Catalyst(109)

I grasped water and air mana and said in Caleea, “From the water comes the clouds and may the clouds fill the top of the room.” Wisps of water floated into the air, becoming dark clouds that filled the ceiling, rolling and flashing with magic. Within moments, the water from the room was gone.

And there stood Premier with that smug, ugly smile I hated. I laid the princess down and walked away from her. Premier's eyes went to the princess. He didn’t notice or care about the clouds. I worried that he would attack her, but he didn't. He smiled as if he could kill her at any time. Puddles still dotted the room. Premier stood in quite a large one. That gave me an idea.

“I tire of your beginner’s magic,” Premier said. “I thought you might make things interesting. You started off so promisingly. Now I find you wanting.”

“How about this!”

I released the magic from the clouds, summoning a flash of lightning. It streaked toward Premier.

Premier shook his head like he was disappointed. He did what I expected him to: he raised his hand to the lightning, summoning a spell to deflect it. He succeeded, and the sizzling bolt crashed into the large puddle underneath him.

Aided by the water, the bolt of lightning coursed through him. Anger and pain surged across his face. The lightning seared his muscles and bones, making him look transparent. Premier's steaming body crumpled to the floor.

My muscles relaxed, and I breathed again. It was over. I stared at Premier's corpse. The emotions of battle had drained me. I was glad I lived and that Krystal and I were safe, but part of me was sad I’d had to kill Premier, even after all he’d done. From what Master Stradus had told me, Premier was once a good man, who became corrupted by power. Yet Premier had to die. Too many people had been hurt and killed because of him. I glanced at the one who he’d hurt most of all.

The princess was finally safe. Premier's own arrogance and cockiness had aided me. I wasn't sure how I would have dealt with his spells had he decided to attack me. He was right about one thing. I had done all this because of her. I would do it again.

I walked over to the princess. She was drenched in water, but when I leaned close to her pale face I heard her breathing normally. I lifted her head, feeling to see if any blood came from her head wound. There was none, but she did have a great, swollen lump. I took off the bandage she had made me and used it as a pillow for her. It wasn't much, but it was all I had. I needed to get her to a healer, and soon.

I wasn't sure if I could carry her. I was exhausted and thirsty. Using all that magic had taken its toll on me. I took off my purse and was reaching inside for my last revitalization potion when a great gust of wind hit me.

I screamed in pain and surprise as I flew into the wall. The wind had edges to it. It tore at me, scratching my face and hands. Premier stood in the middle of the room. His wind ripped my purse from my hands, sending it tumbling across the room and down the stairs. He pinned me up against the wall, my feet hovering not far from the ground.

“Impossible,” I said. “You should be dead.”

I channeled the air around me, trying to wrest myself from his invisible grip. I couldn’t move. It wasn't that Premier's magic kept countering mine. It was so strong, it simply crushed whatever spell I tried to perform. Underneath the air, black mana lurked. It gave the air an unholy, yet powerful feel to it. The strange spell weakened me.

“You don't have the power to kill me, boy,” Premier said. The amusement in his face was gone, and his lip curled in anger. I might not have killed him, but I had hurt him.

I squirmed, but his spell drained me. I tried incantations, but all my spells failed. Nothing would weaken his hold.

“Don't waste your energy. There's no escaping my grasp.” Premier lifted his hand and squeezed. The invisible force bruised and battered my body. His pure black eyes moved and swirled. “The time for your annoyance is at an end. Perhaps in the next life you'll learn to use magic properly.

“The God of Death I beseech you. You have allowed me to live for centuries and now I give to you a wizard in return. Sort of.” Premier raised his hand. Black mana engulfed it. Death was on his hand, and he was about to give it to me. “Goodbye, Hellsfire.”

“No!” I said as the cold overtook me.

I summoned all my strength to break free of his grasp, drawing mana from myself and the environment, pushing past the weariness brought on by his spell. This wasn't the time to hold back and worry about the damage I was going to do to myself.

My own magic was a storm, shredding me from the inside. I wasn't trying to do any sort of spell, just break free from Premier's grasp. That much energy and power needed a release. Premier stopped me from finding one, so it raged against my body. Premier couldn’t lock down my magic completely. It wormed its way through a small opening. I focused it against Premier's spell, widening the gap until it struck against him.