Mouse drew his legs up beside him and crouched on Spar’s back. He kicked off his shoes, using the flexibility of his bare feet to grip Spar’s back. The further he moved from Spar, the stronger the blight surged in him, threatening to break free. Mouse clamped down on it, brows furrowed, and drew his sword. The narrow blade flashed in the moonlight.
Summoning moonlight to him, Mouse coiled it in his chest, building it up stronger, stronger. The blight fought it, struggling to corrupt the moonlight and break the spell. Mouse ignored it and built more moonlight inside of him. The spell twisted and destabilized, then burst out from his chest all at once.
A blast of brilliant moonlight lit the Arena. All around, panicked people paused, staring over their shoulders, confused, hesitant, curious.
Mouse stood on Spar’s back, lofting his sword. “People of the Arena, hear my voice! Stay calm, keep yourselves safe, and remain in the Arena! The Mage-Emperor has arrived!”
Whispers, all across the Arena. Eyes turned to the unicorn and the two figures on its back, Mouse, standing tall, and Felix.
Sitting quietly despite the chaos around him, an air of calm and majesty settled on Felix. As though he felt the people’s gaze on him, he opened his own eyes, slowly. Light beamed out, brighter than daylight. Warm, golden light curled around him, limning his form, almost lovingly dancing in his hair, lighting his ragged clothes as beautifully as satin and velvet. He smiled, and the Arena held its collective breath. “I’m sorry I had you wait so long. Wait but another moment. I will purify you all.”
The announcer spoke, suddenly, a note of awe in her voice. “The Mage-Emperor! The Mage-Emperor has arrived, ladies and gentlemen!”
On the Arena floor, all the fighters stopped dead. Even Saemel ground to a halt. The spiders, too, slunk to the floor, momentarily without guidance. As one, the fighters turned toward Felix, black eyes locking onto his radiant form. The spiders coiled in on themselves, churning, almost angry.
A pulse of blight slammed through the Arena, originating from somewhere deep in its depths. The blighted fighters jolted, physically moved by the wave of blight. The second it passed, they rushed Felix, fighters, spiders, and Saemel alike.
Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.
“Not good!” Mouse shouted.
“No kidding!” Spar replied. He kicked out, knocking a elf and a demoness back. A dwarf and a pile of spiders rushed to take their place, while another half-dozen attackers charged to surround them.
Mouse dropped back to a sit and swept his sword at the attackers. Black blood spilled down their faces. An elf staggered back, screaming. Short enough to duck his blow, a dwarf cut upward at Spar’s belly. Mouse kicked him back. Low and compact, the dwarf barely staggered, but his blow went wide past Spar’s flank.
Spar flinched and dartled left. Mouse clung to his mane, nearly swept off. Felix’s weight fell onto his arms and body. He twisted his chest so Felix wouldn’t feel the flatness under the illusion. “Spar! Be careful!”
“Damn… spiders… everywhere!” Spar snapped. He reared up and kicked out. A formless pile of black disintegrated, spilling into a mess of tiny spider bodies.
Mouse moved with Spar, gripping tight with his thighs to maintain a hold. Felix flopped against him, a sack of potatoes. His legs trembled, struggling to hold both their weight.
“Just get to the center already!” Mouse shouted.
“Easier said than done!”
From on high, a blast of fire lit up the Arena. Heavy wings split the air, thumping with every swipe. Mouse stared up. In human form, the dragon princess flew above them, hair flying wildly around her face. Leathery wings stretched from her back, as vibrant a shade of red as her hair and swept horns. She tucked her wings and dropped from the sky, blazing a path ahead of them.
Spiders shriveled up under her breath. Fighters screamed and fell to their knees. The dragon princess flapped her wings again and took to the air.
“Careful! The fighters can still be saved!” Mouse shouted. As long as we purify them fast enough, even darkfoe can turn back! There’s no guarantee, but there’s still hope!
The dragon princess swooped into the air, flapping laboriously. Blight whirled around her, twisting the air. Treacherous currents swirled around her, pushing her around in the air. She snarled and beat her leathery wings harder, lifting out of the Arena and into the sky.
Spar charged down path the dragon princess had opened for them. Sand and dead spiders flew from under his hooves, curled up and crispy. They hurtled toward the center of the Arena, blasting through the ashes.
“Your Majesty! Are you ready?” Mouse shouted.
Felix sat forward. His eyes opened. Light blazed all around him. Luminescent balls danced around him. Streams of light whirled around him, spiraling lazily into the air. A faint halo lit the space around him. “I’m ready.”