The Phoenix Ring(72)

The broken lava shard, about two feet long, rose into the air. Aidan flicked his wrist, and it soared towards the beast. He felt it travelling towards the base of the left wing, but lost control a moment before it slammed into the creature.

They heard a bellow, and the creature spiraled downwards into the ocean.

For a moment, Aidan felt horror for what he had done. But then, he started to feel something that terrified him. He felt powerful and calm.

Bartemus raised his hands, the dragon on his forehead glowing, and lightning began to fall amongst the creatures as they flew closer and closer to the isle. Aidan launched three more lava shards, but the dragons were wearier and began to dodge them at the last moment.

The first fireball hit the ground only a few feet from Aidan and knocked the boy into the air. He somehow managed to not let go of his staff as he landed on his back. He sent a retaliating lava shard into the air, but didn’t aim. His master was still standing, eyes closed, and vulnerable.

Three dragons separated from the main group, which seemed to be trying to pass the isle, and flew towards Bartemus as their kin were knocked out of the sky by lightning strikes.

The first dragon was a spineback that wore far too much armor, and was struggling to fly. Aidan pointed his staff in the beasts general direction and whispered the word “herrakai.” Air. The spell hit the beast from the side, who spiraled downwards. It tried to pull up as it neared the water, but to no avail, and pierced the surface with an enormous splash.

The second beast was certainly a moghrack, and it came close enough to the isle for Aidan to see its cloaked rider before the boy shouted “akae!”

Water welled up from the ocean and enveloped the creature a moment before it could release the fireball that would have slain Bartemus. Aidan swore he saw a golden trident slam into the beast’s underside as it fell into its watery grave.

As soon as the spell was done, the mage dropped to one knee, dots swimming across his vision. This magic was depleting his energy far too quickly, he now felt slightly less powerful than he normally did without the help of a spell.

By the time he looked up, the third dragon had almost landed. Aidan instinctively knew that this was the Black Thunder. It was massive, yet still lithe and fast. Aidan could feel the magic radiating through it, even with its scales, and as it landed its tail destroyed Marcus’s hut.

“He’s here!” The mage yelled. Bartemus finally opened his eyes, though Aidan could tell he was feeling weak too.

“I challenge you to a dual in the ways of old,” the rider yelled, his body concealed by the dragon’s giant wings and neck.

“Show yourself, Rickentoh,” Bartemus yelled back, “and I will accept your challenge.”

The beast snorted and slowly lowered its wings. Aidan had been expecting to see a young, strong man, tattoos lining his face, a sword at his side. Instead, he saw an all too familiar, extremely fat figure.

“Edwin,” Aidan said, anger beginning to fuel his power.

“Yes lad, it is me. Really Barty, did you think that Malcommer would be stupid enough to send his only rider ally into what was almost certainly a trap? Of course, he needn’t have been worried, as the only resistance appears to be two hopeless fools trying to be the heroes. If Malachi were here, it would be just like old times, eh?”

Aidan could feel his master’s rage starting to burn stronger than his own.

“But I am not here to challenge you, Bartemus. No, your time will come. It is him that I am interested in,” the warlock said, pointing at Aidan.

The mage felt a cold stone drop into his stomach, but it was almost immediately melted in the blaze of his rage.

“Why?” Bartemus asked, “He is just a boy.”

“Aye, and he’s the boy who humiliated me. I will end him here, where there are no rules. And if you try to stop this, then my friends will kill both of you,” Edwin said, gesturing towards the sky. “And I assure you, neither of you will survive.”

The dragons had turned back and were circling the island. The two sorcerers had barely put a dent in their numbers.

“Step aside, Bartemus,” Edwin said. “Do you accept my challenge, boy?”

Aidan felt the power rise inside him. “I accept.”

Bartemus stepped aside, his face somber.

Edwin laughed, and his dragon’s tail flicked towards Aidan. The boy had no time to react, but felt his staff ripped from his hands.

“Come now, you’re making this too easy,” Edwin said, flicking his wrist. Aidan was thrown onto his back, his magic useless to him without his staff. The dragon sniffed the scepter, and then opened his mouth. Aidan’s eyes widened as the beast chomped down, swallowing the half that held the blade. Somehow though, his heart didn’t speed its beat. In fact, it now appeared to be almost calm, a stark contrast from the wild rampage it had been on a few moments ago.