I stood in the center of the training room, the morning light filtering in through the high windows. Eldrin had left early, off on some errand he didn't elaborate on. So I decided to continue my training. The air around me was thick with residual magical energy from yesterday's intense practice.
"Focus," I muttered to myself, closing my eyes. The mana within me responded, flowing through my veins like a warm river. I began with the basics, forming a large sphere of light in my hand.
The room was silent, save for the hum of magic. I moved through the spells Eldrin had shown me, concentrating on precision and control. Each spell came easier than the last.
Midway through my practice, the door creaked open. I turned to see Morgana standing there, her eyes gleaming with interest.
"Aldrich," she greeted, her voice smooth and measured.
"Morgana," I replied. "What brings you here?", I don't feel very welcoming of her because of her past.
She stepped into the room, her eyes scanning the space before settling on me. "I heard you were training alone today. Thought I might join you."
I frowned. "I don't recall inviting company."
She smiled, a hint of amusement in her eyes. "Consider it a friendly visit."
I wasn't fooled by her demeanor. Morgana was a formidable sorceress, and her intentions were rarely as simple as they seemed. Still, I had no reason to refuse her presence outright. "Fine. Just don't get in my way."
She raised an eyebrow but said nothing more, moving to the side of the room to watch. I resumed my training, feeling her gaze on me like a weight.
As I practiced, I couldn't shake the feeling that she was evaluating me. It was bothering, but I pushed the distraction aside, focusing on the task at hand.
After a while, she spoke again. "Your control has improved since I last saw you. Eldrin's been a good teacher."
"He has," I acknowledged, not bothering to hide the pride in my voice.
"Have you considered testing your skills in a more... practical manner?" she asked, a glint of challenge in her eyes.
I met her gaze, my expression hardening. "What do you have in mind?"
"A duel," she said simply. "Nothing too intense. Just a friendly spar to see how far you've come."
I hesitated. Sparring with Morgana was not something to take lightly. But the prospect of a challenge was too enticing to refuse. "Alright," I agreed.
We moved to the center of the room, facing each other. Morgana's stance was relaxed, but I knew better than to underestimate her. I took a deep breath, centering myself, and prepared for the duel.
"Ready?" she asked.
I nodded. "Let's begin."
Morgana started with a simple spell, sending a ball of light hurtling toward me. I deflected it easily, countering with a burst of light spear. She dodged, her movements fluid and precise.
"Not bad," she remarked, casting a shield charm to block my next attack.
I pressed on, casting spell after spell, testing her defenses. She parried each one with ease, her expression calm and focused. It was clear she was holding back, and it irritated me.
"Is that all you've got?" she taunted, hoping to provoke me into revealing more of my abilities.
My eyes narrowed slightly.
I didn't bother to respond, instead focusing on my next move. I summoned a more complex spell, directing my mana with precision. "Fiendfyre!"
A torrent of blue flames erupted from my hand, shaping into a massive fire dragon under my control. The dragon roared, its eyes locked onto Morgana as it surged forward.
She didn't flinch. Instead, she summoned her own Fiendfyre, black flames coiling into a monstrous serpent. The two creatures clashed in mid-air, flames devouring each other as they fought for dominance. The room was filled with the roar of fire and the hiss of clashing spells.
As our Fiendfyres battled, Morgana changed tactics. She waved her wand, summoning shadowy figures from thin air. Dementors—creatures from another realm, the demon realm.
'So that's where they come from,' I realized, feeling a chill as the Dementors advanced.
"Expecto Patronum!" I shouted, focusing on a powerful, positive memory. A brilliant, silvery wolf burst forth from my wand, charging at the Dementors. The Patronus collided with the shadowy creatures, forcing them back with its radiant light.
Morgana's eyes narrowed as she watched her summoned creatures retreat. "Impressive," she muttered
She shifted her stance, and I felt a surge of magical energy. With a flick of her wrist, she sent a series of rapid-fire spells my way. I barely had time to react, throwing up a barrier just in time to block the barrage.
The impact rattled me, but I held firm, countering with a powerful Stupefy spell. The red bolt shot towards her, fast and strong. Morgana dodged, her movements a blur as she closed the distance between us.
Before I could react, she was upon me, her hand glowing with magical energy. She struck, and I felt a jolt of pain as her spell connected. I staggered back, my vision blurring for a moment.
"Focus, Aldrich," she chided, her voice sharp. "You're better than this."
I gritted my teeth. She was right, and I hated the fact that I felt powerless.
Then she launch another attack.
I barely dodged the blast, the spell exploding against the wall behind me. I retaliated with a rapid series of spells, pushing her back with a relentless assault.
"Incendio!" I cast, sending a wave of blue fire toward her.
She countered with "Aguamenti," dousing the flames with a torrent of water. Steam filled the room, obscuring our vision for a moment.
I took advantage of the cover, casting "Levicorpus!" Morgana was lifted off the ground, dangling by her ankle. She quickly countered with a non-verbal spell, freeing herself and landing gracefully.
"Not bad," she said, her tone begrudgingly respectful. "But let's see how you handle this."
She cast "Confringo," a blasting curse that sent a shockwave through the room. I conjured a shield charm, "Protego!" just in time to deflect the explosion.
I gathered my mana, channeling it into a powerful spell. The spell shot towards her, and this time, she wasn't quick enough to dodge. The impact sent her stumbling back.
I pressed my advantage, casting a series of spells in quick succession. She recovered quickly, her movements a dance of grace and power as she countered each attack. The room crackled with energy, our spells lighting up the space in a dazzling display of magic.
CLANG
Her shield charm deflected my next attack, the sound of our magic clashing echoing through the room. I could feel the strain, the intensity of the duel pushing me to my limits. But I couldn't afford to back down.
"Impressive," she said.
With a burst of energy, I cast "Fiendfyre" again, the blue flames roaring to life. Morgana responded with her own black Fiendfyre, the two dragons clashing once more. The heat was intense, sweat pouring down my face as I struggled to maintain control.
Pouring more mana into my spell. The blue flames surged, overwhelming the black fire bit by bit.
I steeled myself, drawing on every ounce of mana I had.
I knew I had to end this quickly. I gathered my remaining mana, channeling it into a powerful spell. " Infernum Aeternum!"
A wave of inferno consumes everything its path. It struck the serpent, and with a final, desperate hiss, the dark creature disintegrated, leaving nothing but a wisp of shadow.
I stood there, panting, sweat dripping down my face. Morgana lowered her hand, the shadows around her dissipating. She looked at me, a small smile playing on her lips.
"Well done, Aldrich. You've exceeded my expectations."
I didn't respond, too exhausted to speak. The duel had pushed me to my limits. She is worthy of her title as the strongrest sorceress.