“We do not need magic to transform our world. We carry all of the power we need inside ourselves already.”

― J.K. Rowling

Dogan used his magic sight to view Tabitha’s aura, and his heart almost stopped at what he saw. The she-devil was emitting a red aura, it was intense.

“Her magical powers are nothing I’ve ever seen before in my entire life. It is like we are facing a goddess in all her might.”

King Adrian did not hear fear in Dogan’s voice, no, it was…excitement? The crazy wizard was actually looking forward to testing his own powers against this she-devil. Adrian had to admit that he too wanted to test his skills against this being from the Nether Realm with Excalibur. Even though Tabitha was unleashing her full strength, Adrian doubted that she would kill them, so far. Tabitha has avoided slaughtering his people, she might avoid killing him and Dogan. Of course, Adrian knew he could be wrong. Whatever will be will be, Adrian thought resignedly before lifting the flat blade of Excalibur to his lips. Kissing the sword, Adrian said.

“Excalibur, please guide my hand. I do not believe this devil to be the true villain, but I may be wrong. I pray that I am not, so please aid me.”

Excalibur’s white blade began to glow with blue power, and King Adrian’s eyes glowed with the same color and then he moved. Tabitha was surprised at the mortal King’s speed, but not so surprised as to not be able to angle her leg in time for when the sword struck her golden armored shin. Excalibur bounced off the infernal metal with a loud clang. Sparks flew as metal struck metal and Tabitha countered with her own and much greater speed. Tabitha would not kill the King just knock him out. After all, he was not wearing a helmet. Just his crown.

Tabitha’s fist struck a force field surrounding the King, the force of her blow blew the King back but otherwise protected him from damage. The Wizard! The answer came to Tabitha’s mind quickly, and she snapped her eyes to the Wizard who was already casting another spell. The spell the wizard was casting was a lightning spell, it was a mid-level lightning spell. Powerful enough to kill a mortal but not strong enough to do anything to a devil except to be annoying. As quick as the lightning bolt was, Tabitha was just as fast. She held out her left hand with fingers spread wide. The lightning went into her palm and up her arm, Tabitha redirected the spell by using her aura to control the magic.

Tabitha stretched forth her right hand, aiming it at the Wizard or at the Wizard’s feet. The lightning spell traveled up Tabitha’s left arm, through her body into her right arm, and shot out from her right palm. It happened so quickly that Dogan did not realize what was going on, not until his lightning spell struck the ground between his feet. Dogan found himself flying after the ground erupted beneath him. Tabitha would have followed up with another attack, but she found herself dodging a sword swing from the King. Excalibur came too close to cutting her throat open. Tabitha spent the next several seconds evading and blocking Excalibur. Every sword thrust and swing came a hairs breath in biting into her flesh.

Excalibur is a magical weapon which seems to grant the user enhanced abilities. Excalibur gave King Adrian strength and speed as well as improved sight and reflexes. Even so, the King was still just human, and humans will make mistakes. Tabitha spotted that mistake; it was a small one and it would only last for a split second. But King Adrian adjusted his grip on Excalibur to prepare for another attack. It was a minute movement, but Tabitha caught it and she instantly attacked. Her tail flashed out like a viper; it was as hard as iron with a pointed tip. Tabitha was not going to kill the King; she would aim for a nonvital spot on his body. She would disable him and then deal with the Wizard.

Again, Tabitha struck an invisible force field. And again, her attacked bounced off. The Wizard had recovered from being thrown around like a ragdoll and was casting another spell. Tabitha recognized the orange aura emanating from the Wizard’s staff. Another gravity spell. Not good, if I have to deal with that plus Excalibur. I could be overwhelmed. Dogan cast the spell straight at Tabitha who immediately flapped her massive wings and took to the sky. Thinking she had avoided the spell; Tabitha was surprised to look back to see the gravity spell turning and coming after her. Tabitha rolled her eyes, of course, a homing spell. Why am I surprised? Tabitha began to fly all over the sky, doing some barrel rolls and a few loops. But the gravity spell kept up, it not only kept up, but it seems to be gaining.

Tabitha had to do something or be captured again inside of a gravity sphere trying to crush her. Then suddenly, a thought came to her. Whether it was a memory of something she read, or knowledge belonging to her other self, she did not know. All she knew was that gravity magic was based on earth magic, and earth magic is weak against both air and lightning magic. Tabitha twisted around to face the gravity spell, she used her wings to summon air and her hands to summon lightning. The gravity spell was just ten yards away when Tabitha cast her own magic. Both spells met in the air and there was a blinding explosion that shook the world. King Adrian and Dogan along with everyone else shielded their eyes to protect them from the flash. When it was finally over, and the King and Wizard could open their eyes again. They found the sky empty, the she-devil missing.

“Where is she?”

The King demanded scanning the sky for Tabitha. Dogan too looked up trying to find the she-devil. Using his magical senses to detect strong magic, Dogan’s smoky grey eyes widen in surprise. Pointing his staff at the King, Dogan cast a spell. A gust of wind lifted Adrian and threw him away from the spot he was standing on. Just then, the ground erupted, and hands made of earth grabbed the Wizard. But Adrian was thrown clear from the earth hand that gripped nothing but air. Dogan was about to cast another spell to break free, but something grabbed his staff and rested it from his own hands. When he looked, he saw Tabitha with her tail wrapped around his staff, she was standing over him. Dogan shook his head in disbelief. How did I not see her? She’s so big, I would have to be blind not to notice her. Not only did I not see her, but she was also able to mask her aura from my senses. Tabitha grinned at the Wizard, and Dogan returned it with an equal one of his own.

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“You may have my staff, but I can still use my magic without it.”

Dogan began to cast a spell, but the magic quickly left him. He blinked in surprise and tried again, but he could not hold on to the magic. Dogan looked up at Tabitha again and her grin had grown into a full-blown smile, showing off her fangs. Then he used his magic sight to look down at himself and saw veins of purple power going from him into the earth hand and back into the earth itself. He knew then what the she-devil had done. She had cast a combination spell, an earth and draining spell. As long as the earth’s hand was holding him, it would drain his magic weakening him and making it more difficult to cast a spell. Tabitha using her tail stuck the Wizard’s staff in the ground and left it standing just a few feet from Dogan.

“You Dogan the Wizard are amazing.”

Tabitha declared.

“You realized what I was about to do and acted accordingly. I was hoping to capture both you and the King.”

She sighed in disappointment.

“But it seems that not everything will go my way. All was not lost though, I’ve got you. And with your magic constantly being drained, you will not be a factor anymore.”

Before Dogan could retort, Tabitha took to the air again and headed towards King Adrian who was running. Adrian stopped as the she-devil landed before him a few feet away.

“King Adrian, your mastery of Excalibur is superb. But I’m afraid that our time together must come to an end.”

Tabitha thrust forth her right arm and golden chains shot out from her forearm brace. They went straight for Adrian, wrapping around his torso and limbs. The speed of the chains were so quick, the King did not have time to use Excalibur. But King Adrian was an experienced warrior, he has trained all his life. Excalibur has enhanced his skills even further, so, it was no trouble for him to flick his wrist with his sword hand. Excalibur cut through the chains so easily, it was like a hot knife cutting through butter. Tabitha was impressed with the magical strength of Excalibur, and the expert use of its wielder. Casting another set of chains at Adrian, this time Tabitha would bind the mortal more firmly as not to be able to move a muscle. However, the same trick would not work twice on the King. Adrian darted back swinging Excalibur.

“I don’t think so! You’ll not ensnare me twice!”

The King swung his sword faster, cutting the chains and dispelling them. If Tabitha was not trying to capture the man, she would have admired his skills and strength of will. But her link to the twins and the others told her that they had almost opened the cave. She would have to end this fight soon, but the King was quick on his feet. He was cutting her chains away; it would not be easy to capture him again. Tabitha was already working on another spell, all she had to do was lead Adrian to the spot where she wanted him to go.

Adrian was in trouble, and he knew it, the she-devil had managed to capture Dogan and drain his magic. And now, he was trying to keep from being caught again by her chains. As long as he could keep away from those chains, he had a chance. As Adrian jumped onto an unremarkable area of the battlefield. A red pentagram appeared beneath his feet, and before he could wonder where the hell it had come from. Red tendrils of magic shot up and wrapped around his arms, feet, torso, and neck. Adrian tried to use Excalibur as before but found out he could not move at all. Not even his wrists, the King was absolutely caught, and the red tendrils continued to wrap around him further taking away his options.

“I finally got you. Sheesh, with the way you move I thought my plan would not have worked. But you were so focus on my chains that I was able to lead you to the spot where I had prepared a trap.”

The shadow of the greater she-devil loomed over King Adrian who looked up. Tabitha towered over the King.

“You were good, but our time has ended. I’ll be leaving you now King Adrian, thanks for the entertainment.”

Something moved at the corner of Tabitha’s vision, she saw a flash of metal. Tabitha did not think, she just moved. She ducked and twisted her head to the side avoiding the sword strike that was aimed for her neck. But Tabitha felt steel bite into her left horn which she thought fortunate. Her horns as far as she could tell were stronger than granite. So, she was shocked when her horn gave way to the edge of the sword. Tabitha jumped away from her attacker while watching several inches of her horn fall to the ground. Staring at the horn Tabitha studied the edges of where it was cut. It was subtle but she could see the fine traces of magic. Finally, Tabitha looked up at her attacker to see the Arcadian War Leader pointing her sword. She was holding a round shield with the symbol of an animal on it, some kind of feline as far as Tabitha could tell.

“Ah, Sandra of the Vales tribe. War Leader, you want to play too?”

Tabitha said pleasantly, the War Leader nodded and replied.

“I am Sandra of the Vales Tribe, present War Leader and your next opponent.”

Tabitha nodded in agreement.

“Congratulations for being the first to actually score a hit.”

Tabitha motioned to her chopped off horn.

“Your sword is enchanted.”

She said it plainly as fact.

“What type of magic is it though? Not wizardry or witchcraft, neither holy nor demonic.”

Tabitha snapped her thumb and middle finger together in realization.

“The enchantment is spiritual in nature and possesses hints of nature magic. I see…shaman magic, your sword was blessed by a shaman. Shamans are very powerful, a combination of druids and priests.”

Sandra blinked once, the only reaction she would reveal of her surprise at the she-devil’s knowledge.

“Your shamans must be very powerful to have enchanted your gladius which was able to cut one of my horns.”

Tabitha continued staring at the severed horn on the ground. Sandra shifted her sights to the horn as well, she was hoping to take the she-devil’s head, but it was no good. Suddenly, the horn erupted into blue fire. Sandra watch with incredulity as the flaming horn rose up into the air and darted back to Tabitha. It was only then that Sandra realized that the she-devil’s entire body was engulfed in the same blue flames. The flaming horn went straight up to Tabitha’s head and reattached itself. Sandra’s eyes widen, she can regenerate any lost limb. This fight will be more difficult than I thought. If she can regenerate any kind of injury I may inflict, then I must find another way to defeat her. Sandra smiled; this was the type of battle all Arcadians live for. To fight a superior foe with their chosen weapons, and the strength of their bodies. This is what Sandra has always wished to experience, even if she dies, it will be a battle worth fighting.

The blue flames finally disappeared returning the she-devil to her original form.

“Tabitha, is it?”

Sandra asked as she took a fighting stance. When Tabitha nodded Sandra said.

“Prepare yourself for defeat.”