The Magic

The Story of Erikson, Part three

Liam spent that night sleeping on a chair next to Liana’s bed but could hardly get any sleep.
Liana’s breathing was heavy; the healers had done what they could to fix an injury so severe.
Bandages were wrapped all around her torso and at the slightest movement her face cringed with pain.
For a while Liam’s mother had also visited Liana. She left some flowers in a vase on the bench next to Liana’s bed.

By the next morning Liam was fired up and ready for his next fight. The first fight that day made sure that the winner of Liam’s fight would be facing Aqwaya. Both the combatants had fought so hard that they badly injured each other; the winner had to be decided by judge.
It was mid-day when finally it was time for Liam’s fight only something was wrong, Liam’s opponent was nowhere to be found.
Liam waited in the courtyard impatiently. He saw Aqwaya waiting at the edge of the crowd. ‘Good at least she’s here.’ Liam mumbled.
Finally Kellam announced that due to unforeseen circumstances Liam’s opponent had forfeited.
‘Probably afraid of my son.’ Mr Erikson said obnoxiously.
‘I suppose that means this is the fight between us then?’ Aqwaya asked as she stepped into the battle courtyard.
Liam had no reply.
‘I’m sorry, you just seemed more of a man of words yesterday.’
‘No, I rather think of myself as a person who acts.’

‘Raise the barrier!’ Kellam shouted.
The humming and buzzing noise could be heard by everyone as the flashing light lit up around Liam and Aqwaya creating the barrier.
‘Let the battle… Begin!’ Kellam shouted.

Liam led the beginning of the fight by instantly charging headlong at Aqwaya.
Aqwaya horizontally slashed her scythe at Liam. He dodged and counter attacked only to have her also dodge and counter by slamming the bottom of the staff end of her staff into Liam’s ribs, he shuddered backward in pain losing his balance for a moment.
When Liam was ready to fight back he slashed continuously at Aqwaya. However Aqwaya dodged backwards again and again, Liam’s sword never even coming close to landing and attack.
Finally Aqwaya attacked back with a slash that Liam was only able to reduce the damage from.
There was a shallow cut across Liam’s chest and slowly blood oozed out of it.
‘The idiot! He’s so impatient to win that he isn’t fighting with real strategy.’ Mr Erikson growled.

Liam stumbled backward and grabbed his torn clothes. Slowly blood seeped onto his hand.
‘Is this all you have Liam? From your talk yesterday I thought you would be tougher but you’re fighting like a wild brute with no brain.’
Liam realised Aqwaya was right, he had been so impatient to get the fight over he was being reckless.
‘You’re right.’ He said. ‘But now it’s time to be serious!’

Liam burst head on to Aqwaya. She slashed her scythe again but Liam ducked to dodge Aqwaya tried to counter by using the base of her scythe but Liam expected and slashed the staff above her hand holding the bottom.
Aqwaya lost her balance and was shocked when Liam jumped up in front of her and head-butted her in the nose.
She toppled backwards and slowly regained her balance but not before Liam could chant a spell.
‘Brown blast of cascading boulders!’ He shouted forcing his hand forward. A blast of brown mana projected from his palm and hit Aqwaya; there was a huge explosion of light and dust.
Liam waited for the dust to clear something didn’t seem right.
Liam suddenly heard a loud slicing noise and he jumped backward just in time to avoid Aqwaya swinging what was left of her scythe at him.

The dust seemed to just get blown away and it revealed Aqwaya uninjured, protected by a shield of Aqua magic.
She had already finished chanting a spell when Liam realised what she was doing. There was no time to react to the blast of Aqua coloured mana that slammed into his body with so much force it sent him hurtling backward.
Liam’s entire body ached. It took all of his effort to just prop himself up off the ground. When he did Aqwaya was already not far away from him.
‘I’m sorry Liam.’ She shouted to him. ‘But In order to win and prove my house the best I have to beat you, and if you won’t stay down then I’ll have to make it so you have no choice.’
Liana raised her scythe, ready to strike and cut Liam in two.
Liam could see the blood already on the blade glint with a light that moved across the edge. There was a loud buzzing noise in Liam’s ears, yet still despite his unavoidable death he would not close his eyes in fear.

The scythe began its descent. Liam was sure it was the end until suddenly the light from the sun had been covered in a shadow.
There was still the sound of the scythe cutting into flesh, but not Liam’s.
Mr Erikson had gotten the barrier lowered and dived in front  of Liam, the scythe cut into his torso and out his stomach. Blood flowed freely from his wound and the spurted out from his body as Aqwaya pulled the scythe free and jumped away, not wanting to leave herself open to a counter attack.

Mr Erikson fell backward into Liam’s arms. His wound was too serious to be healed, he was going to die.
‘Liam listen to me.’ He managed to say.
‘No dad save your strength it’s going to be fine.’ Liam said with tears forming in his eyes.
‘No Liam, it’s not.’ He said coughing up blood. ‘You are my son. You are more important tour family than anything. You have to live, without you our family is gone. Beat her Liam. Don’t die. Make my sacrifice worth it.’ Mr Erikson said as the last spark of life left his eyes.
Dad? DAD!’ Liam shouted, tears flowing freely from his eyes.
‘I’m- I’m so sorry.’ He said shakily. ‘This is all my fault, if I had of been more careful you wouldn’t have been killed.’ He said disappointed in himself.
Liam gently laid his father down on the ground and then stood up.
‘You were right. I was so concerned with someone else while fighting it got you killed!’ He shouted. ‘Well not any more, I’m going to end this even if it means I kill her!’

Quickly Liam raised his arms and two spiked shot out of the ground and wrapped around Aqwaya’s wrists.
‘What are you doing?!’ She shouted.
‘I’m ending you!’
There was a loud cracking and crushing noise as Aqwaya’s wrists were broken.
‘Now I’m ending this.’
Liam raised his sword ready to throw it through Aqwaya when suddenly some ones arms wrapped around him.
‘Stop it Liam, stop!’ The person shouted.
‘It’s over you won.’ They said.
It was Liana, she had been healed enough to get out of bed and see what was happening.
‘I’m sorry I’m so sorry.’ Liam said, his rage turned into sadness, tears streaming down his face.
‘It’s ok, it’s over now.’ Liana said turning Liam around and hugging him.

That night Liam spent sleeping in the medical ward. Liana sat outside of his room talking to the principal.
‘What is going to happen sir?’ She asked.
‘Liam is expected to make a full recovery. I have no idea how I allowed a situation like this to happen.’ He said softly.
‘I will support Liam from now on. I will help his family in whatever way I can.’
‘What about Aqwaya.’
‘She will be sent to a Magic prison centre. She is being charged with attempted murder and man slaughter. She will be given the Life sentence.’
‘What about her father?’
‘He has been fired from the school, he is being charged with child abuse because it turns out he physical abused his daughter into a state where she felt like she had no choice in killing Mr Erikson and attempting to kill Liam.’
‘So he tortured her, her entire life?’
‘It would appear that way. How we did not find out I do not know but…. But I can never allow anything like this again.’

Eventually Liam recovered, after years of hard work and study he filled his father’s position at Magic Academy and Liana filled his mothers.
Liam’s mother retired at a young age and still lives at Magic Academy with her son.
Aqwaya remains in a maximum security prison where Magics powers are nullified to this day.
Ever since that day Liam never was the same. But a part of him changed when he met a young boy who reminded him of his younger self, a young boy named Leon.