Chapter 466 - War of the Wizards (3)

Adrianna's face twisted and she looked daggers at Ziu, her eyes seething with animal rage. "You have done enough damage. I will destroy you," she spoke as fury concentrated in her belly and twisted her features. "I will destroy all those who are with you, and everything that you cherish. I will kill you and make it slow so that you suffer the pain." 

Ziu charged at his opponent with a snarl. "You can't do a thing, you bitch!" he shouted with a reddening face. "I am going to take you down." He invaded her circle of deadly winds. But the force was so strong that he couldn't even go near. Bringing his wand forward, he tried to gather energy from the same wind in order to cast the spell but realized that the winds were not listening to his wand. He cringed a little and then turned to the tanker. "Why have you stopped? Load and fire now!" he shouted at them on the top of his lungs but his command fell on deaf ears. All the crewmen of the tanks had hidden inside the hull. Ziu looked around. The scene was that of devastation. 

The animals were still pouring in. None of the soldiers were in view. They were all dragged and killed with their limbs ripped off and scattered on the ground. Wild beasts were feasting on them. They were on a rampage. Adrianna was looking for any animal in the close vicinity to communicate her requirements. The eagle who was perched on the branch denied her any help because he saw the devastation carried out in the forest. "We will not help you, witch," he screeched. "It is your kind who has torched our habitat." 

"I am going to kill the wizard who did this to you," she replied with conviction. "So even if you won't help me, I will do it on my own." Saying that Adrianna had flown away with her team. She was not expecting them to help her and she partially understood their dilemma and predicament. However, when she heard the ground rumble under their feet, her confidence rose. 

Ziu was utterly peeved. Enraged, he turned his wand to the loaded tanks and cast a spell for them to fire the cannonball, "Impetign!" The loaded barrel quivered a little and then settled back in its position. He cast the spell again, this time with more energy and force. "Impetign!" The barrel trembled and rattled like a small child throwing tantrums in fear but it again became still. He couldn't believe that his magic didn't work. What he was unaware of was that there was a hundred Mozias stationed about forty feet above the ground who were constraining the barrel with their magic. In fact they had woven their magic around every barrel. The drivers of the tank couldn't move an inch. 

At the same time, the hurricane's radius increased. Angered and exasperated beyond words, Ziu moved his wand up and concentrated on his internal dark energy to fuel his spell. Suddenly he directed the wand towards Adrianna. The wand emitted a lethal beam of yellow lightning. It pierced the hurricane around Adrianna but the force of the wind was so high that the light started to travel in a swirl around her. Ziu was unable to hold the power for a long time as it consumed his inner energy. His body tensed as heat flushed through it. His irritability increased and then he jumped inside the hurricane with full force. "Adriannaaaaaaa!" he exploded like a mad man. He was now looking for immediate action. He fantasized about killing his nemesis—the girl who was just not backing down. 

Entering the hurricane was extremely difficult. It wasn't the periphery, but the winds on the interior that were so intense that for a moment he felt his skin would break away from the flesh and burst and shred into pieces. 

Adrianna continued to create the hurricane. She stared at him waiting to pounce on him. 

When Ziu entered the ring and came face to face with Adrianna, she shape shifted and leapt on him, not giving him a chance to settle down. Ziu brought his wand forward to cast another lethal spell to scare her away. The wand emitted a green light but before it could hit her, Adrianna had turned into shadow and smoke. Ziu watched a werewolf's dark shadow springing up from the ground and pouncing upon him. He bent backwards as unknown fear gripped his mind. His eyes bulged. All he felt was a cold wave of energy passing through his body. Shocked, he spun around with his broom to check upon it. He had never seen this kind of magic. What was it? 

The stately fiery yellow werewolf stood there growling—all shadows and smoke rising from its fur. It was something surreal. He could never use his magic on the unearthly creature that she had become. She was nothing but an umbrage of energy. The wolf howled and then stamped its foot on the ground ready to attack its prey. It bared its teeth. 

All those present above them watching the events unfold were surprised. 

Ziu gawked at her. Internally he trembled. His veins throbbed and he could hear the thumping of his heart. Whatever she had become, it wasn't good. His body felt hot and broke into cold sweat. He gripped his wand tightly. He twisted it and tried to remember a spell, any spell but the more he twisted it, the more terrified he became. Was she going to possess him? That couldn't be possible because you needed a dark ceremony for it in which you had to feed the spirits flesh of your own.

Her eyes were fixed on him. Once again she jumped on him.

He pressed his hands over his face to prevent the attack. His breath quickened and then suddenly everything receded into darkness as icy cold, dark waves passed through him. 

He had lost balance and tumbled from the broom. Ziu had fallen onto something very cold and soft. He coughed heavily lying on the ground and clutched his wand to his chest. When he got control, he pushed himself from the ground. His broom wasn't there. He turned his head to inspect the place. The entire place was like a gigantic blank white page of snow with tall, white mountains in distance. He rose from his place and brushed ice off his clothes. 

He had landed into the thick blanket of ice that was the signature of the Northern Mountains. Their snow clad white surface reflected the moonlight making it appear powder blue.

"Adrianna!" he shouted. "You deceived me." 

--- 

Haldir reached the battlegrounds and saw Adrianna into the ring of the hurricane. He tried his best to communicate with her but she had blocked everyone out. He felt desperate. He wanted to be with her, be with the baby but there was nothing that would help him. He pleaded with Isidorus, Enya and Shang Kui but none of them could help. "Each Wizard Ruler has their unique magic Haldir, which no one can understand. It seems that Adrianna has discovered one of her strengths today. We cannot interfere," replied Enya. "She is on her own." 

"No!" he shook his head. "I have to go to her."