Realms of Magic: Demon Invasion

6. Imperial Trial

The arena is full of people cheering. I tremble, sword in hand. I have mostly gained control over my powers, luckily. I spend some time summoning my blood sword.

This is it. There's no turning back now.

John and Aelita don't look much better, either. John's axe and Aelita's spear look infirm on their users' hands.

"Well," I whisper, "good luck."

Even Aelita only manages to form a small smile. "Likewise."

"Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome our participants!" Mr Anwar shouts, acting as the MC.

"Participants, you are allowed to use any means possible to reach your objective: that cup," he says again.

A nicely polished silver cup stands on the opposite side of the arena. People begin cheering.

A hooded woman walks calmly, glaive on hand. "They say a teacher should be proud if her students can defeat her; that's when they truly graduate," she says.

Oh shit.

"I disagree, because none of my students would graduate at all if that were the case!" She throws away her hood. Madam Fron grins widely. "Bring it on, kids!"

We stay frozen. Too shocked and too fearful to even move. We know her power; we are no match. While she knows all our spells and battle styles, we barely know anything about hers.

"Maybe you need a little motivation." Madam Fron grins, launching several fireballs to the air.

That breaks the ice. "Blood Shield!" I murmur, blocking two of them. Aelita and John quickly jump sideways, avoiding the fireballs.

"Blood Salvo!" I mutter, bombarding the ground with blood arrows.

"Ice Barrier!" Madam Fron shouts, blocking the arrows. She waves her hand, and the arena turns to glacier.

Aelita hurls rocks and trees, but they are simply burned off or blocked with ice. "Damn!" I curse in my head as I jump and evade the ice arrows.

"Divine Judgement!" John mutters. A massive laser of light appears from the above.

"Not bad, John!" Madam Fron blocks the laser with an ice shield.

"But not good enough." Madam Fron frowns, hurling a massive ball of ice towards John.

Aelita leaps in front of him, blocking the ice with an equally large rock.

I call upon headless undead cavalry warriors. With a wave of my hand, I order them to charge, giving John, Aelita, and I time to regroup.

John's left hand's fingers glow. "Heah!" he bellows, firing lasers at Madam Fron, who simply walks aside.

"This isn't working!" Aelita exclaims, as Madam Fron prepares another spell.

The bell rings. Break. We sigh in relief, while Madam Fron frowns unhappily.

"We can't keep up. She's too powerful, even at half strength," I murmur as a healer puts a bandage on my wound.

"Why don't you use my powers, little girl?" the demon laughs. I stay silent.

"Don't be so sure yet."

"Grandma!" I shout.

"Vio!" she shouts back.

"Why did you come?" I ask.

"I never miss an interesting show," Grandma answers, "and to bring you this." She points to a large chest.

She opens the chest, revealing the contents: some of the finest weapons and armor I've ever seen.