The Wizard and the Quient

Thomas opened the door a bit more so Wendell could see him, but when Wendell did not look his way, he remembered he was still invisible. “I've been back for a long time,” said Masler, his voice rumbling through the tunnel. “Where is the boy?” asked Wendell demandingly. “You’re too late . . . He’s dead,” said Masler, sounding happy to report this to Wendell. Wendell’s expression did not change, although Thomas thought the fire in his eyes intensified. The goblins that had run when Wendell first entered the tunnel were now cautiously advancing toward him from both ends of the tunnel. “Goblins . . . I have no quarrel with you. Leave now, and you will live,” said Wendell, his voice sounding almost normal now. “They are trained warriors now. They will stay and fight,” said Masler. “Last chance to save yourselves,” repeated Wendell, his voice now as calm as if talking to them over a cup of tea. “Kill him!” shouted Masler. The goblins all raised their arms, as if to cast spells. Wendell spun once on the spot, his arms making a wide circle. Flashes of light and strange sounds that Thomas had never experienced filled the tunnel. When Thomas’s eyes recovered from the bright flashes of light, all the goblins were lying motionless on the floor of the tunnel. Wendell remained in the same place, still looking down the tunnel toward Masler, his expression unchanged. “You won that meager skirmish, but you will not send me away again,” roared Masler, sounding confident. “I don’t plan on sending you away, Masler. I did that once. No, I’m here to put an end to this,” said Wendell calmly. “You underestimated me years ago, Wendell. And today, you have made the same mistake,” said Masler with a cackle. “Yes, I did underestimate you years ago. I thought you were wise enough not to return, but today, there will be no misunderstanding. Today, this will all end,” said Wendell. Thomas poked his head out a little farther so he could see Masler at the other end of the tunnel. As he did, Masler raised his arms so quickly that Thomas almost didn't see them move. The entire tunnel suddenly filled with a flash of light, sparks flying everywhere. As Thomas started to pull his head back inside, he fell to the floor, his head splitting with pain so intense, his eyes seized closed. He pulled his arms up over his head as the pain slowly washed down through his entire body, tears now streaming from his eyes. His whole body now writhed from a pain so intense that Thomas was sure it would kill him. He struggled to look up. Wendell’s arms wheeled wildly as he blocked spells after spells and curses after curses, sending them ricocheting back down the tunnel, causing the surface of the stone walls to shatter and the wooden doors to splinter. The floor of the dungeon shook as the two titan wizards battled to the death, with their magical ordinances shattering off the walls of the dungeons as they were blocked. The battle raged on for several long minutes before Thomas finally got up the strength to sit, the pain in his body most unbearable. Wendell thrust his hand up as he chanted a spell, and a white-hot bolt of light shot down the tunnel. Masler’s voice echoed the same spell. Thomas painfully pulled himself through the doorway to where he could look back down the tunnel. Masler and Wendell, with their arms outstretch toward each other, were now locked in a sort of spell deadlock. Halfway down the tunnel was a ball of plasma that popped and crackled as it splattered something white-hot on the walls and floor, causing the stone to melt. It surged back and forth, as if tethered on an invisible string, as Wendell and Masler gave it their all to force the other to fold under the weight of their power. Then the ball of plasma started to slowly move toward Wendell as his face contorted with exhaustion. “I told you that you underestimated me,” growled Masler. “I must admit . . . you have gotten stronger, Masler,” said Wendell, his voice now straining. Thomas cupped his hands together, and when he opened them, the Quient was sitting quietly in his left hand. “Can’t you see what is going on here? We must do something,” he said loudly to the Quient. But the Quient remained black as coal and seemingly lifeless. Wendell was slowly losing the battle as Masler’s spell now pushed closer toward him. Thomas struggled to get to his feet, his whole body screaming with pain, his legs trembling and threatening to collapse. He held the Quient out in his left hand. “How can I help?” he called to Wendell. But Wendell did not seem to hear him. Wendell’s expression was now showing some concern as he seemed unable to repel Masler’s spell. The ball of plasma moved directly in front of where Thomas stood. Then without thinking what he was going to do, but as if he had practiced it a hundred times, Thomas leapt into the tunnel and thrust the Quient into the point where Wendell’s and Masler’s spells collided. The ball of plasma quickly raced back down the tunnel toward Masler as Wendell’s spell seemed to be magnified many times as it passed through the now brightly glowing Quient. Wendell’s spell impacted Masler with a violent blast that rumbled for several seconds through the tunnels of the dungeons. For Thomas, everything went black as he collapsed back through the doorway of the treasure room and lay motionless, unaware of what had subsequently taken place in the tunnel.