The Hero Should've Known Better

Chapter 25: New Frontierland

The Healer skidded to a stop and took a second to catch her breath. She doubled over, as sweat dripped from her face.

"Well? Get on with it," Fraul said. "I don't have all the time in the world."

Finally, the Healer pointed a finger up to interrupt the Mage. Then, she glanced up.

"I have no idea where Ronn is!" Junil exclaimed.

"And that is my problem, how?" Fraul asked.

The Healer grit her teeth and was about to espouse some unflattering insult. But she paused, remembering what Ronn had said earlier: Insults weren't going to bring the Healer any further to getting Fraul to help. Junil bit back the harsh words that almost escaped her mouth.

"I just need that spell you used, if you haven't seen Ronn at all," Junil continued. "The one you used to detect the Demon Lord's sister!"

"That one?" the Mage asked. "Did you forget? It cost two high-quality potions to use. Don't tell me that you want me to just pop another two, because you're not gonna be able to convince me like Ronn."

"What?" Junil asked. "This is important! I have no idea where Ronn is, he went off without me!"

Fraul tapped her boots on the paved stone road, and shook her head. "Oh, how bad! And, unfortunately for you, that is not my problem."

The Mage started to step past the Healer. However, before she could, Junil remembered that she still had one option left at her disposal.

"What if I went to the press with your scheme?" Junil asked.

Fraul's eyebrows shot up, before her face shifted to a scowl.

"Don't you dare even suggest that," the Mage threatened.

"I can and I will, Fraul. You don't scare me."

Fraul tapped her staff twice on the brick-paved road. "Junil, as good of a Healer as you are, I surpass your offensive magical capabilities by several dozens of times. Not only will we be confronting each other in a public square, but you'll also be publicly humiliated. By me."

Junil, meanwhile, stashed her wand in a pocket. She rolled up both of her sleeves and punched her fists together.

"Who said it was going to be a magical battle, Fraul? Are you implying you want to duel right here, right now?"

It was a bluff. Junil was hoping to threaten the Mage into conceding. However, Fraul was smart enough to correctly call that bluff out.

Namely, by firing a barrage of four stinging spells directly at the Healer.

Junil was just quick enough to bring her wand back out. Another four quick-firing spells, fired in rapid succession, blasted from the end of Junil's wand. All the stinging spells slapped against Junil's spells in midair, crackling before dissipating into smoke.

Debris on the roads were kicked up by the gusts of wind that came along with the barrage of stinging spells, the dust getting in her eyes.

"That's it!" Junil yelled. "I'm gonna sock you in the face! Right now! C'mere!"

A crowd had gathered to witness the impromptu duel between the Mage and the Healer. However, before the two could fire off anything else at the other, the sounds of crashing from the buildings behind Fraul caught their attention.

"What was that?" Fraul asked, turning around.

Junil used this moment to her advantage and, with a tightly clenched fist, punched the Mage directly on the side of her head.