Catalyst(111)

I stared at my master, wondering why we weren't attacking. I was exhausted and needed the breather, but standing here was also giving Premier a chance to recover. What were we waiting for?

Then I felt it. Master Stradus was using this time to gather in energy. I had to do the same thing.

I stopped gasping for air and drew in mana from the life all around us. Master Stradus gave me a subtle nod. I looked at the princess still on the ground, praying she would wake up and escape.

Premier chuckled. “If only you knew. I’m not the only one, Stradus. But I do like that beard you have going for you. That and all your white hair makes you look like one of those so-called wise fools on the Council.”

The globe on my master’s staff swirled as he gathered energy. “Thank you.”

“And a staff, too. I don’t need a useless tool to focus my power. I may be old, but I’m not a weakling like you.”

Master Stradus ignored Premier's taunts, continuing to draw in energy.

Premier glanced at me. “Quite an apprentice you have there, Stradus. He has potential. It’s too bad he's never going to reach it. I'm going to kill him, and then I'm going to kill you.”

“You mean you're going to try, old friend.”

“Always the hopeful one, I see.”

“And still the mad one, I see.”

The two wizards stared at each other, filling the room with powerful energy. It thickened the air, leaving its touch on everything and everyone. The ancient, dense magic made the hairs on my body rise. Even the princess stirred, but she didn't wake. I wished she would so she could escape. If it was dangerous in here before, it was going to get a lot more dangerous now. All that power ached to be released.

Our magic came out based on our strongest mana. A strong breeze circled the room. My fire surfaced to my hand. Premier's Art was the black mana he tapped into.

Premier drew power from himself. The spell around his hand consumed it. His skin peeled back until I saw the muscles. Then they disappeared until there was nothing but bone. With each horrific change, the spell grew stronger. He didn’t cry out in agony, nor did his face twitch in pain.

Master Stradus’s face scrunched up, and his eyes were squinted. He studied Premier's hand like he would study me when I performed magic. I wished he had the chance to tell me what he knew about Premier’s magic.

A thunderous silence filled the room while we studied each other and debated who would make the first move.

Premier smiled in his arrogant way. “Suppose I get rid of your apprentice, and it can be like old times?”

Premier released his now chest-sized death ball and flung it in my direction. By instinct, I raised my hand to deflect it with my fire.

“No! You can't affect it with elemental magic!” Master Stradus said, pushing me out of the way. I knew that. I should have remembered it.

I dove to the floor, grunted, and released a fireball at Premier. It didn't touch him. Premier stood there with his eyes closed, as a barrier of magic protected him. “Premier's up to something. He's in a trance.”

“Watch out!” Master Stradus yelled. We leaped out of the way just as the ball went flying past. The ball moaned, aching to kill something. The sound sent a shiver to my soul.

“What do you want me to do, master?”

“Damn him. He didn't give me enough time to gather in mana. I'm going to work on that. I'll be invisible to him. Attack him directly. He'll be vulnerable once you get past his defenses.”

Master Stradus walked away and stopped on the other side of the room. He released the power he had been holding, until a white light glowed around his body like a firefly. His eyes became pure white.

Premier's spell stopped moving. His head turned, and his eyes shifted around the room, passing over my master as if he wasn’t there. “Stradus, where did you go?” His black eyes focused on me. “No matter.”

The black ball of death started its descent again, flying and spinning through the air until it was almost upon me. I swayed like a cat, getting ready to jump. I was too tense. I jumped too soon. Instead of me fooling the ball, it changed direction, heading right for me. I conquered a gust of wind and pushed myself in the opposite direction. The ball skittered past and went off the other way, wailing in disappointment. This was my best chance to attack Premier.

I rushed to tackle him. I was exhausted from the magic I had performed earlier, and hoped his shield only applied to magic. It didn't. I yelled out in pain as I collided with the magical shield. I tried to punch him, throwing all my weight behind it. The shield seared my hand. My knuckles burned. I thought that at least Premier couldn't perform any more magic while he worked these two.

I was wrong.