Ted’s heart raced. An invitation to a duel with a battlemage, and directions to go with it. This wouldn’t be a hungry wolf, a village thug, or an amateur struggling to work things out, but a battlemage trained in warfare.

Even if Gramok had been right and his opponent was only level ten, that was still four levels higher than him. Four levels, and actually knowing what the fuck they were doing.

His stomach twisted and clenched. What other choice was there? Give in, run away? Muscles tightened throughout his body. That wasn’t happening.

He headed back to the first room. The directions from the amulet were based on facing back toward the courtyard. Which way had he been facing when he came in? He shook his head. No need to remember, he had to check on Cara anyway.

He teased out a little mana and cast Farsight, holding the image of the room above in his mind and keeping his eyes open. “Enmokajona!”

Wooden panels, marble floor. Cara pacing up and down with an arrow nocked.

At least she was okay. Looking around, both visions moved in sync. Needles stabbed at his temples and his eyes itched to close.

He faced the doorway and severed the mental connection. She deserved to know he wasn’t dead, but teleporting back would look a lot like a retreat. There had to be a way to contact her. How had Pankar done it?

Ted suspected the amulet would help devise a messaging aspect, but that would take longer than simply completing his mission, one way or the other. He might as well go on. Cara would be fine.

Would the duel start the moment he arrived? No. It was a duel, not an ambush—the Order of the Battlemage was too honorable for that.

Ted frowned. It was harder and harder to differentiate his knowledge from that of his skills. Would the lines blur more and more until it didn’t matter anymore?

Deep breaths. Racing in hotheaded would end badly. Calm, logical thinking, focused on the task at hand. That’s what he needed. There’d be time for anything else later.

Three twenty squared, ninety squared, one twenty squared, sum, square root. About 350 yards.

With his 19 Intelligence, and the 10% potency increase from Spellcrafting, he’d need 17 base potency on the spell. He pulled up Jeremy’s original Teleport spell and adjusted it to the required strength.

His whole body stiffened. 78% base stability. His stats pushed that up to 102% success chance, just enough to do it safely, but then the armor penalty dragged it back down to 92%. A 1 in 12 chance that it would go horrifically wrong.

Damn it, he’d have to ditch the armor. Why didn’t humans get useful racial buffs like Tough Skin?

A dull weight spread through his chest. Tough Skin hadn’t stopped him from killing those orcs. Armor could only do so much.

Not like it would help against magic, anyway. He removed the armor, folded it, and placed it on the floor. The cold bit even harder, but he could endure that for a while, and he could pick the armor up on the way back.

He imagined the cave—320 yards down, 90 yards forward, 120 yards to the left. “Enmokajona!”

A grainy image formed in his mind, the spell pushing the limits of its range. Two dozen black blobs formed a circle surrounding his vision. Behind them, light gray stone of a large cave.

Tingling adrenaline flushed through him. That was them. Battlemages.

They were motionless, and the way was clear. He closed his eyes and cast the new Teleport spell. “Rakatara-fa!”

Portals magic skill increased 1 → 2!

The world jerked. Dark-robed figures stood in a circle around him, each twenty foot away. Hoods covered their faces, and their robes were long enough to just barely touch the ground. Twenty-four in total, evenly spaced except for one gap twice the size.

Those without a staff had a wand at their belt. Ted coiled up and reached for his sword.

None of them moved. He clenched the leather grip but didn’t draw. A delay was good.

MP: 148/280

What were they waiting for?

The hair on the back of his neck stood on end. Was he supposed to say something?

Their robes and weapons were all enchanted to varying degrees. One of the staff wielder’s robes shone far brighter than them all. The leader, it had to be. Ted faced them and activated Identify.

The broad-shouldered figure stepped forward and threw back her hood. The wrinkles in her green skin did nothing to diminish the warning lights going off in Ted’s head. A dungeon boss?

She bowed her head and released her staff to float in the air. She held out her hands to the side, her palms open, and spoke with a soft warmth that filled the room. “Welcome, Edwin, to our Temple.”

He glanced from side to side. What was taking his Identify so long? This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. “Err… hi.”

The orc reclaimed her staff and held his gaze. “We have not had a challenger descend in a long time.” She paused, and a hardness slipped into her voice. “Adventurers clear the surface dungeon and leave, their chests puffed up as if they’ve achieved something of worth.”

Two dungeons. A shiver ran down his spine. This one definitely wasn’t level 10. “How does the duel work?”

She chuckled. “I see youth still seeks to cut to the chase. Some things never change. You have made the challenge. Two enter, a barrier is erected, one leaves.”

A knot twisted in his gut. “To the death?”

“For what little that means to either of us, yes.”

Ted stared and blinked. What did she know? “How old are you?”

Her smile widened. “Ah, there is still some curiosity in the youth then. I lived a good sixty-eight years.” Her posture stiffened. “I’ve existed for 10,000 years.”

Ted paused. She looked pretty alive to him. “What’s the difference?”

The skin beneath her eyes tightened. Seconds dragged by. “Pray that you never understand the difference.”

Ted tugged at his bottom lip, unable to think of anything to say to that. “You’ve all been here ten thousand years?”

“Yes. Our traditions endure.”

Ted’s heart sank. Ten thousand years to hone their craft. The Battlemages respected strength. Speaking confirmed she was the leader, hence the strongest. “Are you my opponent?”

A smirk spread across her lips. “If you wish. How is your Identify coming along?”

Still nothing, not even a name. Either she’d invested heavily in resisting Identify, or she was vastly more powerful. “I can choose?”

“That is the challenger’s right. If you win, you will learn a unique ability from your opponent.”

Tingling lightness spread through his chest. Maybe this would be worth it after all. “If I lose?”

She raised an eyebrow. “Is meeting Death not enough for you?”

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

Could she read his mind? Did she even need to?

“You came to eliminate the risk to the village, did you not?”

An obvious inference, he might as well admit it. “Yes.”

“Do you believe we pose a threat?”

“Do you?”

“No.” She let out a heavy sigh. “You believe me. Alas, young Kadora outside will not consider the Temple cleared so long as we live. He granted you a quest, correct?”

He nodded. Not like she didn’t already know. The quest was worth a whole level’s worth of XP—where was she going with this?

She pressed her lips together into a smile and took a deep breath. “Then might I suggest additional stakes?”

What could he offer a 10,000-year-old battlemage? “I’m listening.”

“If you win, we shall clear the dungeon for you. Your quest shall complete.”

How? He frowned. “You mean—”

“Yes. Your concern does you credit, but we will reform after a few days. Dungeon spawn never truly die.”

A very generous offer. There had to be a catch. “And in return?”

“When next you speak to the God of Death, plead for our permanent end.”

His heartbeat slowed. “But… why?”

“Excellence is life.” Her shoulders slumped and her eyes dulled. “Do you know when I last leveled up or increased a skill?”

A heavy weight washed over him. He shook his head.

“In 10,000 years, none of us have increased or gained a single skill. An order devoted to mastering all aspects of our craft.” Her nostrils flared and she slammed her staff into the ground. “All the time in the world to hone our skills, and we cannot.” She paused, and her voice softened again. “Plead our case, Edwin, I implore you.”

Ted swallowed. There was something deeply wrong with this world. If he could make a difference before he left, he had to try. “I will.”

She bowed her head. “Thank you. You may, of course, challenge any of us, but there are two of our number who would provide suitable challenges. Kratgok the Hammer, and Vriktran the Scorpion.”

They didn’t sound ominous, not at all. “What abilities would they grant?”

“Kratgok has mastered his own body. Vriktran is an expert at inflicting injuries.” Her eyes went blank for a moment, and information pushed into his mind.

Mind Over Body: Increases Strength or Dexterity by Intelligence. Consumes five mana per second until deactivated. Single charge ability. Recharged at dawn.

Battlemage’s Fury: Increases critical chance and critical severity of offensive spell effects by 100%. Consumes five mana per second until deactivated. Single charge ability. Recharged at dawn.

“Could I challenge both?”

She chuckled. “If you wish, they would happily oblige, though you will only gain one ability. The dungeon itself grants that.”

Damn. “Not an easy choice. Battlemage’s Fury—how does it stack with perks?”

“Multiplicatively.”

With the right spec, that could be devastating. He frowned. It wouldn’t be too late to change tact and focus on critical hits. They’d certainly done a number on Gramok. A few good hits might take down even the most powerful of foes.

Might. Even doubled, crits couldn’t be relied upon. Putting trust in luck was just begging for trouble, and Cara had shown just how useful Dexterity could be. Strength, too. His chest loosened, and a chuckle rolled out. For a minute a day, he’d be able to outrun her.

“I’ll fight Kratgok.”

She bowed her head and stepped back. “Very well.”

All the other battlemages stepped back as well. All but one.

Ted turned around to see the one battlemage who’d stepped forward. Another orc, his hood now down, revealing the face of a young man.

He smiled and bowed from the waist. “I honor your challenge, Edwin Williams.”

Ted activated Identify and bowed in return. No sense in being impolite. “Thank you. The honor is mine.”

“You lack armor. We could fetch yours, or provide a basic battlemage robe.”

Heat rose in Ted’s chest. They were about to fight to the death, and they wanted to equip him first? They really did want a challenge. His heart slowed and he swallowed. Dedicated to their goals, even after 10,000 years stuck in the mud.

Kratgok the Hammer

Level: 10

HP: 195/195

Stamina: 210/210

Status:

Identify skill increased 1 → 2!

Four levels higher—25% more Magic Resilience. Less health, although not enough to make up for it. A bit less stamina, not that it would likely matter in a magical duel.

More information wouldn’t go amiss, and Cara had Identifying targets quickly nailed down. He spent a perk point on Thorough Identify, and waited for the extra information to come back.

MP: 195/195

Strength: 10

Dexterity: 10

Endurance: 7

Intelligence: 21

Willpower: 15

Personality: 16

Kratgok smiled, waiting patiently for an answer about the armor. A wand hung at his belt. No other weapons. The elven leather would surely provide better armor, but most spells bypassed it. In a battle of magic, the spell casting penalty wouldn’t be worth it.

“I’d like the armor back, but I’ll take the robe for this fight.”

“A wise choice.”

The battlemages to Kratgok’s left and right both cast spells and teleported away.

Not long after, they returned, one with his armor, the other with an enchanted robe. They carefully placed the armor on the floor out of the way and handed Ted the robe.

The robe was smooth as silk, and completely silent. He held it up and bit his lip. Had he misunderstood? The robe had no armor value at all. There was an enchantment of some kind, but no power to it. It did nothing.

“It harnesses your own Magic Resilience,” Kratgok said, “mirroring its value in your Armor.”

Ted looked up and nodded. At least it would grow in tune with his level, but 160 armor was a far cry from the 480 the elven leather provided. He placed his bow and quiver upon the ground, removed his sword belt, and pulled the robe on.

It fit perfectly, and the chill of the cold air immediately receded. He reequipped his gear and checked his falchion and wand were secure. “Thank you.”

“Are you ready?”

This was it. Ted’s heart rate spiked. He nodded.

A teal ring lit up just inside the circle of battlemages, plus two much smaller circles inside the ring, each around the size of a person. Kratgok placed himself in one of those smaller circles, facing the other.

Ted took position in the opposite circle and faced his opponent, weighing up whether to go on the offensive, or to buff up and go for the long game. If he went for the killing blow and failed, he’d be completely exposed.

Kratgok bowed deeply. “May the contest be excellent.”

“May the contest be excellent.”

Absorb had to be a priority—Ted was a sitting duck without it. Twenty feet apart, that was only a second of sprinting, less if Kratgok used a Projectile spell.

Ted had to cast Absorb first. After that, he could go on the offensive. If Kratgok buffed Armor, a quick spell attack. If he went for Absorb, a falchion to the face.

A single spell could do both Armor and Absorb, but it’d be weaker. Weak enough, hopefully, that Ted could punch straight through it with a powerful enough spell.

Thud! The lead battlemage’s staff slammed against the floor. A translucent teal barrier rose from the outer ring, erecting a barrier up to the ceiling.

Butterflies fluttered in Ted’s chest. He had to decide what spell to use, and fast. Fire and Energy were both level 3, but he was far more familiar with Ignite than Lightning. He put the unassigned Fire perk into Quick Cast and clenched his jaw.

No room for hesitation. Kill or be killed, that’s all it came down to in the end.

Thud! Thud! Thud! Silence fell, into which her voice boomed. “As Arch-Battlemage of the Order, I, Yana the Dragon, recognize this challenge. The duel shall be to the death. Edwin Williams, are you ready?”

Tension coiled through his chest. Ready as he’d ever be. “I am.”

“Kratgok the Hammer, are you ready?”

The orc’s eyes widened and he grinned. “I am.”

“Three! Two! One! Duel!”

Ted pulled on his mana, his fingers racing to finish the two-second cast.

Teal magic glowed around each of the orc’s hands. An Armor spell. No, Absorb.

Shit—Armor with one hand, Absorb with the other. Two spells at once.

Pain jabbed at Ted’s chest. He had to trust in the plan. “Nismaevka!”

Absorb rose around him, and he moved straight into a high-potency, three second Firebolt spell.

Two teal shimmers enveloped the orc. With both hands working together, he swirled a small teal disc into existence. More Protection magic. A shield of some kind?

Ted’s gut twisted. He’d already spent way too much mana on the Firebolt spell to cancel it now. Heat tingled against Ted’s fingers as the spell took form. “Enkir!”

The battlemage swung the disc into the firebolt’s path. The bolt smashed through, shattering the shield. It hit the orc straight in the chest, only to dissipate in a flurry of fiery red and flickering teal.

0 fire damage dealt (313 deflected, 63 absorbed)!

Fire magic skill increased 3 → 4!

Fuck.

The bastard smirked and stood there, ready to do it all over again.

Blood pounded in Ted’s ears. No way that cost more mana than a firebolt. But… it hadn’t been a big disk. And Ted had an extra Fire Power perk now.

MP: 148/280

He tugged on his mana and recast the spell, forgoing the voice component. If the battlemage could cast two spells at once, so could he. How well could the smug bastard deflect with blinding light in his eyes?

The orc’s hands moved rapidly, each weaving white energy in the air at a blistering pace. Force magic, not Protection.

Ted’s stomach hardened, and prepped the Light spell for a vocal cast. He had to hit first.

The battlemage charged impossibly fast, his hands outstretched.

Ted blinked. Dodge or keep casting?

Huge hands collided with his chest, and his spell exploded.

23 force damage received (334 absorbed)!

The blunted shockwave rippled through him. His ears rang, and a truck smashed into his brain.

Everything blurred. His knees hit the floor. He swayed from side to side. Standing… standing was impossible.

Spell? Had he been casting? The mana… the mana was gone.

He lifted his chin. Was that a wand?

A barrage of bolts smashed into his head and chest.

21 force damage received!

Injury received (Concussion)!

9 force damage received!

11 force damage received!

19 force damage received!

Injury received (Broken Rib)!

22 force damage received!

Injury received (Internal Bleeding)!

Where was he? Pressure piled against his head. Fiery pain engulfed his chest. His lungs refused to even scream.

He blinked. Why was it so bright in here?

The enemy. There. Leaning against the barrier. Coward.

“Yield, child.”

Child? Indignant fire raged in Ted’s chest. The orc couldn’t be much older than him.

Ted forced himself to his feet.

HP: 116/225

MP: 67/280

Why was his mana not going up? His chest tightened and another wave of agony hit.

He clenched his jaw and stumbled forward another step.

Shit. His health was ticking down as well.

“Edwin Williams, it has been a pleasure.”

Fire stampeded through Ted’s body. Fuck that. He wasn’t going down alone.