Chapter 18 THE DRAGON ABOVE THE ARENA
Magnus clenched his fists tightly and kept his attention on the sky above. He couldn't let that creature out of his sights. The second they made a move, he was going to have to give a warning. He couldn't let anyone get hurt here. What's a dragon doing here? They don't usually come this far out.
The massive beast flapped its huge wings, moving a bit higher into the sky. However, it eventually stopped and craned its long neck. Its yellow eyes were wild, full of a need for bloodshed. Even from where he stood, Magnus could see it. He was a bit scared now. He had never seen a dragon look like that. There was no doubt in his mind that this dragon meant to attack. When it opened its large mouth, he had the incentive to retaliate.
"Dragon!" he shouted, pointing to the sky since he knew half the people wouldn't have heard him. Everyone looked up as he had instructed, but there wasn't time. The dragon had already gathered enough of its fire. It blew it all out in a single breath, and the wave of flames began heading right for them. It was enough to engulf the entire arena.
Magnus quickly shoved both of his arms into the air, his palms flat. He muttered a few quick words and then braced himself. Above the arena appeared a barrier. The thin case of light didn't look like much, but it was in no way weak. Hopefully it will be enough though. There was no room for failure.
The wave of fire slammed into the barrier, and Magnus instantly felt the impact. His knees began to buckle a bit, but he kept standing strong, keeping his arms in the air. He had to hold it back until the arena could be evacuated, which was what was currently happening. The masses were fleeing the building, being directed by some of the tournament officials. The announcer had already fled as well. Just a little longer!
Everyone was almost out of the arena, all except a few who had chosen to stay. This included the other four sorcerers from the tournament. They had yet to flee, but it's not like they were helping any. Most of them were staring in awe.
"Leave," Magnus commanded them. "I can't hold it much longer."
"What about you?" asked one of them a bit meekly.
"A sorcerer stands no chance against a dragon," stated another. "You'll be killed when that barrier breaks."
"Don't underestimate me," Magnus told them with a smirk. "This wouldn't be the first time I've encountered a dragon. Now leave so I can take care of it."
"You'll die."
"Yeah, well, if I do, it only works in your favor. One less person in the competition." He turned to them, his eyes harsh. "Go before I lose my patience."
Without another word, the remaining four sorcerers began to run, leaving the arena. Good. They would've only gotten in the way. Now he could drop his barrier and pray that he would get out of the way in time. However, there was still a small problem. Three people were still present. Standing near the far corner of the arena were Xyra, Darren, and Gareth. They hadn't fled with the others. Are they stupid?!
"What are you doing?" he called to them. "Run away!"
"We're not leaving you like that," stated Xyra firmly. You're my only source of income.
"Yeah, and in case you haven't noticed, that dragon's huge," Darren pointed out. "There's no way you can take it on. Magic doesn't work on them, remember?"
"I'm aware of that," Magnus stated as the flames barring down on the barrier forced him to one knee. "But there are some spells that should work."
The barrier above Magnus suddenly shattered, and he had to quickly dodge to the side to get away from the incoming flames. Luckily, they just slammed into the ground instead of spreading to the surrounding area. The last thing he needed was a flaming arena to fight in.
The dragon quickly descended, causing a huge thud as it hit the ground feet first. It roared in challenge, its mighty body tensing a bit. This was probably one of the largest dragons Magnus had ever seen. It was taller than the stadium if it were to stand on its hind legs. It was brown, the spikes on its back blood-red. Its golden eyes were full of hatred. It wanted to kill something, and Magnus had just been lucky enough to get picked.
"Boy!" shouted Gareth. "Don't be stupid now. Just finish it off quickly."
"Don't worry," Magnus began confidently. "I'll be just fine." However, the second those words left his mouth, the dragon swung its tail around, slamming it into Magnus's chest. The wind was knocked out of him, and he was sent flying across the arena. He was going to slam right into the far wall. However, before he could reach it, he quickly cast a levitation spell, causing him to pause in midair. He then proceeded to lower himself to the ground.
"Are you okay?!" shouted Darren.
"I think so," Magnus answered as he rubbed his head a bit. Man, that dragon's fast. Gonna have to step this up a bit. He placed his hands together and began to focus, his body now glowing a soft blue. He watched in anticipation as the dragon began making its way over to him. It was snapping its jaw a bit, baring its sharp teeth. The act was almost like a warning.
The spell was almost done, and Magnus was just about to cast it, but the dragon was smarter than that. It opened its mouth and launched a huge ball of fire at the sorcerer. He was forced to break his concentration in order to dodge it. However, the dragon wasn't giving him any chance now. Every time his feet touched the ground he would just have to dodge again. Fireballs were being rained down on him, and he was left with no other option.
"Hey!" called Darren. "What spell was that?" The hunter still wasn't too sure about Magnus trying to take on a dragon. Very few spells worked on them.
"I was casting an Umbra Mortis."
Darren's eyes went wide, and he swallowed a bit hard. Now that was a spell that not many had the pleasure of seeing. Not too many had probably heard of it either. It was a difficult and rather powerful spell, one of the few that could slay a dragon. But that's dark magic… Just what kind of sorcerer is he?
"Hey!" shouted Magnus, knocking Darren from his stupor. "Don't just stand there! Help me!"
"Help you how? In case you forgot, I'm just a hunter, not a dragon slayer."
"I need a distraction so I can cast it. Anything will do!"
Darren watched as Magnus narrowly avoided another fireball and then a swing from the dragon's tail. It was starting to use its claws as well, making things even harder on the sorcerer. He really did need a distraction, and the hunter was his only hope. Gareth was no fighter, and Xyra didn't seem to be either. Magnus couldn't help but wonder why they had decided to stay. Did they have that much faith in him?