Magic Canceller
“It seems to me that the mission is already accomplished, Farland.” You point at the open plains ahead. “Time for you and your men to get out with your lives.”
“But-“
“I can’t guarantee your safety if you stay.”
The prince slowly nods. “I understand. Here, take this.” He tosses you a ring. It is gold, shiny, and the emblem of the Methussian lion is expertly engraved onto the bezel. Probably worth a fair bit if you were to sell it.
“Milord, are you sure?” asks the adjutant, worried that her prince would give away an important item so easily. He nods, dismissing her concerns with a wave of his hand.
“When you get to Yuiria, just show that ring to the guards and tell them… wait, I still do not have your name, do I?”
“The man from Erise will do. I shall make my proper introductions at a later time,” you reply. You just haven’t figured out whether you should use your real name or make one up at this point. You do not have the time either.
Farland sighs. “Very well. I will inform the guards to be expecting your arrival. Good fortune to you, sir mage! Let us meet again in the capital!” Turning his horse around, he gallops away. Some of his knights salute you before following after him.
You do not respond to them, instead opting to send out a firebolt at the chanting mages. It explodes harmlessly against a previously unnoticed barrier. Now that Farland has retreated, the warriors guarding the mages suddenly take on a much more alert stance. They are skilled, more skilled than normal, perhaps even a match for the prince and his knights in close combat. Were they feinting to lure him in, perhaps?
Regardless, you would need something stronger to break that barrier, and there is no time to test each of your spells against it. Come forth, divine spear that impales the skies; none shall withstand its strike. “Spell Maximize. Lightning Spear.” A powerful torrent of magic takes shape in your hand, elongating into a sapphire lance of pure electrical energy. Golden arcs of lightning stream out from it continuously, scorching the air.
Behind you, you hear the twins let out a gasp of awe. Well, it is rather impressive, you must admit. If this doesn’t work, you will have to use Gigadyne, but you do not think it will come to that. Taking aim, you hurl the lightning spear like a javelin. It flies straight and true, roaring through the air as it leaves an incandescent glow in its wake.
Suddenly, the female commander darts out in front of her men, leaving the protection of the barrier. Has she realized that it is futile, and attempting to run? No. She is facing the spear head on. There is a gadget in her hands, that she points at the oncoming spell. A strange cylinder with a handle. It is too far for you to make out what it is, though. No matter. Such a puny object should not be able to stop your mighty spear from penetrating its target!
There is a blinding flash of light, followed by an explosion. Something magical had happened, something reacting to your spell. As the dust clears, you can see that the mages and their guards remain unharmed. The commander, however, is not so lucky. She is flat on the ground, and she is still alive. But her right arm has been all but destroyed, with scraps of flesh and bone hanging from her elbow. She writhes in agony. Her men dash forward, fending off your incoming wolves as they make a protective circle around her. Now that her helmet has been blown off, you can tell that she doesn’t look half bad. Perhaps you should take down the mages first, then offer her some aid.
If the commander had to run out in front to intercept your attack at the cost of her arm, you are quite certain that a second spear would destroy the enemy mages. You prepare to cast the spell again, holding out your hand-
As one, the mages slam their staves onto the ground. Instantly, a giant circle of pure, white light forms, its interior filled with ever smaller concentric circles of complex magical patterns. The magic circle widens and expands rapidly, faster than you can move. And instantly, you understand what they were attempting. The mana you had been gathering in your palm fizzles out. The summoned wolves under your command are dispelled in a burst of static. Your magical protections wither away. Aria calls out to you, but you no longer understand what she is saying. All of the magic in the area has been cancelled for the time being; you will no longer be able to cast any more spells as long as you remain within the magic circle’s area of effect. Now, the enemy is charging towards you.
They probably decided that since you appeared to be undefeatable in a contest of magic, they would take spells out of the equation for both sides. After all, a strange hooded mage on a rock and two kids on one hand, and seventy trained soldiers on the other: once he could not use magic, they would be easy prey, wouldn’t they?
The first horseman arrives ahead of his fellows, eager to start the fight. He shouts at you in his foreign language, brandishing his sword threateningly. As he babbles on, you think. There was this move that Mieren used when dealing with enemies on horseback. Unarmed and unspelled, it is probably worth a try. Take a high acrobatic leap at the man. Soar over him upside down, grab the top of his head, twist, and slam him to the ground, taking him off his horse in a single move... and in the process you find that you have accidentally broken his neck.
“Dammit.” Rin’s habits better not be rubbing off on you. Speaking of Rin… she is still nowhere to be seen, and you are getting a weird feeling about the situation. Even so, there is nothing you can do about it at the moment. Not until you lose or defeat the enemies in front of you.
Quickly, you toss the fallen soldier’s sword behind you, as well as his dagger. They land in the grass, in front of the twins. Looking over your back, you nod at the weapons. Something to defend themselves with. They understand without having to say a word. Aria takes up the sword, nervous yet excited, while Arlin reluctantly picks up the dagger. The man’s comrades are coming. They are not arriving all at once; their former discipline has wavered, perhaps thinking that they have already won. As there are about seventy or so of them left, maybe more, you cannot fault them for thinking that. At any rate, as long as they are focused on you and not the escaping prince, your job is done.
***
A. Break past the enemy’s charge and head for where the mages were. Perhaps you can still catch up with the wounded commander and give her some much-needed first aid, since she is in particularly bad shape.
B. Slow down the pace and use this as a teaching moment for the twins. They should get some kills to boost their confidence, and it will be a good opportunity to see what they are made of and how they can be of use to you.
C. Retreat out of the large scale magic circle. It is quite a distance to run; practically all the way back into the woods and beyond, but once you are clear, you doubt they will follow in fear of your spells.