Out on the water, there’s nowhere for Evram to hide.
I run across the water, casting magic constantly, activating spells burst out of the water into the air, pillars of water around magic that will trap him—
The pillars drop back down, the spells powering them dissolving.
And a beam of angelic power is already shooting out of his wand toward me.
I meet it with a crackling blast in return, practically unshaped, just reflex.
Evram’s beam pierces right through it, but I waste no time, using a burst of magic to launch myself out of the way.
As soon as I land, I realize the beam has changed direction and is still coming for me, Evram using his wand like a conductorto direct the magic. I manage to raise another, more powerful shield of waves, smaller and with more focused power.
As Evram’s power crashes into the shield it doesn’t pierce through, more like diffuses through it andshoves. The force of my own power combined with his pushing against me throws me back.
I land in the water and tumble through. Before I’m back on my feet I’ve gathered whirling water around me in defense, the movement faster than an action movie filler opponent wielding nunchuks around themself.
My water shield at least slows his next beam down so I don’t take a direct hit while discombobulated.
All the while I am moving myself, too, propelling through the water until I get my bearings on which way is up.
I don’t go that way.
The water back here is deep enough that I can move through it, the swirling water around me creating a kind of bubble for me to breathe, and I can agitate the waves of the bay to provide cover for where my magic actually is.
I surge out of the water behind Evram only for him to send out power like a shockwave around him, catching me in it and knocking me back once more.
My water shield protects me from the brunt of it, but as it dissolves around me my arms still sting.
I don’t waste any time, shaping magic on the tip of my wand like a cyclone.
Evram turns, shaking his head. “You never knew when to quit.”
He’s got me there.
But it doesn’t stop me.
I send a torrent at him, and he predictably fires a beam back, but I feed my cyclone more and more power until the beam is actually knocked off course, deflected.
It shoots back and hits the shrine grounds, which explode in a shower of wood.
An even bigger explosion than I would have expected.
Not good.
Definitely cannot let myself get hit with one of those, but I knew that.
I do wish I’d left Destien with a spell for Brook, but that would only have made Evram target her for sure.
As if he realizes my train of thought, Evram says, “Oh, your sister is safe. Even now, Destien is using her as a shield to unwork your little spell. You’ll run out of power soon enough.”
Fuck, is he right? That would make a hell of a lot more sense, and shame on me twice for trusting anything a High Earth mage said.
Only now do I notice the cloak on the anchor spell has vanished, arcane diagrams glowing below us—Nariel must need all his attention for the angel. The cloak blocking us from nonmagical view is still up, at least.
I look toward Destien to see if Evram’s right, but of course there’s nothing to see—he has a wand out, but he would anyway—
And that distraction is enough for the grand magus to hit me again.
