The Virtues' Magecraft

Page 8: The War Begins

Archibald stared out the car window. Even from kilometers away and on that winding road, he gazed at the massive cluster of what seemed to be millions of lights. Pendragon, the capital of the Norteon Union.

He let a grumbled sigh. "Why is the airport so far away from the city?"

"Security purposes," Smith answered. "If you wanted to be quick, you could've used a transporter, y'know. Then, I wouldn't have to drive you this whole distance. It's unnecessary."

"Well... Not my fault they scheduled a meeting at midnight. Who does that? Anderson's just doing it out of spite."

"Why would he do that out of spite?"

"Well, yeah, he's pretty pissed at the way I talked to him last time. But, hey, I was just telling the truth. Not my fault he didn't like it."

"You're childish for your age, you know that?"

"If we weren't friends, I would've hit you multiple times by now," Archibald said as he chuckled.

Smith laughed. "There's still time until your meeting the meeting, though. Need to stop somewhere?"

Archibald smiled. "No, I think I should be early for once." He stared out the window. The smile faded from his face. "Stop the car," he ordered.

"Sir?"

"Just do it."

Smith hit the brakes. Archibald stepped out of the vehicle, before tapping at the driver's door. "You need to get out of here."

"What?"

He sighed. "Just do as I say, please. Fast as you can."

The car immediately sped away as Archibald stared at the full moon.

A shadow suddenly pierced the stark moonlight.

Arnold smiled, before crashing his fist down at the pavement. The ground erupted with cracks and crevices, spreading to Archibald.

For a single second, their eyes met.

"So... who are you?" Archibald asked, pushing up his glasses. 'He purposely chose an area with no people. Limiting casualties? No. Avoiding possible reinforcements.' Archibald smiled, cracking his knuckles.

Arnold smiled as he stood up straight, the ends of his pale coat flapping in the wind. "Your doom." His hand crackled with lightning.

"Childish response." Archibald sighed, beginning to roll up the sleeves of his stark white dress shirt.

'He's stronger than some Paladins, I can tell. People like him don't show up often. Can't let this opportunity go to waste.' He began cracking his knuckles.

Charles Archibald hadn't attacked him immediately as he expected. Arnold's smiled widened. "What's the matter? Getting scared?"

Archibald smirked. "No. This is starting to get fun."

"Fun?" Arnold raised his hand at the sky. "You have no sense of danger."

"No sense of danger, huh? Well... We'll see."

Arnold smiled, his hands glowing with blinding light. The light burst outward as thunder exploded in the night sky, shaking the very ground itself.

Archibald disappeared for a moment, before reappearing meters behind his white-haired opponent. His grin widened as he spoke, "Combining light to blind and thunder to deafen, huh? Basically a magical flash grenade. Not bad."

Arnold's rapid footsteps clacked against the broken pavement. "But there's more," he muttered. His arm shot downward as lightning descended from the dark night sky. The brilliant ray of lightning ripped through the air, crashing down at Archibald. Archibald tried to jump back but...