Rise From the Ashes

Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Swordsman's Duel

(NARRATED BY CAMERON SETLER)

"One day, son, you won't be a boy anymore. You'll be a man. Practice being one now, so you'll grow up to be the best man there ever was."

That was what my father used to tell me when I was a child. I always tried to live by that advice. But right now, I wasn't feeling very manly.

"Leave me alone!" I cried as a fellow magician chased me around with a sword. However, it wasn't the weapon I was afraid of; it was the fact that his knowledge of magic far surpassed my own. I had been assisting the Elemental forces in an exemplary manner before everyone was suddenly teleported a few miles away from the palace—which should have been impossible since teleporting people without consent conflicted with the way paranormetric energy was supposed to work. But then, it got even worse:

This guy showed up.

"That's right!" he cackled. "Keep running, you coward! Either way, you'll die at the hands of an Azlarus—just like your ancestor, and just like your parents!"

Azlarus? I thought.

It didn't take long to figure out: This guy was related to the Dark King that killed my parents. Just the name, "Azlarus" sent shivers down my spine. But I no longer feared, for it was then that I learned how to harness the greatest power of Lunara and Solan, as revealed to me by the Holy Twins themselves.

Turning a one-eighty, I fired some blinding light magic at him. I didn't even take the time to figure out what type of magic I was using, but I knew it was enough to shatter the ward that protected Azlarus. The rays from the blast did well to shed some light on the area.

I quickly resumed running, seeking out my annoying friend Tario Setali for advice.

It appears that he is able to anticipate your attacks, he informed me. You must look for the patterns in his movements, as well as any other tendencies he may have. Perhaps then you will be able to match, and—eventually—overcome him.

Thanks, Mini Me!

How disrespectful! You may address me as Greater Elder, Master Setali, or Teacher Supreme. I am fairly certain that we have gone over this on multiple occasions!

If it wasn't mentioned in any of your history books that my ancestor was the cockiest human being of all time, I'd like to share that information with you now. He had an ego the size of Blessed Mountain.

I arbitrarily spun around again, throwing Azlarus into the sky by manipulating gravity. Apparently this wasn't my smartest move, for he could now see me better than I could him. Therefore, he just kept himself floating there.

"Thanks for the lift," he shouted, "and for the great idea! I'll kill you from up here where it's easier to catch you!"

You were already losing! Setali scolded. Quit attempting to alter the circumstances and learn to use them to your advantage. Get yourself out of defensive mode and be intelligent about it!

Thank you, Captain Obvious, for that wonderfully helpful piece of advice.

That is Magnificent Magician to you, student underling.

Despite wanting to avoid Mr. Azlarus' vision, I decided not to turn invisible. If I had used my powers then, he probably would've been able to track their source. Cancelling out the gravity beneath my feet wouldn't be the best idea either. It would've made me more vulnerable due to my inexperience with maneuvering while levitating.

"There has to be a way!" I cried with frustration. "If only I could attack without being attacked!"

I tried to think it over once more. Was there really a way to catch this guy off guard?