A Rational Magic || ONC2022

Thirty || Unbalanced To Say The Least

A sickening grin creeps onto Adalia's face when Kat and the fairy-child both leave the house, and her eyes even seem to light up at the sight.

It makes me feel ill.

"Ah," she says, a note of twisted glee in the sound. "The traitor and the viris. This'll be easy."

Ryo didn't even bat an eye.

Kat literally recoiled.

"I think you're forgetting something, Adalia," Ryo said calmly, as if they were simply talking to a friend. "Ziasel isn't dangerous to elves, and look at that! Three elves."

"How many of us are there, and how many of you are there?" Adalia asked.

"Seven of you, six of us. Not the most unbalanced fight I've ever been in."

"Please," one of Adalia's companions laughed. "It's always unbalanced with you."

"Good luck, kids," another said.

And they all started shouting at the same time, a jumble of spells that we were forced to dodge or block in our own way.

Ryo barely missed getting hit with the same spell that Adalia had used at her house, throwing themselves to the ground just in time.

"Clarierous!"

Someone gasped, and Adalia swore loudly.

"Idiot!" she snapped, but whoever she was telling it at didn't respond.

Cira and Vaeri were struggling to keep their attacks from colliding — with Vaeri's water almost constantly extinguishing Cira's flames every time she tried to do anything.

I heard Kat parroting a lot of our attacker's spells back at them, and Ryo doing something similar, but I didn't pay too much attention. With no magic of my own, I was just moving. Dodging, running, ducking, rolling... a dizzying blur of colours and shouts and screams.

I couldn't think.

Time seemed to fly by, and it didn't take long for every part of my body to start aching. I imagined I'd be covered in bruises by tomorrow — if I had the chance to get to tomorrow. But I couldn't make myself care.

Maybe if I had a chance to get that dagger I'd used with the witch... maybe I could do something...

But what would I achieve?

All things considered, whoever I fought would likely end up dead if I didn't. And I didn't really want that.

I didn't want that at all.

"Felotis intimidorgio!"

Someone screamed — most likely Vaeri, possibly Adalia — but I couldn't tell why.

I just continued to dodge any attacks that came my way, catching the loudest cries and the scariest spells in the way that you would. Focusing on what could put you in the most danger.

"Seregris!" Ryo shouts, aiming whatever spell it is (a bright orange coil of some kind) so wildly it ends up closest to hitting Kat... who's nowhere near the presumed target.

"Why are you even trying to fight?" he shouted at them, throwing himself to the side as Adalia cast another spell at him. "How can you?"