one of the freestanding pillars.
Mazik was too dazed to stop her. He stumbled backward and lost control of his spell, which flew away as Rysha tackled him. Mazik’s legs buckled, and the two of them fell.
“Do you surrender?” asked Rysha, raising her fist to deal the finishing blow.
“Erh,” said Mazik, his tongue heavy. He scooted further underneath Rysha, until his eyes were level with her chin.
There was an explosion, and Rysha looked up in time to see Mazik’s wayward spell engulf the pillar above. The stone cracked, and a short burst of blue wind sent it toppling over.
Rysha tried to scramble away, but Mazik grabbed her by the shoulders as the pillar came down. “ Firestorm! ”
The pillar landed as mana washed over them, and then it shattered, the stone yielding against the harder force of Rysha’s barriers. The crowd gasped as the rubble buried the competitors.
The rubble shifted, and then blasted away. Mazik rose from the shattered pile, lifting Rysha by her arm. Rysha groaned as Mazik dragged them both out of the wreckage and collapsed to the arena floor.
Mazik drew his knife and held it to Rysha’s neck. “Now, do you surrender?”
Rysha looked at the knife, her eyes having trouble focusing. She looked down at her legs, but they didn’t seem to be obeying her all that well.
She nodded. “I surrender.”
Mazik collapsed onto his back as the crowd erupted, food and flags and the occasional article of clothing sailing through the air as they went hoarse in celebration.
“That was pretty clever. Gotta give it ta ya,” said Rysha.
“Thanks,” said Mazik. The two of them lay looking up at the clear sky, unable to move. “I’m glad your barriers were as powerful as I thought. Keened. Whatever.”
“It helped that ya split the pillar. Thanks for that.”
“I didn’t want to go overboard,” said Mazik. “Didn’t know if the shock would make yer whatsits spell give out. Overload. Can you teach me how to do that?”
“No.” Rysha let out a long breath, and the last bit of tension drained away. “There it went. And sorry, but I don’t have time to play teacher. Better find someone else.”
“Okay.”
They lay there quietly for several seconds.
“Can you move?” asked Mazik.
“No.”
“Good. Me neither.”
* * *
Back up in the stands, Gavi and Raedren helped Mazik into his seat.
“Thanks,” said Mazik. He sighed as his battered body finally relaxed.
“So I assume you’re done for the day?” asked Gavi.
“Yes, I think so,” said Mazik with a laugh. Gavi ruffled his hair. Mazik let out a whine, but was too tired to stop her.
“So, are we still sticking with the plan? Am I up next?” asked Raedren.
“I don’t see why not,” said Mazik. “You got this, Rae. Make it happen.”
“Good luck,” said Gavi. She gave him a thumbs-up.
Raedren picked up his staff and stood. “I’ll do my best.”
After Raedren had left, Mazik stared out across the arena. He looked pensive.
“I should have asked him to dull my wounds before he left, shouldn’t I?”
“Probably,” said Gavi.
“Frack.”
* * *
The announcer rubbed his hands together.
“What exciting matches we’ve had so far! Four matches, and four upsets! The young dark horses of Team Kil’Raeus are on a tear, as their leader led them to an odds-shattering four straight victories!”
The crowd cheered. Even some of those who had bet against the trio were having too much fun to be bothered right now.
“But Mas Kil’Raeus appears to have finally hit his limit! With their leader out of the fight, will his comrades be able to carry their team to victory?”
“You’re damn right they will!” said Mazik. The crowd laughed.
“You heard him, gentleladies and gentlemen! With that in mind, I bring you the competitors for the fifth match! First we have the powerful protector from Team Kil’Raeus, Raedren Ian’Moro!”
Raedren felt out of place. In front of the
Mazik was too dazed to stop her. He stumbled backward and lost control of his spell, which flew away as Rysha tackled him. Mazik’s legs buckled, and the two of them fell.
“Do you surrender?” asked Rysha, raising her fist to deal the finishing blow.
“Erh,” said Mazik, his tongue heavy. He scooted further underneath Rysha, until his eyes were level with her chin.
There was an explosion, and Rysha looked up in time to see Mazik’s wayward spell engulf the pillar above. The stone cracked, and a short burst of blue wind sent it toppling over.
Rysha tried to scramble away, but Mazik grabbed her by the shoulders as the pillar came down. “ Firestorm! ”
The pillar landed as mana washed over them, and then it shattered, the stone yielding against the harder force of Rysha’s barriers. The crowd gasped as the rubble buried the competitors.
The rubble shifted, and then blasted away. Mazik rose from the shattered pile, lifting Rysha by her arm. Rysha groaned as Mazik dragged them both out of the wreckage and collapsed to the arena floor.
Mazik drew his knife and held it to Rysha’s neck. “Now, do you surrender?”
Rysha looked at the knife, her eyes having trouble focusing. She looked down at her legs, but they didn’t seem to be obeying her all that well.
She nodded. “I surrender.”
Mazik collapsed onto his back as the crowd erupted, food and flags and the occasional article of clothing sailing through the air as they went hoarse in celebration.
“That was pretty clever. Gotta give it ta ya,” said Rysha.
“Thanks,” said Mazik. The two of them lay looking up at the clear sky, unable to move. “I’m glad your barriers were as powerful as I thought. Keened. Whatever.”
“It helped that ya split the pillar. Thanks for that.”
“I didn’t want to go overboard,” said Mazik. “Didn’t know if the shock would make yer whatsits spell give out. Overload. Can you teach me how to do that?”
“No.” Rysha let out a long breath, and the last bit of tension drained away. “There it went. And sorry, but I don’t have time to play teacher. Better find someone else.”
“Okay.”
They lay there quietly for several seconds.
“Can you move?” asked Mazik.
“No.”
“Good. Me neither.”
* * *
Back up in the stands, Gavi and Raedren helped Mazik into his seat.
“Thanks,” said Mazik. He sighed as his battered body finally relaxed.
“So I assume you’re done for the day?” asked Gavi.
“Yes, I think so,” said Mazik with a laugh. Gavi ruffled his hair. Mazik let out a whine, but was too tired to stop her.
“So, are we still sticking with the plan? Am I up next?” asked Raedren.
“I don’t see why not,” said Mazik. “You got this, Rae. Make it happen.”
“Good luck,” said Gavi. She gave him a thumbs-up.
Raedren picked up his staff and stood. “I’ll do my best.”
After Raedren had left, Mazik stared out across the arena. He looked pensive.
“I should have asked him to dull my wounds before he left, shouldn’t I?”
“Probably,” said Gavi.
“Frack.”
* * *
The announcer rubbed his hands together.
“What exciting matches we’ve had so far! Four matches, and four upsets! The young dark horses of Team Kil’Raeus are on a tear, as their leader led them to an odds-shattering four straight victories!”
The crowd cheered. Even some of those who had bet against the trio were having too much fun to be bothered right now.
“But Mas Kil’Raeus appears to have finally hit his limit! With their leader out of the fight, will his comrades be able to carry their team to victory?”
“You’re damn right they will!” said Mazik. The crowd laughed.
“You heard him, gentleladies and gentlemen! With that in mind, I bring you the competitors for the fifth match! First we have the powerful protector from Team Kil’Raeus, Raedren Ian’Moro!”
Raedren felt out of place. In front of the
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