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Authors: Stephen W. Gee
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a crowd if you let yourself?”
Raedren suppressed a shudder. Cóstan chuckled.
“Okay, bad example. But in refusing to attack when you need to, or at least doing it only reluctantly, you’re not fighting at one hundred percent.” Cóstan tossed something that sparkled into the air, and caught it. “I bet you want to know what I can do, and you figure that you can block anything I can throw at you since you’ve got a larger mana pool.”
Raedren didn’t reply.
Cóstan shook his head. “That’s naïve. Even if offense ‘isn’t your thing,’ you would do well to prepare yourself to go on the offensive when needed, or you’ll remain a one-dimensional asset, even while fighting with your team. Everyone must always been on the lookout for opportunities to attack, defend, and support. That’s how you’ll become a stronger ally to your friends.”
The crowd was beginning to chatter, wondering aloud whether the two were going to fight. Cóstan ignored them. He sheathed his sword, and held up a blue-green gem that glowed with inner light. “Do you know what this is?”
Raedren squinted. “A focus crystal?”
“Another thing you have to remember is that without versatility, you become too predictable, which clever enemies will take advantage of. You did well last match, but you should have changed your tactics this time.” He clenched the gem in his left hand, and a sphere of mana burst into life above his right. “It’s a charge crystal.”
Raedren lurched to the side, but it was too late. The sphere in Cóstan’s right hand ballooned to four times its size in an instant, and then he aimed at Raedren and fired.
The light was blinding, and the sound was deafening. A blast powerful enough to put any Mazik had used today to shame engulfed Raedren. With a peal of thunder that rattled the spectators’ eyes, the spell exploded. Raedren went tumbling out of the fireball, smoke and mana curling off him. He flopped to the ground and, rolling onto his stomach, moaned.
The announcer conferred with the judges. A ten count was started, and while the crowd alternated between shocked disbelief and uproarious cheers, the count expired.
“That’s a knockout! Is this where the tide turns? Cóstan Sūréjà wins!”
Cóstan held up the charge crystal, the light inside it now dimmed. Then he slipped it back into his pocket and walked over to help Raedren while the crowd went wild.
* * *
“Well, that’s not good!” said Gavi, an edge of hysteria in her voice.
“No, it is not,” said Mazik.
“I have to fight him, don’t I?”
“Yes, you do.”
Gavi opened her mouth, stopped, and tried again. “Any suggestions?”
Mazik thought about it for a second. “Don’t get hit.”
Gavi shot him a glare. “You’re a big help. I’m going to go help—”
“Hold on.” Mazik grabbed her arm and pointed to the arena floor. “Look. He’s already awake.”
Gavi watched as Raedren stood, one hand on his head while Cóstan and a judge helped him up. They could tell that Cóstan was saying something to Raedren, but couldn’t tell what.
“I’m still going to go help him,” said Gavi, turning away.
“Hold on,” said Mazik, grabbing her arm again. Gavi glared at him. “Just calm down. I doubt that guy is going to use that crystal on you.”
“Why not? With that kind of power he could end the match immediately.”
“If this were a real battle you would be right, but since killing you would be in extremely bad taste, not to mention bad for the guilds, I don’t think he’s going to risk it.”
Gavi shot Mazik a look.
“Hey, I’m not saying anything bad about you!” said Mazik. “If this were a real battle we’d be fighting together, and Raedren and I would help you patch up your weak spots while you did the same for us. Duels where your friends are nearby and not helping aren’t realistic, so there’s no reason to treat them as one hundred percent the real thing. We just need to
Raedren suppressed a shudder. Cóstan chuckled.
“Okay, bad example. But in refusing to attack when you need to, or at least doing it only reluctantly, you’re not fighting at one hundred percent.” Cóstan tossed something that sparkled into the air, and caught it. “I bet you want to know what I can do, and you figure that you can block anything I can throw at you since you’ve got a larger mana pool.”
Raedren didn’t reply.
Cóstan shook his head. “That’s naïve. Even if offense ‘isn’t your thing,’ you would do well to prepare yourself to go on the offensive when needed, or you’ll remain a one-dimensional asset, even while fighting with your team. Everyone must always been on the lookout for opportunities to attack, defend, and support. That’s how you’ll become a stronger ally to your friends.”
The crowd was beginning to chatter, wondering aloud whether the two were going to fight. Cóstan ignored them. He sheathed his sword, and held up a blue-green gem that glowed with inner light. “Do you know what this is?”
Raedren squinted. “A focus crystal?”
“Another thing you have to remember is that without versatility, you become too predictable, which clever enemies will take advantage of. You did well last match, but you should have changed your tactics this time.” He clenched the gem in his left hand, and a sphere of mana burst into life above his right. “It’s a charge crystal.”
Raedren lurched to the side, but it was too late. The sphere in Cóstan’s right hand ballooned to four times its size in an instant, and then he aimed at Raedren and fired.
The light was blinding, and the sound was deafening. A blast powerful enough to put any Mazik had used today to shame engulfed Raedren. With a peal of thunder that rattled the spectators’ eyes, the spell exploded. Raedren went tumbling out of the fireball, smoke and mana curling off him. He flopped to the ground and, rolling onto his stomach, moaned.
The announcer conferred with the judges. A ten count was started, and while the crowd alternated between shocked disbelief and uproarious cheers, the count expired.
“That’s a knockout! Is this where the tide turns? Cóstan Sūréjà wins!”
Cóstan held up the charge crystal, the light inside it now dimmed. Then he slipped it back into his pocket and walked over to help Raedren while the crowd went wild.
* * *
“Well, that’s not good!” said Gavi, an edge of hysteria in her voice.
“No, it is not,” said Mazik.
“I have to fight him, don’t I?”
“Yes, you do.”
Gavi opened her mouth, stopped, and tried again. “Any suggestions?”
Mazik thought about it for a second. “Don’t get hit.”
Gavi shot him a glare. “You’re a big help. I’m going to go help—”
“Hold on.” Mazik grabbed her arm and pointed to the arena floor. “Look. He’s already awake.”
Gavi watched as Raedren stood, one hand on his head while Cóstan and a judge helped him up. They could tell that Cóstan was saying something to Raedren, but couldn’t tell what.
“I’m still going to go help him,” said Gavi, turning away.
“Hold on,” said Mazik, grabbing her arm again. Gavi glared at him. “Just calm down. I doubt that guy is going to use that crystal on you.”
“Why not? With that kind of power he could end the match immediately.”
“If this were a real battle you would be right, but since killing you would be in extremely bad taste, not to mention bad for the guilds, I don’t think he’s going to risk it.”
Gavi shot Mazik a look.
“Hey, I’m not saying anything bad about you!” said Mazik. “If this were a real battle we’d be fighting together, and Raedren and I would help you patch up your weak spots while you did the same for us. Duels where your friends are nearby and not helping aren’t realistic, so there’s no reason to treat them as one hundred percent the real thing. We just need to
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