The warrior, unbowed by the wizard's threats, pressed on. Wandless, the wizard, with surprising grace, wove spells from thin air, unleashing a storm of magic.

Wind roared at the wizard's command, birthing colossal hurricanes that howled with fury. The earth thrummed beneath his touch, sending tremors erupting around the warrior, forcing him into a relentless dance of evasion.

Undeterred, the warrior met the onslaught head-on, his sword a blur of deadly precision. The wizard swiftly summoned an energy shield, deflecting the assault. With a flick of his fingers, a fireball rocketed toward the warrior. Agile as ever, he somersaulted away from the flames, only to be yanked to the ground as the wizard warped gravity.

Struggling to rise, the warrior watched as the wizard unleashed an icy prison, encasing him in frozen chains. But his spirit blazed bright, and with a defiant roar, he shattered the ice, emerging unyielding.

Wandless, the wizard focused his energy, forming a potent orb of power. Sensing the threat, the warrior danced just beyond its path. Undeterred, the wizard conjured a blinding beam of light, targeting the warrior. Disoriented by the brilliance, the warrior held firm, his determination a beacon in the storm.

The warrior, bruised but unbowed, watched as the wizard unleashed a blinding beam of light. But this time, fear didn't flicker in his eyes, only a glint of unexpected audacity. With a warrior's roar, he raised his broadsword, not to parry, but to reflect.

The blade, forged in the fires of a fallen star, caught the light like a mirror. In a heartbeat, the beam ricocheted, a searing lance of brilliance arcing through the air. It slammed into the wizard's visor, shattering it with a deafening crack. Agony ripped through the wizard's eyes, darkness replacing the world in a searing flash. He stumbled back, hands clawing at his face, a primal scream tearing from his throat.

Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

The warrior saw his opportunity. In a single, fluid motion, he closed the distance, the ground churning beneath his steel-clad boots. His fist, hardened by years of battle, met the wizard's jaw with the force of a battering ram. The wizard's head snapped back, teeth flying, and he crumpled to the ground like a felled tree.

Summoning another fireball, the wizard hurled it, its fiery path followed by an icy spear. The warrior met them with his blade, then, anticipating a move, glided gracefully in the air before a telekinetic lift could grab him.

Panting, his sword trembling in his grip, the warrior confronted the exhausted wizard. Eyes like smoldering embers, he sensed the fight's inevitable end.

The wizard, summoning a final surge of strength, raised his hand towards the heavens, drawing lightning from the storm without a wand. Energy crackled, culminating in a colossal ball of electricity. The warrior braced himself, but the wizard, eyes burning with defiance, lunged.

He thrust the lightning at the warrior, who barely evaded the blast. The world turned into an arena of electrical fury, and the wizard intensified the assault.

Weakened but defiant, the warrior fought against the energy cage, but it held firm. With a final, desperate attempt, the wizard gathered his waning power, amplifying the lightning. Seeing his chance, the warrior, a spark of inspiration igniting in his eyes, raised his sword, channeling the lightning's power into its blade.

And with a final move, the warrior unleashed a surge of energy gathered with the lightning, that shattered the cage and slammed into the wizard, sending him crashing to the ground.

As the wizard lay, his lifeblood ebbing, he managed a raspy whisper. "My death... not... what I expected."

"Don't waste your breaths, wizard," the warrior replied, his voice cold steel.

The wizard, surprised by the warrior's stoicism, rasped another question. "How sad... the one who killed me... doesn't know my name."

The warrior, eyes narrowed, spoke. "I was told your name was Mitron."

The wizard, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips, said, "So that little jackal deceived you... gave you his own name. I wonder why... He made you my enemy... But only if he helped me..."

His words cut short, the warrior drove his sword into the wizard's heart, silencing him forever. "Don't worry," the warrior said, eyes filled with steely resolve, "he won't be helping you for much longer."