Chapter 37: Chapter: 37 Wizard’s Duel

I pressed the curved sword to Marrick’s throat, and a drop of blood ran down the blade. 

“I spared you once,” I said. “But this time you really have gone too far.”

Marrick held his blood soaked nose and glared up at me with murder in his eyes.

“Release, Bel,” I said. “Or I will gut you like the pig you are.”

There's something about playing the hero that brings out the old English in me. I glanced at Chip and saw the look of fear on his face as he stared down at this bleeding brother. It made me feel less like a hero and more like a bully who resorted to violence to win an argument. 

Marrick stood up still glaring at me. He rubbed his broken nose and wiped his bloodied hand on her robes. I could see his eyes darting around looking for an exit but Ahri had positioned herself to block the only other way out. Finally, Marrick gave up and he clicked his fingers and Bel immediately responded to his summons. 

So, the bracelet controls magical beasts. Shit like that shouldn't even exist.

I aimed my sword at Marrick’s chest as he reached into his spellbag.

“I need to disable it,” he said.

I nodded and he drew out a Null Magic spell card. He pressed the card to the wooden bracelet. The spell activated and the bracelet opened up and fell to the ground. 

Marrick bent down to pick up the bracelet but before he reached it I used Mold Earth and created a box around it.

He glared at me as I concentrated and shrunk the box inch by inch until a loud snapping sound could be heard. Marrick cursed under his breath as I dismissed the spell and looked down at the broken fragments of the bracelet. 

A second later I felt Bel wrap her arms around me. She sobbed against my chest and said, “He told me it would make me look human. I'm so sorry.”

---

A crowd of onlookers had gathered to see what the disturbance was. Many of them recognized Marrick and greeted him and then when they saw his bleeding nose their eyes turned to me with open hostility. 

Ahri nodded her head at my sword, and I realized I still had it pressed against Marricks neck. I unsummoned it and stepped back from the injured card mage.

“You are a lout and a villain,” Marrick shouted in a ridiculously pompous voice. “You have falsely accused me and now you shame me in my own village.” He spat on the ground in front of me and shouted in a voice that carried, “I challenge you to a duel.”

“To the death?” I asked.

Marricks face went pale and he stammered, “God’s no, I'm not a savage. Winner takes the losers spell cards, all of them.”

The last thing I wanted was a duel. I was sure he had something up his sleeve and the thought of losing Flint and Bel was terrifying. I could just walk away. I didn't need to prove myself to him or anyone really.

The crowd began to murmur all about us and a few of them started chanting ‘duel, duel.’

“What's wrong?” asked Bel. 

I ruffled her hair and said, “If I lose he’ll take you from me.”

Bel stuck her tongue out at Marrick and said, “Kick his ass in so everyone will know that you’re the strongest.”

That was really not the point of all this. This felt like I was being challenged by the schoolyard bully. I looked at Ahri for help but she was nodding approvingly. There was no point arguing, they'd clearly decided that I needed to go through with the fight.

“The rules of the duel are simple,” said Marrick. “It will be a duel of summons.” 

“What the hell are you talking about?” I asked. “You kidnapped Bel and insulted Ahri. This is not some playground fuckabout game.”

Marrick raised his hand in innocence and said, “You struck me first. So I get to choose the terms of the dual. That is the ancient way- dishonor it at your own peril.”

The crowd murmured again and just like that it was decided. The duel was on. Villagers excitedly shuffled about making space for our fight and the elder of the village was already working out odds and taking bets.

Am I the only sane person in this place? Blood hell, I guess I have no choice but to go through with this.

---

The duel was to begin as the village clock struck twelve. That was twelve midday. There was no chance in hell that the villagers were going to stay up till midnight, which was the traditional dueling hour. These were old retired fishermen and their fishmonger wives they had chores to do first thing in the morning and they were looking forward to a bloody duel before their midday nap.

The clock struck twelve and Marrick made the first move. 

He placed a spell card on the ground and veins of light radiated from the card and the ground trembled. The audience fell silent as a loud buzzing noise filled the air. Kuna, the colossal Grasshopper stepped out of the blinding light. Its body was covered in green chitinous armor. Its legs were red blades as sharp as chef knives and its mandibles looked like a pair of scissors that could cut a man's leg off in a single bite.

If I was going to win I needed every edge I could get. I stepped forward and scanned the giant insect. 

*

Name: Kuna 

Race: Colossal Hopper

Level: 8

Health: 72

Skills: Piercing Strike

Status: Summoned

*

This damn thing is a higher level than me. 

I didn't have many choices when it came to summons. Flint the Twilight Titan or Bel the Hell’s Pixie Girl. Flint had leveled up a few times since he’d joined my party but he was more suited for tanking and disruption rather than one on one combat. Bel was a level higher than Flint but her ability worked best when I had more supporting spells to capitalize on whatever spell she got.

Bel’s hands balled into fists and she turned to face Marrick and said, “I want to fight.”

I placed my hand on her head. She was half my height and I couldn't help wanting to protect her. 

“You don't have to fight,” I said. “You’ve been through enough already.”

Bel gritted her teeth and said, “I'm sick of being the victim. I'm not holding back any longer.”

I gave Bel a thumbs up. 

The elder of the village stood in the center of the arena and assumed the role of referee. He turned to face us and said, “Bel the Hells Pixie Girl vs Kuna the Colossal Grasshopper.”

“I hope you don't mind if Kuna eats one or two of her limbs,” said Marrick. “He has such a taste for little girls.”

Ahri pushed past me and shouted, “How could someone from this village become so fucked up? She’s a little girl, you sicko.” 

“Bro,” said Chip. “What are you doing? You don't have to fight. Mom’s here, we could forget all about this and go home together and surprise her.”

I placed a hand on Chip’s shoulder and said, “It’s too late for that. He’s not leaving here in one piece. Bel, tear that grasshopper in two and then let's show Marrick what we do to creepy assholes who kidnap little girls.”

---

With a burst of dust and a popping sound Bel shot across the arena at breakneck speed but Kuna was faster. He leapt into the air, his blade-like legs kicking out at her. She ducked under the leg and raked her claws along the grasshopper’s armor. 

Their movements were almost too fast for my eyes to follow. They collided and shot apart over and over and each time they did a deafening ringing sound echoed around the marketplace. 

The crowds had moved further back and many were hidden behind crates and wagons to watch the fight unfold.

“Kuna,” shouted Marrick. “Piercing Strike.”

The grasshopper spun on the ground avoiding Bel’s attack. He shot into the air and green light surrounded him as he charged up his ability.

“Watch out,” I shouted.

Bel kicked up a cloud of dirt and disappeared into the haze.

Kuna Piercing Strike released blades of green light that tore through the dust cloud and left deep lacerations in the earth. 

Bel dived out the dust, twisting in the air, her claws extended and pointing at Kuna’s black shining eyes. 

From the corner of my eye I saw a spell card disintegrating in Marrick’s hand.

“Blood Lust,” he shouted as the spell took effect.

“That cheating son of a bitch,” shouted Ahri.

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But it was too late. Kuna let out an ear splitting wail as red veins popped out from under his armor. His muscles bulged and the blades on his legs extended. 

Bel didn't give a shit she dived claws first into the gnashing maws of the enraged monster. 

It was the wrong move. The grasshopper caught her claws in its mouth and snapped them with a deafening crunch. Blood splattered across the ground and Bel hit the earth with a resounding thump.

Kuna raised its wings and took to the sky. It released one Piercing Strike after another, each one slicing through Bel’s skin and covering the floor in blood. 

“Bel,” I said. “I don't want to scare you but if he wins he gets my spellbag, that includes you.”

“He's too strong,” she moaned.

We didn't have a choice. If she wanted to win she would need to use Spell Roulette, her magic ability. When used her ability chose a random spell that existed in Umbra and cast it on her target. It was potentially the most powerful ability in the world, it could cast a god level spell or it could summon a gentle breeze to ruffle our hair. 

“Bel,” I said. “You have to use Spell Roulette, it's the only way.”

She hesitated and looked at me and I saw the fear in her eyes. The last time she’d used the ability it had killed the demon Cobb and her mother. 

“Trust me,” I said. “No matter what happens we are in it together.”

Bel smiled and pushed herself to her feet. Blood dripped from a deep gash in her side and Kuna flying above her watched with beady eyes unsure of what was about to happen.

“What are you up to?” asked Marrick as he eyed the injured pixie skeptically. “Just give up already, she’s lost.”

Another Piercing Strike hit Bel in the chest and she staggered back from the blow. Another attack at that strength could return her to her card and end the duel. She had to win with this next attack.

Bel took a deep breath and stretched a hand up to the sky. Red light enveloped her and a shadow fell over the village. 

I blinked up at the sky and saw something eclipsing the sun.

“Oh shit,” whispered Ahri. “It's heading right at us.”

The shadow grew and the villagers screamed in panic.

“I'm sorry, I'm sorry,” wailed Bel. 

Marrick stared up at the meteor in horror and yelled, “Kuna attack.”

The grasshopper released a Piercing Strike at the descending meteor but it was like pissing into a tornado.

“Marrick,” I shouted. 

The man stood there in stunned silence.

“Listen to me,” I said. “We need to work together. Cast a ward over the town.”

Marrick shook his head slowly as if he was waking from a dream.

“It's too late,” he said. “A ward won’t stop it.”

“Just do it,” I shouted. “And I'm also going to need to borrow your grasshopper.”

---

I held tight to Kuna’s smooth armor as it flapped its powerful transparent wings and launched us both into the air and straight at the descending hunk of rock. Thankfully the meteor was still far out but it was falling rapidly. 

Why am I doing this? I hate heights? 

I looked down at the ground to make sure that Ahri was looking. If I was going to risk my life she sure as hell better be watching. Her eyes met mine and she held up a hand and waved. 

In that instant I knew that I would do anything to protect her, I’d even ride a grasshopper up to meet a falling meteor. It was strange. I’d been attracted to her since I’d first seen her on the train. She was wild and free and beautiful and miles out of my league and somehow when I looked at her I knew she felt the same way about me. 

If we make it through this, I’m buying that farm and building a life with this girl.

It was a dream but when you are seconds away from dying a dream is sometimes the only thing that can keep you from giving up. 

I patted the grasshopper on the side. I’d never liked insects, they just looked weird as hell. But up close Kuna wasn't that bad. Sure he smelt like a can of worms and he made odd clicking noises all the time and each time he flapped his wings I got slapped in the face but he had character. 

Kuna’s Piercing Strike had made a dimple in the meteor. It wasn't enough to slow it at all but it was enough that a plan was forming in my mind.

“Aim for the hole,” I said. “As fast as you can.”

The grasshopper was flying as fast as it could but at its speed the meteor would be too close to town by the time we reached it. For my plan to work I needed to destroy the meteor before it reached Marrick’s Ward of Protection and to do that I needed to do something crazy. 

I reached into my spellbag and drew two cards. This could work or I could die like an idiot and the whole village would go down with me. At least that meant there would be no witnesses alive to speak of my epic failure.

“Hold steady,” I said as I stood up on Kuna’s back and tried to balance myself. 

Leap of Faith took effect and white light swirled around my feet. A burst of power erupted beneath me and thrust me off Kuna’s back and directly at the meteor.

The air buffeted my body with such force that I struggled desperately to raise my arm. I was seconds away from splattering against the side of the meteor. I screamed and stretched out my hand and cast the second spell card. 

Green light flowed out of the card and instead of splattering like a bug I burrowed down into the center of the Meteor with Mold Earth. 

I hit the bottom of my hole at an odd angle and twisted my ankle. 

This better work.

It was dark, hot and claustrophobic in this tiny hole of mine. I could barely move. My arms were pinned to my side and waves of panic were washing over me. All I wanted to do was curl up in a ball and hum Rockabye Baby but I had hero shit to do. I focused on how cool I’d look somersaulting off of this rock as it shattered behind me in a million pieces. I’d land on the ground like a badass and Ahri would run up to me and kiss me in front of the crowd.

How the fuck am I getting off of this thing? 

I reached into my spellbag as I sang, “Rockabye baby on the treetop…” 

I fumbled around the bag and instead of drawing a card I felt the familiar feel of the seeds I’d gathered along my journey. I pulled out a single acorn, the one that I’d gotten from the colossal oak tree. 

I dropped the acorn into the soil and cast Rapid Growth on it. Green light filled the hole as the spell took hold of the seed. At first nothing happened and my panic attack returned with a vengeance, and then a stem emerged from the soil and roots burst out in all directions. 

The stem kept growing as I poured power into it. It became a tree trunk and I clung onto it as it shot out of the hole and protruded from the meteor like a proud erect penis. I dangled from a branch for a second as the tree’s roots made their way throughout the whole meteor.

I funneled so much magic into the tree’s roots that my head spun and my vision blurred. Finally a loud cracking sound surrounded me as the meteor exploded from the inside out.

I fell.

Wind rushed over my ears and my own screams turned into distorted howls of panic. Rocks and meteor debris hit the Ward of Protection and bounced off it like fleas in a jar. I fell straight through the Ward and plummeted to the earth. 

Through my tear filled eyes I could see individual people. I saw Ahri’s blue hair blowing in the wind and something pink running through town jumping from rooftop to rooftop.

The ground grew nearer-too near. I was about to hit it. Ahri’s mouth opened in a scream, and then something hit me from the side with the force of a hundred kicking horses. 

Pink hair whipped my face as Bel’s small hands gripped me tight and we arced through the air and landed heavily on the boardwalk in front of the inn.

So this is what it feels like to be Lois Lane.

Bel released me and before I could take a single step blue hair washed over me as Ahri’s arms wrapped around me and her lips pressed against mine. Her breath was warm, she tasted sweet and I kissed her fiercely like the world depended on it. 

A hissing sound filled the air and we looked up at the sky and watched tiny meteor fragments hitting the ward and burning up like a fireworks display.

The dome over the village had pushed all the large meteor rocks into a ring that now surrounded the village of Bramble Hollow. 

Chip strode up to us, he shot me a broad grin and said, “With all this soil we can finally build a farm like my father always dreamt of.” 

“And the wall of rocks should stop the flooding,” said Marrick who walked up beside his brother.

“Looks like it’s happily ever after for everyone,” I said.

 

“Except for Charles Hunton-Blather,” said Ahri. “The giant tree landed on his mansion.” 

---

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