Episode 3: Isabel's First Challenge
Isabel woke up the next morning excited. Brock narrates as Isabel yawns and wakes up inside the simple yet roomy competitor's room that looks out on the town square. Today was the first day of competition, and if anything, she was going to prove herself not just for Taleron and the Archmage, but for the minstrel that had inspired her the day before...
Oh boy... Kissa sighs in the background as Isabel changes into her disguise--her master can get long winded when describing a character he likes.
She remembered her long auburn hair and how it spilled down her back like water spilling over hillsides. Brock narrates over an interlude as Sophia flies by the screen Isabel is changing behind. The patterns on her tunic were like blue and purple banners hanging from a white castle wall, with the gold trim signifying that she was a high ranking member of her trade. Her emerald eyes had a playful sparkle that belied her infinite wisdom and knowledge of kings, queens, heroes, Pokemon, wars, and adventures--"
"All right, enough about the minstrel I saw yesterday!" Isabel snaps as she emerges from behind the screen, now dressed and cleaned.
Am I going to have to scratch your face? Kissa threatens as a record scrape cuts the harp short.
Okay! Okay! I'll get on with it! Brock pleads as the children laugh. Just then, an attendant arrived to escort Isabel out to the arena for her first match...
A knock comes at the door. "Ready for your first match, Argent Raikou?" a female voice asks.
"Coming!" Isabel runs to the door and opens it, revealing a navy blue haired attendant framed in the doorway.
"So this is the famous Argent Raikou..." the attendant smiles. "I am Coriana Alfos, your personal escort and advisor while you run the Gauntlet." she begins as the three of them start down the hall.
"Meaning?" Isabel asks.
"I am the only one that can speak to you about who you may face in the Gauntlet." Coriana explains. "Lady Elesa doesn't want information being shared among competitors, as the Gauntlet is set up differently for each competitor."
"Really?" Isabel is impressed. How does Elesa find all these great mages?
"So if you were to tell another competitor about your match, they may not face off against the same opponent you faced. That, and sharing information about opponents to unauthorized recipients is considered cheating, and will result in disqualification." Coriana cautions as she leads Isabel and Sophia around a corner and down a dark corridor leading to the arena.
"Okay..." Isabel swallows hard. "Is it true that mages have died in the competition?"
"Yes, unfortunately." Coriana's face turns sullen. "While all of us on the arena staff and Lady Elesa work hard to keep competitors safe, a few have succumbed to their battle wounds after a particularly brutal fight. Fortunately, no one has yet died in the arena, thank Anima."
"So Isabel will be healed after every match?" Sophia asks.
"Yes, Lady Kirlia." Coriana replies as the group approaches the entryway leading out into the white marble arena. "And here we are--the Black entryway of Madari Arena."
This is it--I can't go back now! Isabel thinks as she hugs Sophia. "Wish me luck, Sophia."
"Good luck--and Anima be with you!" Sophia replies.
Isabel next addresses Coriana. "What can you tell me about my first match? Can Sophia help me at all?"
"You will be facing Silverarm Dawnchild, or the Blue Master, for your first match." Coriana replies. "She is a chronomancer, or a time mage--and as such, can speed herself up and slow her opponents down. So strike early and hit hard before she can slow you down." Isabel nods, pulls up her hood, and steps out into the arena, where the stands are packed with eager spectators. Coriana's last words of advice echo in the distance. "Your familiar can only help you once per match!"
Isabel stepped out into the arena, where she caught her first glance of her opponent. Brock narrates as a woman in a gold and silver outfit appears in the center of the arena, to the roar of the crowd.
"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls! The city of Madari welcomes you to the hundred and fiftieth running of the Gauntlet of Illusion!" the emcee announces. "Marvel and wonder as some of the best mages in the land square off for the prized Ring of the Illuminated Victor!" The crowd roars again. "Both sides have five minutes to subdue their opponent, and the one still standing when time runs out moves on to the next round!"
A spotlight flashes on Isabel, making her shield her eyes in surprise. "Representing the Black side, we have the Argent Raikou!" Isabel pulls her cloak over her head as she jogs out to the black half of a circle nearby where the emcee stands.
"And representing the White side, we have the Blue Master!" the emcee announces as a black haired woman wearing a long wrap dress with a blue and white checker print pattern and dark fur for trim walks out to the white half of the circle, her marble runestaff making thuds in the earth as she walks.
Isabel strained to read some of the odd runes on her opponent's staff, but they were in a magical language she had never seen before. Brock narrates as Isabel attempts to read some of the blue runes inscribed on the beautiful staff.
She is snapped to attention as a large hourglass rises up from a white platform overlooking the arena. "Black side ready?" the emcee asks.
"Yes!" Isabel replies, to some laughter from the audience.
"White side ready?" the emcee asks.
"Let's do it." the Blue Master replies as she brandishes her staff at Isabel.
"And three...two...one..." the emcee counts down before a gong sounds to begin the match and the sand in the hourglass begins falling.
The Blue Master begins what almost looks like a dance, tracing a magic circle in the earth all the while. "Obey the sky's will, slow time down!" she commands, sending a purple blob of energy at Isabel.
Isabel rolls out of the way, but the purple blob is right behind her, no matter where in the arena she runs. Finally, she cries "Spell break, turn into an avenging light! Reflect!", making a green shield surround her. The purple blob impacts a few seconds later, but instead of slowing Isabel down, it bounces off the shield and back towards the Blue Master, slowing her down instead!
The Blue Master is undetered by the setback, and begins twirling within the magic circle, which begins glowing blue. "Time's current, place me in your whirlpool!" With that, she begins spinning, the blue energy swirling around her.
"Hurry! She's trying to haste herself!" Sophia calls from the entryway.
Isabel just charges a blue ball of energy. "Drifting breeze, come down with fury! Blizzard!" The ball ball flies into the glowing circle, disrupting the Haste spell with a wave of snow, making it difficult for the Blue Master to move within her magic circle.
The Blue Master wades through the snow and begins charging some red energy just as Isabel's Reflect spell fizzles out."Spirits of time, hide her from the guiding hand of Anima!"
Sophia hides her eyes as the red ball of energy impacts with a bright flash of light. But when she opens them again, she heaves a sigh of relief when she sees that Isabel can still move.
Brock narrates as the battle rages on. The two mages traded blows for what seemed like hours, but no one felt more battered than Isabel--the required five minutes seemed like hours as she hurled spell after spell at her opponent. Yet the Blue Master would counter her every move by attempting to haste herself, or trying to slow Isabel down. But the real challenge came with a minute remaining in the match.
When we return to Isabel some minutes later, there is hardly any sand left in the hourglass. Isabel is heaving with exhaustion, while her opponent has only a few burn marks from Fire and Thunder spells. Isabel is running yet again, but this time, the Blue Master has a new strategy. "Land of mercy, loosen tight fights!" The crowd and Isabel gasp as the Blue Master skips and jumps her way into the air!
Isabel's mind races, stunned at the turn of events. Think, Isabel--you have less than a minute to go, and your opponent is chasing you from the air in hopes of wearing you down...
"The gods are watching, have faith! Spirit!" Sophia calls, her spell surrounding Isabel in a reddish orange aura, giving her new strength to run.
Inspired, Isabel charges a green ball of energy. I don't know if her spell is sustained by her own power, but here goes nothing! With that, she aims the green ball at her flying opponent. "Guiding light, shed magic power from above! Absorb!" The green energy ball begins absorbing The Blue Master's magic power as Isabel continues to elude her, until she finally crashes to the ground as time runs out.
The ringing of a bell signals the match's end. "Time's up! The match goes to Black!" the emcee announces, making Isabel's exhausted grimace turn to a smile. She weakly waves to the crowd and returns to the entryway, where Coriana and Sophia are waiting for her.
"You did it!" Sophia smiles. "The Reflect idea was very clever too." she adds as Coriana leads the way back to the competitor's quarters.
"My only complaint is that Reflect takes so much power--I wanted to save some power for attacking too." Isabel explains.
"Well, you have one opponent under your belt, and you're one step closer to a Ring." Coriana assures Isabel as she leads Isabel back to her room. "Rest well--you've earned it!"
To Be Continued...