The Court Mage

Mahina jabbed at Dadilda with her lighting covered fists. The lightning met with the veil of flames flickering around Dadilda’s body. She sighed in disappointment. “You’ll have to do better than that.”

Vines came down from above right as a flaming fist punched right through them. Dadilda shook her head, pressing her fingers into her forehead. “That won’t work either.”

Mira came rushing forward, thrusting her shield as spikes shot out from it. Swiping her hand, Dadilda knocked the shield out of her way. She swept her leg under Mira’s feet, sending falling to the ground.

Bullets of water fired out from Azumi’s finger. Dadilla blocked it with a wall of flames. The flames burned away the water and steam began to blow through the area. Dadilda stretched her fingers and her nails turned to flame.

She struck her nails right through Mira’s shield, striking her shoulder. Mira winced in pain and quickly backed away.

“Sorry guys. But I have to use more magic!” Saria clasped her hands together and geysers of green magical energy shot up from underground.

Dadilda gasped as the magic geysers grazed her nose. She leaped several feet back while more and more geysers came after her.

Her eyes widened as thorny vines struck her in the back. “Got her,” Saria said, wearing a satisfied smirk.

Mahina appeared at Dadilda’s side and swung her electric leg. The kick connected with her neck and Dadilda nearly fell over.

“Not bad,” Dadilda said, holding onto her nose. “But not good enough.” She fired off a frenzy of fireballs at everyone from her palms.

Mira tried blocking them all with her shield but some managed to get through. Mahina protected herself with hands, electric currents still surging around them.

A row of wood pillars rose up from the ground to protect Saria as the fireballs burst through each one. But that managed to give her enough time to run out of the way.

Azumi countered with her own balls of water and more steam formed from the collision.

Dadilda rubbed her hands while sparks of fire lit up around her. She flicked the sparks of fire at Azumi and then quickly expanded in size as they reached her.

Azumi yelped in pain.

“To think all of the Four Heroes have become our enemies.” Dadilda sighed, a hand on her hip, tilting her chin up to the sky. “What a shame.”

“You don’t have to do this, you know.” Azumi grunted at the women. “There’s no reason to try purging people just because they have too much magic power.”

Dadilda held up her hand. “Talking to me about that is pointless. I have no opinion on the matter. I am simply following King Aster’s orders.” Embers floated around Dadilda’s body. “I just find it disappointing. You and Mahina at least could’ve been spared if you had helped us instead.”

“We don’t want to go our along with your twisted plan!” Bolts of lightning shot out from Mahina’s palms at a rapid pace.

A wall of fire started to rise up from the ground, but the lightning was to quick and struck Dadilda.

Dadilda scowled at that. However, her calm composure returned rather quickly. “Suit it yourself. She waved her hand a wave of fire came in response.

A wave of water rose up from behind Azumi and met with the fire wave. Mira came running forward. Leaping into the air, she swung her shield down. Dadilda grabbed her wrist and chucked her into the ground.

“Ah, that is right. I should be taking care of the weakest one first. Raising her hand, Dadilda opened her palm and shot out a bolt of fire at Mira.

Mira grunted and struggled as she got back up on her feet. She gasped as the fire bolt ran through the air.

She wouldn’t make it in time. The attack was moving even faster than Mahina’s lightning. Mira’s heart jumped in her throat and she shut her eyes, accepting her fate.

Seconds passed…And nothing. There was no pain. She wondered if she had already died in those few seconds. But as she opened her eyes, she realized that she was still standing in the same place. The fight was still going on.

And before her, stood Azumi, doubled over and clutching her chest. The bolt of fire had gone right through her.

“You saved me?”

Azumi’s eyelids grew heavy as she panted. Her mouth and gums were bleeding along with her chest. Streaks of blood also lined her arms and legs.

Mira covered her mouth with her hands as she realized just how injured Azumi was. Smiling, Azumi fell back onto the ground.

Mira ran up to her and lifted Azumi’s head in her hands. Her shoulders quaked as she watched Azumi take slow heavy breaths. “Why? Why did you do that?”

Azumi’s neck creaked as she forced herself to turn her head. “Because you were in danger. These people are trying to kill, you aren’t they?”

“That’s not what I mean…” Mira’s body trembled. She could feel Azumi’s body getting lighter in her arms as she kept closing and opening her eyes. “We’re strangers. Why would you risk your life for me?”

She couldn’t understand it. This was the same girl who Yusato told her had betrayed him and left him to die. She left Yusato to save herself. So then, why now was she putting her own life at risk? It didn’t make any sense.

Azumi rose her shaking arm and placed it over Mira’s hand. She gently took it away, letting her own head hit the ground. Her eyes grew hazy all the while the blood rolled off her chin. But still she smiled.

“You’re Yusato’s friend. That’s all the reason I need.” Azumi’s hands fell limp at her sides. “You been with him all this time, right? Helping him out and fighting by his side? I’m grateful for that. You did what I couldn’t do.” The clouds drifted overhead as Azumi watched them. “You need to keep living, so you can stay by his side. He wouldn’t want you to die.”

Tears wet the corner of Mira’s down turned eyes. Azumi’s breathing grew softer and quieter. Teardrops splashed onto her bloody wounds.

The girl who betrayed Yusato had saved her life. Mira didn’t know what to think of that. After she heard Yusato’s story, she was determined to despite this girl for the rest of her life for what she did.

She thought there was no way she could feel anything but hatred and contempt for her. But as she heard Azumi pour her feelings out to her, he honest unbridled feelings, there was one thing she was sure of.

“He wouldn’t want you to die either.” She bit her lips, blinking back her tears. “Azumi.”

“I don’t think….that’s true…anymore.” Azumi’s eyes closed and her head went slack against the ground.

Mira swallowed. She wiped her face and turned around to meet Dadilda head on. “Wasn’t that girl…wasn’t Azumi…supposed to be one of your heroes?”

“She was,” Dadilda admitted with a shrug. “But she went against the kingdom. At this point she’s no better than that Obsolete Leo.” She flipped through the pages in her spellbook, her glasses gleaming in the sunlight as she did so. “Though, if I were you’d I’d be worried about myself. After all, you’re one of the prime targets.”

A massive blast of fire burst out from Dadilda’s mouth. Mira rose her shield, protecting herself from the fire.

The flames spewed out in all directions as they hit the shield. Mira’s heels dug into the ground as she tried to remain in place. The fire steadily pushed her back.

She dug her feet into the ground even more, forcing herself to move forward. She pushed through the flames with her shield. Her gaze grew intense under the searing heat of the fire. The heat burned at her skin, but she kept moving.

Dadilda’s eyes shot open in shock as Mira came running through the flames, slamming her shield into the woman’s stomach.

From behind, Mahina kicked Dadilda in the back of her head. Vines wrapped around her ankles, yanking her left and right.

Flames burned away at the vines and Dadilda broke free. She scowled before her fire took on the shape of serpents and lunged for Mira, Mahina, and Saria.

“Don’t think we’re just going to let you do whatever you want,” Saria said, holding out both her arms. Green magical aura framed them and turned into cannons.

Saria fired away several powerful beams of the magic energy from her hands. Her horns and black patches started to grow some more while she kept firing at Dadilda.

Chunks of wood came from within the magic blasts and knocked Dadilda in the chin. Mahina appeared next to her and kicked her in the side while discharging lightning from her leg. “That’s right. How dare you do that to my best friend!”

Mahina swung her leg at Dadilda again and the women tumbled across the ground before being met with a bash of Mira’s shield.

Mira’s spellbook flipped open and a golden light shone all around her. She pressed her palms together and Saria did the same.

The golden and green light mixed and merged together, illuminating the area with their bright radiant colors. The beams of light shot up from the ground as Dadilda screamed out in pain.

The thundering sound shook the ground while the bright light shone through the city. As the magical beams started to narrow and fade away, Dadilda was left standing in the center of Mira, Saria, and Mahina. Her robes torn and tattered, she stumbled before collapsing onto the ground.

“We did it…” Saria brought a hand to her chest and sighed. “We beat the Court Mage.”

Mira and Mahina both looked over at Azumi. Mahina’s shoulders trembled and she turned to Mira and Saria, “Can either of you do anything?”

“I might be able to,” Mira said quietly. Then, she shook her head before making her way towards Azumi. “No. I’ll definitely find a way.”

***

Yusato kept running through the city, keeping his eyes peeled for any sign of King Aster. He saw knights he remembered from the royal capital gathered around. They were in the midst of fighting other people in the city.

He had to bury his head and keep running. Like Azalea said, if he took out King Aster, then he could end this. All he could do was hope that the other adventurers and Obsoletes would be able to take care of the king’s army.

It would be difficult to fight King Aster with how much of his team he had lost. But they should all be meeting up with him again soon. He had absolute faith that they would.

As he reached the door leading to the tenth floor, he stopped. “He must be here.” He turned to face Leo. “You ready, Leo?” But Leo was nowhere to be seen.