by Andy Nadir
Chapter Eight
Light was streaming into his eyes. Laxus groaned, and turned over to get out of the light. “Light? There’s no light in…” He thought.
Suddenly, he snapped awake. “That’s right, I’m in Blue Phoenix now. Better get to the bar before Niko does.” He chuckled to himself, and pulled his clothes on.
When he was dressed, he headed out of his room and out of the dorms. “Hey Laxus!” Niko called as Laxus entered the Guild house.
Laxus’s mouth fell. “How on earth are you here already? It’s got to be early!”
Niko grinned through a mouthful of mashed potatoes. “I wash heah foh like ahn hour” He said, spraying mashed potatoes everywhere.
Laxus covered his face. “By the… Niko, finish your food before you speak!” He snapped.
Niko swallowed. “Sorry mom” He said.
Laxus growled. He sat down next to Niko and ordered pancakes. “You ready for our fight with Tabitha in two hours?” Niko asked, and inhaled a plate of eggs.
Laxus chuckled. “How do you know what time the fight is?” He asked.
Niko gulped down another sausage. “John was talking ‘bout it.” He said.
Niko patted his stomach contentedly. “Great! I think I’m full now.”
“It’s about bloody time!” John roared from the other side of the room.
“Laxus, that friend of yours has eaten literally one twentieth of our food!” He said.
Niko grinned. “Yummy.”
John sighed. “But, then again, having him around is a lot of fun. You two better get prepared for your fight with Tabitha. Lots of people have tried to beat her, but this last year or so, she has gotten nearly unstoppable. The only ones who can beat her are Headmaster Lairno, and any Thaumaterge ranked mage.
Laxus grinned. “I got this in the bag. Niko, lets head to the training field.”
Niko nodded. He grabbed a few sausages from his plate, and got up. Laxus snatched himself a sausage, and they headed out.
John grinned as he watched them leave. “That boy, he makes me feel as though I was his age again.” He said to a cloaked man at the table.
The man nodded and ordered another glass of beer.
Laxus and Niko stood at the battle “rings”. Unlike before, one of the outlines of the rinks was now built up.
It was about thirty feet tall, and it seemed to have seats as well. Laxus and Niko headed in. The seats were filled with about twenty people. Laxus looked around the seats. It appeared as though all of Blue Phoenix was gathered.
“Why is it that all of the guild is here?” Laxus whispered to Niko.
Niko shrugged. “Dunno. Think they want to watch us beat Tabitha?” He asked.
Laxus shook his head. “Somehow, I doubt it. In fact, it’s probably the other way around.” He said.
Niko nodded. “Ok, sit down. I am going to cast a few illusions on you. Has Tabitha seen you since you began training?” Niko asked.
Laxus shrugged. “I’m not really sure. I was pretty much concentrated on killing the pole in front of me.” He said.
Niko grinned. “Not surprised. Well, I can’t take the chance that she has seen you. I guess I’ll just have to cast it on myself. He waved his hand, and his arms grew buff. He grew a few inches taller, and his hair got slightly shorter.
The large Niko grinned at Laxus. “What do ya think?” He asked, in a deeper voice.
Laxus shook his head. “Don’t do that to me.” He said.
Niko grinned. “Fine. But, you owe me a sausage!”
“Oh yea, I have a few left!” Niko pulled a sausage from his pocket, and began munching it.
A thought struck Laxus’s mind. “Hey Niko, don’t you think the spectators will tell Tabitha?” He asked.
Niko shook his head. “I cast an illusion on them from the start. In fact, to them, I just walked in now.” He said.
True to his word, a roar went up from the crowd. “The second fighter has appeared! We only need Tabitha before we start!” A man yelled, using a voice enhancing magic.
Niko waved his hand, and the original illusion dispelled. Laxus grinned at Niko. “Man, I’m really hyped up! I can’t wait…” He said.
Laxus jumped up and down. Suddenly, the crowd went quiet. Laxus and Niko glanced at the doors into the arena. Tabitha strode in quietly. Blue Phoenix began yelling again.
“All right everyone, quiet down. Fighters, take your places!” The announcer called.
Laxus and Niko stood at one end of the arena, crouched. Tabitha grinned at Laxus, and her mouth fell when she saw Niko. “Niko, what on earth have you been…” She started, but her eyes stayed glued to him.
Tabitha shook her head. She whistled, and a lance of light formed in her hand. “Are you all ready? Good. Then… Begin!” The announcer roared.
“Cloak!” Laxus said.
Laxus faded into the shadows cast by the arena walls.
“Armor” He said.
Niko waved his hand, and Tabitha yelped, and jumped. “Made her think you jumped at her.” Niko whispered to Laxus.
Tabitha began whistling a song. Shards of light began peppering a the ground next to her. When Tabitha realized that the “Laxus” she was attacking wasn’t getting hurt, she turned to Niko.
Niko paled. “Whoops. I forgot to have the illusion pretend to be hurt. I don’t think my illusions will be much help like this. “Good luck! Niko said, and raised his hand.
Niko folded up like a piece of paper, and disappeared. “Just an illusion” Laxus muttered, and raised his hand.
“Shuriken”
Four shadowy ninja stars formed in his hand.
Laxus put two shuriken in his left hand, and charged Tabitha. Tabitha saw him coming, and whistled. A lance of light flew at him. Laxus rolled out of the way, and continued running.
He threw both of the shuriken in his left hand. Tabitha blocked one, but the second caught her on the edge of her leg. “Ow!” She squealed.
Laxus chuckled to himself, and threw the other two. “She doesn’t seem to be that strong.” He thought to himself.
Tabitha saw the shuriken coming, and whistled. A wall of light formed, and blocked the two ninja stars.
Laxus grinned. “Caltrops”
The spiked pieces of metal formed around Tabitha. She noticed them, and began playing a tune on her flute.
A pair of golden boots formed around her feet. Tabitha grinned at Laxus, and began running at him. Laxus sighed. “It doesn’t look like my weak spells will work too well on you. Let’s see how you like this one.
“Weapon master” Swords, spears, Shuriken, and almost every other weapon formed from the shadows, and floated up to Laxus. Sweat dripped from Laxus’s eyebrows.
“Playing possum” He said.
Laxus went limp. Tabitha paused about fifteen feet away from him. “Laxus…? Are you ok?” She asked.
Someone in the crowd screamed. “Look at his shadow!” the man yelled.
Tabitha glanced at Laxus’s shadow. It was shifting around on the ground, growing wings and becoming reptilian.
Laxus looked up; eyes glowing red with black spots. Laxus looked around. “So, he decided to try the Playing Possum huh. And not even for a real battle, why he wants me just to make you surrender! Oh well, it seems fun enough, Spawn of Light!”
Tabitha staggered backwards. “What did you do to Laxus?” She asked.
The monster in Laxus grinned. “Nothing, dear. He called me here, the bastard. And, he limited my power by putting taps on his energy. Clever boy. But, I am not here to talk. Let us see the power of this “Light” you have!” he hissed.
“Dance of Blades” He roared.
The scattered shadow weapons around Laxus’s body began spinning around. Laxus flicked his hand towards Tabitha, and the tornado of weapons launched at her.
Tabitha Whistled, and a shield of light formed around her. The blades slashed at the wall, and both the blades and the wall disappeared.
“Void!
”
A black dot the size of Laxus’s hand formed above Tabitha’s head. She yelped as she floated up towards the shadow.
“A shadow of a black hole. It has the gravitational power, but cannot suck anything in, unfortunately.” Laxus said.
“Spear”
Laxus grabbed the spear, and threw it at Tabitha. Tabitha blew a note on her flute, and Myron formed. He grabbed the spear of shadows from the air, and snapped it in half.
Laxus nodded. “I have had my fun. Laxus, come baaaack!”
The monster slumped again. Laxus’s shadow returned to its normal form.
Laxus looked up. “Like the Playing Possum?” He asked.
Tabitha growled at him.
Laxus shrugged. “Black mist”
The shadows cast by the walls rose up, and began to expand. Soon, the entire was covered by a thick black mist that was almost impossible to see through.
“Shuriken fog” He said.
Laxus flickered, and faded into the mist. Tabitha grinned. “Seriously, Laxus? A cloaking won’t do you much good. All I have to do is use an area attack”
Tabitha played a few notes on her flute, and spears of light flew out of it like a porcupine. The spears were like a sphere, and cut through every part of the mist. But, as the spears passed through the mist, it parted around them.
Tabitha frowned. “How did you…” Tabitha gasped.
“Did you mold your form in with the shadows of the arena wall?”
There was a chuckle from the shadows. Suddenly, shuriken flew out from several spots in the mist. Tabitha yelped, but dodged them. “Laxus, you already showed me this technique. It won’t work on me twice.
Laxus laughed again. “Who said I was using the same technique?”
Another round of shuriken flew out of the fog. Tabitha dodged these as well. “Laxus, this has been a good fight, but it is getting tedious. Why don’t we end this now?” she said.
“What do you think I was doing?” Laxus asked.
The mist swirled, and began condensing in one spot. The mist formed into Laxus’s legs, body, then his arms and head.
“Bah, I still look like this.”
Tabitha stared open mouthed at Laxus’s body, which was now pitch black, like a shadow.
“This seems to happen whenever I draw shadows in. No matter. Time to end this fight.”
“Pentagram!”
Tabitha crouched, and prepared to dodge another attack. After a moment, Tabitha frowned. “Was that supposed to do something?” she asked.
Laxus grinned. “Look at your feet”
Tabitha glanced down. At her feet, was a shadowy pentagram. “When did this get here?” She cried.
“Follow the shadows. Those Shuriken had shadow ropes in the middle. I cast a shadow with a shadow. Clever eh?” He grinned.
Tabitha growled. “Whatever. The pentagram doesn’t seem to be doing anything.
Laxus shook his head, and grinned. “Oh, yes it has.”
Tabitha shrugged, and whistled. After a moment, she frowned, and whistled again. “What did you do to me?” She asked guardedly.
“Oh nothing…” Laxus said innocently.
Tabitha growled. She started towards Laxus. Suddenly, black smoke began rising from her feet. She glanced down at them. Her feet were slowly evaporating, and the disease was creeping up her legs. She screamed.
“Let me out! Help!”
Laxus chuckled. “Do you surrender?” He asked.
Tabitha shook her head violently. “No! Never, not until you completely beat me!” She yelled.
The black smoke crept further up her body, and began devouring her torso.”
Laxus sat down. “Tell me when.” He said with a grin.
Tabitha writhed in panic as the smoke slowly swallowed her hands, and made its way up to her neck.
“Allright, fine! I surrender!” She sobbed.
Laxus waved his hand, and everything disappeared.
Tabitha looked around. “What the heck?” She asked.
She glanced at Laxus, and saw him rolling on the ground laughing.
“What’s so funny?” Tabitha asked.
The sound of the crowd laughing reached her ears. “What is it?” She yelled.
Between laughs, Laxus spoke. “It was all fake. After I threw the shuriken from the shadows, I made a pentagram for Niko to focus on. He then cast an illusion on you, making you believe you were dissolving. Did you really think I got so far in my training?” Laxus asked with a grin.
Tabitha’s mouth fell open. “You are kidding… right? You duped me!?”
Laxus nodded through tears of mirth, and pointed at Niko. Niko waved to her, and ate a sausage that he had taken from breakfast.
Tabitha’s mouth fell open. “You two… are probably the most annoying people on the planet.”
Niko shrugged, and grinned. “Wanna sausage?”
Tabitha sighed, and put her head in her hands. “Oh what the heck, give me two”
