she charged forward, ready to defy the odds and fight with everything she had left.

Wendy forces her eyes to focus, squinting against the pain. She gritted her teeth. Each attempt to move is met with resistance, her body protesting the strain it has endured. Her breath comes in ragged gasps, her shoulders heaving up and down. She fought against the dizziness that threatened to stop her, grounding herself with sheer willpower

Summoning what was left of her strength, Wendy took shaky steps forward with her legs wobbling beneath her. She steadies her gaze on Yenza, who stood before her, seemingly triumphant.

"Ohhh? You can still stand, Wendy? You should learn when to quit. Just give up now and I won't be forced to kill you!"

Despite the pain, her eyes burn with an unyielding fire. Wendy takes another step, her movements becoming steadier with each passing moment. She refuses to let the pain define her, pushing past the limits of her physical body

Wendy mustered every ounce of her remaining strength. She knew that this was her moment, her chance to turn the tides of the battle. Gathering the swirling Neos energy within her, she focused it into a single point between her palms.

"ARC... OF... CELESTIA!"

Wendy's voice echoed through the battlefield, a fierce declaration of her attack

Her voice strained with effort, her body trembling from the pain, but Wendy refused to let that deter her. She unleashed the gathered energy, a brilliant beam of pink light surging forth with incredible force. The beam cut through the air, its path curving unpredictably as if guided by Wendy's indomitable will.

Yenza, caught off guard by the sudden change in trajectory, attempted to evade the attack. But Wendy's mastery over the Neos energy allowed the beam to curve with precision, honing in on its target. The powerful beam struck Yenza, engulfing him in a cascade of powerful energy.

"You've got to be kidding me!"

The impact of the attack sent shockwaves rippling through the battlefield, the force of it shaking the very foundations beneath their feet. Wendy's struggle to unleash the Arc of Celestia was evident.

Through gritted teeth and with a venomous tone, Yenza unleashed his furious assault of blows against Wendy. "You think you can defeat me with that?! Huh?! PATHETIC!" he seethed. "You're just a weakling, clinging to your feeble hope. YOU DON'T DESERVE THE POWER YOU HAVE! I'll crush you and prove your insignificance! You're WEAK! INFERIOR! YOU DON'T HAVE THE POWER TO WIN!"

Yenza's anger fueled his assault, driving him as he furiously assaulted her with a combination of his neos orbs and a flurry of punches. "You may have had your moment, but it's over now. I'll make sure you never rise again. Prepare to witness your own downfall!"

"No...You thought I was weak, but I have proven you wrong. I may not possess the same power as you, but I have something you lack—The will to fight with everything for what I believe in!"

Yenza attacks using his cosmic orbs of energy. Wendy's gaze sharpened. She had learned a lot from this encounter, and her mastery over Neos energy had also grown since the encounter. With a flicker of concentration, she creates an energy shield of Neos energy around her body, but with her level of control, she manages to she splits her Nebula energy shield into four distinct shields that hovered behind her.

As Yenza hurled the orbs towards her, Wendy's Nebula shields moved with precision, intercepting each orb with calculated accuracy. The clash of energy erupted in a dazzling display of power, but Wendy's shields held firm, countering Yenza's assault.

"You see, Yenza, I have not only grown stronger physically, but also in my understanding of Neos energy. I have learned to find creative solutions against my opponents! Your orbs were a threat to me, but not anymore!"

Yenza grit his teeth as he begins to swirl energy within his hands of a bluish color

"BLUE REQUIEM!!" He shouts out

Yenza unleashed a massive beam attack, the raw blue energy surged towards Wendy with destructive force. In that critical moment, she focused her willpower, channeling her Neos energy into a concentrated shield of power to intercept the oncoming beam. The clash of energies illuminated the battlefield, creating a blinding spectacle.

"Nebula Shield!" Wendy called out as she created a huge shield of Neos energy to withstand the assault.

The shield quivered under the immense pressure, but Wendy refused to give in. As the beam strained against her defense, she felt the surge of power within her, the Neos energy gathering in response to the threat.

"When a Neospacian uses the Neos Energy Gathering, they tap into the energy of the environment, absorbing it into their own being," Wendy thought, her mind focused and her senses heightened. "This is my only chance to turn the tide!"

With a surge of energy, Wendy's grip on the shield tightened, and her body moved with the swiftness of a shooting star. While still blocking the immense beam with one hand, she drew upon her gathered Neos energy of the surroundings, allowing it to flow through her veins, augmenting her strength and speed.

In that instant, she launched herself forward, closing the distance between her and Yenza with astonishing speed and throws a Punch infuses with Neos energy blazing pink around her hands. Her strike, fueled by her gathering power, connected with Yenza's form, sending him hurtling through the air. The force of the blow shattered the powered-up state he had achieved, leaving him sprawled on the ground, his aura dimmed and his form returning to normal.

Wendy stood tall, her breath ragged but her spirit unyielding. She had utilized the power of the Neos Energy Gathering to her advantage, turning the tables on Yenza and reclaiming control of the battle.

Yenza struggled to find his footing, his body aching from the impact of Wendy's devastating blow. Confusion clouded his mind as he stammered, his voice wavering with disbelief.

"What... What the h-- How? How did that just happen? There is no way that happened...." he managed to utter, his words strained and filled with frustration. "I was... I was so close... How did she...?"

His thoughts raced, trying to comprehend the sudden shift in the battle. He had been certain of his impending victory, fueled by his temporary power-up and his desire to prove himself. Yet, in a moment, Wendy had turned the tables, shattering his hopes and leaving him in a state of disbelief. Wendy stands over him as Yenza still struggled to find footing, only getting up to his Knees.

"You focused all of your time in that form on full offense. I noticed that not once did you take a defensive stance when you transformed, that's when I took a gamble on what your weakness was."

Yenza's frustration flares up, and it now reached a boiling point.

"No.....N-NO! Don't you DARE look down on me, WENDY! "Yenza spat full of desperation. "I haven't lost yet! I refuse to accept defeat! THIS BATTLE ISN'T OVER! I CAN CHANGE BACK AND FIX THIS!"

Yenza gets up and attempted to tap into his inner reserves, seeking to summon the power that had surged through him earlier. But as he strained, he felt only emptiness, a void where his power once resided. Confusion crept into Yenza's face, as he grappled with the absence of his former strength. The realization hit him like a thunderclap — the power he had achieved had been depleted, leaving him without the wellspring of energy he had relied on.

Yenza's anger shifted, morphing into a blend of bewilderment and despair. The ground beneath him felt unsteady, and he wavered, questioning the path he had taken in the battle and the choices that had led him to this moment. In the face of uncertainty, Yenza's confidence wavered, his voice fading into a whispered plea. "What? My Power...Where... where is my power? Where did it go?"

Yenza's eyes shifted from Wendy to the forest where his mother, Maer is confronting Kolra and Kayo, and a wave of fear washed over him. The sternness in her gaze that he remembers pierced through his heart, and he felt a profound sense of disappointment emanating from her. It was in that moment that Yenza's last flicker of hope extinguished.

His failure and the disapproval of his family bore down on him and crushed his spirit. Doubt consumed him, gnawing at his remaining pride and leaving him questioning his worth. Yenza's once defiant posture slumped, his shoulders hunched, and he found himself unable to meet anyone's gaze.

In Wendy's eyes, Yenza could see a reflection of his own shattered self-esteem. The relentless battle had stripped away the illusions he had clung to, exposing the frailty within. The realization that he had fallen short of his own expectations and those of his family washed over him like a torrent, leaving him with a deep sense of defeat.

"I... I have failed... failed everyone, including myself," he admitted, his voice trembling with shame "I am unworthy of victory... unworthy of their faith in me....unworthy to carry the Celeston Name...I'm sorry, Mother...I--"

Liona,watching from the sidelines interrupts Yenza, her eyes blazed with anger and disappointment as she watched Yenza crumble to pieces before her. She couldn't fathom his inability to accept defeat and his descent into self-pity. In her eyes, his behavior was reminiscent of a child throwing a tantrum rather than a warrior facing the consequences of his actions.

Without hesitation, Liona swiftly kicked Yenza aside, her lioness instincts taking over. Her gaze then shifted to Wendy. She understood that Wendy had followed Purgus into this battle. Liona knew that the consequences of their actions were severe, and they now had to face the aftermath.

Liona fixed her gaze upon Yenza and lowered her eyes.

"Yenza, you have brought shame not only upon yourself but also our pride. Mother will not take kindly to your failure, and you will be punished again. That's I can't wait to hear you screaming again."

Liona knew that their mother, Maer, held high expectations for Yenza, and his defeat would not be taken lightly. The consequences could range from public embarrassment to a loss of status within their family.

Liona's eyes narrowed as she observed Wendy's weakened state, sensing her inability to put up a formidable fight. A hint of a smirk tugged at the corners of her lips, relishing the opportunity to toy with her opponent.

"Wittle Wendy," Liona sneered, her tone filled with mockery and superiority. "You really thought you could defy your own blood, your own family. Look at yourself right now, defeated and pathetic. Your actions have led you straight into my clutches, a dead end from which there is no escape."

Wendy's face registered surprise and realization as Liona's words sank in. Though she had anticipated this confrontation, she knew she had nothing left in the tank. In her weakened state, She's not prepared to face Liona or any other adversary in her current condition. What is she going to do? How will she get out of this one? A flicker of fear danced in her eyes, knowing that she was at the mercy of Lioness' cruelty.