Dread Mage

“Is everyone ready?” A mage of the lodge called out, and both apprentices confirmed that they were, though of course Sonder wasn’t really.

What was she supposed to do?

She hadn’t performed under duress before.

Would she even be able to summon any kind of energy while being attacked?

The Ahsepian apprentice gave a bow. His long body flexed strangely, as if too much pressure would break him in half, like a stick.

Sonder curtsied, and then they looked at each other, and none moved.

They weren’t exactly sure what to do. Just attack each other?

Then, to the shock of everyone, Vell gave a loud, “Oh!” As if he had realized something grave.

“It seems that in all the excitement of the coming duel, both mage masters have neglected to explain to their apprentices how it was supposed to work.”

Since mage duels were not very common, there were many other mages who had never witnessed one before, making this their first opportunity to do so.

There was the quietest uproar of embarrassment between all the mages that attended it.

They wouldn’t admit that they didn’t know.

Only a mage who didn’t care much about his reputation would blurt something like that out.

“Usually, they would take turns, but if my OPPONENT,” Vell was shouting to the Ahsepian mage directly at the other end of the stage, “would like to do something different, then please, speak up.”

“How do you want to decide who starts?” Vell asked. “Want to flip a coin?”

The Ahsepian mage dragged a random mage from the audience and gave him a coin.

“Heads and my apprentice starts; if its tails, yours does.” He spoke.

“Sure.” Vell agreed.

And the random audience mage flipped the coin high, and caught it in his palm, to reveal to the audience that it landed on heads.

No more words were spoken.

Sonder thought that if they were to take turns, then there was a good chance that she wouldn’t get too hurt.

After all, what could an alchemist do? Drink a potion of invisibility? Or some healing potion?

Then she thought about it.

Poison and firebombs were commonly used by them to attack.

She really, really hoped that chucking one of them at her wasn't the Ahsepian apprentice’s first move.

And through some divinely good luck, his first move was to take two of the vials on his bandolier and drink them, discarding the empty ones.

The crowd of mages held their breath, and their eyes narrowed in curiosity.

What could the Ahsepian apprentice be plotting? After all, the potions he consumed could have been anything.

Sonder, too, found herself anxiously waiting for his next move.

But it seemed that it was her turn now. So, she asked herself: What to do?