BXBX NOVEL Chapter 139: Battle Of The Fourth Rings
Olivia felt the ground solidify beneath her feet, the disorienting rush of teleportation fading. She was getting used to the sensation.
"Whoops." Gen stumbled. She turned and nodded to Olivia, concern and determination in her eyes. "Be careful," she murmured.
Olivia gave a brief, resolute nod before disappearing once more.
The air crackled and shimmered, and then she was gone, reappearing almost instantly atop the rooftop of the Ascendant Capital building. She could feel the vitality the teleport had taken. She had used up most of her vitality during ascension and still needed to increase her reserves.
She stood on the rooftop for a moment, surveying the city skyline, then focused on the task at hand.
Olivia sat cross-legged on the rooftop, closing her eyes and drawing deep from her well of vitality. She felt her spirit detach, forming an astral projection that shimmered in the night air.
The projection's eyes opened and she saw herself sitting there. Her ethereal form dove through the concrete beneath her, phasing effortlessly through floors and walls.
She stood, her attention split between the astral projection and watching around her for any signs of attack. It was a difficult task but she had practice in it.
Her projection moved swiftly, gliding through every office and room in the Ascendant Capital building. She searched for any signs of vampire activity or hidden bombs, meticulously canvassing each level.
The building was a maze of corridors and offices, but Olivia was thorough, leaving no space unchecked.
She descended to the lowest levels, her spectral form passing through reinforced walls and secure vaults. After an exhaustive search, she found nothing unusual.
No vampires, no explosives. Relieved but still cautious, Olivia returned to her body, her projection merging back seamlessly.
Olivia quickly pulled out her phone and sent a brief message to Ezra "No sign of attackers." Within seconds, her phone buzzed with his reply "Stay vigilant. Don't let your guard down."
As she slipped her phone back into her purse, a sudden, sharp pain tore through her shoulder. She looked down to see a dark arrow embedded deep in her flesh. It was similar to the arrow Ezra kept, stabbed into the wall of his study.
Before she could react, lightning flashed from the sky, striking her directly. The searing pain was intense, her skin burning and charring from the electrical onslaught.
Despite the agony, Olivia held on for a second, drawing on the immense resilience she had developed during her ascension.
Gritting her teeth, she focused her remaining energy and teleported to the office below. She crashed heavily onto one of the couches, the impact jarring but a welcome respite from the lightning.
She lay still for a moment, her body screaming in pain. But she forced herself to move, to stand.
As she did, her regenerative abilities kicked in, the burns and wounds beginning to heal. The charred skin flaked away, revealing new, unblemished flesh underneath. She glanced around and realized she had landed in Ezra's office.
Breathing heavily, Olivia stood fully, her body slowly repairing itself. The pain dulled as her regeneration accelerated, and she steeled herself for what was coming next.
The floor-to-ceiling windows of the office shattered, glass raining down as a vampire rolled into the room. She rose swiftly, an arrow already notched and racing towards Olivia. With a sharp twist, Olivia dodged, the arrow embedding itself in the wall beside her.
Two more female vampires flashed into the room, their eyes gleaming with malevolent intent. The arrow sparked, lightning descending from the ceiling to strike it, bolts lashing out and catching Olivia with a few searing hits. She gritted her teeth against the pain, her eyes narrowing.
In an instant, sharp white feathers materialized in her hand. With a flick of her wrist, she sent them hurtling towards the three vampires. They dodged, their movements a blur. Olivia moved continuously, narrowly avoiding another arrow that whizzed past her.
Realizing it was an ambush, Olivia teleported to the basement of the building, hoping to lose her attackers. But the vampires appeared with her almost immediately.
She teleported again, this time to the rooftop, only to find them hot on her heels. It dawned on her that they were tracking her through the arrow still embedded in her shoulder.
A plan formed in her mind as she led them in a teleportation chase across the city. They appeared and disappeared in deserted locations, engaging in fierce skirmishes. Olivia fought with everything she had, her white feathers clashing against their claws and arrows.
The city around them became a battleground, the quiet of the night shattered by their conflict.
She teleported to a secluded rooftop garden, the vampires arriving a heartbeat later. Olivia ducked behind a rusted pillar, panting, her shoulder throbbing with pain.
One vampire lunged at her, and Olivia met her with a swift, powerful kick, sending her crashing into a stone bench. The others regrouped, and Olivia teleported again, this time to an old, abandoned theater.
Olivia teleported high above the city, First City's distant lights shimmering below like a sprawling galaxy. The wind roared in her ears as she plummeted towards the earth, the night air cold and biting.
Beautiful white wings burst from her back, their radiance cutting through the darkness as she hurtled downward.
The vampires appeared around her, disoriented by the sudden change in elevation. They flailed in the air, trying to regain their bearings.
Olivia was on them in a flash, her wings slicing through the night. She drove her wing through one vampire, the sharp feathers cutting her cleanly in half and destroying her heart in the process.
With a swift movement, she sheared through the hand of the vampire wielding the bow and arrow. A scream of pain echoed through the air as the hand, along with the bow, fell away into the night.
The two surviving vampires, recognizing the dire threat she posed now, teleported away into the darkness.
Olivia focused on the arrow embedded in her. With a quick, painful tug, she yanked it out, stifling a scream as electricity coursed through her, black blood flowing freely.
She tossed the arrow away and flared her wings, catching the air and slowing her descent. She hovered for a moment, scanning the sky for any remaining threats.
Seeing none, she tucked her wings close and began her descent back to the city, ready to regroup and continue the fight against the Silent Hand.