Both of them faced each other, knowing the other was an enemy. Jay, even though he looked into Sara's deep eyes, was parallelly processing two things: firstly, was there something he could do to convince her? And secondly, what should his next set of actions be?
Except for them, the tent was entirely empty. Just some light bulbs hanging down from the ceiling of the tent. A table with documents, maps, and pencils. The maps were displayed on an electronic panel, allowing for greater detail and accuracy.
Jay:
Sara, please believe me. I am not trying to trap you. I am honestly telling you the truth.
Sara:
You have changed, Jay. You are no longer the man I once saw and loved.
Jay was thrown aback by this statement. Jay had never in a hundred years realized that she had feelings for him.
Sara:
At first, I thought it was saviour syndrome. But my feelings were confirmed when I saw you taking charge on the battlefield — rushing through waves of enemies with the spear from my homeland, fighting enemies you could not surpass. But I could never tell you what I felt. And perhaps I was correct, for you have become a shell of your former self. Soft, arrogant, trying to needlessly reason.
And just for some keys, you sold yourself out. You have lost all my respect.
At this point, Jay was now angry. He felt like he had taken the responsibility of the entire world on his head, but despite that, he was being ridiculed. Jay was fuming, and the anger had got to him. It felt like his own cards were being played against him. But still, for the sake of a friend, he decided to try negotiating for the last time.
Jay:
Even you know that I won't lower my standards this much. I am asking you to understand my situation so that there isn't unnecessary bloodshed. And I have told you every detail about why this is a bad idea.
Sara:
Return the spear you have taken from my homeland. And then I might consider it.
Jay had grown quite attached to the spear, but for the sake of negotiation, he removed it from his inventory and held it before her. He held it horizontally in both hands, with the intent of surrendering it.
Jay:
This is what your great-great-grandfather left behind. This belongs to the Ruler of Raizon, anyway. But before I release it from my grasp, I need your promise. And not just a promise, but a mana oath.
When the mention of a mana oath came, Sara suddenly fell silent. She swiftly moved in order to grab the spear, her hands extending to take it. She slightly bent to grab it, but Jay didn't let her. He knew the ones inhabiting the spear, so he didn't let her. She tried several more times but failed, until she caught Jay by surprise as she accelerated her movements and finally grabbed the spear. Then she was taken into its world.
Jay couldn't peer into what was going on inside, so he tried to free the spear from her hands. But her hands had gripped it very tightly. Jay tried to pull her fingers in order to free it, but even those were proving to be very hard for him. And this shouldn't be possible, since he was far stronger and superior to her in terms of strength and speed. He pried open her fingers one by one until he was at the final finger, holding a spear that was slanted and touching the ground.
Her eyes opened, glowing with gold, until they finally stabilized into normalcy. Jay quickly pulled the spear from her and stepped back as he sensed something was off.
Sara breathed herself back to life after Jay had snatched it away from her.
Sara:
Finally, the spear has also recognised me as its owner. I am now worthy to lead my people.
Her saying those words meant the fact that she had defeated the blood demon, ice dragon, and thousands of Asura and demons that were trapped in the spear. Realizing this, it confirmed what Jay had felt was wrong.
Jay quickly threw the spear into his inventory. In his mind, he had shed a tear or two seeing the spear leave his side, but now he was astonished by the fact that Sara — who had herself struggled against the blood demon with Jay in the past — had now not only killed it but also other foes.
Jay:
How? How did you get so strong this quickly?
Sara:
I have accepted power from the gods. I am the apostle of the God of Order. I have been granted a new name, Jay. My title is the Apostle of Justice.
Jay was taken aback once again after hearing this new information. His heartbeat increased, and his eyes fluttered as he realized that the God of Order had betrayed what he had said. He was on the side of the gods all along — even going so far as to appoint her as his apostle.
Sara:
Now, Jay Garrick, I will give you one more chance. Surrender to me and join my side. I will overlook every trespass you have made. If not, tomorrow your head shall be sent back.
Jay had to make a decision. Right now was the time to flee. His eyes darted toward the exit. On his left was the exit. If necessary, he could even burn the tent and leave, or cut the tent down and escape.
But he tried the way of deception once again.
Jay:
Yes, I am ready to take the chance. Ready to betray everything I once stood for.
Sara:
Good. But I have known you for long — long enough to know that you are lying through your teeth.
Jay:
So how do I prove I'm not?
Sara:
Let's do the thing you suggested earlier. Sign a mana oath.
Jay:
Fine. Bring the contract.
Jay was buying time for himself in order to think through his next steps. Since she was an apostle, she would be able to best him. Thus, it was crucial to plan ahead.
Jay was thinking: Since she is an apostle, every action of mine will be perceived by her. Direct combat is worthless or outright detrimental. Even if I try to flee, there is a chance she will catch up with me. I don't have any poisons or paralyzing agents on me right now, and almost no way to contact them since there is no network signal in this area.
Jay decided to dig for more information.
Jay:
Wow, how did you manage to do that?
Sara:
Sign this, and I'll tell you.
Sara was now holding information over him like a hanging sword. But the moment he signed it, it would be over for him. Sara wasn't even letting him out of her sight. So Jay took a deep breath and did what he does best.
He infused a high-grade elemental stone with mana inside the tent, and just when it was about to explode, he threw it on the ground and burned the walls of the tent so he could escape.
Sara, who had also noticed it, gave priority to the stone, trying to kick it out. But before she could, it exploded. From it, a burst of flames and energy was emitted. The tent, documents, and plans all went up in flames. The only thing which remained was Sara herself, who was a bit blackened due to the flames and soot generated by them. And Jay was almost a hundred meters away from her.
Sara raised her hand toward the fleeing Jay, and her eyes started glowing as she wielded the power of Order.
Sara:
By the power of Order, I command you to stop in your tracks.
Jay suddenly went into stasis, but due to momentum, he fell on his face and then turned sideways.
Sara:
Apprehend him.
Jay tried very hard to move, but he couldn't. But slowly, without explanation, he was able to move his limbs again, which had gone into stasis. And Jay, once again before any guard could catch him, started running. He tried to fly away before once again being put back into stasis and falling to the ground. Just like many times.
His arms and legs were interlocked, but the flames on his feet, which were propelling him forward, seemed to have frozen in place — not dispersing like plasma or gas. And his mana channel was blocked. Mana neither moving forward nor backward.
And that was when Sara appeared before him. She raised her hand and summoned the Sword of Justice — a weapon personally used by the God of Order. She raised it over his head like an executioner about to chop off the head of a prisoner.
Jay:
How are you doing this?
Sara:
...
She said nothing, because she knew that if she said anything at all, Jay would immediately take advantage of the situation. She swung the blade down on his neck. The blade reached his neck, but when it touched it, it immediately repelled itself. It felt dense — like armor blocking a sword. His neck wasn't being split. She tried to stab him, but his stomach wouldn't be pierced. Even Jay's eyes, when she stabbed them, were like glass eyes.
Jay:
God dammit! Why the hell would you stab someone's eye if it's not killing them?
Jay tried moving, but he was consistently failing. Everything from magic attacks to literally brutal bashes from heavy weapons were being dealt, but nothing was hurting him. Until somehow, once again, he finally managed to escape the trap of stasis. And since his mana channels were unblocked, the propulsion resumed, dragging Jay first across the ground and then into the air.
And that was when he realized what had happened and why.
Jay:
I have finally figured it out. Whatever you did, it worked — but never again. Thanks for giving me time to think.
She once again tried to put him under stasis, but nothing happened.
Jay:
You might be the Apostle of Justice, but you have met your worst match.