The crowd of druids stood in the freezing cold of Chicago, yet none felt the sting of the wind on their faces. As a blizzard enveloped the city, the resolute druids watched Fang and me approach from opposite sides of the courtyard. Torches lined the field. A small pool of ice was in the center. Mounds of dirt were randomly spaced out.
I sensed the wards in place, reminiscent of the scent of ozone. Our spells were trapped within this space. Nothing could escape, and the driving snow shielded our activities from any curious onlookers. It was no coincidence.
I removed my leather jacket and handed it to Corbin. He nodded in a silent farewell, and I returned the gesture with a see-you-soon nod. Once only Fang and I remained, I stared at my old pupil. He was wiry and thin, with hair slicked back. He was the guy who could never shut up when everyone needed quiet. But he was the one who asked the best questions when no one was listening.
The signal was given, and our duel began.
With a burst of speed, Fang lunged at me. He swung his cudgel towards my head, aiming for a swift end. I parried with my weapon, feeling the shock run down our arms. Using my other hand, I took advantage of this momentum, redirecting the energy toward his shoulder. He reeled back but swiftly regained his posture.
I hurled bolts of light at him, aiming to encircle and entrap him, but he skillfully dodged each one. It was evident that outmaneuvering him wouldn’t be an option.
Suddenly, flames enveloped his fists, and he surged forward, his figure blurring as if viewed through frost.
I hadn't anticipated that Fang could harness two elements simultaneously.
I'd miscalculated. I believed I could force him to yield.
I evaded his fiery strikes and tried to cast a spell to quench the fire on his fists. However, he began absorbing my energy, growing even more indistinct. I needed a new plan—fast.
I beseeched the earth for assistance, and Fang found himself trudging through thick mud. I considered freezing the mud to immobilize him or even turning it into lava. But either would empower him. At least I managed to slow his advance. Before he could reach me with his blazing fists, I conjured barriers of swirling winds. Recognizing the threat, he deftly leaped over them. Landing, he drove his fist into my head, each blow conveying his anger and resentment.
I could see the tears streaming down his enraged face. He was unaware that his flames left me unscathed, and that my fists burrowed deep into the earth, preparing to encase him for eternity. He was too deep in his fire and rage to counter.
But instead of using the earth to trap him, I pushed myself out from beneath him and signaled my surrender. As his group of druids cheered for their victory over the elder, I observed the rage dissipating from Fang's eyes, the chains of hatred breaking.
“We are done here,” Fang said, looking directly at me. A sliver of his old smile appeared.
As the rush of adrenaline subsided, I leaned back, seeking solace in the cold embrace of the earth.
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