Wesley was confident. Each strike he would throw, in his mind, was pitch perfect. His form was where it should be. He was in control in not only his power, but how it was distributed in each strike. Everything was seemingly going his way. There was no reason for Wesley to think that it would backfire. There was no reason for him to think that Shion, even despite her obvious experience over him, would be able to at least walk away from this without so much as a single scratch. 

And yet, as Wesley watched her movements, something was off.

She simply side-stepped him. [color=fff79a][b]“How could you--”[/b][/color] Before Wesley could finish that sentence, he saw that familiar gathering of magick. It was the same lightning spell that Shion had used before. This time, as he looked at her hands, it was being charged past the limit of its maximum. Thanks to the roaring Mist in the surrounding area, it would appear stronger. Wesley knew he was in trouble. He knew that the amount of lightning magick put into that spell would only mean death for him. Wesley was preparing for the worst.

As it would hit, Wesley felt some surge of electricity, but he was still conscious, his own magickal power staying, though it did lessen a bit. He was confused. It wasn’t until Wesley’s eyes had fell upon his right, and he saw Nadeline. Her rapier and Grant’s Gunblade in hand. [I]What was happening?[/I] That was Wesley’s first thought. It took him a minute to realize that Nadeline had cast Shell on him. What he would see next simply had Wesley frozen in place.

Nadeline was going after Shion with all that she could muster up. With both weapons in hand, one in reverse grip and the other in normal grip, she was going after Shion with every intent. What was her angle? Was she doing this for her pride? Or was it for Wesley? Whichever the case, Wesley knew that, without a shadow of a doubt, something had awoken in Nadeline. He saw that strength that he, as well as Grant and Savayna, even Ultima and Shion herself, had been saying all along. Nadeline Lenore Roselia was strong, and she proved that today, as Wesley’s - as well as Savayna’s - jaw dropped when a bullet that was fired had grazed Shion’s cheek. 

[color=fff79a][b]“She did it..”[/b][/color] Wesley said, panting. He was about to fall down, but Hashmaal, despite his size, had zipped through the air and caught Wesley. The Dalmascan prince looked over at Hashmaal.[color=fff79a][b] “I guess the plan worked huh?”[/b][/color]

[color=a36209][b]“You truly are a lot more like that Archadian Hume than you care to admit.” [/b][/color]

[color=fff79a][b]“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”[/b][/color] Wesley said.

[color=a36209][b]“To think that your entire idea was to push yourself past the limits you knew you had and have me go over to your Hume friends just so that the Rozarrian Hume could be motivated just enough to believe in her own strength.”[/b][/color]

[color=fff79a][b]“That’s not what I--”[/b][/color]

[color=a36209][b]“Of course it wasn’t.”[/b][/color] Hashmaal and Wesley chuckled as they would walk over to the others. [color=a36209][b]“Could you take him? My time in this realm seems to be up.”[/b][/color] Hashmaal had asked, approaching Savayna.

[color=lightblue][b]“Oh, sure. See ya.”[/b][/color] Savayna said, taking Wesley as she took his arm to set him on the ground as she would  Hashmaal would dissolve into brown, red, and white mist, going back to the Esper realm, no less. Savayna looked at Wesley, who was conscious but obviously exhausted. [color=lightblue][b]“You sure know how to surprise us, don’t you? Regardless, good job Wes.” [/b][/color]Savayna said, grinning at him.

Wesley would simply nod at her as he would notice that Shion was talking. He heard her, but wanted hear better. [color=fff79a][b]“Hey, take me closer, will ya?”[/b][/color] Wesley asked breathily.

[color=lightblue][b]“Sure,”[/b][/color] Savayna said, taking Wesley’s arm, and pulling him up as they would walk closer to where Grant, Nadeline, and Shion were at.

As Shion would speak, she seemed a bit surprised that Nadeline was able to do what she did. Wesley, after he had time to take it in, wasn’t either. She just needed something to make her believe that she had the strength. It was risky, sure, but at the end of the day, Nadeline was able to finally realize that she was strong all on her own, and that she could do it. She would even comment on Wesley’s own strength and Savaynas and Grants.

[color=lightblue][b]“Look at that, I helped after all!”[/b][/color]

[color=7ea7d8][I]Yes, by cheering.[/I][/color]

[color=lightblue][b]“Oh fuck you.”[/b][/color]

Wesley heard Savayna. [color=fff79a][b]“Huh?”[/b][/color] he looked at her, confused.

[color=lightblue][b]“Forget it,”[/b][/color] she brushed Wesley’s question and looked to Shion as she continued talking.

When she went on about the Espers, both Wesley and Savayna looked at each other and then back to Shion.

[color=lightblue][b]“The espers grant us power? What sort of trickery is this?”[/b][/color] Savayna said to Shion.

[color=fff79a][b]“I see, so that is what happened.”[/b][/color] Wesley seemed like he understood what that truly meant. Perhaps he wasn’t there yet, but if today proved anything, he would soon find out what sort of gifts that Hashmaal truly had to give to him.

As Shion finished, Wesley took notice to her hand. Obviously that was Ultima granting Shion her power. Wesley had to admit his surprise. Having only gotten Ultima, Shion had to have been a truly great warrior in both experience and raw power if she was able to get Ultima’s power that soon after becoming her vessel. [color=fff79a][b]“Shion, what you proposed happened. Though not by my hands alone, a scratch is on your face. Now it is your turn. Give what is rightfully Nadeline’s  Give her the High Seraph.” [/b][/color]Wesley demanded of Shion.