“Hey!” I shouted as I disconnected from Zenda to face the goddess in our midst.
I couldn’t believe our stalker had revealed herself while we were making love, but I couldn’t blame the goddess for being aroused. The Goddess of Death was my enemy, and yet, I didn’t sense any hostility in her body language. Nameless was nowhere to be seen, but I knew the dragon wouldn’t have let a threat get past him if he was nearby.
Unless the goddess had some way to mask herself from him.
“Halt!” Zenda called out as she lifted the palm of her hand.
The Goddess of Death froze in place for a moment as we stared her down, and her emerald eyes were wide as an internal battle waged in her gaze. I wondered why she hesitated and what was holding her back, but I couldn’t begin to know her motives from the brief interactions we’d had so far.
The dark-haired cloaked woman opened her mouth to speak, but then she thought better of it and shook her head before she darted away. I chased after her without a second thought, and my bare feet barely touched the ground as I sprinted in her wake.
“Chs!” I shouted as I extended my hand, and shards of ice shot at my enemy’s feet.
The goddess jumped out of the way, and she veered to the side so fast, I had to skid to a halt in order to adjust my direction.
While she wasn’t the best at hiding her presence from me, she certainly was fast, but even with me making the first attack, she still remained in flight. I was impressed by the agile way she moved through the forest, and without my griffon feather boots, I was barely able to stay on her tail.
I considered resetting to my save point to get the upper hand, but I’d already gained a lot of information in this run-through. The Goddess of Death may be working with the God of the Plague, but something told me she didn’t want me dead as badly as her colleague did. She hadn’t attacked us directly yet, but there was no telling what she’d been about to do before I noticed her presence.
Imagine dying while in the throes of passion.
There were worse ways to die, and I knew from personal experience.
The shadows suddenly swallowed my target like she’d vanished through a portal to another dimension, and I slowed my
pace as I searched for a trail. When I couldn’t find any trace of her passing on the ground or in the trees, I returned to our campsite. My body was charged with adrenaline, so I’d forgotten I was naked until the heat of the fire warmed my chilled skin, and I flashed Zenda an amused smile. The beautiful historian had already pulled her turquoise-colored clothing back on, and she held a torch aloft as she searched the darkness for me.
“I told you I was just as capable when naked,” I chuckled.
“Although, I would have caught her if I’d been wearing my armor.”
“Where did she go?” Zenda asked as she peered at the shadows I’d emerged from.
“Not far,” I said. “But we’re making progress.”
“What do you mean?” Zenda tilted her head. “She walked right into our campsite while we weren’t paying attention.”
“Just like we wanted,” I said in a confident tone. “It was obvious she liked what she was seeing, and it almost seemed like she was about to join in.”
“Sleeping with the enemy could have benefits,” Zenda allowed in a thoughtful tone, but she kept her voice low enough so any listening ears couldn’t hear her words. “Interfering with their
partnership would undermine their power, and bringing her to your side could completely derail their plans for world domination.”
“Would you really be able to trust her after she’d allied herself with the God of the Plague?” I gave Zenda a quizzical look as I pulled on my clothes. “We don’t know anything about her, but I know he poisoned a harmless tree creature. Plus, the God of the Plague is the one responsible for the monster attacks in the Kotar Desert, and for all we know, the goddess helped him.”
“I don’t know.” Zenda shrugged. “But this goddess is a woman, and I know from personal experience how that translates directly into a weakness to your charms. I was planning on remaining alone before I met you, and now I can’t imagine life without you. She could end up being the same way, but even if you don’t trust her, you could still use her to your advantage.”
“I’ll think about it,” I said, but then I turned my attention back to the campsite. “Is anything missing? Maybe we caught her stealing and didn’t realize it.”
“I thought of that,” Zenda said. “But I accounted for all of our belongings after I got dressed.”
“That was fast,” I said as my eyebrows lifted.
“Benefits of the robes,” Zenda countered. “There are many logical reasons for the Zaborian style of dress. With common solid colors, you look uniform no matter the day. Plus, you don’t have to mix and match pants and shirts. It frees up a lot of time and mental energy for other more important tasks.”
“I didn’t realize there was that much thought put into it,” I laughed. “It makes sense, though. Albert Einstein did something similar for the same reasons.”
“Was he an intellectual?” Zenda asked.
“One of the smartest,” I confirmed. “If it wasn’t for him, our worlds would probably be more alike. He changed a lot of things and altered the course of the future.”
“Then I am in good company.” Zenda flashed me a bright smile.
We were too wound up from our encounter with the Goddess of Death to sleep for a while, but Zenda fell asleep before I did. I heard Nameless return to camp shortly before my lover and I switched places, and I relaxed a little knowing the powerful dragon would stay nearby.
The iridescent flying lizard munched happily on a large goose, and feathers flew into his face until he sneezed. Chunks of meat flew in all directions, and I had to jump to the side to avoid being caught in the blast. I shook my head in amusement as Nameless returned to his meal, but I gave him a silent command to watch Zenda’s back before I crawled into the tent to take her place.
Death follows you. The dragon’s voice was clear as day inside my head, and I sat bolt upright in the tent as I processed his words.
Do you see a woman? I asked in my head.
Instead of a reply, I had a sudden flash of an image in my mind, but I instantly recognized the Goddess of Death. While the image Nameless shared with me only showed half her face peeking out from behind a tree, I would know those green eyes anywhere. It was like the dragon was sharing a memory with me, but I could even smell things. There was a scent of roses in the air, and I remembered the same aroma being present in her room.
Except, Nameless didn’t seem alarmed.
Don’t let her anywhere near Zenda! I commanded with an emphatic wave of my will power.
Sleep. The dragon sounded amused.
I let out a deep sigh before I did as he said, but my dreams were plagued by a recurring image: the Goddess of Death. Zenda’s words floated through my mind as I envisioned what would happen if I turned my enemy over to my side. Would I be able to kill her if I didn’t choose that path? I still had no idea what the goddess was capable of or what her motives were, and she’d ignored several opportunities to attack us, but she’d also started a fire in an effort to thwart our quest.
I would have to learn more about her in order to discover her true character.
The pale lavender sky greeted my eyes as I woke up shortly before dawn, and Zenda smiled sleepily at me as I crawled out of the tent. I urged her to get some more sleep before we hit the road again, and we fell into our normal routine for the rest of the day. We talked about our visitor from the night before while we rode through the dense forest, but we both agreed to keep going.
It took us less time than I expected to reach Arginold Hold, and I paused as the thick stone walls came into view. I made a new save point as I continued toward the gate, and I was about to begin my normal routine of persuading the guards into letting us pass when a group of eight armed men in the Arginold colors poured through the
gates. We were surrounded a moment later, and I reached over my shoulder for the hilt of the panabas strapped to my back.
“Great One! Great One!” the soldiers chanted.
“The Great One of Legend has returned!”
“Make way for the Great One!”
I realized the men surrounding us were not there to stop us, and I let my hand drop away from my weapon. Then I flashed Zenda an amused smile before I waved for silence from our entourage.
“I have come to see the duchess and her wizard,” I announced. “Please, take me to them at once.”
The guards saluted before they snapped into a formation around us, and they shouted for people to clear the path as we made our way into the city. The onlookers crowded to either side of the street as we passed by, and I gave them a few friendly waves as we drew closer to the castle. The guards shouted and shoved the crowd back until they began to disperse, but a few followed in our wake for a while before heading home.
Stay out of sight, I commanded the dragon soaring through the clouds above our heads. Wait until no one is watching to land on the castle roof.
As usual, Nameless answered without words, but his obedience was relayed through the bond we shared.
With the streets empty, I lost myself in thoughts of previous adventures.
The first time I visited Arginold Hold, I’d remained incognito in order to undermine the former duke and his evil wizard, but ever since Duchess Jaketta had taken over the territory, I’d been able to march through the streets with all the pomp and circumstance. I hadn’t seen Ako as often as I would have liked since he’d been appointed the magical guardian of this territory, but other important quests had kept me away. I was ready to make up for lost time, but I knew I would have to make pleasantries with the duchess before I pulled her court wizard away.
I wondered how they were reacting to the changes in Sorreyal politics, namely, the coronation of Eva and Caelia as co-queens.
In any case, I’d find out soon enough, and I straightened my shoulders as the castle came into view. The cold climate of the northern territory was amplified by the gray stone everywhere the eye could see, and the horses’ hooves echoed down the now empty street. Once we arrived in the courtyard, a couple of stablehands stepped up to take our horses’ reins, and we both dismounted. The
guards stood in formation as we made our way to the entrance, and the lead soldier saluted when I glanced back at them.
The interior of the castle was less cold and depressing than it had been during my first visit, and I noticed the new elements the duchess had introduced. There were vases of fresh flowers in front of the windows, and the curtains were pulled back to allow the small amount of sunlight inside. The foyer and connecting hallways were all carpeted in a light green that reminded me of spring meadows, and the smell of fresh baked goods wafted from the direction of the kitchens.
Two guards stood just inside the entrance, and one of them led us to the duchess. I was a little surprised when he directed me to a quiet hallway leading to Duchess Jaketta’s personal chambers. I exchanged a loaded glance with Zenda before we knocked on the door in front of us, but I put a smile on my face as the door opened.
A servant in a black jacket and white shirt opened the door, and he lifted his eyebrows expectantly when I didn’t immediately speak. He reminded me of a penguin with his slicked down dark hair, pale face, and twitchy mustache, but I was pulled out of my thoughts when he cleared his throat.
“I am Sir Sebastian,” I said. “I am here to see Duchess Jaketta.”
“I’m afraid the duchess--” the man started to say before he was cut off.
“The Archduke? Let him in! Open the door!” a feminine voice called from behind the door.
The servant obediently stepped to the side so Zenda and I could enter the room, and I glanced around at the lushly decorated study. A fire blazed in the fireplace, and the dark wood tables and shelves were accented by velvet upholstered chairs.
And sitting on one of these chairs with her legs crossed and toe bobbing was the duchess of Arginold Hold.
“Please, have a seat, Sir Sebastian,” the duchess urged.
Duchess Jaketta held a book open in one hand and a glass of wine in the other, but her face was lit up with a bright smile as I entered the room. Her silver streaked brown hair was twisted into an intricately braided bun perched on top of her head, and the faint laugh lines around her lips belied her age despite the heavy makeup she wore.
The smile on her face fell as soon as her eyes landed on Zenda, and I frowned as the duchess suppressed a wrinkled nose when the Zaborian came up to say hello. I wasn’t going to tolerate anyone being rude or disrespectful to one of my women, but I didn’t want to cause unnecessary drama before I got what I needed.
“Is there a problem?” I asked.
“No, no, it’s nothing,” Duchess Jaketta tutted. “Please, sit. I will call for service.”
“I would like to address any issues before it complicates things later,” I persisted. “Zenda has done nothing wrong, so why do you act offended by her presence?”
Duchess Jaketta looked back and forth between us for a moment, and I could tell she was torn on what to do. I hoped she would be honest with me and approach this like an adult, but no matter how she responded, I knew I was in the right.
“I heard the daughter of the High Priest was traveling with you, but I had hoped it was just a rumor,” the duchess finally admitted.
“He’s been… Less than friendly in response to my efforts to educate myself.”
“So, your issue is with Zenda’s father?” I shook my head. “That has nothing to do with her. Besides, how do you even communicate with anyone that far away?”
“Ako is helping me,” Duchess Jaketta explained, and she put her wine and book down before clasping her hands together in her lap. “If you have a seat, I am more than willing to explain, but the topic is… sensitive.”
“Alright,” I allowed, and I motioned for Zenda to sit as I claimed a chair of my own. “Go on.”
Duchess Jaketta looked back and forth between us as she wrung her hands in an anxious manner, and I could tell she was hesitant to say more. I had superiority over her in every way, so I wasn’t going to let any secrets slide in my domain.
“I am not the prettiest woman,” the duchess began. “Nor am I the smartest, but that doesn’t mean I don’t also deserve love.”
“What does any of this have to do with love?” I frowned.
“You’re not trying to hook up with the High Priest of the Zaborial Isles, are you? Didn’t anyone tell you long-distance relationships never work?”
“Not Zeydon!” Duchess Jaketta gasped. “How could I bed a man that old?”
“Alright, so how does your love life have anything to do with how you treated Zenda?” I leaned forward and rested my elbows on my knees, but the look on my face was stern.
“I was trying to impress someone by learning their language!”
Duchess Jaketta threw her hands in the air in exasperation. “I thought if I learned from the most respectable man in their land, and I spoke in the language while a particular person was present, then the one I admire would fall in love.”
“So, all of this is because the High Priest won’t tutor you on the Zaborian language?” I shook my head in awe at the woman’s audacity, but I found it amusing that she felt the need to go to such lengths to get someone’s attention.
Maybe she just needed a little help.
“Is this a Zaborian you are admiring?” Zenda asked.
“No,” Duchess Jaketta said, and she bit her lip. “But he’s been there before, and he said it was the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen. I wish to remind him of beauty so maybe… Well, maybe he will think I am beautiful, too.”
I suddenly realized who the object of her affection was.
Ako.
I had to do something before the romantic drama destroyed the leadership of the northern territory. I couldn’t have a duke or duchess being rude to a woman of higher standing than them, and creating uncomfortable tensions with other realms didn’t help, either.
While I understood Duchess Jaketta’s intentions were innocent enough, she could cause some very real harm with her carelessness.
At least the way she treated her employees had improved, and from what I’d seen so far, the duchess was following the advice I’d given her during my last visit. I knew the king chose her for a reason beyond being a noble, but he had asked me to pick the court wizard to serve her, so I felt obligated to help them both.
“Let me talk to him,” I suggested. “I think I can handle this without you going to the High Priest with your problems. Maybe Zenda can help? We will figure it out.”
“Speak with whom?” the duchess asked as she pursed her lips. “I haven’t revealed an identity.”
“Oh, you absolutely did,” I chuckled. “But I would have known anyway. I’m a god, remember? So, just let me help you.”
“Thank you, Your Grace.” Jaketta looked a little embarrassed, but she settled back into her chair with a sigh of relief.
“Why don’t you send for him?” I suggested. “I’d love to see him.”
The duchess had shown signs of possessiveness over her court wizard in the past, but I didn’t think it was anything the shapeshifter couldn’t handle. A woman with a crush did odd things, but all they wanted was love and affection. If Ako saw Jaketta in a romantic way, I was more than happy to help them get through their nervousness, but if the court wizard wasn’t interested, I would try to soften the blow of rejection for the duchess.
“Alright,” the duchess relented, and she curled her fingers to peer at her nails in a bored manner. “I understand the two of you have a… unique friendship, and I wouldn’t want to interfere with that… even if I could.”
The way Duchess Jaketta lingered over her words combined with the look in her eyes made it clear that I would have to stay on her good side if I wanted easy access to my friend. Little did she
know, there was no way I was going to play games with lesser nobles while I was saving the world from two would-be world rulers.
I was the God of Time, and if it wasn’t for me, she never would have been given her current title. I’d initiated a mastermind plot to get the previous duke killed by his own court wizard, and I would do it again if I had to, but I hoped it didn’t reach that point. It didn’t seem as though the duchess had heard the news about the transition of power in Vallenwood, but maybe it was time to remind her who truly held all the cards in this situation.
I flashed Zenda a sideways glance, but she seemed content to let me take the lead in this interaction, and I wondered if the duchess had offended her. It was worth checking in on later, but I knew the Zaborian was familiar with political niceties.
“Thank you so much for your hospitality, Your Grace,” I said with a polite incline of my head, but I held her gaze firmly with mine.
“I will have to repay the kindness the next time you are in Vallenwood. I’m sure the two queens, Eva and Caelia, would be happy to host a dinner for your visit.”
“Aren’t they… your wives?” Jaketta couldn’t hide the internal battle she was currently waging with herself, and I was pleased to
see her putting the pieces together so quickly. “What happened to King Frederick?”
“He abdicated.” I shrugged. “And while he handed me his crown, I still have more important things to give my attention to, so I crowned the two archduchesses instead.”
“Y-Y-You crowned them?” the duchess asked as her eyes went wide, and I saw her swallow hard. “Your Grace, it would be my pleasure to join you in the golden halls for an evening meal, and I will alert you as soon as I am able to travel such a distance.”
That was better.
I could see respect as well as envy in her gaze, but she made no further comment. After a few moments of silence, I reminded her about summoning Ako, and she rang a small bell until a servant stepped into the room. Once the duchess had given the man her instructions and sent him on his way, I sparked a new topic of conversation to lighten the mood.
“How much Zaborian have you learned so far?” I asked. “I know a little.”
“Yes, I’ve heard of your travels to the fair islands.” Duchess Jaketta glanced at Zenda. “It seems you brought home a few pretty
trophies.”
“It was difficult to stay behind when the most powerful man in the world just stole your heart,” Zenda said as she cast a loving smile at me, but she kept her tone diplomatically neutral as she continued. “He saved my people from a madman drunk on power, and then continued on to free another island from slaver pirates. To say Bash conquered the Eastern Ocean is an understatement. I’m sure he would be happy to help you navigate the waters.”
“That would be lovely,” the duchess said, and she pressed her lips into a firm, forced smile. “I hope to travel someday, but my duties keep me tethered to the fortress. It must be so nice to have no responsibilities and go wherever you want.”
“We wouldn’t know,” I countered in a hard voice, and the duchess snapped her mouth shut.
While I didn’t like Duchess Jaketta as a person, she had improved the quality of life in her territory, so I wasn’t trying to start a fight. However, I couldn’t sit back while she subtly insulted my lover right in front of me, and if she continued, we would get up and leave.
Thankfully, Ako stepped into the sitting room a moment later, and the silence in the room was deafening. The shapeshifter cast a
curious glance at our expressions, but his flashy smile never faltered. I’d seen the cat-man in a few precarious moments, but it didn’t seem like anything could harsh his chill vibe.
I rose to my feet as he crossed the room toward us, and we fell into a brotherly hug a moment later. No matter what weird tensions the duchess was causing, I was happy to see my friend, and I was eager to get him away from his liege so we could speak freely.
“Master Gray,” I said in an overly formal tone as I pulled Zenda to her feet. “You remember my lovely companion, Zenda?”
“The princess of the Zaborial Isles herself,” the wizard chuckled, and he reached out his hand to shake Zenda’s. “It is wonderful to see you again, and I hope we have a chance to actually converse this time.”
“I agree.” Zenda’s sapphire eyes twinkled, and she struggled to contain her excitement. “There is much we must discuss.”
The Zaborian had spent every chance she could reading the books written by the shapeshifting wizard, and her respect for him continued to grow as she learned more about him. The historian was brimming with questions and comments about particular segments of his works.
I could tell Ako was also intrigued by her words as we all returned to our seats, and Duchess Jaketta cleared her throat as daintily as she could to return the focus back to her.
The three of us worked in tandem to appease the duchess until she finally released us from her presence, but I made a mental note to just seek Ako out directly next time instead of dealing with all the courtly pleasantries. We followed the shapeshifter out of the study, and he led us to the wizard’s tower. I remembered the way from my previous visits, so it was easy to keep pace with the cat-wizard as we walked.
“I have a lot to tell you,” I said in a low voice. “I came here in search of a spell that I think you may have in your possession. It could be a game changer.”
“You think I have it?” Ako snorted, but then a serious expression crossed his face. “Actually, that is possible. I still have a lot of the books I recently acquired, and some of them contain ancient spells. I wouldn’t think something so outdated would be a game changer.”
“I’ll explain more once we’re in private,” I said.
The cat-wizard led us to the tower and down into the caverns below before we spoke again. Ako had transformed the space into something like an armory, and I could tell several objects had magical enchantments. It was a lot better than the caged werewolves that had previously occupied the space, but I didn’t see any books yet.
“What’s going on?” Ako asked when we were safe from listening guards or servants. “Things seemed tense with Jakie when I showed up. Is everything okay?”
“Are we free to speak openly?” I asked as I cast a glance around the space like I would find hidden cameras.
“I have the entire tower coated in a shrouding spell,” Ako said.
“Eavesdropping, whether natural or magical, is completely forbidden.”
“Well, she seemed upset about Zenda being with me because of some differing opinions with the High Priest,” I explained. “But it wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle. All I had to do was remind her who wore the crown in this realm.”
“Your friend, King Frederick,” Ako said like he was agreeing with me.
“I can’t believe you weren’t alerted about the coronation,” I laughed. “Eva and Caelia are co-queens now since King Fred gave up his crown and disappeared.”
“Wow.” Ako’s eyebrows rose sharply. “I’m surprised you didn’t take the throne for yourself.”
“I have other things to take care of first,” I said. “Which brings me to the purpose for our visit.”
“I read your books,” Zenda added. “You reviewed the findings of Lord Havers, but we need the original text.”
We quickly caught the shapeshifter up on our goal to increase the ability of the fast travel amulets, and I explained about the two supposed immortals seeking my demise. As I expected, the wizard showed no signs of fear when he learned of the looming threat, and instead, he offered his services in whatever capacity I needed.
“We just need the book that contains the memory spell,” I said.
Zenda pulled out her journal, and she showed Ako the pages of notes she’d taken about our current mission, including references to her sources. He was obviously impressed, and an instant later, his eyes lit up with recognition.
“I have it,” the wizard said in a confident tone. “Give me just a moment to fetch it.”
Ako trotted up the stairs to a different section of his tower, and Zenda strolled around the room peering at the mysterious weapons.
Many of them looked like alien swords because they had a faint neon glow, but I knew the shapeshifter had a fascination with magical weapons.
The wizard had several books in his arms when he returned, and he flashed Zenda a pleased smile.
“Everything the lady needs to learn the works of Lord Havers,”
the cat-man declared, and he slid them into the Zaborian’s arms.
“There’s more to it than just the words of the spell, and combining it with other magic may make it more difficult… Unless you know the concepts behind the instructions, but you need to read the full bibliography to understand him.”
“I can handle that.” Zenda grinned from ear to ear.
“I hope this provides you with the answers you need,” Ako said with a flourishing bow. “I’m happy to help.”
“Thank you, Ako,” I said, and I clasped his forearm. “Seriously.
I thought this quest was going to be a lot harder, but you’ve already
managed to give us exactly what we were looking for.”
“I want to dig right in,” Zenda said, and she already had the book at the top of the stack open with her nose buried inside.
“Does this mean the two of you will be leaving?” Ako tried to sound nonchalant, but the disappointment in his tone was obvious.
“We can stay a little longer,” I assured him. “There’s some other things I wanted to pick your brain on.”
“By all means,” Ako chuckled.
I explained about the dark crystal contained inside my treasury, and I expressed my desire to protect it from any robbery attempts.
Ako happily taught me an easy spell for protection, but he informed me the effects would fade unless they were tethered to an energy source. The wizard handed me a few white crystals that seemed to hum with power, and he told me all about how he’d captured the remaining magical essence of unusable artifacts to fuel them.
With my magical home security spell and all of Lord Havers’
books in our possession, all that remained was to enjoy our visit. Ako wanted to see the dragon up close for himself, so the three of us went out into the back gardens where we would be safer from prying
eyes. I didn’t want Nameless’ presence to cause any drama, and I knew it would be for the best if he kept a low profile.
I sent a mental command to the dragon, and Nameless met us on the grass of the back lawn a moment later. He sniffed the cat-man quizzically as he circled around him, but I could tell from the way his tail flicked back and forth that he approved of the wizard’s presence among us.
“He’s a big one already,” Ako said as he stuck out his hand for the dragon to sniff. “Very elegantly colored.”
Nameless snorted and rubbed his head against the wizard’s hand, and the shapeshifter started discovering all of the dragon’s itchy spots with his roaming fingers. Then the flying lizard did something I’d never seen before. He pranced around with his wings half-lifted, and he tilted his head to the sky before he spat out a spray of sparkles. It reminded me of fireworks and TV static combined.
“That’s new,” I noted.
“I’m sure he’s just showing off because he can sense my magic,” Ako said as he flashed me a teasing grin. “Plus, I have a way with animals, especially magical creatures.”
“Do you think our stalker is nearby?” Zenda asked in a low voice as she glanced around at the shadows of the gardens.
We were surrounded by shrubs and hedges as tall as I was, but I was sure the Goddess of Death hadn’t wandered far. There was a very good chance she was watching us at the moment, but after seeing the look of arousal on her face during our last encounter, I wasn’t worried about her attacking me while I was visiting Ako.
“Probably.” I shrugged. “I hope she likes what she sees.”
“It sounds like we have an obligation,” Ako said with a sideways smirk. “The presence of an audience is nothing without a performance!”
“Good idea.” I grinned. “What do you have in mind?”
“Well, it’s been a while since I was able to break a sweat,” the cat-wizard said with a mischievous twinkle in his honey-colored eyes. “Perhaps a duel would liven things up?”
“I wouldn’t want to hurt you,” I said in a hesitant voice.
“I’m a big boy, Sir Bash,” Ako laughed. “Unless you don’t think you could keep up with me?”
“That’s not in question,” I chuckled. “Alright, you’re on.”
“Nameless and I will watch from the sidelines,” Zenda said as she stepped back to the edge of the lawn, and the dragon followed behind her.
Once the pair were settled on the grass, Ako and I strode into the wide-open space of grass, and we faced each other across a distance of twenty to thirty feet. It had been a while since I’d seen the cat-wizard in action, but that was also true in regards to myself. I’d learned a few things during my recent adventures, and I was ready to show my friend a little bit of my potential.
It would just be a bonus if the Goddess of Death was impressed with the spectacle.
I made a new save point just in case I made a fool of myself, but it wouldn’t hurt to have a fallback once I learned all the shapeshifter’s moves. All I had to do was mirror or counter his every move until he conceded, but with his cat-like pride, that was easier said than done.
“I’m tempted to ban you from using your boots,” Ako said in a loud enough voice for me to hear him across the distance between us. “But I think I’ve come up with a good countermeasure.”
“Are you experimenting with ways to take me down?” I teased, but I knew the shapeshifter was completely loyal to me.
“Hey, if you can find a way to increase your speed, then others could, too.” Ako shrugged. “I’m just preparing myself for all possible circumstances.”
“Smart.” I grinned. “But you’re still not going to win.”
“We’ll see about that.” Ako rubbed his hands together, and then he started to perform the complex motions required to summon his ghost blades, the Razmadan.
I was familiar with the weapons he summoned, but I knew my shield spell would still halt their blows. I started to remember every skill the shapeshifter had used in battle, and I had to admit, he could soon take Viceroy’s place as the most powerful wizard in Sorreyal.
Not only could he transform his body into various levels of a large feline, but he was skilled in multiple fighting styles as well as an arsenal of spells. The intelligent cat-wizard had traveled the world and learned from many different people, and he was known for digging up ancient spells most had forgotten.
Ako was certainly powerful, but I knew I was stronger.
I was the God of Time, so I could maneuver any outcome I wanted.
“Why don’t we fight for points?” I suggested. “Zenda can keep track and make judgment calls about what counts.”
“Are you sure Zenda would be an impartial judge?” Ako called back. “I have a feeling she’d favor me a little too much when tallying points.”
“That doesn’t scare me,” I countered. “Unless you’re scared you’ll be beaten.”
“Sir Bash,” Ako chuckled. “You are a god. I already know I’m losing this match, but I want to challenge myself to see how long I can last.”
Zenda overheard our line of dialogue, and she rose to her feet before she cleared her throat.
“Neutralize your opponent completely to win,” the Zaborian instructed. “Each time you make the other immobile will count.”
“Deal.” I nodded, and Ako mirrored my motion.
We faced each other with determined expressions, and excitement caused my heart rate to increase. I was eager to master all the shapeshifter’s techniques, and it never hurt to flex my magical
muscles. Especially if it attracted the attention of our beautiful stalker.
“Go!” Zenda yelled with a flourish of her arms.
Before I could blink, a gust of wind blew at me, and the force of the air nearly knocked me backward. I quickly performed the nullifying spell to dismantle the elemental attack, and the rough breeze against my face suddenly faded. I didn’t wait for him to cast another spell, and I summoned my vines beneath his feet. The green tendrils curled out of the soil, and they slowly wrapped themselves around Ako’s ankles. The shapeshifter noticed the bindings around his feet, and I could hear his laughter ringing out over the lawn. I was glad he was so easygoing, and his lighthearted demeanor made every encounter with him fun.
Then Ako released his ghost sword spell before he sprayed fire from his hands directly at his own feet, and the vines let out shrill whines as they fell back and withered. I winced as I felt their pain as my own for a brief moment, but while Ako was distracted, I was building an ice wall between the two of us.
Once my barrier was complete, I attempted to draw another attack from Ako, but while I was leaning around the edge of the ice wall, the ground began to shake beneath my feet. I jumped forward
and somersaulted across the lawn, and when I looked back, the ice wall had fallen into a sinkhole.
I decided to switch things up and go on the offensive, so I continued my forward movement as I pulled my panabas free from over my shoulders. I cast another ice spell as I crossed the distance to Ako, but I directed the chill at the sharp edge of my blade in order to blunt it.
I didn’t want to kill my friend, after all.
“Nice wall,” Ako complimented as I drew closer to him, but his body language remained calm and casual.
“I made it just for you,” I teased before I launched myself into the air with my frozen-edged panabas swinging in an X shape in front of me.
I came down on Ako quickly, but he held a shield spell firmly in place as my blades landed against the barrier. He held both hands up with the palms extended, and I could sense the magical energy he was pouring into his spell. I fell back and cast nullify again, and the shimmering barrier vanished.
Ako immediately went on the offensive, and he darted toward me while simultaneously casting the spell for his Razmadan. I was
left scrambling to summon a shield with my panabas in hand, but at the last possible moment, I dropped the frozen-edged blades and pulled on my own earth magic. I clenched my fists and lifted them over my head to summon a wall of dense mud around me, and the ghost swords couldn’t slice through the sludge well enough to land a blow.
We continued on for quite some time, and I tried to memorize everything Ako used to combat me. I knew I could win this game, but first I had to reset.
Chime.
I spammed respawns as I learned all of Ako’s moves, and as I grew more and more comfortable with his arsenal, I began to get the sensation of being watched. I knew the Goddess of Death was out there watching the duel, and the thought caused adrenaline to course through my veins.
Chime.
Chime.
Chime.
Finally, I felt confident in my ability to counter every single move Ako could make, and I faced him for a final run-through. I cast
nullify before the first wind attack ever reached me, and I continued to negate all of his spells until he pulled out metal blades.
I knew that part was coming already, so I was able to easily deflect or dodge every blow until his movements grew more and more erratic. I saw a confused but determined expression cross my friend’s face, and I knew he was close to the end of his limits. I didn’t want to completely humiliate him in front of our audience, so I decided it was time to put an end to it.
“It’s over,” I announced with an air of finality as I summoned my vines once more.
This time, though, I poured as much energy as I could into the plant creatures, and their green tendrils grew at such a rapid pace that Ako was wrapped in a cocoon of vines before he could counter the attack.
“Bash wins this match!” Zenda announced as the shapeshifter struggled against the restraints.
As soon as the Zaborian declared my victory, I gave the mental command to release the cat-wizard, and the vines retreated back into the ground. The three of us trotted toward the center of the lawn,
and we were all laughing as we discussed the various aspects of the duel, but then something instinctual told me to look behind me.
When I spun around, I came face to face with the Goddess of Death.
Her hood was pushed back, and she stood less than fifty feet away from us, but she didn’t move to attack. Her emerald-green eyes stared at me across the distance, and her lips parted like she was about to speak, but then she thought better of it and closed her mouth.
I wanted to know what she had to say.
It was time to confront her.
The God of Time had a few questions for the mistress of death.