The announcer comes on overhead speakers saying, "Can you believe that? The healer for the New Atlantis Mermaids just healed the player that they only moments ago knocked out of the match! Just what are they thinking! Are they running up the score board, or sending a message! I haven't seen a move like this in all my years of professional mixed magical arts mediating! Just what are those Mermaids thinking!?"
***
Marie gets a cold chill down her spine as she hears the announcer and stops in the middle of her dance routine. The other girls dancing around her stop, following her lead. Marie looks down to the arena floor and can see Vernon surrounded. She can feel her blood beginning to boil.
"Girls, I can't dance right now. I have to watch this to see who I'm gonna have to kill after this match is over."
The air around her was becoming hard to see as heat waves start coming off Marie. The other dance squad members take a few steps back. Marie’s temper had been a thing of legend around Saint Anthony High. One of the girls that is close to Marie steps forward and says to her.
"This is Vernon were talking about here Marie he's not afraid of a little heat. He is with you after all."
Marie’s head whips around, meeting the girl’s eyes. She shrinks away back into the group as she sees a small flame around Marie’s eyelids begin form.
“He’s not with me but he means a lot to me.” Marie snaps back. “You might be right. But I still don't have to like it.”
Another girl in the back of the group says, “We will just cheer him on.” The other girls all agree and Marie nods reluctantly.
She says, “Alright girls, lets get back to it.” Then turns back to the arena floor and says under her breath as she watches Vernon get off the ground. “I swear if they try hurting him in any way they will get it back tenfold!"
***
Vernon takes a moment to stand while eyeing the others on the field. He can feel everyone is focused toward him. The trio are making their way into a triangle formation. Eric taking up the back keeping his distance, Emma is on the right, and Suzie on the left.
"So, I take it the stout one healed me?” Vernon asks, not really knowing what he’s going to do in this situation.
"Not my idea. The name’s Eric by the way. Not fluff and stuff, fat guy, or pudgy. Think you can handle that zero?"
"I think so Eric and my name’s Vernon, nice to meet you. So who's idea was it for this little meet and greet anyway?" Vernon finishes while the uncontrollable urge to stretch takes over. He always come out of stasis a little stiff.
"It was mine." Emma says, "We’re going to stasis you over and over and over for the glory of our school. We have to make sure everyone else knows that New Atlantis is not a school to be trifled with."
"Wow, that’s a bit much isn’t it Emma." says Suzie.
"No it wasn’t Suzie. I was trying to sound all intimidating, but geez you couldn't just play along?" Emma turns and stomps her foot to the ground.
Vernon, trying not to draw attention to himself, looks around while the two girls are bickering again. He sees a few trees left on the north side of the arena but they are too far off, and it is way too open between here and there. The rock platforms that were floating up over head are all nothing but pebbles now after that meteor shower.
Vernon’s mood sinks as he realizes that he might not be able to stop them from proceeding with their plan. He catches a glance at his overlay, and he feels a flutter of hope return. Full health and mana are there on his readout. He couldn't have been in the stasis pod for more than thirty seconds and stasis doesn’t heal that fast. If it is true, with this he might have a shot. But, he won’t last long with Eric backing up the two mages. He has to knock him out first, and fast. Without their healer they will be in the same situation and will have to be more cautious. Since Vernon had already lost, nothing to lose here. What did it matter if they get a few hits here and there if he could get in a few points himself.
"Would you two girls quit bickering and do what you need to. I want to get back home so we can celebrate already." Eric chimes in.
Emma and Suzie say and turn toward him in unison, "Whatever!"
"You ready, Suzie?" Emma looks toward Suzie for confirmation.
"Let’s see how all our training pays off." Suzie replies.
Both taking in a deep breath, as they surround themselves in magic. Emma’s skin glows bright orange, till it bursts into flames. Suzie glows a greenish yellow and is then swallowed up by a miniature tornado. Vernon takes a half step backwards and stares slack jawed for a moment upon seeing both girls go into an elemental form.
Elementals are a form of rare magic users. They have such a powerful connection to one element they can become the embodiment of that element. There is only a few thousand people out of the hundreds of millions on Eden that have such a connection.
Emma’s hair has transforms into flowing locks of fire to go alongside every other part of her body. Flames flow over her robe unaffected. Her eyes are all a glow fluctuating between orange and red like a campfire’s flame. Suzie looks like a moving statue with grayish white wind flowing over her body, as she hovers a few inches off the ground.
Vernon shakes his head to regain his composure. "You're both elementals? I don't think I’ve seen a team with two on it before."
"We work together quite well and you'll get to experience it firsthand Vernon..." Emma reply gets cut off.
Vernon saw an opening, and took it. Speeding past both girls, he plants his fist within the soft gut of Eric. With everyone being so chatty, they hadn't noticed the one glove he had left giving off a glow.
"Sorry about this Eric, I had to deal with you first." Vernon apologizes as Eric lurches over in pain from the punch.
He expels what air was in his lungs. Vernon then releases the stored energy from within the rune. It creates a gust of hurricane force winds. It surrounds and launches Eric across the two hundred yard arena. Eric’s body is limp as it flies through the air. The stasis cocoon covers him about halfway across his flight ensuring a safe landing. Vernon feels relieved because he didn't want to injure Eric, just take him out of the match. He didn't think he had put that much of a charge into his rune to have that kind of release. A quick glance to the overlay shows that no magic was even used.
Suzie screams out, "Eric! Eric! How in the hell did he have that much magic left in him to pull off an attack like that!?"
Suzie’s arms extend outward and begin to twist together forming a tornado. She lays the vortex tip on the ground facing Vernon.
"Damn it I didn’t think he would be able to do that, I'm sorry Suzie." Emma follows and starts feeding fire into the tornado.
Vernon turns to face the two girls, planting his feet into the ground. He can feel the pull of the miniature tornado. Amazed at the combinations that he has never seen or thought up before. With a flaming vortex staring him down, with an elemental caster at either side of it seems like a long shot but he might as well try something.
He has watched a lot of MMA matches since they first created the sport a decade ago. With the sport being so young, most groups never got aggressive with strategy. It was about the long game, staying in a group, keeping people healed, and finishing with the 50 point score cap before the other team. It doesn’t seem they are going to follow the professionals. They are focusing on second win condition of knocking all the members of the opposing team out.
Vernon feels the vortex should have pulled him in by now. Even if his strength and energy returned, he shouldn't be able to hold himself back from this kind of pull this long. He does feel lighter or stronger, or both. Almost like he is getting a second wind. The irony of that with his current predicament didn't go unnoticed. But there is a feeling inside of him that is growing. A warm light filling up his insides. He wonders, what could this feeling be?
"You know what, I’m feeling really good.” Vernon says under his breath.
A rush flows over his body and wind beneath his feet picks up swirling
around them. His blue eyes beginning to shine a brilliant royal blue. A white light from within his body radiates around him and envelops him.
Emma says, “Suzie, what is he doing because he is starting to glow, are you sure he is a zero?"
"I'm pretty sure. He was using only runes till this and they were as strong as a zero’s supposed to be. He could also be a sage but they won't cast spells while learning runes and he's too young to be one. He just hidden a rune somewhere we can't see."
The white light covering his body starts gathering within Vernon's hands. Turning black and heavy. Vernon looks at his runes and they aren't activating or reacting to this new found energy.
So where is this power coming from? He thinks.
It feels like he’s controlling raw energy.
Maybe this is what casting a spell feels like. No wonder mages are always so cocky.
When he is charging a rune it’s more like a drain of energy not controlling it.
Whatever this is, it feels great. He thinks.
Emma asks, “Hey you are a zero aren’t you?"
"That is what my magic rating is but I do not define myself a zero. That is a term forced on people like myself."
"Emma concentrate,” Suzie snaps. “Otherwise the vortex will implode and blow up on both of us."
"I know Suzie, but what is he doing?"
“It doesn’t matter, just concentrate and put more energy into the vortex!”
Vernon hears this and now has an out. With Emma being the fire elemental, Vernon decides to attack her first. He's had more experience against fire anyway.
Vernon focuses on the heavy black ball of energy in his hand, "I don't know how I'm doing this, but it’s awesome. Let’s see what this does!"
Vernon's glove and boots still aren't glowing but he feels like energy is in them. Again the wind around Vernon picks up. Dust, dirt, and rocks get blow away from the spot he is standing, ignoring the pull of the vortex. Emma’s face gives away her feelings. She looks into Vernon’s blue eyes and he knows she it's going to be her. She tries to move but the vortex waivers.
Vernon sprints toward Emma but no burst of wind is at his feet. This time it is just the pure speed from the strength of his legs. In the blink of an eye he clears distance between them. His body reacts with all the training he has endured and just extends his arms, fist over fist towards Emma. The light releases as a single black beam and travels through Emma. She screams as it passes through her, and the beam hits the arena shield protecting the crowd. It flashes, blinks, fizzles, and pops as sparks fly throughout the shield. It shatters and fades away as the crowd runs and falls over themselves to get away from the point of impact. Emma's transformation dissipates. She is no longer covered in fire and comes crashing to the ground. She lands in a small crater created from the beam’s impact. With the link between the two now broken, the fire filled tornado pushes toward Emma.
Unable to move laid out on the ground. The fire in the vortex snuffs out as it connects with Emma and sends her twirling around. It flings her against the adjoining wall, in roughly the same spot Vernon had hit just moments before. Hitting the wall was all it took to activate Emma's stasis field. Seeing this fantastic string of events makes Vernon worry about the severity of Emma's injuries. The stasis cocoon covers her, and relieves all worry and guilt. His mind focuses again on his final target.
Suzie looks over at Emma and then looks to Vernon. She snarls at him as the wind surrounding her body flair up. She lets out a horrible wail.
"Damn it! We had this match won and this is all your fault zero!"
Suzie puts her arms together creating static friction. Conjuring up a lightning bolt between the two swirling winds and aims it right at Vernon. He smiles and starts to feel the warmth of light building again, but this time he is able to push it into his boots and glove. The colors are prismatic with Vernon feeling like he never has before. His runes go dark. Feeling faint and too weak to stand he collapses down to one knee and his world starts to spin. Glancing to the overlay both health and magic bars are gone with nothing but a sliver left.
Vernon can't seem to keep his eyes open or move, and is on the verge of passing out. He can see the lightning bolt head his way, and needs to move. He envisions himself moving, but his body does not respond. His thoughts start to get hazy and as his vision recedes into a tunnel. Unable to stop his eyelids from closing he gives in.
5
Vernon wakes up in the locker room. His whole body feels like it has been through a carwash with out the car. He tries to open his eyes, but they still won’t obey him. Which he is fine to just let them stay that way, because he is very tired. He can hear Marie’s voice in conversation.
"How's Vernon doing, Ashley?" Marie asks
"He's fine, nothing serious. I think he forgot to eat before going on the field again and wore himself out. I can smell your cooking coming out of his locker. I didn’t know you two were getting that serious?"
“What? No not yet, I just knew today was important to him and gave him some leftovers from the meal I made last night.”
“It smells Delicious!”
Duke jumps into the conversation, "Sorry about letting them get you Ash. I wasn't expecting they could attack from so far off."
"It's ok Duke, just be more careful. You asked me to be on your and Vernon's team because you needed a healer. Then in our first match, you didn't protect me."
"Well it's not like I meant for you to get hit, I just didn't know non-sage students would be able to combine wind and fire in that way. With that kind of precision. I’ve only seen the sages I’ve trained with do things that complex, and it’s from the older students.”
"Marie," Ashley asks, "Why aren't you on the team you're the only elemental in our school. So you should be strong, right?"
"I'm happy being the dance team captain, and I prefer not to fight. I also haven’t been able to control myself when I use that form yet. I lose myself in it and forget where I am. The only time I remembered what happened was when I got angry at Vernon and changed into it the other day."
"You don’t like to fight. Huh, that’s not what Vernon would say." Duke jokes. “Watch where you point those laser eyes, you might burn a hole through my shirt Marie.”
“Very funny Duke!” Marie says in a sarcastic tone.
Vernon feels that there is someone close to him, and then something is slipped around his neck. It was probably Marie putting his pendant back on for him. He told her once that it was a gift from his father when he was young, and he has kept it close to him his entire life. It must had fallen off during the match. and she went looking for it. He can feel her fingers running down his bare chest.
Marie says, ”I’m always amazed how well you can do that Ashley, most healers have to leave at least a little scar."
"Thank you Marie, I like to help people and my family has been running a clinic for years. I guess I just picked up a few things from my father. Did you see that Duke, that’s how you give a complement."
Vernon starts to smack his lips, finally getting the energy to move around. He stretches, but his body tells him that was not a good thing to do. "Man, what was the license plate of that truck that hit me?" He says siting up and rubbing his head.
"Her name was Suzie, and she’s a wind elemental." Duke says. "That was an amazing attack you did. I can’t believe it even took out the shield for a second. What rune did you use there?"
"I didn't use a rune. It was something that came from inside of me, and yes it was awesome. It felt like raw power flowing through my hands, it was nothing like when I cast my runes. Right at the end it was like I had nothing left and couldn’t even move my body. I'm pretty sure that is why I passed out..." Vernon tries to finish as he gets cut off.
"Vernon Douglas!" Marie yells, "Why didn't you eat the meal I made for you before the match today? It's not going to be any good cold now is it?"
Vernon kind of sinks his head down, and says in a playful voice, "Because I wasn't hungr
y yet."
"Vernon, you know you should have eaten before the match. You just left it laying out here, in your locker and now it's ruined because you didn't refrigerate it."
“I thought you said it was leftovers from last night?” Ashley asks confused.
Marie face flushes, “I did say that, but that’s not the point. Vernon should have eaten it before he went out there.”
"I know, I know, but I just hate going out there with a full stomach. It makes me feel weighed down, plus it wasn't left out that long and I can still eat it."
"Food aside, Duke got three points and Vernon got four to make our total seven! That means we qualified for the main Mixed Magical Arts Tournament!" Ashley says.
"Yea, I can't believe you pulled that off Vernon." Flint says, "That was awesome."
"Yea Vernon, that was amazing but I'm going to have to hunt down and kill those girls for going after you like that!" Marie says as a flame gathers behind her irises.
"I didn’t think you cared like that, and it’s alright, it wouldn't be a good idea for you to do that. Think of all the complaints about property damages your father would have to go through. Plus you’re not a fighter and don't like fighting remember?"
Marie stares at Vernon, and looks like she is concentrating on something. She finally says, "I am when it comes to my man." Reaching up to his face, she places a hand on each side and pulls him into a deep, passionate kiss. Vernon’s eyes open wide with surprise, and close as he falls into her embrace. The other three in the room are in silent shock.
"Hey now you two need to get a room." Duke says breaking the silence.
"Yea I've seen enough of you two for a lifetime." Flint adds in.
Vernon and Marie pull away from each other and Marie turns to Flint saying, “Whatever.”
Vernon’s mind begins to race with thoughts about how he didn’t know how Marie felt about him, and being able to place those aside. He realizes she was going through the same thoughts as him. He gets up and walks over to his locker and grabs the extra shirt he had hanging up. The shirt he was wearing couldn’t really be called a shirt anymore. It looked like something a person on a deserted island would wear. He rips it off and puts on the fresh one. He then goes for the container of spaghetti, opening it up. It smells full of Italian spices. He grabs a large fork full, and it tastes better than it looks. As if the gods themselves crafted this dish.
Cypher Theorem Series Box Set: Books 1-3, The Zero Class, Shadow Moon, Dragon Fire: A Science Fiction Fantasy Page 3
