A Crumbling Society

Part 2-11

It absorbed the lighting strike; I've never seen anything like it. Dodging with a jump the electric bubble missed and circled back. Now it's like it was a heat seeking bubble following me everywhere I ran to. The boy just stood there watching, now more determined to get me, his face full of annoyance. "Stop Moving!", he yelled out. To which I jumped out the way again as the wind started blowing from the storm above. It took a minute to understand what direction the wind was blowing. A few more gusts and a lot more backflips and I waited until the bubble got really close. At this moment the boy started calling me a bastard and a loser, I ignored what I could. Taking to heart what he was putting out there isn't worth it, or worth the fight either. Bringing myself to step harder in the sand, I was running towards him. He tried to back away from me, but I was too fast, once I caught up, I grabbed his collar and one of his legs. I was pretty strong physically so grabbing him wasn't all that hard, pulling him out of his spot I spun around and threw him at the bubble. His face had the biggest look of shock I had ever seen on top of being actually shocked. The power was intense but not enough to kill him, electricity leaked everywhere disappearing at the ground. He was passed slap out when hitting the sand after the energy was exhausted fully. I walked over and hovered a hand over him to heal just enough to be able to return him to the others. Barely tapping him, he disappeared back to the arena and the beach was left with this massive storm. Still taking it's time to hit land but definitely right there, the thunder boomed so hard my body shook in place where I was standing. Lighting strobed all over in intervals quickly tapping the ocean, the wind trying to push me forward. I give the kid credit for putting up a fight and being quick in his delivery method. There must be some kind of reserve power in him that allows him to produce the bubbles so fast. A good opponent if I were his age, no wonder he passed the ranking.

With his defeat there was just one last kid to beat from Thornrift, and I got a sense of where he was. I headed back towards the front of Ankastle and to the left was a pathway that led to a quarry. Nobody really talks about the place since most students get creepy feelings from it. No wonder I didn't think of it earlier, but it sure makes a good place for Black Magic. It's where the dead return on Halloween and the only place they are allowed to roam free. There's a barrier that keeps them in just in case some angry spirits come back and want revenge. About a thousand years ago some students did a seance and were all killed by a demon. Fifteen staff members had to stop it once it began running freely on the grounds. That's probably when they started looking into better protection for students. It took a good thirty or forty minutes to get here coming back from the beach. Trees and a dirt hill made up the way once I got back passed the front of the school. I feel like I hurried after bubble boy, but I really want this over with, my magic is being weird, on top of being annoyed with the name calling. Stepping carefully up the hill I did my best to not slide because a good bit of the dirt was loose. After a couple of minutes on the hill I finally reached a spot that cleared itself. Stone began to take over the scenery stacked in place creating a bit of a walkway with the entrance ahead. Once there, the gate sat open inviting me in but the silence all-around said otherwise. I entered and made my way towards the empty area where you can light torches. Nobody was here but I kept walking, Crows and Ravens cawing above, some spiritlings came out to see why I was there. They're my favorite beings, kind of like miniature ghosts but don't resemble anything human or creature. I first learned to conjure them to make friends, completely harmless and extremely friendly but they don't speak. My childhood benefitted from these little guys once I got the spell right. Further in, a fog sat slightly over the tips of the rocks and ground, I had reached the actual quarry.

The overwhelming silence made the atmosphere sinister, which I liked but still kept me vigilant. I learned to be ready for a fight at an early age, I was definitely ready for this one having fought five people already. This seemed like the place to sit and wait; I took a seat on the edge of a stone wall. It was a grave, and stood only a few feet from the ground, similar to a box garden, only a dead body was planted. A good bit of time passed, and I was getting bored, I turned to the gate to leave, and it had been shut. I'll take this as a sign that I'm meant to be here, but can the kid show up already is how I was feeling. Faintly, some rocks began to fall, and it confirmed he was here. "You can come out already", I called out to the fog, a few minutes and there was silence. As I turned a feeling crept up on me and made my hairs stand, my shield came up instantly as a blade clinked against it. Facing the boy now grinning back at me I got a better look of his face. He was the one in the lineup before this started with an evil smile across his face. The same one still present as I told him he missed. A laugh seeped out of his teeth, and he asked me if I was sure about that, I didn't even see his hand move but got the idea he was pointing. When checking out my body I realized I now have what looks like a paper cut. Right on my bicep right before the inside of my elbow, the sting taking over causing my blood to burn. Backing away into the fog he disappeared without a sound. This is great, he's just going to toy with me until he gets the upper hand. Spelling the ground to clear the fog, nothing happened. Trying again the same results occurred, I didn't understand, this must be some kind of ability of his to produce it. Interesting, but this means I'm going to have to work harder than planned.