Disclaimer: What I said in Chapter One.
A/N: Huh¡K
Hermione, Harry, Ron, Sandry, Tris, Daja, and Briar were still sitting dully making idle conversation. Then¡K a messenger popped his head in the room. ¡§Masters Numair Samalin and Niklaren Goldeye have challenged each other to a duel! The eleventh hour, today!¡¨ Breathlessly, he turned to announce the news to the others.
Soon, the room was filled with chattering excitement. ¡§Niko will surely win,¡¨ Sandry exclaimed, eyes shining. ¡§I feel sorry for ¡V who was it? ¡V Master Namoor Salamander. He doesn¡¦t know what he¡¦s in for. Niko is the most powerful mage who ever lived!¡¨ she babbled.
¡§Oh, stop with the girly chatter,¡¨ Briar drawled. ¡§I wonder what Niko¡¦s gonna do to him¡K?¡¨
And they began comparing spells from their different worlds.
* * *
Neal and Cleon were still fighting over Kel. They¡¦d ignored the herald who¡¦d told them about the duel, but had kept disputing themselves.
¡§You [Jacuzzi],¡¨ Cleon snarled. ¡§She¡¦s mine mine mine!¡¨
¡§Kel and Cleon. Kel and Cleon. Kel and Cleon? Your names don¡¦t even go together!¡¨ Neal sneered loftily. ¡§Now, Kel and Neal¡K doesn¡¦t it sound like we¡¦re a pair?¡¨
¡§No!¡¨
¡§[Jacuzzi]!¡¨
¡§[Jacuzzi-ing] [Jacuzzi]!¡¨
¡§[Jacuzzi] [Jacuzzi-ing] [Jacuzzi]!¡¨
¡§What the [Jacuzzi], I¡¦ll just go get Kel myself!¡¨
¡§No! You can¡¦t, ¡¥cause I¡¦m gonna get her first!¡¨
Kel stomped into the room, and the boys were immediately all over themselves.
¡§Milady Kel!¡¨
¡§Blossom of my heart, extravagant rose¡K¡¨
¡§You eyes are like gems in the sun¡V [Jacuzzi] what kind of gem is hazel?¡¨
¡§Oh, [Jacuzzi] you all!¡¨ Kel sniffed.
¡§Choose, fair Keladry, which one of us you desire¡K¡¨
¡§I¡¦ll think about it.¡¨
Neal offered her a bouquet of fresh roses, Cleon a melted box of chocolates. Kel accepted Neal¡¦s roses, and threw Cleon¡¦s gift away when she touched the box and her fingers came away with sticky, melted chocolate.
Kel opened her mouth ¡V Neal watching eagerly, Cleon, crestfallen, was still hopeful¡K
¡§It¡¦s time for the duel!¡¨ Merric looked at Kel, Neal, Cleon, and the roses. ¡§Say, what hap ¡V ¡¨
¡§Nothing,¡¨ Neal replied loudly. ¡§Let¡¦s go.¡¨
The pages and squires filed into the dueling room, buzzing with excitement. Bets flew everywhere, and the favorite was Numair.
Niko and Numair were on opposite sides of the arena. They glared daggers at each other and mouthed insults. Finally, as Jon was ¡§unable¡¨ to, Queen Thayet, red- and puffy-eyed, still weeping over her king, signaled them to start.
Niko, furious at being the underdog, attacked first. Numair was suddenly bombarded by a hive of bees.
¡§AAIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEE!¡¨ he screamed as the bees stung him.
¡§Numair!¡¨ Daine wailed. ¡§Numair!¡¨
¡§Forget about him,¡¨ Briar hooted. ¡§How¡¦d ya like t¡¦come with me sometime?¡¨
Numair, annoyed and still trying to slap bees away, cursed Briar, who suddenly found himself covered in sticky, goopy honey. ¡§Can¡¦t ¡V breathe,¡¨ he gasped. ¡§Need ¡V air¡K¡¨
Numair turned his attention to Niko, who was preparing another spell. Niko soon was trying vainly to untangle himself from a cluster of sharp brambles. ¡§Briar!¡¨ he bellowed.
Briar was still oozing honey, but in his mind he asked the vines to please stop bothering Niko. They agreed wholeheartedly, and slowly shrank out of sight.
¡§Foul!¡¨ Numair shrieked. ¡§Interference from ¡V from a spectator!¡¨
¡§What does it matter?¡¨ Niko retorted. He shot a stream of water at Numair. ¡§Wrong spell,¡¨ he muttered.
Numair attacked with ribbons of gauze, binding Niko¡¦s arms and legs so he couldn¡¦t move. ¡§Sandry!¡¨
The threads began to unravel themselves, freeing Niko. Numair was outraged. ¡§That¡¦s it!¡¨ Niko found himself encased in a metal cube. Sighing, he thought, When will he ever get it? It gradually melted, courtesy of Daja.
¡§Why is it that every time I curse you, one of your students are mages in that area exactly?¡¨ Numair was about to pop. ¡§What¡¦s she?¡¨ he asked, pointing to Tris. A lightning bolt formed at the ceiling, and as it was about to strike Niko, Tris stopped it and instead, it sizzled Numair. Amidst the smoke, the audience could hear him crying, ¡§I yield! I yield! Mithros, Mynoss, and Shakith, I yield!¡¨
A triumphant Niko marched in front of the stunned crowd. Slowly, a mighty uproar filled the stadium, particularly the circle.
Then it stopped. Niko whirled, and discovered that a blackened Numair had put a silencing spell on the audience. ¡§I demand a rematch!¡¨ he shouted.
Niko blinked. ¡§But I won!¡¨
¡§It¡¦s called a rematch, [Jacuzzi]!¡¨
¡§Oh.¡¨
¡§So¡K¡¨
¡§Okay.¡¨
¡§[Jacuzzi]!¡¨
¡§[Jacuzzi-ing] [Jacuzzi]!¡¨
All right, that was lame. Very sad. Oh well¡K Please review as always, even if they are flames¡K (sigh) Sorry to disappoint you all.