Kaedros tumbled through the air like a ragdoll, slamming into the ground with a dull crack that split the stone beneath his skull. He groaned, muscles seizing with agony, ribs pulsing with a raw, red pain.
"Did I just crack my head open…?" he rasped, tasting blood on his tongue. His fingers came away wet when he touched his scalp.
A deep, reverberating voice like metal echoing down a pipe burst out in glee. "Oh! You're good! I thought I crushed your ribs, but you blocked most of it somehow! I've not seen wizards cast as fast as you!"
"Mage…" Kaedros mumbled, staggering to his feet. His vision spun like a storm and he had to squeeze his eyes shut until the world settled again. "That word, wizard it's old. I read it in a forgotten book."
"Kael!" Taria reached his side, fussing over him, hands moving over his arms and sides in search of wounds. His body was already healing, Dragon regeneration quietly working under the guise of human magic.
