"Theo!" Zenith jumped in front of him. Theo stumbled back as the golden sun emblem on Zenith's cape filled his vision. A metallic clang echoed, the sun wavered, and Zenith staggered back.
When he straightened, he was breathing hard, shield still held before him.
Another ripple in Theo's Levia. Theo spun wildly, trying to pin down which direction it was coming from, but he couldn't before another dark beam zipped at him from behind.
The next thing he knew, Zenith barreled into him and drove him flat to the ground. The knight's entire weight crashed upon him, crushing the breath from his lungs.
He shoved at Zenith's pauldron, but Zenith refused to budge. Only when a boom echoed nearby did Zenith finally lift himself up to his knees.
Gasping for breath, Theo raised his head. "What – "
His voice died in his throat when he saw the stall across him. A ragged hole was torn through the center, smoke curling from its edges.
"The enemy's a sniper," Zenith said. "Attacking from a distance."
Just as he spoke, another dark beam shot from the same direction. Zenith crouched behind his shield, but even with its protection the impact shoved him back several feet, his armor raising sparks as it scraped against the floor.
'Defense,' Theo thought. 'I have to strengthen his defense.'
But how, when he didn't know what direction the next attack would come from? Wait – he'd just learned a spell that created a dome-shaped shield around the familiar. It was weaker than a smaller, more concentrated shield, unable to handle close-range attacks, but that would work just fine.
"Theo!" Zenith grabbed his forearm and yanked. Theo gasped as he bumped into Zenith's armor, but realized what Zenith was doing when the knight wrapped an arm around his shoulders and tucked him tight to his side. He even drew his cape over Theo as if trying to hide him from the sniper's view.
It wouldn't work for long, but Theo just needed enough time to cast the spell. Pressing himself against Zenith's armor, he squeezed his eyes shut. Among all the similar-looking defense spells, this one stood out for featuring a pentagon in the center instead of a circle.
His Levia swelled, then warmth spread around him. He opened his eyes, marveling at the transparent dome surrounding him and Zenith, thin as a bubble and glowing with dawn light.
Another black beam zipped from the left. Theo held his breath and Zenith braced his shield, but the beam stopped when it struck the dome. The surface indented beneath it, ripples radiating outward, before the beam scattered in a burst of smoke.
Relief swooped through Theo, leaving him dizzy. Zenith nodded at him. "Well done."
No time to celebrate before a second beam blasted from slightly ahead. Again the shield held, though the ripples spread wider this time.
Zenith turned toward Theo, his expression strained. "Theo, we can't stay stuck on the defense like this."
"I know." Theo barely heard his own voice over his racing heart. "I have an idea."
The next attack came flying a few feet to the right, followed by another one a little to the left. With each one the shield indented further and began to flicker. But Theo didn't take his eyes off the ripples emanating from around the last shot.
"Theo?" Zenith definitely sounded alarmed now. "We can't take another hit."
"That's fine." Theo breathed out. "I think I have a good idea where the sniper is now."
"You do?"
Theo nodded. "They're definitely somewhere up ahead. It seems like they're running back and forth in a straight line. I'm willing to bet they're on top of the maze walls."
"I see," Zenith said, eyes widening. "Then we only have to chase them down."
"Yeah, but I don't know if we'll be able to get there fast enough. I mean, they know their way around this maze while we don't."
"We don't need to follow the maze. We only need to get up there ourselves." Zenith crouched down. "Get on my back, Theo."
'No way, can we really' – but he'd seen Zenith make higher jumps and anyway, no time for doubts. Another beam fired, and this time the dome gave way.
Zenith swung his shield out in front. The impact pushed him and Theo backward, but Zenith didn't break his position. Heart slamming, Theo hauled himself up onto Zenith's back, reaching beneath the cape to dig his fingers into the grooves of his armor.
Zenith tensed, armor creaking. As he did, Theo prepared a new spell. Also a shield, but a simpler one that would only cover Zenith's front. Hopefully that'd be enough.
The spell flared to life at the exact moment that Zenith jumped, bathing them in its warm glow. Wind rushed past Theo's ears and blew Zenith's hair all over his face. His stomach swooped as Zenith descended, only to lurch back in place when the knight landed with a gentle thump.
The instant he did, Theo's Levia rippled. Their shield had been struck. But it didn't break. Relieved, Theo slid off Zenith's back. His feet thudded onto the stall awning, which to his surprise didn't sink beneath his weight. Then again, it wasn't as if these were real stalls.
Anyway, Theo didn't have time to ponder the physics of the arena. Peering past Zenith, he saw a cloaked figure atop the wall halfway across the maze. The figure took off running, but Zenith wasted no time leaping after them.
"Wait!" Theo cried just as the shield spell ran its course. It scattered in scraps of pink light, leaving Zenith defenseless. No, he still had his shield. And the enemy was too busy fleeing to attack.
Time to launch their counterattack. Rather than a new shield, Theo cast the sharpening spell. Zenith's Levia sparked in surprise when the circle appeared beneath him, but he quickly took it in stride and stabbed his now-glowing sword forward.
The sniper couldn't outrun him. In a single lunge Zenith landed in front of the sniper, cutting off his escape. The sword flashed –
A diagram burst in front the sniper, as cold and black as the arena portal.
Theo's heart twisted. He recognized this spell: a shield, the exact same as the one he'd just cast.
No way. Was the enemy also a wizard?
Even enhanced, Zenith's sword glanced off the shield. He charged again, only for the sniper to jump down from the stall. Unable to change his trajectory in time, he ended up slicing the stall clean in half.
Theo winced, but Zenith jumped off the collapsing stall and landed on his feet. With the stall fallen, Theo had a clear view of the corridor beyond.
Panting, the sniper straightened. His hood had fallen down, revealing a shock of maroon hair framed by two curling ram's horns. "Great, they found me. I've lost all my motivation...oh well, least I've got a wizard this time."
He gestured with a lazy flick of his hand, and somebody stepped out from behind him.
The first thing Theo noticed was the blazer, the same as his. A student at his school? Then his brain registered the tall, skinny build, the mint green bob.
An icy jolt stabbed his heart. His voice came out weak, incredulous.
"Sam?"