home comic about gallery archive
rss_all patreon

Master & Apprentice Page 0074 - 25-07-2017

Hey, this is entry number 100! :>

K.N.


SPLISH.

Thanks to the shield I didn't feel much when I hit the ground and slid accross the grassy turf. My icy armour dug through the moss and dirt, but I stayed dry and clean. My brother, though, had certainly bruised his shoulder for this.

Yet he didn't take his time to recover. Immediately he continued to abuse my cold guard. He swung his knives against it over and over again. Each time chipping away bits of ice and pushing me deeper into the ground. I could feel the magic fade a little at a time, but all I could do was hide behind my magical gloves, eyes closed, biting my lip in anticipation of feeling these daggers on my flesh. My certainty about Ralzel's intentions had vanished minuted ago.

I was so scared.

I had to do something. The power imbued into the scarf would soon surrender. "What can I do?" I thought, peering through the space between my fingers. Ralzel was invisible to me. The ice was ever-present protecting me. Was it solid for me as well, now?

What would the Master do?

He had hardly used magic in defense in front of me. Fire against dire rats. That was it. Otherwise… hitting with his staff. He once just grabbed Nondrean to pull him away from me. And he liked stabbing, too. What kind of wizard was is he even?

More thoughts dashed through my head. The door from last night. The explusion. Failed binding. Forbidden knowledge. Blood rituals.

Would he do that to protect himself in this kind of situation?

How does it work? Do I just need to…?

I lifted my dagger. Eyes wide open I stared at it and the white, bare fingers of my left hand. A constant ringing occupied my ears, shutting out the grinding and crunching.

Suddenly the world disappeared and all was black.

When it returned, it felt like only a moment had passed. My back felt drenched and cold. My brother was staring down at me, paralysed. My right hand held his left by the Lamsa, encased in ice. My other hand was pointing the wand at his throat, only a millimeter away. His other hand was without weapon and lifted in surrender.

Puzzled I looked around. The Master was approaching.

With a single motion of his, the ice disappeared. "That's enough." He declared. Ralzel immediately, but slowly, backed away. The fight was over.

Shaking I pulled myself to my feet. Undoubtedly I felt the scarf shifting underneath my robe. It had been shredded.

"Did I win?" I asked, sneezing right after. A shiver traveled to my toes.

"Of course not!" Ralzel spit, then sneezed as well. "That wasn't you, I'm not as dumb." He looked past me, searching for his second Lamsa dagger.

I shot a look at Zargeth. "Did you…?"

"I had to intervene. Your brother's experience is several levels above yours." Then, in the hushed voice of a thought, he told me: "I regret I had to take over your mind for a moment there. He certainly would have hurt you otherwise. I couldn't let that happen. It didn't fool him. Told you it's too obvious."

I blushed.

"You should take a hot bath, Kyriel. You already look feverish from the cold." He motioned me to follow him inside.

I sneezed.