"What … what happened?" Nairobi said finally, blinking rapidly, lucidity returning to her eyes.
Isha, her eyes wide, frantically glanced around the ruined village for cover. "We don't have time for explanations. Just run if you want to live."
A bubble of magic surrounded Isha and Nairobi, its surface shimmering like the delicate skin of a soap bubble, stopping them in their tracks—most likely a [Barrier] spell from Castra to shield them from imminent battle. Yet, this protective dome, while keeping them safe, also trapped them, preventing any chance of escape.
"What now?" Nairobi asked as she clutched at Isha's arm.
Isha shook her head. She had no idea. This was all happening too fast.
Outside the barrier, the air crackled, Castra's voice thundering across the village and beyond. "Who are you? Who do you work for?"
The only response was a blinding streak of lightning that cut through the cloudy sky. Castra redirected the lightning with a swift wave of her hand, using the same spell as before.
[Thunder Trap].
The redirected lightning struck a distant structure Isha couldn't see.
That poor building!
"I am not one to be trifled with. You were the one to attack first, remember that."
With a fluid motion, Castra retrieved her wand from her hair, set in a bun, letting her obsidian locks cascade freely down her back. Her eyes narrowed as she focused on the hooded figure, pointing her wand. A bolt of lightning erupted from its tip, flaring with a flash that easily rivalled the sun itself.
The [Lightning Bolt] exploded harmlessly many feet away from the hooded figure, blocked by a [Barrier]—a shimmering shield that rippled like the surface of a disturbed pond.
"How about this?"
Three [Lightning Bolt] flew at the enemy only to be blocked by more [Barrier] spells.
He gestured with a sweeping motion, and suddenly, a shower of stones fell from the sky, each one hurtling toward Castra with incredible speed.
Castra's own [Barrier] spell intercepted the barrage of stones. Each impact produced a deafening clatter, the stones crashing against the shield reduced to dust.
Five massive boulders, each burning with red-hot flames, materialised around Castra, orbiting her.
Isha's master sent them hurtling at the enemy one after another, snaking through the air, controlling its speed and path using her wand—an artefact that allowed mages to bypass the static nature of the spells and control it freely.
The hooded figure danced around the fiery projectiles and summoned bursts of lightning, each crackling bolt destroying the flaming boulders with explosive force. The sky lit up with each burst, the fiery remnants of the projectiles scattered like meteor showers, bringing more devastation.
After the hooded figure obliterated the last of the flaming boulders, he clapped his hands together, as if praying to some god. The dark sky shrouded by the clouds went gold, illuminated by magic. Enormous [Fireballs] descended from the sky, making the spell Nairobi had used previously to kill Titan Spawns look like a parlour trick.Isha's heart hammered with terror.
Most [Fireballs] converged on Castra's position, others exploded across the village—on buildings, in the streets—with thunderous booms that sent plumes of dirt, shards of stones, and splintered wood into the air, leaving behind a crater in its place.
Isha's heart clenched as the fiery sphere hurtled down at them. The [Barrier] encasing her and Nairobi shuddered under the immense pressure. Colours of red, blue, and gold danced outside the shield's surface.The barrier flickered, for a heart-stopping moment, it seemed as though the barrier might give way. But Castra's mana surged forth, replenishing the barrier's energy. It held firm, even after the flames died.
Isha exhaled shakily, her body trembling like a leaf in the wind. That was too close for comfort.
Multi-Coloured light flashed as Castra and the ambusher exchanged spells after spells, each blows of sorcery more devastating than the previous one. Every burst of light and wave of energy created shockwaves that rippled through the air, the ground quaking beneath their feet. The sound was… incredible.
"I had no idea the great mages were this powerful," Nairobi said. "They're like walking bombs. What are Archmages then, clusters of missiles? This is insane. This is incredible. I want that power. I want it all."
The crazed grin on Nairobi's face frightened Isha more than the battle between the [Great Mages] that could decimate a village in its aftermath.
"What are you talking about?" Isha asked, trying to keep her voice calm and steady without success.
"Forget I said anything."
Isha turned her attention back to the battle as she felt it shifting.
Castra pointed her finger.
[Holy Ray]
A thin, razor-like beam of pure, and blinding white light shot forth from Castra's fingertip. It pierced through the hooded figure's torso, creating a gaping wound. For a moment, Isha thought the battle might be over. But the hooded figure did not fall or waver, he did not even clutch at his wound. Instead, he spread his arms wide as if in defiance of the wound he had received.
An enormous amount of mana erupted from him, cascading out in a blinding wave that enveloped everything in its path. The intensity of the light it produced was overwhelming. It was as if the very fabric of reality had been replaced with a searing, blinding glow. Isha had to close her eyes against that, and the world was reduced to a blinding white void.
When the light finally receded and Isha dared to open her eyes—Castra was on her knees, clutching her shoulder with a pained grimace, her blood-stained robes clinging to her. The hooded figure had vanished.
Isha approached her master, Nairobi, following behind her. The [Barrier] protecting them had already winked out.
"Damn it! He escaped," Castra cursed. She punched the ground with her fist, the force of it sending tremors through the earth, lifting dirt.How strong was her master?
"I almost had him."
"Castra?" Isha said, clutching her palms before her chest. "Are you alright?"
"It's barely more than a scratch," Castra said, rummaging through her bag of holding. "You needn't worry, a healing pill will make me as good as new."
As if to prove her words, Castra pulled out an emerald pill from the bag and swallowed it. Her wounds began to knit itself together, with speed visible to the naked eye. Before long there was no wound in her shoulder—the blood on her rones and hand was the only proof of the wound.
"I can't believe I let him escape." Castra sighed. "Well, at least I know my theory wasn't wrong."
"But for what purpose?" Nairobi said. "It can't be just about destroying a bunch of villagers."
Isha noticed that Castra seemed to be lost in her thoughts. She hadn't even listened to Nairobi's question.
"That Mana signature … Nope, it's just my paranoia. Even if it wasn't, it won't change what I must do," Castra shook her head and stood. "Come, we must move quickly. Figure out what they are planning and stop them."