The Duelists of Solstice

Chapter 12: Disappearing Spells and the Hidden Heart

Dante and Ocha waited outside the cleanup area as subtly as they could while they waited for Shine to exit. After a few minutes, she was there, looking confused, a little bit dejected, and as though she was in a hurry to leave.

"Oh, Ms. Shine? I'm so sorry, could we please speak to you for a moment?"

"Sure, but make it fast, please. I'm in a hurry to get to a doctor and make sure my magic's not on the fritz."

"Yeah, that was super weird! What was that?" Dante asked.

"I don't really understand it. Locke used his shadowy spell to hold me at the beginning, and after he himself grabbed me, something suddenly felt... Off. My spell, which would have made me too blindingly bright to touch and countered his shadow manipulation, malfunctioned somehow. It only began coming back when the match ended. It seems like he was cheating somehow, but that doesn't make any sense. You can't just steal a spell. And besides, it seems to be back now. Is that all you wanted to ask?"

"Yes, thank you. I hope your visit to the doctor goes well, I'm sure that your magic will be fine," Ocha smiled reassuringly, knowing that Shine's magic really would be fine since it had never been malfunctioning, just temporarily stolen.

"So, do we wait for Blaze and Amy to finish their duels or sneak in there?" Dante asked once Shine was out of earshot.

"Oh, I texted them while we were waiting for Shine to exit. They said that Locke is still just hanging out in the duelist's den, bragging about how unbeatable he is. They saw the match from the screen in there. We're going to confront him together as soon as he leaves if it's not during their matches."

"And if he leaves at an inconvenient time, we try to tail him?"

"It's the best plan we have right now."

"Let's hope he doesn't leave at an inconvenient time."

Luckily, he didn't. Blaze and Amy dueled more viciously than usual, not wanting to risk Locke escaping. He was having a fantastic time talking about spells with everyone, always emphasizing that no one could ever defeat his.

And eventually, when it got close to lunchtime, his stomach growled.

"Haha, well, guess it's time to eat! I'll see you guys tomorrow!" he said as he exited. A few other duelists, noticing the time, also left. Amy and Blaze tried to blend in with them. Hiding behind some nearby trees, Ocha and Dante made eye contact with them and nodded. He stopped briefly at a nearby hotel just out of town, changed out of his fighting clothes, and left again almost immediately. He still had his backpack, and surely he wasn't stupid enough to leave the Heart alone. The path Locke was taking was quiet, so after a few minutes of following him, it was time.

"Want to tell us how you won that duel?" Amy asked, hopping in front of him.

"Didn't you hear me in the den? Poor Shine never stood a chance,"

Dante laughed, stepping out from behind a tree. "Oh, so she just decided never to use her spell? Not like she has a weapon, so what else would she rely on?"

"I don't know what you guys want, but I know that there are four of you following me, and I can't guarantee your safety if you try to touch me. My spell is called "gloom" for a reason. It's shadowy yes, but it's also how you'll feel if you try anything."

"So you knew we were following you then, just as would be expected from a thief," Blaze towered over him from behind."

"H-hey! You heard me, lady! You have no idea what I can do!"

Ocha gave the grey bear a polite look. "Actually, I was taking thorough notes during your duel. You sure do like showing off! But then, who doesn't when they get the chance?"

"You don't understand anything," he smirked, looking back and forth between the opponents in front of, behind, and at either side of him.

"Oh, are you referring to the Phantom Heart, by chance? Yes actually, we know about that. Probably more than you do, actually. How it works, its history, and we've all seen it before." Blaze said, narrowing her eyes as a tiny smirk formed at the corners of her mouth. "So how do you know about it?"

"I'm not telling you—augh!" he yelped as fire sprung up around him.

"You would need to hold each of us down for a moment to take our magic? Do you really think you can take all of us on at once, especially since, by the way, two of us are career duelists of some kind?" Amy's hammer materialized in her hands as she walked forward. "We have you surrounded. But we won't start a fight if you just talk to us."

"Alright, fine! Sneaking around the edges of towns and pickpocketing people is just a side hobby of mine, okay? Keeps me sharp for the actual heists I'm brought into. I noticed that someone was trying to sneak by in a hurry, so I kept an eye on her, and seized an opportunity when someone else attacked her. And when I held that weird gem, I just kind of... felt how it was supposed to be used."

"Yes, that would be one of my co-workers who attacked her," Blaze muttered to herself.

"I was planning to sell it after using it to win the tournament. Looks good to potential employers if I win something like this, not to mention the prize money."

"Right. Well, I'm afraid that you'll have to rely on skill alone now. I mean, I hate to admit that you're an objectively skilled duelist, so it's not like you don't stand a chance but... Erm, we'll be taking the Phantom Heart."

"Oh, it's back in the hotel."

"Wait, you were actually stupid enough to leave it alone?" Blaze asked.

"Not stupid! It's in a small safe which only I know the code to, and that's hidden somewhere in the room!"

The four friends looked at each other, then back at him, in silence.

Glowing electric spheres lit up around Ocha's hands.

"There's no need, Ocha," Blaze said. "Because this gentleman is going to lead us to the Heart right now."

Ocha's hands immediately went back to normal, but they gave Locke a look to let him know they could still shock him.

"Are you crazy? Whoever I stole that thing from is probably also trying to figure out who took it. That will look suspicious. You should all go about your business. I'm going to eat something now. Meet me tonight at the festival, near the choco-banana stall, that's my favorite festival snack. We can walk a little off the grounds from there and convene once it's safe. I'll pass it to you then."

"And you're not going to try to escape with it in the meantime?" Amy asked.

"No, he's not. Because a certain fearsome phantom thief is planting a tracker on him that she'll be looking at all day. And don't try to pass it off to someone else—they won't act like you, and I'll still figure it out," Blaze explained calmly as she put a small tracking device on his jacket.

"R-right..." Locke looked even more nervous.

"See you at the festival." Amy winked and led her group away.

Amy was walking ahead, and Dante was talking excitedly to Amy. "We were so cool, threatening that guy!" He punched the air.

Ocha lingered back a little bit hugging Boba nervously, and Blaze, noticing, slowed down too. "Erm, since our group doesn't have anything planned until the festival, I was just wondering if... Well maybe, if..."

"What is it?" Blaze asked, cocking her head to the side.

"You and I have never spent very much time together outside of an adventure. Could we maybe just walk around the village and enjoy each other's company? And you won't even threaten to set me on fire."

Blaze smiled politely with gentle warmth.

"That sounds nice, thank you."