Chronicles of a Mage, Book One

Chapter 25: Duel!

Dedaim and I stared each other down with the silence hanging in the air. You could almost see the metaphorical sparks. I had still had the sensation of blowing winds in the palm of my hands and I was ready to release it the very moment the duel started.
"Ready!" The holy guard with the red helmet held up his spear "Begin!" The guard's spear came to the ground and I immediately outstretched my arms and opened my hands, releasing a powerful gust of wind which made Dedaim lose balance slightly but otherwise didn't effect him much due to his girth. Out of retaliation a bolt of yellow light shot from his hand and struck the pew next to me. I briefly glanced over and saw the bench was completely destroyed, to the point that it no longer resembled bench. I think I understand why people don't challenge this guy to duel. Before I could finish that thought another bolt of light came at me and I narrowly avoided it, condemning another bench to a dire fate. The tornado I created had dissipated so I shot a flame at Dedaim and simultaneously drew my dagger, as I'd done numerous times before.
"Is this all you can do?" My flame hit Dedaim squarely in the chest but it just dissipated around the area I hit him. Ignoring his taunts, I dodged a few more bolts of light and casted a lightning jolt at his direction which also did nothing. "Don't you see? Your attacks are futile. There is only one way this can end. Surrender and I'll spare you the Goddess' wrath" He continued
"The only thing I see is your bullshit" I weaved through the benches and casted two flames in quick succession "You say that slaughtering innocent people is a part of Yishna's teachings? Tell me, is that the goddess' teachings or is it your own?" I said coldly. Though trying to dodge his attacks and keep my cool was harder than it sounded.
"You dare suggest that I have disobeyed my goddess' wishes in lieu of my own? Your audacity knows no bounds! I am the goddess' most faithful servant! An insult to me is an insult to the Goddess and I will not abide it" He said as a bolt of light demolished the bench in front of me and he began walking angrily towards me and recited a chant. Behind me appeared a massive wall of light that would block any chance of me falling back and he kept up his furious pace towards me, fueled with furious fervour and a murderous intent that gleamed through his eyes. Guess I have no choice but to engage him in close combat, I thought as I shot a jolt and swiftly approached Dedaim. I tried slicing Dedaim with my knife but it still did nothing. At this distance however, I noticed that where the knife struck, there was a brief shimmer and I realised that was much like the shield spell Uncle used back home. Maybe this was a similiar kind of spell that covered the whole body instead of a specific point. To test my theory, I sidestepped Dedaim's glowing fist and popped off a flame shot to Dedaim's leg. As expected, there was a shimmer and the flame died. I've tried almost everything, guess I have to get creative. While Dedaim was trying to kill me with his attacks I tried focusing on a spell and chanting, which again, was easier said than done. I don't how much being hit by his fist would hurt, but if the fact that his fists were glowing with mana was any indication then I'd say it would hurt a lot.
"Potentia telarum invoco te" A web shot from my hand wrapped around Dedaim in a manner that rendered his arms and legs useless
"What manner of sorcery is this?" Dedaim exclaimed as he struggled to break out of the web. In the meantime I moved down the aisle while casting another spell, this time I thought about cold winters and freezing lakes.
"Occidere scopum jaculo glaciei" A thick, densely packed arrow formed in the air in front of me but not before Dedaim had freed himself and moved towards me again with a brisk pace. I launched the arrow but when it hit Dedaim it shattered, throwing broken bits of ice everywhere and I reflexively threw my right arm up to shield my eyes from the shrapnel. That was my most powerful spell. It was powerful enough to seriously injure a giant spider and it simply shattered when it made contact with Dedaim. How the hell am I supposed to beat Dedaim? Was challenging him a mistake? Maybe there was another way, or maybe I could've snuck out somehow.
"SORACE LOOK OUT!" As I was pondering my life choices, Eeuna shouted and snapped me back to the present. Dedaim was standing right in front of me and without hesitation he punched me in the gut, sending me flying about 2 meters. Yep, getting punched like that does indeed hurt. "What are you doing? You need to pay attention" I was about to respond to that but Dedaim picked me up by the neck with his left hand. Wow this guy is stronger than he looks. I suppose he must be hiding a load of muscle as well as a load of fat under his clothes.
I dropped my dagger and he regarded me, much like a person would regard a particularly annoying insect.  "I'll send your filthy hide straight to the abyss."
I tried thinking of how to get out of this helpless situation and I tried the only thing I could. "I was just about to say the same thing" I said with a slight sarcastic grin on my face while forming a flame in my hand when he wasn't looking. I then quickly grabbed his arm and he recoiled, dropping me in the process.
"AHHH! THAT BURNED." Wait that actually worked? I did not expect that to work. Also the barrier of light he erected disappeared. Maybe he has to pay attention for his spells to work? That would explain how I was able to hurt him just now. "Now you've done it" Dedaim raised his glowing fist in a way that told me I would not survive getting hit this time. But before he could do anything a pointy, metal object was stuck straight through his heart. His eyes widened, fist dropped and head turned. Wait I, know that rapier. Mathra stood behind Dedaim with his plain clothes and cloak and pulled out his rapier from Dedaim's heart.

"I'm done running away from danger while the people in power oppress those under them!" Mathra said. Before Dedaim could recover from the shock, I recited the chant for another ice arrow spell and launched it at Dedaim, spraying viscera all over the floor. Dedaim in his blind, deranged faith could not register the fact that he, Yishna's greatest servant was bested by a mage and his friend in the nobility. He just collapsed, unresponsive until he bled out. The surrounding crowd raised their voices in a cheer. I was sure the guards would kill us for breaking the rules of the duel (Mathra dishonourably stabbed Dedaim in the back and interfered with the duel) but even they looked happy to see Dedaim dead. Mathra walked over to me gave me his hand. I took it and stood up, feeling the pain in my possibly broken ribs
"Thank you for that" I said
"Don't mention it, it's what friends do." Friends. The word never really meant anything to me. I never had any friends in my village and I'm not sure what Eeuna is to me but Mathra was someone who I travelled with, ate with, fought with and got thrown in prison with. And now he just saved my life. I guess that means we really are friends right? Yes, that's right. Mathra was my first friend and in that moment I realized,  as Mathra's friend, I will escort him to his home and face his father with him. I will help my only friend, no matter what it takes.