Sera grinned. “All part of the long-term plan. You’re cute, but you keep getting distracted.”
Its eyes narrowed, apparently noticing at the same time as I did that Derek was no longer anywhere in sight.
It, most likely, also noticed the hole in the bottom of the stage around the same time as I did.
It spun around just as Derek burst upward from another newly-formed hole in the stage, shooting upward high enough to grab the karvensi in a bear hug.
From my perspective, that seemed terribly unwise.
I, however, also missed the crimson figure that was standing — completely unharmed — in the flames.
“Master has commanded for you to burn.”
The flames that had spread across the stage began to flicker, as if blowing in the wind, and then surged inward, gathering around the crimson figure.
“Delsys will obey.”
The crimson figure began to rise from the stage, the residual flames surrounding him like a whirlwind.
The karvensi turned toward the sound, grabbing Derek and hurling him straight at Delsys.
Delsys waved a hand, and a gust of wind blew Derek off that trajectory. Another rising jet carried the swordsman safely to the ground.
The karvensi turned toward Delsys and growled. “A weapon-bound? How fascinating. Insufficient, but really quite fascinating. Let’s see... what was the girl doing earlier? Ah, yes. Permafrost Cascade.”
Hundreds of blades of ice appeared around the karvensi, vastly outstripping the results of when Sera had cast the same spell. They shot forward, meeting the incendiary sirocco around the Delsys.
Some of blades made it through the fire storm.
A few of them were sufficient to pierce its chest.
Delsys sank down to the stage, fire leaking from its wounds.
As more blades arced downward to impact the wounded creature, Sera waved both hands toward the karvensi.
“Reverse!”
The frozen shards stood still in the air.
The karvensi turned its gaze toward her. “You lack the strength to turn back my spell, little girl.”
She shook, pushing her hands outward as she struggled for control over the spell. I’d seen Shapers do that sort of thing before, but I wasn’t aware Summoners were capable of it.
The shards shivered, inching closer to Delsys, who had fallen to a knee.
Finally, she smirked and spoke. “I don’t have to.”
Derek flew upward from the back of the stage — the golden sword back in his hand, its edges glowing bright — and he slashed upward, cutting through the base of one of the karvensi’s wings.
“Aaaaah!” The creature screamed in shock as it fell from the sky, landing hard against the surface of the stage.
Derek landed atop it. “An excellent fight. You should be proud.”
Then he shoved his gleaming sword into its neck.
I winced as the karvensi vanished.
The crowd erupted in uproarious applause.
My feelings were...mixed. Had they just killed an intelligent creature for a mere show?
I knew summoned creatures worked more like simulacra. They were copies of a person, not real people. But I still felt a sinking in my gut at the thought.
For the moment, though, most of what I felt was relief. Sera was safe.
“Well done, contestants! You have cleared the second round.”
More applause.
“As you know, normally this would be our final round for the competition. Tonight, however, we are honored by the presence of a special guest!”
Oh, no.
“Our house Summoners are quite exhausted, but our guest is among the most talented in her field. Our audience should know her well — and our contestants should know her even better. Introducing Derek Hartigan’s former partner, the incredible Elora Theas!”
A woman in a pristine red and gold suit, complimented by a tall hat and a dueling cane, appeared in the largest box directly above the stage. She was definitely the same woman I’d seen in the memory crystal working with my mother. “Found a replacement for me so quickly, Derek? She’s quite lovely, but a little young, even for you."
Oh, resh no.
This cannot possibly go anywhere good.
Derek glanced upward at the box. “Elora! My love, my life, my light. You must be so lonely up in that box all by yourself, without any of your many usual acquaintances to keep you company for the evening. Why don’t you come down here and join us?” He snarled. “I’d be glad to give you a proper greeting.”
“Distracted as you are by my beauty, you seem to have forgotten you are in the midst of a contest. But worry not! I will be here to console you while you recover from my contribution.”
Delsys, his wounds no longer streaming fire, finally collapsed on the stage and vanished a moment later. Derek did not spare him a glance, but Sera rushed and retrieved the sword that fell to the stage in Delsys’ absence.
“Contestants, prepare yourselves for your final battle!”
A faster song emerged from the musician’s pit beside the arena, and the arena’s barrier walls flashed.
Derek glanced at Sera. “You may want to step out of the ring, Sera. This is not going to be pretty.”
Sera glanced upward, then back down to Derek. “I’m not pleased with this little lover’s quarrel you’ve dragged me into, but I’m not one to back down from a fight.”
The swordsman nodded silently. There was nothing more to say.
Elora steepled her fingers. “Ladies and gentlemen, you are about to bear witness to something rare. A summoning of something beyond the mere pittances often strewn across this arena.”
She closed her eyes.
“You who are born of the serpent,
Wrought with scales of adamant and bearing claws of fire,
I call upon our pact.
Visage of venom, hear my voice!
Wyvern, I summon you!”
A gasp escaped the collective voice of the crowd.
They knew, as I did, what she had invoked.
The wyvern. One of the guardians of the tower.
And as she spoke her final word, it appeared.
Twenty feet of muscle, sinew, and scales. It floated above the stage on serpentine wings, opening its draconic jaws into the air.
It screamed, and the room quaked at its voice.