Talynn rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet, trying to relieve the stiffness in his knees. After over an hour of waiting in line behind other red-cloaked students, he was finally close to the registration table.
“Talynn Sevar, checking in,” he said to one of the staff sitting behind the table. The woman pursed her lips as she thumbed through the pages of her list.
“All checked in. Cutting it a bit close there, young man. Your first match is in five minutes. Here’s your chest-plate, make sure it fits snugly,” one of the woman’s assistants pulled the equipment out of a large box and handed it to Talynn.
“What is this thing?” Talynn examined the chest-plate. It sat over the shoulders and covered only the chest and top of the abdomen. The material felt like a light and durable plastic covered in a thin layer of woven-fiber mesh. A clear, thin stone was mounted over the sternum area of the chestpiece.
“Tournament armor. During your match, the gauge stone on your chest-plate measures how much physical or spell damage you have sustained,” the woman said as her assistant placed the chest-plate over Talynn and fastened the straps. “When it reaches its limit, it will flash red, at which point the match is over and a winner will be decided. You may head to arena three now.”
Talynn nodded and began working his way through the concourse level crowded with students and their families. Had he not eaten already, the smell of fresh food wafting from the concession stands would have driven him mad.
“Talynn!” Mavence burst from the crowd with a zealous hug. “You're in arena three right? Versutana is saving us seats. Let’s go!”
The pair headed towards the event level, following the sounds of cheering crowds. As they walked down the stairs they saw three arenas, each surrounded by stone bleachers like a small coliseum. Versutana waved them over to their seats.
“No offense Mavence, but mage battles are way more fun to watch than warrior battles,” Versutana said as she munched on popped maizo kernels while the two contestants in the ring hurled fire and lightning bolts at each other.
“Well, the match is over now,” Talynn said as he watched one of the contestants forming an inscription circle.
“But they’re still fighting,” Mavence said as they sat down.
“That girl closest to us is about to cast Thunder Blast, which is a super strong lightning spell that can stun your target,” explained Talynn.
Sure enough, a crackling orb of electricity formed on the girl’s hand. She then fired it, the orb splitting into four bolts of lightning that arced outward before reconvening on her target. Her opponent’s body violently spasmed for a second as the electricity coursed through him. He collapsed on the floor, the gauge stone on his chest-plate flashing red. The small audience cheered as the girl was declared the winner and the boy was pulled away by a team of medics.
“For our next elimination match; Inanu Fegure versus Talynn Sevar. Contestants, please proceed to the ring.”
“Perfect. I might actually stand a chance against this one. Wish me luck,” Talynn gave a half-hearted wave to his friends before heading down the stairs and stepping into this arena. His heart beat faster and faster as his body began to release adrenaline. His only solace was that his opponent seemed just as nervous as he was.
“Contestants ready… begin!”
Inanu began casting a spell while Talynn pulled out his lux chalk and began scribbling on the ground. His nose twitched as he heard other students snickering at him. Touching his hand on the outermost ring on his inscription circle, Talynn activated the spell and sent a gust of cutting wind towards his opponent.
A bolt of lightning shot straight through his wind spell and struck his arm, leaving a burn mark on his cloak and numbing his limb. Talynn’s wind slice did little more than inflict a long scratch mark on his opponent’s chest-plate.
Wind is weak against lightning. I need to pay more attention to what element he’s using. Lux chalk spells may be weak, but if I can use the right element to counter his, I might be able to match his power, thought Talynn.
Inanu cast another lightning bolt, but this time Talynn countered with an ice shield spell. The lightning struck the ice and then dissipated. Inanu switched elements and cast a basic fireball spell. Talynn redrew the wind spell, extinguishing the flames before they reached him. Inanu frowned, trying to think of another spell to use.
The next inscription circle Inanu began to form exuded fog, like water on dry ice. A smirk appeared on Talynn’s face. He quickly drew two identical inscription circles with his chalk and activated them before Inanu finished casting.
Two fireballs flew straight towards Inanu, one after the other. He managed to cast his ice spell just before they reached him. The first fireball melted the surface of the ice, and the second vaporized the water, creating a small cloud of steam directly in front of his face. As he tried to wave the steam away, he suddenly found Talynn’s elbow slamming into his jaw.
“Sorry man, it had to be done. I’d recommend putting some ice on that jaw,” Talynn looked down at an unconscious Inanu. The crowd looked at each other with baffled stares, unsure of what this meant for the match.
“Hey,” Talynn yelled to the judges across the small arena. “Do knockouts count or do I have to still break his guard stone while he’s asleep?”
“Don’t bother, you’re good,” one of them gave a thumbs-up. “Talynn Sevar wins the match!”
“Interesting, I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone win a mage’s duel with a physical knockout,” some in the crowd clapped politely while giving the ‘not bad’ face.
“Great job Talynn!” Versutana congratulated with a hug as Talynn returned to their spot in the bleachers.
“Using the same move I used in my match to knockout your opponent. I see what you did there,” Mavence gave him a playful punch on the shoulder.
“What can I say, you inspired me.”
“Hey, I wouldn’t have had that idea in the first place had you not coached me to think outside the box. So technically, you inspired me,” Mavence replied.
“So in a way, I inspired myself. Maybe that was the key the whole time,” Talynn looked into the distance as if discovering a life-changing revelation.
“Well, you have a bit of time before the next match, so let’s eat!” Versutana handed them a bag of maizo kernels and wooden skewers with hoggeth meat. The trio were watching the matches and enjoying food when a crowd of imperial knights entered the stands. The crowds quickly went silent as the emperor walked down the stairs, straight toward the trio. Versutana gulped.
“Versutana! How many times have I told-”
“Father! I knew you’d make it,” Versutana eagerly jumped into the emperor’s unsuspecting arms.
“Make it to what?” Prosephius furrowed his brows.
“To the mage tournament! Talynn’s competing, and you promised you’d come to support him, remember? I mean, he did save our lives that one time, after all.”
“Ah, yes… yes of course! I remember now. Goodness me, my memory isn’t what it used to be,” Prosephius laughed, falling hook, line, and sinker.
“You’re the best dad ever,” said Versutana, trying her best to hold back a devious grin.
“Ah! Mavence and Talynn. How are you, young lads?” Prosephius said as he sat down, the Emperor’s Guard forming a perimeter around them.
“Awesome! Just won my first match,” Talynn said with a beaming smile.
“For our next elimination match; Praecio Umethyra versus Talynn Sevar. Please proceed to the arena,” said the announcer.
“Umethyra. That sounds so familiar,” the emperor said as he rummaged through his scattered memories. “Ah, yes! A Dryadalu. I must know him somehow.”
“Well, off I go. Wish me luck!”
Talynn went down the stairs and stepped into the arena, sizing up his opponent as he entered. He was tall, with bright green eyes, pale yellow skin, and pointed ears. His every movement was poised with elegance and grace, his demeanor so calm and reserved that it would be difficult to imagine him ever raising his voice, even if he were truly incensed.
“Praecio the Wind Elf. I haven’t fought a Dryadalu yet. I guess you’re too tall for me to sock you in the jaw like the last guy. Looks like I’ll have to get creative,” Talynn cracked his knuckles.
“You’re the human who still uses lux chalk, correct? Excellent. An easy win will be a welcome reprieve,” said the Dryadalu, short for one of his kind, but still taller than any human his age.
“That kid’s luck ran out. Elves have stronger magic than humans. He’s already lost,” said a member of the crowd.
“Contestants ready… begin!”
Talynn whipped out his lux chalk and began drawing a large inscription circle. If I can win this match, I get to graduate. I have to win.
“Drawing circles on the ground whilst fighting a wind mage is not the wisest of strategies,” Praecio said. He began forming a wind orb in each hand, the only indication of their presence being the sound of rushing wind and a slight distortion of the light passing through them.
Talynn dashed out of the way as the Dryadalu threw the orbs, one of them catching the edge of his cloak and ripping the cloth into pieces. Talynn began drawing another inscription circle as he moved, finishing while his feet were still sliding over the ground. Tapping on the outer ring, his lumi raced through the inscription and formed a ball of fire above it, which Talynn launched straight toward his opponent.
“Wind Wall,” Praecio said as the fire orbs were snuffed out of existence an instant, just inches from his hand. “Fire spells are of no use. My wind element will extinguish your flames like a candle.”
Talynn slowly circled around the arena, trying to lure Praecio into walking closer to his inscription circles.
“I hope you are aware that I can read your inscriptions. You cannot surprise me this way. They pose me no threat.”
“Don’t worry, I have a few tricks up my sleeve.” Talynn sprinted a short distance and turned his back to Praecio, drawing an inscription circle while using his long cloak to block his opponent’s view. He spun back around and activated the inscription, sending shards of ice flying towards the Dryadalu.
The shards flew past Praecio’s head as he deftly leaned out of the way. Talynn performed another spinning maneuver while Praecio cast a wind gust spell. Talynn launched a bolt of lightning that struck the Dryadalu’s shoulder, but his opponent’s powerful gust swept up him up and slammed him into the arena wall.
“Clever move, human. Wind cannot block lightning. But your lux chalk spells are lacking in power, and I can read every inscription you've laid,” said Praecio as Talynn entered a coughing fit while trying to regain his breath.
Praecio walked with indifference over Talynn’s inscription circles and began casting a powerful wind spell in each hand. The rotating currents of air came together to form a cyclone several feet tall. Talynn drew up a quick ice shield spell, the barrier forming just in time to impede Praecio’s attack.
The cyclone shattered the shield on Talynn’s arm and dispersed upon impact, but even the residual wind was strong enough to deliver hundreds of razor-like slices onto his skin and clothing.
“Tell me, why is he using that chalk? I thought that was a novice tool,” the emperor leaned to the side and whispered to Versutana.
“Um, it is. But one of his teachers said he couldn’t win using lux chalk, so he made a bet with him that he could,” Versutana improvised. “He’s just showing off, he’s actually a great fire mage.”
“Ah, yes. Cheeky lad,” Prosephius chuckled. “Good showmanship. Bravo!”
With Praecio nearing the spot that he wanted him in, Talynn circled around the ring and closed the distance between them, dashing towards the large inscription circle he had made at the beginning of the fight. Channeling lumi into his hand, he prepared to initiate the spell.
“Quite a complex spell you’ve laid. Ice, fire, and lightning elements,” said Praecio. “But you do know I can cancel your inscription by injecting my own lumi into it, right?”
Talynn reached down and touched the inscription circle, his lumi racing around the outer edge. The Dryadalu did the same, channeling his own lumi into the circle to counter his opponent’s. A puzzled look appeared on his face when his lumi traced a smaller inscription circle underneath him instead of the larger encompassing circle. Suddenly, his feet became encased in ice.
“If you had read the inscription properly, you’d have seen that some of these circles are disconnected and are thus distractions. In fact, you just activated the ice snare on yourself,” Talynn gave a triumphant grin.
“Inscription circles are also directional. Since I write inscriptions circles on the ground and cast spells facing up, I have to mirror the inscription circle that a mage would normally write with his lumi facing forward,” Talynn said as he strolled behind Praecio, who struggled to break free from the ice.
“So if I write an inscription circle on you without mirroring it,” Talynn drew a quick inscription circle on the back of the Praecio’s chest-plate. “It will explode.”
With a quick touch, the inscription circle activated. Having nowhere to go, the fireball spell detonated against the Dryadalu’s back, breaking the ice snare and violently throwing him to the ground. The guard stone on his chest flashed red, signalling the end of the match.
“Talynn Sevar wins the match!”
“Yes! He did it!” Mavence and Versutanna cheered along with the rest of the crowd.
Talynn held up his hands triumphantly, letting out a relieved sigh. He saw Praecio out of the corner of his eye, coughing while on his hands and knees. Abandoning his victory pose, Talynn helped the Dryadalu to his feet.
“Good fight. The Wind Elf did his people proud,” Talynn said as he guided Praecio out of the arena, trying his best to support him despite their large height difference.
“A loss is still a loss, but thank you, human. You’ve displayed more honor and decency than most of your kind. I will not forget it.”
“With that stunning win, Talynn Sevar will compete in the final round!” The announcer said as Talynn returned to his seat, leaning back and taking a breath.
“You did it, dude! And you made it all the way into the finals!” Mavence high-fived Talynn.
“Yeah I did! And I don’t even have to win the next round to graduate. I’ve already made it. It’ll be a nice, stress-free match,” Talynn said with a relieved smile and grabbed the bag of maizo kernesls from Versutana and began eating.
“And the final matchup is,” the announcer said with a drumroll. “Talynn Sevar versus Gelusik Kandis!”
“Oh god,” Talynn dropped the bag of food.
“Contestants, please proceed to ring one.”
“Ah, Talynn! Excellent job on the last round, my boy,” the emperor clapped. “Excellent job on the last round, my boy! But this time, don't hold back. Show me one of those magnificent fire spells Versutana tells me about. I want to see your true skills as a fire mage. This could be a real step towards your admittance to the Empress’s Guard. Now go show them what you can do!”
“Y-yes of course. You got it, sir,” Talynn nodded with a slight wince as they stood up and began walking to the center ring.
After hearing that Talynn had advanced to the final round and was facing off with Gelusik, the throngs of students and family deserted the other arenas and packed in to see the big fight. Talynn gingerly stepped into the ring, overwhelmed by the exponential increase of people now focused on him.
“Gelusik versus Talynn? Poor guy can hardly use magic, he doesn’t stand a chance,” someone in the crowd murmured.
“Talynn, Talynn, Talynn. I’ve been waiting for this moment for so long,” Gelusik eyed him fiercely, a malicious grin on his face. “The moment when I could shut that big mouth of yours and prove to everyone what a garbage mage you are. But I didn't think it would be this perfect. The entire student body, their parents, their teachers, and even the emperor are all here. Now I can humiliate you for all to see!”
“Oh joy,” Talynn gulped, his stomach beginning to sour.
“Contestants at the ready… begin!”
“Just quit now, you have no chance of winning, you little faker,” Gelusik said as he began constructing a complex inscription circle with his lumi.
“You never know, I might shock you,” Talynn drew a quick inscription circle and sent a bolt of lightning at Gelusik. The bolt struck his hand and burnt it slightly, interrupting his cast.
“You’re going to need more than scribbles to beat me. Ice Dagger!” Gelusik switched tactics and quickly conjured double-sided throwing spikes in each hand and hurled them at Talynn. Leaning out of the way to dodge the spikes, Talynn summoned a wind orb and fired it at Gelusik.
“Ice Shield!” The wind orb clashed with the shield on Gelusik’s arm, causing only a minor indent and a few scratches.
“Why do mages always say the name of their spells out loud? Is it a part of casting it?” Versutana leaned over and asked Mavence.
“Nope, they just like announcing whatever they did or are about to do.”
“Really? That seems kind of pointless.”
“Talynn said it’s kind of like when a great chef brings you a meal and announces what the meal is called. Doesn’t really do anything and you can already tell what it is, but the chef’s proud of it and wants to show it off,” Mavence shrugged.
“It’s useless, Talynn,” shouted Gelusik. “Nobody can break through my ice spells. Not even the strongest wind or fire users in the entire school. Your pathetic spells don’t stand a chance. Now, let me show you what a real mage can do.”
Gelusik cast what Talynn thought to be a simple ice snare. He stepped to the side, anticipating a light blue circle appearing directly under his feet. Instead, the circle appeared in front of Gelusik and began chasing after Talynn, leaving a trail of frost in its path. Talynn began scrambling backwards, but the roving circle caught up with him and encased his feet in ice.
“What? He can make an ice snare move? Amazing!” The crowd cheered.
“Now for the fun part. Ice Gauntlet!” Gelusik clenched his fists, encasing them in a layer of solid ice with added spikes on the knuckles.
The crowd let out a low ‘ooh’ as Gelusik began whaling on Talynn, slamming his fists into his chest and abdomen. Each blow knocked the wind out out Talynn’s lungs before he could catch his breath again. A final uppercut knocked him out of the snare and onto his back, his jaw beginning to bruise and bleed.
Talynn lay on the floor softly moaning, his eyes fluttering open and shut. The sounds around him were muted, replaced by a persistent ringing.
Where am I? Why does everything hurt? I’m tired. I need to sleep.
“Come on, get up Talynn, get up,” Versutana rocked back and forth, biting her nails. Mavence stood up and rushed to the edge of the ring, shouting at the top of his lungs.
“Talynn! Wake up!”
That voice sounds familiar… Mavence? Why won’t you let me sleep?
“Get up! It’s time to fight!”
Gelusik turned his back on Talynn as he worked the crowd, his hands in the air in a victory pose while the judges began the countdown. His smug grin faded as the crowd’s cheers turned into gasps. He turned back to look at Talynn, but saw only a rapidly approaching fist.
“I’m not done yet!” Talynn socked Gelusik in the jaw, sending him reeling backwards.
“You’re about to be,” Gelusik shook off the blow and stepped backwards, forming a complex inscription circle with his lumi.
“Ice Bulwark!” Gelusik slapped the circle onto the ground, summoning a thick curved wall of ice around the front of him.
“Look at his mastery of that defensive spell. With ice that sturdy, you could nearly block a shot from a cannon. Impressive,” the judges whispered amongst themselves.
“What are you going to do now, Talynn? You can’t win. Your luck ran out as soon as you were matched against me.”
“You know what, Gelusik? I’m tired of you. Know why? Because you’re a bully who’s spent the last four years telling me I’m worthless. And I’m sick of it!” Talynn’s voice rose into a yell. “I’m glad I get to fight you. I’m gonna make you eat those words!”
“You’re nothing without your chalk, and even then you’re not much. You call yourself a fire mage? What a joke. You can’t even create a spark on your own,” Gelusik scoffed. “I’m not wrong. Talent will always beat fakes like you.”
Talynn quickly drew three inscription circles in a row and slid his hand across the bottom of them, activating them at the same time. A blast of fire, wind, and lightning struck the bulwark, but not even a chip of ice was removed.
I need to beat him, but none of my spells are effective against this. I’m out of ideas. This might be the end, Talynn thought to himself, hopelessness beginning to overtake him. He’s right. I’m not a real fire mage. I can’t even make a spark… Wait. A spark. I can make a spark!
Talynn looked down at the bracelets Versutana had given him. The curved strips of flint and steel had fallen to the underside of his wrists. He crossed his arms out in front of him, facing the strips toward each other. The yellow aura of lumi began to gather around his hands. Here goes nothing.
“Ignite!”
Talynn whipped his hands hands past each other, striking the flint against the steel. A small shower of sparks appeared. He quickly brought his hands back together, focusing his lumi into the sparks while moving his hands in a circle around them. The spark quickly turned into a growing sphere of flames fueled by his lumi.
For the first time in his life, Talynn held a real orb of fire in his hand, not a mere temporary construct of lux chalk. He lost focus on the battle for a moment as he gazed upon it, captivated by the flames that were finally his own.
“He did it, he cast a fire spell without chalk,” Mavence’s jaw dropped.
“Yeah he did,” Versutana grinned.
“Finally learned a real fire spell, did you? Or is that another one of your shams? Either way, it won't be enough,” Gelusik started casting another spell from behind the barrier. “I still have my ultimate attack. Bulwark Bombardment!”
Dozens of tiny spikes of ice emerged on the front of the bulwark. After a moment, the wall began ejecting the spikes, sending them flying towards Talynn. As soon as each flew away, they were replaced by another, forming an endless flurry of pointed shards of ice.
Talynn quickly turned, grimacing as the ice shards punctured the skin on his back while he cradled the orb of fire. The guard stone on his chest-plate grew dangerously close to signalling defeat.
I need something to impress the emperor and win this fight. I’ve never cast a real spell before, so I'll have to go with power over complexity. Lux chalk spells are weak, but they use very little lumi, so I still have a ton left. Okay, time to remember what I’ve learned. I already have my element formed, all I need is shape modifier, flow lines, then activation circle.
Talynn held the flame out in front of him, a simple yellow inscription circle forming around the orb. He then quickly turned around into the onslaught of ice shards and cast the spell.
“Talynn’s Raging Flame!”
The crowd held their breaths as the orb of fire in front of Talynn’s hand dramatically swelled in size. After it reached several feet in height, it began spewing a stream of fire at Gelusik. The shards of ice flying towards Talynn were instantly vaporized in the intense heat.
The beam of fire slammed into Gelusik’s bulwark. He began pouring his lumi into his ice barrier to reinforce it. The ice seemed to hold fast for a few seconds, but water quickly started to pool on the ground.
“Say it, Gelusik. Say that I’ve won!” Talynn shouted over the roaring flames.
Clouds of hot steam billowed into the arena, Talynn’s flames vaporizing the ice faster than Gelusik could regenerate it. The heat became so intense that the magic barrier around the arena protecting the crowd began to flicker. From the outside, it looked like a giant glowing bubble of fog.
“Stop… Stop! I give up! I give up, you win, just please stop!” Gelusik began to yell hysterically.
Talynn waited a second longer before releasing the spell, the stream of fire dying down as the orb shrunk and then vanished. After a few moments, the arena barrier deactivated, releasing the pent up steam. As the vapor slowly drifted away in the breeze, the arena was deathly silent.
On one end of the arena stood Talynn, radiating calmness and confidence. On the other sat Gelusik, trembling with his arms shielding his face and his cloak blackened and smoldering, but otherwise unharmed.
“And the unexpected winner of this year's tournament; Talynn Sevar!”
Thunderous applause filled the arena. Talynn looked about with a bewildered stare. Mavence and Versutana fought their way through the crowd and into the arena.
“You did it Talynn, you won!” Mavence said as he picked him up and placed him on his shoulders. Talynn finally began to smile, lifting his hands up triumphantly. People he didn’t even know walked up to him and congratulated him.
“Talynn my boy, that was spectacular!” Prosephius said after the celebrations somewhat died down. “You know, I thought Versutana was overstating your abilities, but after seeing that display I don’t doubt it one bit. You and Mavence are well on your way to entering the Empress's Guard!”
Talynn and Mavence bumped fists with proud smiles.
“Daddy, can we go somewhere nice for summer break? You know, to celebrate the boy's graduation?” Versutana gave the emperor her best puppy-dog eyes.
“Perhaps, perhaps,” Prosephius stroked his beard pensively. “Where were you thinking of traveling to?”
“We were talking about wanting to see the Fervidura,” she replied.
“The land of the glowing forests! I could catch a pyro volucris there and keep it as a pet!” Talynn’s eyes sparkled.
“My apologies, daughter, but I cannot allow you to trek past the borders of the empire,” Prosephius shook his head.
“Turpisken?”
“Let’s avoid any cities within Furvusa. The kingdom of the imps is still under much civil unrest.”
“What about Sylvanemus? The elves seem nice,” offered Talynn.
“I don’t think that is a wise idea either. The Dryadalu are a strict and conservative people. The Elf King is displeased when outsiders treat their capitol like a tourist attraction.”
“Monparvos?”
“Hmm, not a bad choice,” the emperor’s head tilted back and forth as he mulled it over. “The Parvosians are a good, hard working people. Of the four kingdoms, it is the shortest distance away and we have the most peaceful relations with them. In fact, the dwarves forge most of the weapons the empire uses. I think that is an acceptable location.”
“Sounds good to me. We’ll take it!” Versutana nodded.
“I think Talynn and Mavence will especially enjoy it there. Dwarven craftsmanship is second to none. Who knows, perhaps you two will even find some new weapons forged by the dwarves themselves! I’ll send a handful of imperial knights with you to ensure your safe passage through the mountains.”
“Can Lumenaeva come?” Talynn and Mavence asked in unison.
“I’m afraid not, lads. I fear for her safety outside of Albustone. Too many enemies of the empire wish to do her harm.”
Talynn and Mavence both looked crestfallen, their zeal rapidly diminishing.
“Once she has learned to more proficiently wield the Lucidaros stone, I will consider her ability to travel with the Empress’s Guard. Next year perhaps.”
“But this time, we’re gonna go travel and have fun with just us three!” Versutana jumped up and hung from the boy’s necks, trying to rekindle their excitement.
“Tomorrow we leave for Monparvos; Mountain of the Dwarves!”
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