The enormous ball of fire charred the wet grass before its impact. Tuning Levitation, Drac’s body was lighter than a fallen leaf. A pulse from his soles propelled him upward as the ground turned into lava. Marina's meteor hit the ground, rock and soil broke, and a crater the size of the street block smoulders. Drac floated metres high with the wind blowing on his jacket.
Be careful, Drac. Her reach is far.
I know! Keep Quiet!
Drac leaned to the left, dodging a small fireball. Drac pushed himself to the side with Ventus as two more fireballs attacked his right. Drac looked to the ground. Marina stood arm out with a few dozen fireballs the size of apples encircling her.
“Shit.”
With a snap of her arms, the many fireballs fly at Drac at near-bullet speed. Drac lessens his Levitation. A blue platform appeared under his boots. With Ignis, he rockets backwards. Ventus diverted the air as Drac flew. Drac sharply turned to the left to fly out the fireballs’ trajectory with a pulse on a barrier. Like starlings, the fireballs track his movement, going in the same direction.
They are tracking us by our aura signature, fascinating... I suggest-
Stop distracting me. I know what to do!
Drac pulsed with a platform again and again, zipping left, right, up and down. Fireballs still hunt him. With fire bursting from his boots, Drac looks behind. They follow at full speed, never slowing. And it looks like their numbers grew.
Drac, spilt-
“I don’t need your help!” Drac flew to the ground before making a sharp turn. Some fireballs collide with the ground. The rest still follow ferociously.
Drac slowed down and waited. He could feel the heat as the fireballs came closer. Half a yard away, Drac levitated and pulsed up into the air, letting almost a hundred fly under him.
Haha, I can deal just fine by myself, impersonator!
Drac floats in the air with a smug grin, watching the fireballs turn in his direction.
Okay. You are by yourself.
Something changed in Drac’s body.
Drac fell like a lead. Drac concentrated and tuned Levitation. Nothing changed. He still fell from metres high. Stressed, Drac tuned Ignis and Ventus around to slow his descent. Weak fire spurted out. Drac panicked as the ground closed in on him. His shadow was cast by the balls of fire chasing him above. Instinct came over him and he felt the familiar warmth.
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A copy grabbed Drac’s forearm, flinging him aside with aura-imbued strength. The copy disappeared in a hail of fire. With a handstand, Drac flipped upright and retreated backwards with a pulse. So close to dying and it isn't over yet. More fireballs fly out of the dust, aiming for Drac.
What the fuck did you do?!
Drac’s mind was silent.
Drac panicked. Feeling more lost than ever before. His sword clinked behind him. Remembering his trusty blade, he unsheathed Heilong. Drac focused as the aura coating his blade brightened.
Get-
No. He doesn't need help.
And his mind quiets again.
Drac tried to relax and made a stand. He started cutting. Ball fire spilt in air and detonated in a haze. Even with Ventus protecting him, the heat was unbearable. With every cut, his jacket singed.
I need to hit them away!
Drac proceeds to use his blade like a baton, pulsing away the fireballs. Without Levitation, his arms felt heavy. He cannot use Ventus to lessen resistance in the air. So with effort, Drac imbued his arms, hitting away at fireballs faster and faster.
A dozen fireballs go left and right away from Drac, then turn in on him.
Behind!
Drac split into two. The copy hits away fireballs, aiming at Drac’s back. Many more came, attacking both of them from all directions.
Marina. She still controls them…
Drac made a quick decision.
A copy was summoned and it took his share of the attack. Drac finds Marina with her arms wide and focusing as she creates a new batch. Drac sheathed Heilong and bolted after her with aura-imbued legs. Marina noticed and shot her new batch of fireballs at Drac. Another copy split from Drac and ran further in front. Drac smiled as the fireballs targeted the copy in front. Using pulse, the copy corralled the fireballs away and Drac ran at Marina with increased speed.
Drac unsummoned the copies behind, letting the fireballs follow him. Marina's grin fell as she realised his plan.
Drac pulsed forward and unsummoned another copy until he was by himself. Hundreds of Fireballs trialled behind him while he ran. Marina's eyes widened as she braced for impact with a thick barrier of Murus. Drac sidestepped out of the way and hundreds of Fireballs collided with Marina's barrier, shattering it.
“Shit. Marina!” Drac hurried to her. She lay on the ground in a crater of fire, holding her arm. Drac came close to check and a small, vambraced fist hit his chest. Drac stumbled back a step, coughing. Drac looked up at a mage; the supposed injured arm was gone.
“You lose,” said Marina with a smirk. “Good idea, using my fireballs; very inspired. But you shouldn’t help the enemy, even if they look as good as me. By the way, what happened back there? You just started falling. I couldn't stop the spell from afar. Could have gone very badly.”
“Yes. Very badly. Spells just start going wonky.”
Hood! What happened?
I stopped helping.
What do you mean…?
I have aided you more than you have realised.
“Phew! That was great. We should do this more often. Maybe add harder rules.”
Bushes rustled and strawberry blonde warriors peeked out. A mage, an archer, and a cleric follow him out. “On a date?”