Vernon's heart skips a beat. Pain creeps back into his limbs, dropping him to a knee. He raises his head to see Vargas walking over to him. He has to spells prepared, and his hands are in out wide palms down.
Vargas asks, ”Are you sure you are alright?"
Vernon can hear the question loud and clear. "I'll be fine, and thanks for the concern." Vernon is relieved his hearing is back so quickly.
"The Judge says that we have to continue till one of us get stasis’d. So are you good enough to continue?"
"I think so." Vernon stands without as much effort as he thought he needed. Its as if the weight of his body is no longer there. "I might have just gotten my second wind."
"Ha ha ha... That’s good to hear. Let’s continue then."
Vargas walks back to the starting point and Vernon to his. He can feel the light gathering in his chest again. This is what happened in the fight with Emma. Vernon tries to charge a rune, and nothing. Just like before. It feels stronger this time than last. He closes his eyes and images the light flowing out of a door from his center toward his hands. As his eyes open nothing is there. He guesses he will have to rely on his physical strength.
Digging his right foot into the ground, he makes a dash toward Vargas. Who barley dodges the first punch thrown, grazing his cheek. Vargas blocks the left roundhouse kick that follows, bending him back. Vernon feels the impact almost go through Vargas. Each punch Vernon throws comes in faster and faster. He can feel himself gaining an edge as they start to land.
Vargas jumps back, puts the butt of his palms together. Sparks fly out from the tips of his fingers to his palms creating a ball of plasma. It discharges at Vernon with a fearsome thunderous blast.
Vernon reacts on instinct. Crossing his hands, palms facing the plasma bolt, bracing for impact. It lands square in his hands, and pushes him back. Dragging his feet across the ground. The plasma shatters as if made of glass and dissipates like dust in the wind.
Vernon looks at his hands, and they have a faint coat of black light covering them. The feeling of being powerful over takes him. He can stop magic.
Vargas gather and folds his magic into a larger attack with more plasma gathering in both palms. Again Vernon goes to close in. Vernon feels lighter than air as he runs circles around Vargas. He stops in front of him. Vargas creates two blades of plasma, one in each hand, he swings both at Vernon hard.
Vernon catches both blades with his hands, grips down on them and they shatter. Before Vargas has time to blink, Vernon buries his fist in the pit of Vargas’ stomach. A small pillar of black light comes out of his back pulsing. Vargas lurches forward with his breath leaving his body. Vernon swings in connecting with his chin, and another pillar of black light comes out of the other side of Vargas's face. Spinning him around as he drops to the ground. Vernon now stands above looking down.
Vernon's vision blurs as a head rush follows and overcomes him. Stumbling backward, his heel catches a small break in the ground from the fight and he falls to his back. He can’t believe he almost had the match won, and then this. Vernon looks toward the crowd and the sky. His eyes not focusing for him, and his vision slowly recedes into a tunnel as stasis covers him.
13
Vernon stares at his face in the mirror as he towels off from a shower. He looks into his own blue eyes and sees an ever so slight green ring of color close to his iris. He tries to focus on nothing. Emptiness, nothingness, just a room filled with blackness rather than think about what is happening to himself. About why this light keeps returning and what is it? Can he control it? Why does it feel so right in the moment, but leaves him with what he believes is as close to a hangover that he has ever experienced?
He thinks about the girl of circuits, and that room of white he was in. It felt like a safe place for him. That could mean he died, there was a door filled with light. He shakes his head, and remembers he envisioned the door with the light pouring out during the match. Nothing like the tunnel of light to the other side. This whole ordeal has him wracking his brain. He turns the faucet on and splashes some water in his face. It feels nice and cool.
Duke says softly from behind, “How are you holding up Vernon?”
Vernon turns his head, “I’m doing alright. I hope. I just wish that I could control whatever it is that keeps coming out of me.”
“You mean that black light?”
“Yea, I do. It doesn’t make me glow like a caster using magic, it covers me like a blanket. I become so weak and woozy after, I don’t know if it is a good thing or not.”
“The only think I can tell you is something one of the elder sage’s told me once about magic. Magic is a dangerous tool and only the wise are afraid of it. You are my best friend, and I trust your gut because you are wiser than you realize. So let’s go out there and punch stuff, because you know punching things always makes you feel better.”
“Ha ha, what would I ever do without you my plucky friend?”
“Probably mope around, and be boring.”
***
The first round put them up against a group of boys from Hope Dome. Ricardo, still in his flamboyant attire, was out on the field. He stayed next to the paladin official, on crutches, unable to compete. Vernon saw he never took his eyes off him, which made him feel a bit uncomfortable, but didn’t slow him down any. The rest of Ricardo’s team was not well trained. They used simple everyday spells without changing them up. The kind people use to water their lawn, or cut their grass. Hope Dome is a farming community, and it seems they didn’t have much time for battle training.
Vernon had an easy time, which was something he needed. It was nice to not have to focus on every move, and figure out how to counter. He was able to just go with it, and enjoy the flow. Duke was right there by his side. There were a few spells that almost got though, but he handled them for Vernon. The whole match didn’t take longer than five minutes, and it was all that Vernon needed. He really felt like his mind had cleared.
***
Vernon takes a few steps out into the staging area and glances back to his team ready for the second round to begin. For the first time in his life he feels satisfied. Knowing he is on equal terms with all that are in this coliseum, and with the best group of friends that he could ever have hoped for. Everyone is watching him, and don’t think of him as a zero, only the guy to beat. The only thing that could make this moment more perfect would be if his mother, father and girlfriend were here.
“Alright group, as long as we stick to the plan we should be fine. If they are anything like that first group then we might already have won.” Says Vernon.
“So basically you and I running into the other group while Emma sits back and protects Ashley. Wonderful plan, very direct.” Duke says sarcastically.
“I am also going to be the long range support when I can.” Says Emma.
“And I am healing when needed, Emma will switch up if you guys need to drop back.” Says Ashley.
“Good, we all remembered the plan. Let’s go!” Vernon says.
The group walks out into the arena and a wave of humidity fills their noses with the smell of ferns. There now stands a lush tropical forest laid out in front of them. The Coliseum had changed the scenery from the last battle, to this new environment. The habitat control system here in Bastion was something to behold. In Saint Anthony there was still a need for people out on the floor, pouring magic into the seeds, growing plants, or fixing what broke.
Here it was built into the Coliseum itself. It wasn’t more than fifteen minutes between matches, and here was a sight right out of a tropical forest. Truly a modern marvel of technology and magic mixing together. With such quick changes, it can allow for more entertaining and diverse locations. As well as allowing the combatants to have a clean battlefield for each bout.
The canopy towers over the head and the surrounding vegetation of bushes, flowers, and grass are all above eye level. Making it difficult to see though. Vernon can’t even see the audience, but knows they can see him. They h
ave the benefit of a multitude of roaming cameras throughout the Coliseum floor. So they can keep their eyes on the action. Vernon wishes he could just connect into that live stream from his HaLO. It would make finding the other team so much easier.
Vernon turns to Duke and says. “Man it never ceases to amaze me about how quickly they can change the field around. I mean it’s crazy, two hundred yard circle of dirt and then bam, changed over to dense forest in the blink of an eye.”
“Good for us though, they cushion blows better this way.” Duke chuckles.
Vernon pauses for a moment and takes in the new setting. If the whole field is like this, then they could be easy to pick off one by one. “Alright everyone, change of plans, let’s stick together on this one. The low visibility doesn’t really lend itself too well to long range attacks. If a clearing shows up we’ll go back to plan A.”
“Ok Vernon, but it might be like what happened when you went up against my team all over again.” Emma hastily replies.
“Well hell,” Vernon says as he releases a sigh. Staying in a group is the right idea, but Emma does have a point. “Alright new new plan, Duke go with Ash and Emma come with me. Stay in sight of each other and back off if you hit something where it looks like you’re in trouble. Pot shots if you can and wear them down.”
"Where are you coming up with these plans Vernon?" Duke asks.
"Professional MMA Vid casts, listening to the moderators and interviews with the players."
"I guess we will see if that pays off." Duke replies.
They split themselves into the two groups and start making their way through the forest. Vernon is consistently leaning to the left and to the right in hopes of spotting an opening or getting the drop on the other players. The overgrowth is too thick to see through for no more than a few feet ahead. Duke and Ashley are to the right of Vernon even though he can’t see them, they are keeping pace with him, and not trying to come closer. Vernon really wishes that they would allow them to use the HaLO’s at a time like this for location, and communication.
They disable those functions while in the arena for the players. He had asked Coach Hill about it after the Saint Anthony tournament. He was told since it's a sport, location and communication are not allowed in any sport.
As the group creeps steadily forward, a large explosion freezes them in their tracks. The sounds of trees hitting the ground all at once followed by a gush of wind arrive shortly after the blast. Vernon begins to have flashbacks of fireballs following gusts of wind and quickly jumps behind a tree. He sees Emma following his lead. The vegetation in front of them had snapped from the gust, and he can now see up into a clearing. He can make out four bodies but not much else.
A females voice rings out, "Hey if you can hear me, come out you scaredy cats!"
"Yea we want to smash you." says a male player in a dull and simple tone.
"Shut up doofice." Says the female.
Vernon looks to Duke making eye contact with him. They both exchange a nonverbal nod and a grin. Both light their runes up and run in at full speed.
Vernon yells back, "Emma, back to plan A, head to Ash and serve as her back up. When you see an opening. Make it rain!”
Vernon bursts out of the forest first with a trail of dust and leaves behind him. The opposing group turns and looks right at him with no change in their expression. They begin to whoop and holler but he ignores them. Focusing into his right hand he releases an ice pillar into the ground and launches himself in the air, toward the top of the coliseum. The other team’s eyes follow Vernon into the sky.
This lets Duke rush into the clearing unnoticed and release a shock wave of fire, as if from a dragon’s own mouth. It leaves a trail of fire, crashing up against a barrier surrounding the other team. The flames wrap around, scorching the ground.
Vernon sees the wave crash into the barrier, and watches the flame wrap around as he falls back down to the ground. He uses a wind burst to slow his fall and judge where the top of this shield is. He lands softly on top. All four of the other team’s players are standing within it, and staring right at Vernon.
The larger girl in the middle starts laughing, "Look at what we got here, seems like he wants to come in. Billy, please get this city slicker off our shield."
"Ok sis…,” Billy replies in his simple tone, “Repel."
The shield pulses like a heartbeat with energy. Vernon leaps off in time to miss a web of electrical currents that over the outer surface of the shield.
Vernon turns over to Emma who is already in mid-cast. She must have seen an opening. Conjuring a meteor storm over herself aimed at the other team. The fiery rocks start flying down from just above the shield. Slamming into and embed themselves in the shield. The big girl elbows Billy with a devilish grin on her face, and points to Duke. Billy grabs his arm and begins to rub it. His face turns sad as he points at Duke.
The embedded meteors slides down from their resting spots and line up. The first meteor comes out like a bullet out of a gun. Duke dodges out of the way but only into the second and third.
Again you can hear the cackling of the bigger girl on the other team as it echoes though the coliseum. "Ha ha ha, look at ‘em, getting all hit by them own spells, good one Billy." She reaches out and slaps him on the arm that she elbowed.
"Thank you Darleen." Billy replies, while nursing his arm.
"Looks like that one's hurt, can I finish him, can I can I can I?" Says a tall and skinny boy of the group.
"Shut it David, I'll handle that one." says Darleen.
Duke isn’t moving, and is sprawled out on the ground. Vernon tries to make an assessment of his health from where he is at. From where he’s at he can’t tell anything, but at least the stasis shield hasn’t covered him. Vernon decides to wind bursts over to Duke, and take him into cover.
Once there at his side, there is a bump forming on his forehead but other than that he seems fine. Vernon lets out a small short sigh of relief. He looks back at the opposition to witness Darleen gathering a large amount of magic around her. Her arms are giving off a powerful red glow.
Vernon doesn’t have time. He can get out of the way or drag Duke to the brush. Taking the gamble he picks up Duke. If he can get him back into the forest so Ashley can heal him, they can regroup. Vernon makes his way to the tree line and hears something from behind him before he reaches it. Turning his head back to look, Darleen had finished gathering the power she needed. She points her hand in the shape of a gun at Vernon.
A red laser pointer like line is drawn though Vernon’s chest and into the forest. Vernon turns to see Emma and Ashley have made their way closer but the red line is passing right between both girls.
"Catch you later zeroes!” Screams Darleen. “Boom!"
As the final word leaves her lips, the whole red line explodes all at once.
14
Opening his eyes the first thing he sees are white ceiling tiles. Vernon still disoriented, lifts his head up from one of the recovery beds to look around. Which was a bad idea. Red and black dots flood his eyes, and he lays his head right back down. His ears still feel like they are ringing from that last attack. They call it a phantom pain phenomenon. It sometimes happens when the stasis shield reacts so quickly that the brain doesn’t get the chance to react. Even though its already gone.
With the ringing finally starting to subside, he decides to sit up. Sitting up makes him go cross eyed but he manages all the same. Duke is on the recovery table next to him, followed by Ashley and Emma. The display monitors above their heads are reading their HaLO data. Everyone shows healthy, which was good. The resting process is almost complete and they should be waking soon. Walking over to his locker he puts his hand on the sensor, the lock pops open as his HaLO beeps with recognition.
He reaches into the locker and takes out the lockbox. The pendant is still on top, right where he left it. Looking at it now brings back all the questions that he was trying to forget this whole tournament. Why would his father
would gave this crazy runic pendant to him all those years ago? What the hell does it do? Duke begins to stir, and it snaps Vernon back to his senses. He puts the lockbox back into the locker.
“So you’re finally coming to?” Vernon says.
“Yes I am, I’m not used to having you stand over me. I don’t like this trend.”
“Well miracles happen every now and again.”
“Ha ha, let’s hope not too often.”
Ashley breaks into the conversation, “Duke can you please keep it down I really need to have some silence right now. My head is thumping like a drum over here.” She says as she slowly sits up, and begins to rub the back of her head.
Duke says softly, “Sorry, but how are you doing?”
“I’m doing fine Duke other than the fact that I woke up here again. I really don’t like this.”
Vernon shakes his head, “That one was probably me this time. I tried to pull Duke into the forest cover and wasn’t paying any attention to what the other team was doing. That barrier they had was crazy tough.”
“Well Vernon, you need to pay more attention to things like that. That was the whole plan to not get caught in a group attack like that.”
Emma lifts her hand to her forehead and begins talking, “Ashley, it wasn’t the boys fault. That was not something you could plan for. There was no way Vernon would have known what that was or how to stop it. Let alone avoid it.”
“We have the free for all next, it'll probably be just one big ole team versus team battle. Just make sure to keep an eye out for each other as much as possible. We already have more than enough points to qualify a first round bye at the finals. The more we get we might be able to get out of a few more we have an even better chance at winning the championship.” Vernon says.
Duke grins, “Alright Vernon, we’re behind you.”
Cypher Theorem Series Box Set: Books 1-3, The Zero Class, Shadow Moon, Dragon Fire: A Science Fiction Fantasy Page 9
