The frightful youth continues his effusive praise of the woman who overcharged him for stall food. “She’s so cool! I didn’t have any tests scheduled for that day, so we watched the magic demonstrations and saw her. I was paying attention because people were saying how she was attacked by pirates and just destroyed the whole ship with a single spell. At first, we were confused cause she chanted for like half a minute and when she finished nothing happened, but then all of a sudden, the target just broke into tiny pieces! No one else broke those targets and people were saying it was solid steel!”
“Are you referring to the torso shaped targets with magic symbols on them?” I ask, thinking how I failed to even warm them up with a firestream.
“Yeah! It was incredible. One moment it was fine then it just suddenly exploded!”
I sigh at his enthusiasm. “You do realize that we’re fighting against that same magic now, right?”
“Oh, yeah. Heh. Bad luck I guess.”
“Don’t worry,” Adrian chimes, “I doubt they’ll let her use a spell that can break steel mannequins.”
“…Yeah.” I say, already knowing that, but just wanted the youth to stop his annoying praise. “What other spells did she demonstrate?”
“Oh, um… I didn’t really pay much attention until the last one. There was one where she made a big ball of water that froze and exploded.”
I nod. Sounds like a wide area low penetration damage spell. “How far away did she cast it?”
“Oh, the other side of the testing ring.”
“… Right. I don’t suppose you caught the other mage’s test, did you?” I ask.
“The guy in the vest? No, I don’t think so,” the youth answers.
“I’ll eliminate her first then.” I doubt her exploding ice ball can penetrate my or Adrian’s shield spell or Riley’s armour, but the others might be vulnerable. Billy and the spear bearers do have borrowed imperial army armour – complete with breastplate, helmet and chainmail on the limbs – which might hold up, but I don’t want to chance it. Likewise, Terrance’s armour is just mundane chainmail over a gambeson, hardly something I would expect to stand up to a magic barrage. He might have toughened his skin enough to handle it, but he didn’t mention it.
“You think you can before she casts? She’ll have a shield spell.” Adrian points out.
“I’m counting on it,” I say in a way that I hope is enigmatic and smug.
“All right!” the proctor shouts. “Everyone is accounted for, listen up! The goal is simple: eliminate the other team with the allowed means. Once I’m done talking, you’ll have two minutes to position yourselves throughout the arena. Stay on your half, a wall of light will appear if you near the other before the start. Once the fighting starts you have five minutes to kill as many of your opponents as possible with your simulated weapons. It’s double elimination, with the victor going to the team with the most left standing, with preference for mages and squires in the case of a tie. That’s it for most of you. Mages, I hope you read up on your rules before you got here. Penalties for breaking them are severe. Now, on the whistle, position yourselves!”
A whistle shrills and we all start running towards our agreed upon positions. Adrian casts his obscuring wall to block their sight, and also a few illusionary copies who he shows running to cover before dismissing them. Emily similarly conceals the other side’s movement with a thick wall of fog.
As they discussed, Riley, Terrance and the pages take forward positions within sight of a three-story building that I quickly divine as being safe from initial attacks and climb with the others. We don’t have time for the knight and baby knight to help the others climb, but there is a window on the top floor. We use the stairs inside to get to it, then I climb ahead and command my cloak to extend to act as a rope that I help pull one of the spearers up with, who then helps the rest as I chant.
As the proctor suggested, the rules governing mages in this test are fiddly, especially the ones about what we can and can’t do before combat starts. We may cast anything that doesn’t directly affect or target the opponent, so I can have my shield up, but am unable to cast missile guidance pre-emptively. Divinations are more complex. I may make any divination that does not actively target an opponent. So, for instance, while I could just divine Emily’s location, I would have to wait until combat starts, costing about ten seconds to chant it. The arena is bigger than the last fight, but still cramp for this many fighters. It will take at least five seconds to home in on her after the divination is cast, plus another second to cast missile guidance and another to shoot – too long.
The youth said it took her half a minute to cast her most advanced spell. It’s unlikely he made an accurate count, but even assuming it was right, and assuming that her second best spell takes half as long to cast as her best (which is typical), then that still means she’ll cast her spell in fifteen seconds – at least two before I can shoot. Not trusting the youth though, I would guess the spell should take about five seconds to cast.
So, I need to speed it up. Fortunately, I already have a method prepared. I can’t directly target her, but I can make a divination for objects fulfilling more abstract criteria that she so happens to fulfil. Fortunately for me, it’s not possible to just locate the nearest mage with such a quick method, otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to get past Fleumberg security. So, I can’t just divine for people with magic and use that. However, I can divine for active spells, such as personal shields, or current chanting of a spell. Since such a divination wouldn’t exclude the other mage, I also include a preferential criteria for the spell being cast to be ice or water related in the event of there being two spells cast at once.
This leaves me with two delays: First, while I can cast the divination, I can’t point the rod to find her until the next whistle. Second, she almost certainly has a divination of her own to counter me. Fortunately, it’s much harder to defend against a divination performed this close, and so it shouldn’t add more than a handful of seconds to find her, but that is cutting it dangerously close. Likewise, while I divined this location to be safe, it won’t take more than a handful of seconds to overwhelm that – though Adrian concealing it via spell will help. But still, getting the kill quickly will be paramount to victory.
I’d be much more comfortable if the spear wielders were farther forward as a screen, since they would be able to spot and attack any mage before they could find us. But I lost that argument, so I’ll have to make do.
The start whistle shrills and I immediately raise the heavy crossbow with the silver rod attached. The rod vibrates in my grip as it encounters resistance from opposing divinations, cycling hot and cold for the same spot for several seconds until I force it through. It still vibrates, and alternates heat, but eventually the heat wins out with only a hint of cold. Good enough.
I cast missile guidance, then chant to make a slight alteration to the divination, checking that there aren’t too many walls in the way to shoot through. All four segments flash hot – it’ll make it. I take a moment to adjust the guidance spell for a headshot, telling myself it’s about making sure she dies and not out of revenge over her frozen cream prices.
“Look out!” the frightful youth shouts, pointing up to a large sphere of water forming and quickly freezing high in the air over the arena.
I pull the lever, the sphere bursts into a rain of arm long ice slivers, then a muffled scream in the distance. We take cover from the barrage, which is somehow directed towards our half of the area, but it’s not enough. Several icicles slam into us, straining my shield and hitting Billy and the spear wielders, but no red circles of pain appear. Evidently the illusion system determined she wouldn’t have finished the spell in a real fight.
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
“Everyone good?” Adrian asks.
“Yeah,” I say, grinning at the thought of her surprise as the illusionary bolt pierced through several walls to hit her in the face. I can only imagine how she’s reacting right now.
“I guess you really did break her shield, good job. A shame my veil didn’t do much.”
I shake my head as I attach the winch to the crossbow and hand it to Billy to reload. “It was a wide area attack. I’m sure she would have narrowed it down more if it weren’t for you.”
“…Thanks,” they say, turning their attention back to their magic, forming illusionary doubles on the ground to create a pseudo screen.
One enemy down, I pull out my light crossbow and my crystal pendulum, trying to find the remaining mage. Unfortunately, the pendulum isn’t precise enough to cast the guidance spell through, as it can only track in two dimensions, but it can at least help narrow things down for the rod still attached to the heavy weapon (removing it would require recalibration).
A red streak in the corner of my eye followed by an explosion that rocks the arena, vaporizing a building to our left. It seems that Adrian’s illusionary figures have done their job in drawing fire. I trace the path of the red streak, feeding the information into the pendulum which shakily homes in on the mage.
“Almost done Billy?” I ask, not looking back to check.
“Not… Really,” he pants back.
“Well, hurry up.” Perhaps I should have shot the other mage first after all. I wouldn’t want to test my shield against a fireball like that.
Two figures armed with swords and shields wearing slightly magical versions of imperial foot soldier armour burst into view from the direction of our two pages. Their armour isn’t remarkable, but their movements betray them – two squires on the hunt. They don’t seem to have spotted us through the veil, but instead are running towards one of Adrian’s illusions.
I cast guidance on one of them and pull the lever. They spasm to the ground after the bolt strikes in the gap between their helmet and breastplate – a red circle quickly dimming black.
The second one drops to a squat, shield raised in the direction of the shot. They take cover behind a wall, glancing about, clearly having not pierced the veil though they do shout about our presence.
More are drawn to their sound: figures with spears and bows searching for our position.
“Really wish we had more of a forward screen right now.” I complain while attaching the loading lever and slamming my foot down to recock it.
It’s an awkward position. I’m certain that with so many enemies around they’ll spot my next shot. If I kill the mage, the squire will find us and rush in. If I kill the squire, the others will spot me and report to the mage who will burn us. Though it’s not that hard of a choice. If I kill the mage first, I might be able to handle the squires with the light crossbow, or maybe the others might even be able to manage.
I glance to Billy who is just about done winching. I take my weapon back, knowing it’ll finish self-loading while I track the mage. I’m nearly homed in when there’s another explosion, this one on their half of the arena. I narrow it down enough to cast the spell, but the rod goes cold before I shoot. It seems our remaining team on the ground has gotten to them first.
Half relieved, half cursing that I won’t get the kill points, I swivel around and recast the divination for the remaining squire. Already knowing their location, it takes no more than a second to home in. I cast the spell, pull the lever, the crossbow shudders and the bolt strikes their head through the wall.
As expected, the others do find us from that. They shout for magic support, not knowing that all their mages are dead. We get into a bit of a one sided shootout. There’s, presumably, a page with a magic bow that lets out a continual stream of arrows at us, but, still unable to see us, only manages a few wounds before I pick up my light crossbow and eliminate them with a guided bolt.
Two others try to get blind shots in, but amazingly the frightful youth manages to wound one enough to stop them shooting, while Adrian eliminates the other with an invisible dart. However, they buy time for their melee fighters to approach.
The second page leaps halfway up the building and begins climbing with their sword gripped in their teeth. They get about half way up before I lean over and shoot them back down with a light bolt without even bothering to cast guidance as they’re unable to dodge.
A moment later the mundane spear bearers enter the building. I hear them rush up the stairs. What’s their aim? They can’t hope to reach the roof, and they have no means of attacking us with all their ranged fighters dead. Perhaps they just hope to hide right under our feet while the time goes down.
I’m proved incorrect a moment later as a spear point slams through the roof to wound the frightful youth in the foot. He lets out a loud cry as he collapses to the ground where he’s quickly finished off by a second thrust.
Shit, I should have expected that, but I was too focused on the others. The quivering particles that comprise the structures produce an obscuring haze, which are nearly, but not quite, as opaque as the mundane barriers they emulate. Meaning that up close one can just make out the shape of objects on the other side, especially if those objects are well lit in imitation daylight.
Knowing I don’t have time to reload, and our spear wielders are thrusting blind into a dark room, I turn to Billy. “If you want some action, follow me.”
I don’t wait to see if he complies as I grab the ledge and swing down through the window – kicking an opponent who had the misfortune of having their back towards it as I enter.
The three enemies try to bring their spears to bear on me, but the tight confines get in the way allowing me time to draw my sword and lazily cut a throat. One of them manages to get a stab in only to be deflected by my shield spell. Irritated, I turn and stab them through the shoulder. They drop the spear from the pain and draw a dagger with their remaining arm. I ignore them to dodge a spear thrust from the third and final opponent.
There’s an opening I could easily slip into for the kill, but I deliberately hold off, sensing Billy fumbling through the window. The wounded one moves to stab him with their dagger, but Billy, being larger, has greater reach and thrusts his war hammer into their throat. The resulting red circle is faint, but it gives him enough time to get fully through the window. He charges his attacker who tries to defend but is unable to with their remaining unwounded arm.
The last one lunges at him, trying to get one more kill before it’s over, but I strike the spear aside with a sudden cut. Billy doesn’t waste the opportunity and rushes the opening to strike them repeatedly in the head with the hammer, screaming in rage, or perhaps frustration, continuing after the circle goes black. A bit awkward since his victim stops reacting to the blows after their ‘death’ and the shrill of the end whistle and just silently waits for the frenzy to be over with their eyes closed.
I tap him on the shoulder, putting on my most irritating, I mean charming, smile in imitation of Alan. “See, I said you would have a chance to prove yourself. That was a lot better than throwing yourself against a knight, wasn’t it?”
“Yeah…” he pants from the exertion. “Thanks.”
“No problem. You were a big help.” I obviously lie. It would have been easy to finish them off. But I need him motivated to turn the winch, and maybe even help me when the next tactics argument comes. It’s regrettable that I had to give up the extra points from the kills, but it may be worth it if I can get a few more shots with the heavy by doing so.
Ladders appear in the side of the building, allowing those on the roof to easily get down. Those already on the ground make their way to us. Riley is uninjured, but Terance’s whole right side is covered in red circles – presumably from the second fireball. The pain is gone, but the marks remain until after we pass through the boundary.
“We ran across that mage you shot.” Riley says on the way back. “She was… not happy. Good job.”
I grin at the news, despite balking at accepting his praise – as if he’s in a position to decide if my job was good or not. I suppose I’m overreacting, it’s probably just an expression rather than an attempt to further establish his place in the team hierarchy. Besides, I’m too satisfied at the deed to be irritated.
“I was about to shoot the other one too, but you guys beat me by a few breaths.” I boast.
“Yes… I suppose the spell is more useful than I initially gave it credit. I admit to underestimating your utility.”
My mood is slightly soured at his assumption that his assessment of me matters, but I force myself to focus on my feeling of immense satisfaction. “Yes, I’m certain those who made the teams underestimated me too. Otherwise, why put me with a knight and a squire in magic full plate?”
“Quite.” He nods in agreement.
“I suppose that goes for me as well?” Adrian chimes pensively.
“I wouldn’t say that,” I say, “concealment magic can be very potent, especially when backing up a knight.” I try not to let the confidence of personal experience show through.
Terrance turns to face us with a smile. “Well, here’s to having an unexpectedly powerful team then. I’ll have to work hard not to be disappointing.” Everyone is charmed by his irritating flash of teeth, even Riley. Well, one person isn’t fazed by it. “…You seem less than jubilant at our victory, Ligryn,” he says to our suddenly taciturn page.
“…Oh, I just died quickly, is all. I didn’t contribute much.” She glances to the side, hiding some emotion. She’s very good at it, but I’m practiced from reading Alan. Something else is bothering her, but I don’t press – at least not on that.
“Would it be churlish for me to say that the pages might not have died, nor would we have been surrounded at the end if the spears were on the ground helping screen us?” I ask, trying for an even voice.
Riley speaks first. “Yes, it would. What you say might be true, but we only lost three members with our current tactics. Your way would likely have lost more.”
“I’m in agreement there.” Adrian speaks. “You may be right in general, I can’t say, but for my part it’s easier to conceal a group when they’re close together.”
I glance to Terrance who just shrugs. “…Fine,” I say, “I’ll bring it up again when we lose.”