The Letter 'B'

Reba vs Bonadel

 "Where are you, where are you, where are you?" Reba chanted as she frantically rifled through the bookshelf. She didn't have a lot of time. Sure, dropping a piano on an unsuspecting seven year old girl seemed pretty effective at the time, but Bonadel wasn't going to stay down forever. She needed the spellbook.
     Reba couldn't afford to fail this time. The last time she confronted Bonadel, Reba pushed her down a well. The result, Bonadel got out and now Reba looked ninety, and she was only twenty-two. She really needed that spellbook. "Oh Reba," a voice echoed softly. "Where are you?"
     "Oh good God, she's up already." Reba muttered as she tossed away yet another book about antelopes. Why would anyone have that anyway? Reba suddenly noticed a leatherbound book. She hesitated for a bit, but the sound of approaching footsteps scared her back into action. She pulled out the book and...nevermind, it was a cookbook.
     However, there was another leatherbound book behind the cookbook. Reba pulled it out as quickly as she could and read the cover. 'A Thousand Ways To Spell Death'. Apparently by someone named Abadon. It was just what she needed. Ignoring the loud crashing sounds of Bonadel breaking through the blockades she set up, Reba quickly flipped through the book. She needed an area of effect spell; a spell that affected a wide area so Bonadel wouldn't be able to escape.
     Luckily for her, they weren't in the Nightosphere, so there was a chance she'd be able to kill Bonadel this time. Reba suddenly stopped. She'd just found the perfect spell. 'Bothynus', meaning meteor. 'Bonadel might be able to withstand just about anything, but even she can't survive a meteor shower.' Reba thought as her hands shook with anticipation. "Antiquae patres," she began. "Audite vocem meam."
     "Reba!" Bonadel called. She was only a few feet away. "What do you think you're doing?"
"I-i was..was" Reba stuttered, trying to ignore her sinking heart. Bonadel suddenly put on an impish smile and tilted her head. "Oh, i get it." she said. "We're playing a game, aren't we?" Bonadel smiling was never a good thing. You could probably tell what was coming when she got angry, but once she started smiling and speaking calmly, she got whimsical.
     She was quite whimsical the day Reba pushed her down that well, and she didn't seem any less whimsical right now. Reba knew she had to think fast. The curse Bonadel put on her to speed up her aging process had started to wear off days ago. She still looked old, but she could move like any other person at her actual age. So she reviewed her options. She was currently by the bookshelf. Bonadel's bookshelf, that appeared in whatever building Bonadel happened to be in at the time.
     At this time, they were in Bonadel's family home, although Reba couldn't fathom Bonadel having any possible living family member. During the jump from the Nightosphere, Reba noticed the roof had a section cordoned off, kind of like a helipad. She had to get there. She only had one chance to do it, and that was assuming Bonadel didn't catch on.
     "...so," Bonadel was saying. She must have been talking the whole time Reba was thinking. "I'll count to ten, you go hide again. Got it?"  Reba nodded quickly. That was the chance she needed. A convienient headstart. "Here we go," Bonadel said as she turned around. "One..two..." 
     Reba closed her eyes and tried to picture a clear image of the roof. "Motus." she muttered. There was a small jolt and the next thing she knew, she was on the roof. 'Glad i made her teach me sorcery,' Reba thought. There was a giant 'H' painted on the ground under her. It was a helipad. She didn't have time to waste since Bonadel would be looking for her by now. Reba set the spellbook down and took a deep breath. "Antiquae patres, audite vocem meam. Praetende sydera!!" There was a loud thunderclap.
     Reba looked up at the sky; blue as usual, but there was a black spot that looked like a night sky. There were stars there, and they seemed to be getting bigger and brighter the more she looked at them. 'They're coming.' she thought. Now she just needed to stall for time till they got to her. "Found you!" Bonadel called playfully. Reba instinctively moved forward; just fast enough to dodge the huge axe Bonadel swung at her neck.
     "Your turn," the seventeen year old Bonadel said as she yanked the axe out of the ground. A swing like that would have cut through Reba like she was butter. "Okay, so i'm gonna go hide and you-" Bonadel noticed the book. "What's this?" she picked it up and leaned against the axe. "Well i see you found my brothers book. Bothynus? Sounds interesting."
     "You have a brother?" Reba hoped she didn't look as shocked as she sounded. Bonadel nodded. "Don't we all? I haven't seen him in forever." There was a look of nostalgia on her face. Reba looked at the sky. She needed more time. "Where is he?" she asked.  "Oh, i don't know," Bonadel sighed. "He's around here somewhere. The planet i mean. Can i ask you a question?"
     "Uh, yeah, sure." Reba said. She took a quick glance at the sky then back at Bonadel. She was seven again. She also had that impish smile. There was blood on her clothes from the piano dropping on her. "Why did you drop a piano on me?" Bonadel's smile disappeared and she went back to seventeen. Reba relaxed a little, because Bonadel only used non-physical attacks when she was seven. Not that her physical attacks weren't already too much to handle or anything.
     But at least if Bonadel attacked her now she could just teleport around until the very last second. For now it would be wiser to appeal to her playful side; however dangerous that was. "It..was a game, remember?" Reba smiled. Bonadel let out a slight chuckle. "A game? Like the meteor shower?" she pointed at the sky. The meteors had already fallen into the atmosphere and were heading straight for them.
     "You know, i gotta say, Reba i'm impressed." Bonadel said. "A meteor spell is supposed to be impossible for a regular human. This might actually kill me for good, unless..."  "Unless what?" Reba asked cautiously. Bonadel was definitely planning something. Then it hit her. Bonadel was about to teleport. "Confinium!" Reba yelled. Dark vapor shot off from her palms and wrapped around Bonadel like a snake. "Oh, i'm really impressed now." Bonadel said. "But aren't you forgetting something?"
     Reba looked up at the approaching meteors, then back at Bonadel. "You're right." Reba smiled. Her first real happy smile in five years. She was finally going to be rid of Bonadel. "Go to hell, Bonnie." Reba pictured her home, where she first met Bonadel. She could start her search for Jason from there. "Mot-"
     "Obstupefacio!" Bonadel said. Reba suddenly felt like a statue, and her heart was in her throat again. "What-what is this?" she asked. Bonadel was still being held by the vapor. "Its a paralysis spell. But don't worry, it wears off quickly. So, as i was saying-"
     "You're trying to take me down with you? Is that it?" Reba asked. Her anger was returning fast. She was so close. "Take you down?" Bonadel almost looked confused. "How would i do that? I'm the only one in danger here."
"What do you mean?" Reba asked.
     "Well, for one thing, the meteor spell doesn't affect the caster." Bonadel explained. "So if i wanted to take you down with me, i'd say something like: Duplex Bothynus." There was a flash of lightning. "There. Now its a double knockout."
     'She can't be serious.' Reba thought. There was no way Bonadel actually intended to kill Reba along with her. She was sure Bonadel was up to something mischievious. 'But,' Reba thought. 'I still have the upper hand. My meteors are already in the atmosphere.'
     "Good luck taking me down, Bonnie." Reba taunted. "Did you think you'd beat my spell? You'll be dead before your meteors get here."  Bonadel looked at the sky and let out a sigh, like she was disappointed. "Reba, you're a beginner sorceress, and i'm over 200 years old. It only follows that any spell i cast beats yours no problem."
     "What do you mean?" Reba asked uncertainly. Bonadel couldn't possibly be serious, but Reba glanced at the sky to be sure. True enough, two meteors bigger than the ones she summoned dropped out of the sky right through hers, crushing them. Reba looked back at Bonadel with absolute shock. Not only did she manage to cast a timed spell after Reba's headstart, but the spell took effect faster than Reba's spell all without an incantation.
     Reba tried to escape but she still couldn't move. "I thought you said it wore off quickly!" Reba cried.  "I lied." Bonadel smiled. Reba tried to stop her tears. "What are you trying to do? Is this all a game to you?!" she yelled. Bonadel's face suddenly became...almost remorseful. "You're right, Reba. I'm sorry. This isn't fair."
     "What did you just say?" Reba asked. She couldn't have heard that right. "I said i'm sorry," Bonadel replied. "Release!"  Reba felt her body becoming less stiff. She looked at Bonadel uncertainly. She'd seen Bonadel bait people with hope before, but it never looked like this. This time actually seemed sincere. Bonadel looked at the sky then back at Reba. "You don't have much time." she said. "Use motus to get somewhere safe."
     "But you'll be fine, right?" Reba asked. She didn't know why, but at this moment she felt a little worried for Bonadel. "You said the meteor spells don't affect the casters."  Bonadel smiled just a little. "That was a lie too."  And the worry dissipated. "Confinium extremus!" Reba chanted. The vapor around Bonadel wrapped tighter around her. "I can't believe i was worried about you!" Reba could barely contain her disgust. "I hope you rot in hell! Goodbye, Bonadel." Reba targeted the top of a relatively nearby building as she cast the motus spell. She wanted to see it happen.
     She popped up near the egde of the building and sat down to watch. She was a good distance away but she still felt the heat as the meteors landed on Bonadel's house. Reba waited for the smoke to clear and breathed a loud sigh of relief. Bonadel had finally been wiped off the face of the earth. "I'm coming for you, Jason." she muttered. "I'll find you, i promise."
     "Reba? Is that you?" a voice called. Reba couldn't believe her ears for a second. That was definitely her brother's voice, but he was nowhere in sight. "Jason?" Reba called. "Jason where are you?" Her heart was beating really fast. "I'm dead, Reba. Move on."
     "W-what?" Reba muttered, tears filling her eyes. "Jason?" she called again. A hand landed on her shoulder. Reba's head whipped around so fast she might have broken her neck, but when she got a good look, she wished her neck was broken. Bonadel was standing behind her. Her clothes were torn and covered in dust and soot, but her body looked untouched even though her hair was singed.
     "Y-you.." Reba couldn't believe it. There was no way Bonadel could have survived that. It was just too much, even for her. "H-how did you..why are you alive??!" she blurted. Bonadel heaved a sigh and sat down beside her. "Portals."
"What?" Reba was confused. Bonadel never told her about that, and Bonadel had told her a lot of things. Bonadel raised a hand and a small circle shimmered into existence in front of it. Bonadel put her hand into it. "I don't know where it goes, but i can send things through it."
     "How does stuff come back?" Reba asked and Bonadel shook her head. "I don't know how to do that. Abadon does though."
"Your brother?" Reba asked. Bonadel nodded. "Want to go see Jason?" she asked. Reba's head perked up. "He's alive?!" she asked. Bonadel smiled and offered Reba her hand. Reba took it and they disappeared.