[Wanted to finish the duel in this chapter only. This chapter is long, almost equal to two chapters. So send some extra Power stones]
The moment the light turned yellow, one would have expected both wizards to get into a frenzy. But no such thing happened.
Five minutes was a lot of time, and there was no need to rush or act in frenzy, at least not in spellcasting. This was the time to formulate a strategy, to chart out the path one would follow in the duel.
It was entirely possible for a wizard, in order to fully use his five minutes, to transfigure almost everything in the arena. But in doing so, he might get too deep into transfiguration and ignore the other branches of magic.
The rules of the duel and the terrain of the arena made transfiguration extremely enticing, but it did not reduce the importance of the other arts. A proper balance was required if one wanted to ensure victory.
Alicus was the first to move. A spell left his wand and struck a rock in the second zone, transforming it into a spear. One of the most commonly used transfiguration tactics.
He continued altering his side of the arena. More swords, more spears. He even constructed a wall by mixing soil and water from the third and first circles, fixing the spears into it so they all pointed toward Antonio. It would save him time when launching them. Clearly, what Alicus could do with his transfiguration was limited.
Meanwhile, Antonio's actions left the spectators gobsmacked. His plan was not only to defeat Alicus, he could have done that with little effort.
The plan was to defeat him decisively, to showcase a power that would deter the world. To establish his image as one of the most powerful wizards in Wizarding Britain. During the formulation stage, Arcturus had asked how confident he was of his strength. He now going to show some portion of strength.
Even after his two earlier displays of magic, there were still those who doubted him. Fluke. Luck. Treachery. Trick. These were the words whispered to dismiss his abilities.
This would be the moment he asserted dominance. And he was doing exactly that.
Standing behind him rose a massive stone humanoid figure. A stone golem was the closest word to describe it.
Formulating a golem out of stone was among the most advanced feats of transfiguration, and the number of wizards in Britain capable of doing it could be counted on one hand.
Alicus, busy with his own preparations, froze at the heavy grinding of stone. His eyes bulged when he saw the massive golem looming on Antonio's side. Still, he clenched his fist and turned back to his own work. There was no other choice. He had to fight Antonio, and he intended to give it his all. He might have underestimated the lad, but he too had few tricks up his sleeve.
Antonio narrowed his eyes as a spell shot from his wand into the water of the first circle. There was no reaction. But Antonio did not stop and half a dozen more spells followed.
At first, the spectators were confused when nothing happened. Then the water began to ripple, twist, bulge, and churn.
Within moments, it had taken a definite form, shaping into a towering humanoid figure. A water golem stood on Antonio's other side, its size rivalling the stone construct. And it equally menacing.
"Impossible," Dumbledore rose to his feet the instant the water golem appeared. Minerva too was staring, eyes wide in disbelief.
While the stone golem was already a difficult spell, the water golem was practically impossible. The sheer magical power required to form it, to maintain its shape, and the fine control to keep it functional. Only an exceptionally gifted wizard could even attempt it. And Antonio had done with so much ease. And that too when he had formed a stone golem, a couple of moments ago.
Arcturus Black narrowed his eyes in contemplation somewhat recognizing the spell, while Bellatrix's gaze burned with awe. She recognized this spell. It was from the book she had gifted Antonio from the Black Family library. It was a book filled with rare and nearly forgotten spells. She had never expected him to perform what was perhaps the hardest spell in its pages and with such ease.
At this moment, no one doubted the outcome of the duel. Antonio appeared far ahead in this duel. He looked majestic with two golems standing on both his sides.
Antonio made no further moves and stood there with a calm and relaxed look on his face. Even so, he was not careless. He knew that defeating Alicus was extremely easy. But he needed to be prepared if that man pulled out some sort of surprise.
Alicus continued altering his arena until only thirty seconds were left. Though he felt a faint trace of apprehension and anxiety, he pushed them down, using his Occlumency at its fullest to steady his mind and keep himself at peak condition.
The final half minute was spent not on spells, but on calibrating himself and restoring his calm so he could begin the duel in the best state possible.
His wand was clenched tightly in his hand as he waited for the final moment.
The glowing yellow light above Madam Marchbanks' wand finally disappeared. The duel had begun.
Alicus did not waste even a heartbeat. A jet of green light burst from his wand. The Killing Curse.
The spell was out of pure hope, a desperate wish that his opening strike might catch Antonio unprepared.
But Antonio, standing calmly on the opposite stone platform, moved with an almost nonchalant ease. With a flick of his wand, a boulder from the second circle shot forward, colliding with the curse in midair and neutralizing it instantly.
Everyone in the stands expected Antonio to finally command his golems to move, but he made no such gesture. The towering constructs remained still with no hint of movement in them. Antonio had crafted them purely for show. To defeat Alicus, he did not need them. He intended to humiliate the man.
Alicus waved his wand sharply, and three spears shot forward, converging toward Antonio's heart. Just as they were about to strike, Antonio made a simple jabbing motion.
A single spell burst forth, colliding with all three spears at once. A small but sharp explosion followed, and the weapons were reduced to dust midair.
By now, the audience had realized that Antonio, beyond his golems, had made no other preparation to reinforce his side of the arena. There was no shield, no trap, no transfigured defence, only himself.
Alicus tightened his jaw in frustration. He jabbed his wand again, sending a spell streaking toward Antonio. It was met instantly by a counter.
But the attack did not stop there. More spells came. Bone breaking curses, blood-boiling hexes, flesh burning spells, the leg locking jinx. A barrage of deadly and crippling magic rained down on Antonio, yet he countered each with effortless precision.
He moved as though every spell was beneath him, brushing them aside without the slightest strain. He was almost disdainful, dismissive of the spells coming towards him.
Alicus jabbed his wand once more time. A swarm of weapons launched towards Antonio. Most of them were small pieces of weapons. Knives, daggers and even pointed nails—all shooting forward like a deadly cloud. A sudden, overwhelming storm meant to deceive and overwhelm Antonio.
Countering such a swarm with curses or hexes was near impossible. A transfigured shield would have been the wiser choice, but Antonio had made no such preparation. Alicus believed, hoped, that at last, this relentless wave would find its mark.
Antonio narrowed his eyes. To the spectators, it finally seemed as though he had lost the plot. Everyone knew he had been toying with Alicus, but now his arrogance appeared ready to cost him dearly. Unless the golems moved to intercept, Antonio looked doomed.
But then it happened.
Antonio raised his wand high over his head and pointed it downwards. A spell burst forth as he spun in a full circle. The magic rippled outward, threading itself into the third circle. The mixture of soil, sand, and gravel.
The ground began to churn and quake, rising in a spiralling motion until it formed a barrier around him. The incoming swarm of blades and spells crashed into the wall with ferocious force.
For a moment it looked as though the thin shield would shatter, but nothing happened.
The tussle dragged on for several tense seconds before the weapons lost their magic, collapsing midair and returning to their true forms of rock and pebble.
By all rights, the mixture should never have withstood such a furious onslaught. But Antonio had reinforced it with his own magic.
The seasoned witches and wizards in the stands understood this instantly, and their thoughts darkened with the same realization. The implications of such strength were enormous. Another powerful, extremely powerful, wizard had appeared in their midst.
Antonio had had enough. He had toyed enough.
He jabbed his wand and a spell erupted from it, streaking forward with such speed that Alicus had no time to react. The speed of this single spell made everyone realise the disparity between the two.
The spell struck the stone platform near his legs. In an instant, a thick spear of stone shot upward. It skewered Alicus clean through, piercing between his legs and bursting out through the top of his skull.
His body was lifted into the air, legs dangling helplessly, as blood gurgled from his mouth. Within moments, he gave his final breath.
'Skewering people is becoming my hobby,' Antonio thought with a smirk. 'It looks cool and brutal too'.
The arena was drowned in silence. No one had expected Antonio to strike so suddenly and certainly not with such brutality.
"Lord Antonio Olario wins," Madam Marchbanks' voice rang out at last, cutting through the stunned quiet and dragging the spectators back into reality.
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