Alexander and Elizabeth stood across the hall from each other, ready to duel just as they had once before. Merlin stepped forward, her voice calm and authoritative. “The rules are the same as last time. This duel will end when one of you is incapacitated or voluntarily gives up.” She raised her hand and gave the signal to begin.
Elizabeth picked up her shield but left her sword sheathed, just as she had in their first encounter. Alexander chuckled to himself. “Still won’t take me seriously, huh?”
He sent a bolt of magical energy at her, which she blocked with a quick raise of her shield. Yet this time, she couldn’t deflect it. The bolt struck her shield with enough force that it knocked her to the ground. She sat there, momentarily stunned, then quickly stood back up, gritting her teeth. She sprinted at him, her eyes blazing with determination.
Recognizing her fighting pattern, Alexander deduced that she was rushing in to bash him with her shield again, attempting to end the fight wuickly. He extended his hands and put up a shining barrier of light just as she reached him. Her shield hit the barrier with enough force that sparks flew off into the air, and she was nearly knocked off her feet again.
Elizabeth composed herself, her shield arm buzzing from the impact. She put on a nervous smile. “It seems I’ll have to try a bit harder this time!”
She reached onto her left hip and pulled her sword from its scabbard, the sound of metal on metal ringing throughout the hall. A satisfied smirk formed on Merlin’s face, one that was echoed by Alexander.
Elizabeth channeled her magical energy, and lightning crackled all over her body. She focused it onto her sword, the concentration of it smothering the blade and producing a high-pitched chirping sound. She cleaved at the barrier, the lightning creating a high-pitched zap as it connected. Alexander’s barrier showed little signs of damage, and she swung again, this time harder. Small cracks formed in the barrier, and she unleashed a mighty thrust, driving her blade through the barrier, causing it to finally shatter and dissipate.
The light from the barrier faded to reveal a blue magical circle just in front of Alexander. Elizabeth let out a shocked, “What?!”
“Hydro Vortex!” he called out. A torrent of water spewed forth from the circle, engulfing her in a swirling cyclone. The vortex violently threw her across the room, depositing her at the base of Merlin’s throne with a loud thud.
Erika’s eyes lit up, and she looked to Merlin. “He’s actually doing i! He can win!”
Merlin replied with a simple smile.
Elizabeth struggled back to her feet, soaked head to toe. She spat out a mouthful of water, angrily gritted her teeth, and threw her shield to the ground, the metal clanging off the stone flooring. She stared at Alexander and channeled all of her magical energy. The lightning once again covered her in an electrical shroud, though this time it crackled more intensely, with small charges arcing off and striking the area around her, forcing Merlin and Erika to hurriedly back away. She forced all of the lightning into her sword, overcharging the blade until it began to glow from the heat.
“Do you think you can block this?!” she asked, challenging him to try and meet her attack head on.
Alexander raised his eyebrows and slightly tilted his head, which irritated her even more.
Elizabeth thrust her sword forward, piercing the air and sending the violent stream of electrical power zinging towards him. He quickly crouched down and slammed his hands onto the ground. A large slab of rock sprang forth, protecting him. The blast of lightning struck the rock with a powerful explosion. The sheer force of it launched fragments across the room, and Alexander struggled momentarily to hold his earthen defense in place.
Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators!
The lightning finally fizzled out, revealing that the rock shield Alexander created was still standing. It was cracked, charred, and smoking from Elizabeth’s attack, but it had managed to survive the full force of the blast. Alexander stood back up, and the rock crumbled as Elizabeth looked on in disbelief. He did his best to conceal his fatigue, not wanting to admit that blocking her attack took more power than he had anticipated, but he assessed that the lightning attack probably took most of her remaining magic.
Elizabeth tightly gripped her sword and charged again, this time with just the blade. “I won’t lose!” she yelled.
Alexander opened his arms and channeled a bit more magical power as a chill filled the air. “Ice Prison!” he called out, slapping his hands together.
Stalagmites materialized at the base of her feet, forcing her to stop in her tracks. She attempted to back up, but more icy spears formed behind her. The prison enclosed on her flanks, boxing her in. The ice crept up her legs, freezing her in place. She swung her sword at some of the stalagmites, crushing them under the force of the swing, but each time she destroyed some, the ice re-froze faster and continued to encase her. Eventually, it reached her torso and arms, stopping her attempts to break out. The icy prison fully encased her entire body except for her head as she shivered in its coldness.
Alexander walked up, a satisfied smile on his face as her teeth chattered from the cold. He pointed one finger towards her forehead, and a small red magical circle formed in front of it, causing her to gasp and recoil.
“Yield,” he said respectfully.
Elizabeth sighed and then gave a faint smile of her own. “I yield.” After a slight pause, she added, “My lord,” this time with a sincere tone of respect.
Merlin declared, “Lord Bellmont is the winner!”
Erika ran up and grabbed his hands, celebrating with him. After a moment, Alexander realized the awkwardness of her holding his hands, and his face flushed. She didn’t seem to understand the problem, but Elizabeth called out, “Can I interrupt long enough for you to unfreeze me?”
Alexander laughed and complied. As he released Elizabeth from the icy prison, he felt a deep sense of satisfaction and pride. He had come so far their first duel, where she had humiliated him and shattered his pride. Now, he had turned things around, proving not only to her but also to himself that he was capable and strong.
He looked at Elizabeth, who was now free from the ice, and saw respect in her eyes. This was more than just a victory in a duel; it was a testament to his growth and determination. He was taking things seriously, and it showed. For the first time, he felt like he truly belonged in this role, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead…
Later that night, Merlin returned to her scrying mirror. She cast her surveying spell, and the mirror’s surface morphed to reflect the landscape of Alexander’s world. She found the ruins of another village, bodies littering the streets. She looked on, angry at herself for having to allow all this to happen. She followed the road to another town and saw the same result. Her heart rate increased, and sweat began to form on her brow. The next town over revealed a similar grim scene. One more town over, she found the vampires casually walking through the rubble-laden streets, their remorselessness causing her anger and sadness.
Amidst the vampires, she saw one who stood out among the others. He had long black hair covering one side of his face, and from what she could tell, his red eyes were a paler shade than the rest. His raiment seemed more ornate than the others. He wore a long red robe trimmed in gold and golden bracers on each arm. It appeared as if the other vampires were drawn to him.
As Merlin continued to observe, the vampire paused, like he sensed something was off. He looked around for a moment, and Merlin wondered what he was doing. He looked away again, directing the other vampires for a moment. He sharply whipped his head, looking up into the sky. Merlin jumped back, the angle at which he was looking made it seem like he was looking directly at her, as if he could somehow sense her watching and glare back at her across the boundaries between the worlds.
Merlin hastily ended the spell, and the mirror reverted to its normal, reflective surface. She paced for a moment, biting her lip. After a few moments, she stopped and let out a sad, exhausted sigh. “I have no choice… Time is up,” she said to herself, and ran off through the castle.