*Rumple* *Rumple* *Plink*
"Aha! Finally!"
The young woman pushes back her dark hair to inspect the find.
"Dammit! Only 3 gold? Doesn't anyone from Alnear have any money?"
Frustrated, she kicks the stolen pack from her treetop perch. After watching the bag hit the ground with a thud, she pockets the three coins, adding just a little more heft to her weighty belt pouch. Hearing a noise from the nearby cliffs, Stellata crouches just out of sight, waiting to see who her next victim is. "Another mark? The stars must be with me today!"
[Transmutation: Shape Rock]
image [https://img.wattpad.com/d4d561b567ee5a35c7a97b7b749adfdb86eadc29/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f4177356b422d6933714e647233773d3d2d313434383731323239342e313764326466346233613737633463363637363033393935323536362e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
Suddenly, the cliff face opens up, transforming into a staircase leading down to the main road, making way for the survivors, led by Fraxinus. Stellata wastes no time leaping from her hiding spot to intercept the group. Landing without a sound, she draws her short sword and trains it on Fraxinus. After scanning her victims, the girl cocks her head and lets out a groan.
"Aw jeez! More refugees? Ugh. You know what? It doesn't matter! Just gimme all your stuff, and I'll let you go."
Fraxinus steps towards Stellata, disregarding both her words and her blade.
"These people just lost their home. They have nothing left for you to take."
"Yeah, that seems to be the theme today." Stellata grumbles.
"I propose a duel, instead. If you win, I'll give you even the shirt off my back, but if I win, you let us pass in peace."
Those words elicit nervous and discontented murmurs from the survivors.
"Sounds good to me! Don't think I'm gonna hold back just because you're old, though!"
The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
"Though I'd expect nothing less, I should tell you I'm only 34."
"Whatever, take your mark!"
The two stand back to back and begin stepping away from each other. After walking ten paces the combatants turn and face each other. The people of Alnear begin to back away, trying to avoid getting caught in the scuffle. Wasting no time, both Stellata and Fraxinus begin preparing their focus chants, causing Stellata to becomes cloaked in a dark aura of wicked black flames.
[Focus Chant: Illusion]
image [https://img.wattpad.com/1d767da545a165f1f236a4711a3f592cea1b4a07/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f53496975566d756831672d4b67413d3d2d313434383731323239342e313764326466346563396233396262643734363738323535333538382e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
"Hey, old man," Stellata taunts, "I didn't see you finish your focus chant. If you need, I could give ya' a few minutes to warm up!"
"While I don't appreciate the remark on my age, I assure you, I can win without even needing to stretch." Fraxinus cooly retorts, while reaching into his jacket pocket and retrieving a pen.
[Transmutation: Imbue Weapon]
image [https://img.wattpad.com/fee6fe5f965b3339f3011435cb4cffb6e3df03ec/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f4b54484a466d6e747348696f73413d3d2d313434383731323239342e313764326466353261353739376435313538393436343636303433332e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
"Huh? That's your move? A pen? Do you really think I'm that weak?" Stellata's brow furrows with indignation.
"'Tis mightier than the sword, after all!" Fraxinus flourishes his weapon as though writing an essay on the air.
Vesca looks to Valentiana, saying "Is this supposed to be some kind of bluff?"
"I'm not so sure." she replies, "There are over 40 citizens following us. Even for Mr. Fraxinus, treating all their wounds couldn't have been easy. He's probably getting close to his limit."
Suddenly, Stellata's shadow stands up, transforming into a perfect duplicate of her.
[Expanded Illusion: Mirror + Echo]
[Expanded Illusion: Mirror + Echo] [https://img.wattpad.com/a3653661eceacbd2b7821f17aa24e42b635ddc22/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f594a676631344b2d2d31344e6e673d3d2d313434383731323239342e313764326466363638353432613338623731343234343731323533362e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
At once, both Stellata and her doppelganger rush Fraxinus, weaving between each other as they move in an attempt to confuse their opponent's senses. As they draw closer, Fraxinus uses one definitive stroke of his pen to deflect Stellata's blade, completely ignoring the fake, which passes through him, harmlessly.
"Wha-? How could you know which was me?"
"You'll need to be faster than that to fool my eyes. Would it help if I gave you a minute to warm up?"
Fraxinus gives the girl a smug grin, while continuing to parry her flurry of strikes, before bringing his weapon across her body, leaving Stellata with a shallow cut.
"Ow! That hurt!" The young bandit jumps back in recoil.
"Thet was pretty good, but are you sure you don't need a rest, gramps?"
"I though I already told you... I am not that old."
"Hey, you ever heard of a game called 'Three-Card Monte?'"
Stellata's dark aura spikes once again, this time, however, her shadow splits, creating not one, but two identical copies. Fraxinus wastes no time throwing his pen directly at the real Stellata. On impact, the bandit is launched backwards with the force of a cannonball, slamming into a tree and falling to the ground. Moments later, Fraxinus feels a sharp pain in his stomach. To his horror, one of the clones is now holding a knife soaked in his blood.
"Wait, is this-?"
Before he can even process the first attack, a second blade plunges into his back. From her place on the ground, Stellata repays Fraxinus's smug grin with her own.
[Expanded Illusion: Mirror + Echo + Shadow Blade]
image [https://img.wattpad.com/e89d882d146c617cd2f7299ab9a89feece0123f5/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f55536a31364f6268685977786d673d3d2d313434383731323239342e313764326466373734396535326639643637323830333535363035322e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
"Mr. Fraxinus!" Valentiana call out from the sideline.
"This is bad," she continues, "His wounds aren't healing. He's tapped out!"