Through the lines of clothing torn open during the fight I see his veins turning blue. His skin that is visible is cracking and breaking off with steam rising off its body

I gasp at the signs of mana burnout.

The harm is nigh irreversible and the damage is severe and in the long term the Hooded magi now has a few years to live at most unless he received expensive highly skilled medical attention immediately.

It didn’t matter. Gareth and I are going to die long before sickness takes them.

A sense of shame and fear grips as I envision our death and the futility of our struggle.

Pride at how far we had risen and of our time at the academy. Satisfaction over having freed the Twins and led Subia down a path of empowerment she took with her own boldness.

I don’t want to die, there was a life to have adventures with my friends.

I haven’t apologised to Rina and Boeri. If only I had admitted I needed help, maybe together things could have gone differently.

But I gave up, stayed silent and was satisfied with my petty victory.

Will I be forgiven for the blood on my name?

I want to live. Just one more day.

"Help me!" I scream out the sound echoing into the distance as the sound tears from my throat.

A feeling of relief spreads as my muscles relax.

I place two root spells on Gareth and myself and with my last spell I summon a bear from our own plane plucking it out of existence.

It takes the first fireballs then a tower of flames springs up and burns it into ash.

The force sends a heavy wind but the root spell keeps us sticking to the ground.

"Draw him in." Says Gareth. "Our only chance."

I nod not even aware if he sees the magic of root fading.

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I charge forward out a slow jog, my battered body unable to give more.

I dodge out of the way of an ice spike, I dive down prone under a stream of fire. My robes catch fire but I am scrambling to my feet forwards as another ice spike flies by my head.

Another spike flies and hit into my side but I keep my forward momentum.

I am within reach and grab his wrist and push it to the sky.

Lightning forks up like the roots of an oak tree.

I throw him behind me but he rolls.

He tries to stand but I boot his chest with a forward kick. The force pushes him further back. He is about five feet from Gareth now.

I grab the Hooded Magi’s head and smash it with my elbow then with my knee.

But, with a shout and a strong gust of air I am thrown back.

I land on my back and the breath leaves my body.

I gasp for air, a few feet away in the dirt.

I see Gareth swinging his sword and chopping off the left hand of the Hooded Magi.

Yet, my friend takes a spike of ice through the rented gap in the armour that sticks through his upper body causing a spurt of blood and knocking him back.

An ice shard about the size of a sword shard sticks through his shoulder.

I try to stand up.

The Hooded magi turns to me with a cruel smile.

He laughs and licks his lips.

Then he lets out a continuous stream of lightning.

I am on my knees, arms at my chest shaking violently from the constant shocks jolting my body as my head rocks back and forward and side to side.

I let out a scream of agony

I howl louder and louder.

I wail and splutter.

The pain is greater than anything I have ever felt.

Subia dashes forward faster than anything I have ever seen.

Her sword pointing ahead.

Before the Hooded Magi can react she stabs and to his surprise the blade slides through their chest.

He blinks, likely unaware who had done the final blow.

With a final breath he shouts…

"I may fall, but the Circle lives on!" He tries to breathe some more but cannot and dies desperately trying to gasp for air.

I stare unable to decide what to do next as the body lands on the ground.

Gareth melts the ice spike with a flame and casts a spell on himself and the wounds start to heal very slowly.

"I’m tapped." He says lying on the ground, his chest moving with shallow breaths.

He is alive but badly hurt. I imagine I look much the same.

"Same." I reply.

He comes and lies next to me cradling my limp body in his arms.

A voice from behind speaks...

"You asked for help." Says Subia and I turn around to look at her. The dragontooth sword dropped to the ground.

"I did." I croak.

She grabs me and we embrace. Her tears soaking my bare shoulder, my robe gone and I stand in underwear and a crown.

A few of my own drip down onto her shoulder.

"It’s over." I say.

"I know."

"You did it. Saved me."

"I know."

"I’m still the Master.” I say in a light tone.

"Was that a joke?" she replies with a chuckle leaning back and looking into my eyes wiping her eyes before returning her hand to my back.

"Yes, was it funny?" I say with a weak smile.

"Yes, but maybe don’t make too many. You will lose that mysterious air you have that surrounds you." She brushes my cheek as she speaks, wiping away a tear.

"Okay."