The Apprentice's Apprentice

Part 34

Cora blanched and took a step back as the realization that this must be the rogue sank in. The other woman brought her hands up and the charged feeling to the air told Cora that she was about to start an attack. "Stop," she said, holding her own palms up. Her whole body kept going hot and then cold as her heart battered at her eardrums. "There are too many people around!"

"What do I care?" The rogue replied, tossing her head, her eyes narrowed. "That'll just make it easier for me to blend in and escape once I make sure you can't follow."

"Not if someone catches you on camera. Just imagine how quickly a video of someone doing magic would go viral. You'll never be able to hide again if that happens," Cora said, her mind racing. Zoe was still here. If she came back before Cora could deal with this woman...

That gave the stranger pause. She pressed her lips together until they became a thin line as she thought it over. "What do you suggest then?"

"We go outside. The back parking lot is almost always empty since it's only for staff. No one gets hurt and no one will see us."

She snorted. "Fine then. But if you try to run or contact anyone, I'll drop you and to hell with the consequences."

Cora nodded. She turned around and led the way towards the doors that lay almost opposite them. Her hands kept opening and closing almost of their own accord as she pressed on through the crowds. All around her people were laughing and enjoying themselves, making the whole journey feel like a dream. No one seemed to notice them, even though the rogue was pressing so close to Cora that she could faintly smell her perfume. She thought that if she survived this she'd never be able to be near that scent again. It was already turning her stomach.

The walk across the mall felt like it took forever and no time at all at the same time. Cora thought she'd seen everything around her happening in slow motion, but by the time she'd realized it, she was pushing the back door open. Her back and neck were slick with sweat that had nothing to do with the sudden wave of warmth that came from walking out into the bright sunshine.

She stopped in the middle of the smaller lot and thoroughfare that deliveries went to after glancing around. They were alone. Cora turned then to the rogue, her mouth gone dry. The stranger watched her for a moment, one hand on her hip, an eyebrow raised. "You weren't lying there, apprentice. That is what you are, right? You don't look old enough to be a full mage. You're brave, I'll give you that. Not smart, but brave. But I knew that seeing the spell you're wearing."

Cora ignored the last remark as it made no sense and she had enough to worry about at the moment. She balled her hands up into fists and said, "You won't just leave, will you? Because I don't really want to fight."

The rogue chuckled, a low sound that sent a shiver down her spine. "No. You'll just go running to your master and that will cause me no end of troubles. I need to keep you quiet long enough that I can get out of here. But nice try."

Cora didn't waste any more air on speaking. With her terror giving her spellcasting extra focus, she brought up her latest version of her shield. The four layers wrapped around her but in moving, fluid layers that were less prone to sustaining damage from multi-point attacks. Though Selena was still able to break them with effort. Cora could only hope the rogue wasn't nearly as accomplished an offensive mage as Selena was.

She had barely gotten the shields moving when the first attack struck her. The fireball slid harmlessly to the side. The rogue's eyes narrowed as she looked at her, a frown drawing lines down her forehead that destroyed her prettiness. "Defensive mage," she hissed. "I should have taken you out when I had the chance."

Cora swallowed. She wanted to do something, anything to stop this woman but couldn't. Neither Selena nor Warren had taught her how to cast multiple spells at the same time yet, and she couldn't risk her shields coming down for even a second. All she could do was stand there and take whatever the rogue dished out and hope either the cops were called or she exhausted herself. She could try to run, but she had no idea what the rogue would do to the people here if she did. Or even if she could hold her shields while moving like that. She'd never tried. Their plans had always been for her to be the stationary target, to draw the rogue's attention, not deal with her.

The next spell to strike her shields was what looked like a whirlwind of fire. It too was reflected off and Cora blinked away the tears the flames had brought to her eyes. She nearly missed the follow-up attack, something that appeared to be triangular shard of yellow light. It too slid off her to sizzle into the parking lot. The smell of hot asphalt washed over Cora.

The rogue took a step forward, her green eyes narrowed at her. Both her hands moved as she shoved them forward in a motion that reminded Cora of Dragonball's Kamehameha. Except instead of a beam of light, what looked like glowing red ropes burst out and wrapped themselves around Cora's arms.

But her shields were still spinning and they wrapped the cords up as they moved, dragging the rogue forwards a few steps before they ripped out of her hands. In seconds they'd dissipated against the power of Cora's shield. Over and over in her head Cora blessed Selena and the shield training. She had a feeling her defense would have already been broken if she hadn't been forced to improve her shields to their current level. She only hoped she could hold out long enough.

The red haired woman was full on glaring at her know, her hands balled into fists. Her closed hands began to glow white, the light growing in intensity until each fist seemed to be a tiny sun. This time Cora was hit by two beams of light that were reminiscent of the iconic Dragonball move.

Again, she was saved by the movement of her shields, the spell being spun off to blast into the pavement. It melted, adding another wave of hot asphalt smell to the air. Cora swallowed hard and looked at the panting rogue. "Why are you doing this? Why be a rogue?" she asked, wondering if maybe she could reason with her.

"None of your damn business. It's you regular mages with your rules who get in the way of my life. If we have magic why not use it on those who don't? Why not live our lives in the laps of luxury?"

Cora choked. "You're just selfish?" She wasn't sure what reason she was expecting from the other woman, but sheer greed had not been on the list.

"Sticks and stones, sweetheart," the rogue replied, one hand beginning to crackle with what looked like lightning, if not the purple version Cora was used to Selena using.

The sound of the side door opening had both of them freezing in place, their heads snapping towards it. Cora could feel the blood drain away from her body, leaving all of her feeling cold as she recognized the person walking out. "Cora, why the hell are you out here?" Zoe demanded. "You're lucky I saw you head out here. I texted you to come back in but you didn't answer."

Cora jerked her head to stare at the rogue who was just pulling her arm back, the direction of it straight at her friend. One hand reaching out in an ineffectual attempt to pull her out of the way, Cora screamed "Zoe!"