Whirlwinds converged over each other and formed the shape of a spear. The tip held 80% of the power whilst the 20% remaining in the body was there to accelerate the descent of the attack.
"I'd like… your opinions on… spears" Markus said weakly as his trachea was crushed and his spine began to crack.
"What are you—" Fin began to ask but he couldn't finish the sentence.
A sonic boom shattered the battlefield's focus and the white flash that followed shattered its space.
The very colosseum was ruined up until the elite barrier. From the mostly level ground, a massive crater was forged by the explosion. Everyone within was blasted into the barrier to its very edges and received mortal wounds.
Tolla was thrown from her suit of enduring stone armour as the explosion tore through air and earth indiscriminately, distorting both with its chaotic and destructive power. Meanwhile Amanda was knocked unconscious from the sonic boom and flew like a ragdoll against the barrier.
Because Tolla was on the ground, she faced the brunt of the force of whirlwind and her entire left side which was closest to Markus and Fin was pulverised as the whirlwind tore into her like a famished predator seeing a cut of meat.
On the other end of the battle, Angel's armour was shaken off her from the sonic boom and the blast tore into her, mangling the right side of her body all the same as Tolla's left side.
Helen's technique protected her from the sonic boom however that too was destroyed and pulverised by the descending spearhead. Fortunately for her however, she was the least harmed person on the entire battlefield as she had her essence shell and defensive technique active, only receiving some lacerations.
The unconscious bodies of the students were somehow extracted. It seemed that Haroldson saw Markus' attack and pulled out the casualties before they became deaths.
As for the two presidential candidates… Markus' whirlwind essence shell saved him from being turned to mist by his own attack. But that did not mean he was safe. Instead his entire body was riddled with cuts that ran so deep he lost most of his dexterity in his arms and legs. Most of his internal organs and bowels we're perforated and the vast majority of his bones cracked or shattered completely.
Fin on the other end…
The sonic boom dispelled his entire command over the essence zone and left him all but exposed. Due to his combat suit and surging essence shell, he was able to take on the hit without dying. But perhaps death would've been a mercy.
Because the attack landed on his right, his entire right arm was missing at the shoulder. Worse yet, his right leg was also missing at the waist. And true to his word, Markus managed to mangle his face. His entire right side of his face was skinless and mangled. The bone and flesh was all mixed together and destroyed beyond recognition.
Markus Windwave and Helen Aquabourne v Fin Topher
Helen was the first and fastest to recover. Her eyes widened in shock at the destruction that descended on the battlefield. Looking between the presidential candidates, she could tell which one of them was responsible.
She rushed to Markus' side and extended her essence to him, offering her healing essence. Water was the element of life and as such, had a unique trait. Essence could be used to heal.
She sent her essence forward and closed up most of Markus' internal wounds but she did not have enough experience to effectively heal tendons. Even her ability to heal Markus was assisted by his own augmented essence which preserved his critical organs.
"Markus get up you madman—" she said, shaking him to get up
"Behind you…" was all he managed to say as whirlwind bullets flew toward her.
She instantly turned and erected an ice barrier which took the hits but shattered with the last bullet.
Fin was clinging on to life with his teeth and using his still functioning left side, he was now set.
"I'm going to kill you even if it's the last thing I do…" he said in a coarse tone
"Give me a sword." Markus said, getting up.
Helen formed an ice blade and handed it to him.
"It's so cold… my skin is stuck to it too… good." Markus said, enduring the cold frost forming in his palm and the pain he felt
He didn't take more than a step forward before falling to his knees and preventing himself from collapsing by plunging the sword into the ground and holding himself upright from the knees up.
He then began to vigorously throw up blood as his entire body shook.
"You're in no shape to keep going! You're experiencing essence depletion to its absolute and the effect of using that attack! That attack is not something a stage three should be able to do so you used a technique which required authority you don't possess— whirlwind punished you for it. Didn't it!" Helen said
"I… don't wanna hear it." Markus said in a raspy voice
Just then another barrage of bullets came at them but Helen was expecting them and blocked them.
"Look at you— you're in no shape to—" Helen said before Markus looked up to her
She stopped mid sentence out of terror. A malicious intent was in his eyes. Not at her. But she could not help but fall victim to it. He slowly got up.
"Just cover me." He said walking forward
She did as commanded.
Before long, Markus stood over Fin. A blood trail flowed from his limbs. The authorities had not yet stopped them for unknown reasons.
"Die—" Fin said extending him arm to release a whirlwind blast.
Markus, with a second wind of energy, plunged the sword directly into his palm, sending Fin in a world of pain. The whirlwind blast destroyed the sword but also mangled Fin's arm.
Markus dropped on top of Fin, clenched his fist and struck.
"This one is for Latham." BANG
"This one is for Kal." BANG
"This one is for Vern." BANG
"This one is for Spence." BANG
"This one is for June." BANG
"This one is for Jacob." BANG
"This one is for James." BANG
"This one is for Meer." BANG
"This one is for Triss." BANG
"And this one… this one is for Han." With both of his hands and fingers interlaced, Markus brought down another blungeon to Fin's face with all the might he could manage.
That's when the barrier was released and Charlotte appeared by Markus' side. He only felt the breeze that came with her technique but he knew she was there because of it.
"Can you stand?" The headmistress asked
"Yes…" Markus said, slowly getting up and Helen quickly helped him.
"With all of you as witnesses, Markus Windwave and his cohort have arisen victorious in this battle. It is my pleasure to announce them as the cohort which will undertake the duties of the student council!" The headmistress formally announced
Doctors quickly rushed to give immediate aid to everyone involved.
"We did it, Markus! We did it!" Helen said with excitement
"Headmistress… I think I might die—" Markus said before collapsing on Helen.
The spear was a chained refined attack reserved for the upper echelons of wind users. Markus in truth had no business even dreaming to attempt using such a technique. That said— he pulled it off. The cost was great. In both essence, after effects and consequences for his allies. But the impact and effect were greater. And in the end it paid off— against all odds.
However there was something concerning. Expanding his authority and experience in the use of wind did not allow him to ascend in battle. He had apparently not listened to his intuition enough to ascend to the fourth rank. That said, he had plenty of time for it to come. At this rate, it would not be long until Markus became an expert.
A few days later the halls were buzzing with chatter.
"How how long do you think the inauguration will be delayed?" A student asked another
"The president is still unconscious so it will be delayed until he's awake. I still don't know how he even pulled off such an attack. He's only a stage three but won against nine people at the same rank at the same time— then defeated three experts with one attack. May the spirits help those who go against him when he ascends to a higher rank—" the second replied
"Don't we have a vice-president for this reason though?" A third asked
"She has barely left his side apparently." The first said
Some time later, Triss and Meer visited Markus in the infirmary. Helen was by his bedside.
"Hey, how're you holding up?" Triss asked Helen
"About as well as I could… it's just that… if I were stronger and was not stuck against Angel… he wouldn't have been forced to go to such extremes." Helen said wish clenched fists on her lap
"…" Triss and Meer looked down in silence and shame
"Sorry that was not a pass at you— you guys held up for as long as you couldn't against someone incredibly powerful." Helen said
"The only incredibly powerful figure was Markus… whilst we fought a 9 against one he fought a nine against one— of the same rank. Then he released an attack that decommissioned two experts and almost wiped out a third. If Fin was not a wind user he would've been killed instantly." Meer said
"Fin was of a higher rank and more resistant to the same element. That didn't stop Markus though—" Triss remarked
"Ugh- can you guys shush— I'm trying to sleep here—" Markus mumbled
"Holy spirits he's alive!" Triss shouted
"Ugh—" Markus groaned
The President of the student council had finally awakened after four days. And with his return, full academy operation would begin.