“A partner?!” exclaimed Koda. He stood in the center of the Lorendeen light mage school battlefield. Raised high on the roof, it reminded Koda of Trent’s wind mage school.

The headmaster stood tall with a barreled chest and squared shoulders. He folded his toned arms and shook his head. “Raine, tell your fellow elf how my school works.”

Raine turned to the befuddled Koda. “Master Michael only accepts two on one matches, Koda. I am sorry, but that slipped my mind. I was so sure you were going to challenge Blight City’s school.”

Koda looked at Raine with pleading eyes. “Well, can you be my partner?”

“No Koda, I am a purple mage already. You’ll need to find someone else.”

Koda turned to Stryneth.

“I am sorry, my king, but as a Headmaster, I can not aid students in challenges,” Stryneth said in a low voice.

Koda hid his disappointment in his hand.

“Wait.” Wildeye stepped forward.”

“What is it, kanis?” asked Michael.

Wildeye scrunched up her muzzle. “I am no kanis. I am a Wolf of the Eclipse and as an Arcane Guardian familiar, I invoke the right to challenge alongside Koda.”

Koda looked up with a hopeful face.

Michael rubbed his rough beard. “I respect the position of the Arcane Guardian. I am not just a mage but a student of history as well.”

“Wait, wait. This means I can challenge?!” asked Koda, too surprised to process what just happened.

“Aye, Koda, she can be your partner,” Michael said with a smile.

“What are the rules?” shouted Michael as he began to walk to his side of the battlefield.

“All of our colors and to unconsciousness,” Koda replied.

Michael spread out his feet and stretched back and forth to each knee. “Very well, I agree to those terms.” He nodded to the referee.

The referee raised his flag and pointed to Koda and Wildeye. “Challengers, are you ready?”

They both looked at each other and responded with a joined yes.

The official turned to his headmaster. “Defender, are you ready?”

“I am.”

The referee quickly flapped the flag down. “Begin!”

Without warning, black clouds churned together and a downpour of rain engulfed the battlefield. Wildeye yelled to Koda over the roar of pounding water, “Evergreen style, now!!”

Koda clenched his teeth, stamped his foot, and lifted his hands in the air. Simultaneously, mounds of soil appeared scattered across the battlefield and from it pine trees raised from the ground. On top of the mage school, Koda grew a lush evergreen forest.

“I have a plan, Koda,” said Wildeye, now drenched by the enchanted weather. “I will use the trees to provide defensive magic for you. With some talent and a lot of luck, hopefully you can attack him unharassed.”

“Excellent.” Koda replied with a nod. He patted his wolf familiar on the back and dashed into the forest.

***

Koda ran from tree to tree. The shadows of the forest, flashed with light with each crack of lightning.

Where is he? Koda thought to himself. The elf placed a smooth hand on the trunk of a nearby tree and concentrated. He watched as his vision began to split apart into forty different sights. Each tree shared its eyes allowing Koda to see the entire battlefield.

Where are you?

Where are you?

Wait!!!

Koda peered closely as an amorphous blur of rain sneaked through the forest. Koda concentrated on that single tree until he saw the water shadow run up…behind him!

Koda closed his eyes and ducked as a hammer of ice crashed against the tree. The elf rolled backwards and scrambled to his feet in time for a row of ice daggers to drive into the ground in front of him.

Michael’s form apparated from the water and fired a blast of ice at Koda.

The elf stumbled back and found himself merging through the tree behind him. Koda watched as the tree shook from the impact of ice.

“I got your back, Koda!” Wildeye whispered in his mind.

Thanks Wildeye. Koda thought with a smirk.

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Koda waved his hand sideways and the tree mimicked his movements, swinging a heavy branch and swatting Michael like a fly.

The headmage slammed against a nearby trunk, just as Koda melded Michael’s limbs into the bark, entrapping him.

The elf strolled up to the struggling purple mage with a cocky confidence. “It’s over, Michael.”

Micheal could only grin. His body quickly transformed into electricity and shot into Koda.

Koda screamed out in agony and the lighting blast shocked and burned him. Michael appeared and kinetically held Koda’s convulsing body in the air.

“Is it?” Michael chuckled. He spun on his heel and threw Koda forward, crashing his body through several trees and skidding him across the mud.

Koda winced as he urged his body to move, even an inch. His right arm ached the most, as he remembered landing on it awkwardly. He tried to flex his hand, but it ignored his command. He grunted as he sat up. He looked at his limp arm. Dislocated.

How did Elucard fix a dislocated shoulder? He pressed his right hand on the ground and pressured for it to pop into place but only cried further. No, this won’t work. I’m not some hardened warrior that can ignore the pain.

Wildeye, are you alright?

“I’ll be fine, Koda. My right arm hurts, but I can still use it.”

Mine is dislocated. I need somewhere to hide to gather my wits.

The roots of a tree tenderly wrapped around him and pulled him inside its trunk. With his fingers placed firmly on the inside of the tree, the wood became translucent. He peered into the forest with both worry and anticipation. He was losing control of this battle, but as long as he had his partner active, there was still a chance…as small as it may be.

All was quiet, save for the pattering rain. Finally a massive crash of thunder broke through the city and all at once the rain turned into lighting. Michael intended to burn the forest down.

Koda escaped from his hiding spot and sprinted back to Wildeye. He ducked and dodged, sidestepped and leaped out of the way of lighting striking around him and splintering trees in two in terrifying explosions. Finally, Koda breached the exit of his forest and to his horror, he found his familiar.

“No more running, Koda.” Micheal gripped Wildeye’s throat, her feet dangling off the ground. “I know how your connection works with her.”

Wildeye, hold on! However she had no response other than her gags and desperate attempts for air.

Koda’s breathing became short and heavy. His focus grew darker and darker.

“Give up, you lost,” growled the headmaster. He opened his hand and Wildeye fell limp to the ground. “Your magic is too weak on your own. You can not defeat me.”

Koda swayed on his feet, however, despite his body urging him to sleep, he did not.

Michael doesn’t know our connection isn’t as strong as it once was. I just need to find a way to turn the table. I need to…

Koda grit his teeth and balled his fist. He spun around and darted into the smoldering woods. I need to buy some time.

Smoke wafted in his stinging eyes and choked his arid throat. The advantage of cover ended with Michael’s excessive lightning storm, but he didn’t want cover, he wanted distance. Koda turned back around and spotted Michael flying into the air.

I need to end this rain. It’s the source of his power, but how?

He watched as dDroplets splashed in the mud, sizzling the fire down to faint embers.

I need the sun. If a storm is his power, mine is the sun. How do I make a sun with just vernal, earth, and…fire!

Koda looked at his soaked, good hand and focused on his fire magic, but like damp tinder, calling forth fire seemed impossible rain. However, wWhat if he used the Magi? Just a bit, he didn’t need a lot. Koda channeled his pure energy from through his body and into his fingertips and like a spark of wildfire, flames began to burn in his hand. Koda smiled with joy.

“Koda…you don’t…need to…use the Magi” Wildeye stirred awake.

I’m out of options! Just be ready when I give you the signal to attack, commanded Koda.

“Koda…”

Koda’s anger and frustration compounded on his need to avoid a debate on the ethics of the Magi with Wildeye. Trust me!

Koda breathed in the heat given off from the growing fireball in his hand and with a hefty lunge, launched it in the air. The Magi woven fire magic gave him a rush of fuel. He could feel his vernal magic growing stronger. The plants could reach further and faster, withstand anything as if they were the Lost Dawn’s elder tree! This was his chance!

Koda mustered all his energy and breath and shouted at the top of his lungs, “Now, Wildeye, attack now!!!”

However the wolf stayed silent. Not a movement, nor a whisper.

“Wildeye! Now!!!” Koda tried again. His voice grew hoarse. “Wildeye, attack!!!”

“Communication breakdown, Koda?” taunted Michael as he began to channel more electricity through his hands. He raised one in the air and formed a javelin of lighting. “No matter, you are finis—”

Koda interrupted him with a hope of quick thinking. Using his newborn sun, he summoned a set of stairs up to Michael made out of roots.

Michael scoffed at the charging challenger and unleashed his javelin, but to no avail. Koda transformed into a blur of rose petals and before Michael could react further, the elf reformed and blew a cloud of poisonous powder into his face.

Koda watched as Michael’s limbs stiffened and his face froze. The paralyzation powder did the trick, although getting to Michael and catching him off-guard was a one in a million strategy.

The rain halted, becoming no more than a drizzle and the clouds dissipated as Michael fell to the ground, defeated.

***

Koda tied his new violet sash around his waist. The runes of the battlefield healed his bruises and injured arm. He could now train with light magic.

Raine gave him a tight hug. “You and Wildeye were beyond brilliant!”

Koda glanced at his familiar, but quickly looked away. “It was a close one,” he replied.

Stryneth walked up and shook the king's hand. “Photosynthesis style. Rare, but seemingly effective.”

Elucard crossed his arms and gave Koda a mean look. Koda responded by shaking his head and turned back to Raine and Stryneth.

“Blue, white, and black. Where do we go next?” he asked the two mages.

Rain rested a hand on her hip. “Well, Stratus has an excellent white mage school.”

“If you play your cards right, my master, Duke Alfinister Finn, would be willing to train you in shadow magic,” added Stryneth.

“Aren’t you a hydro mage headmaster?” Raine asked Stryneth.

“Yes, and you two are welcome to challenge my school in the water city of Jhoone if you would like to face an old mage such as myself.” He watched as Koda and Raine beamed brightly to each other. “But know I will not go easy on you.”

“So the tropical realm of Abyss or the icy climate of Stratus?” asked Koda.

“We could use a paradise vacation after all we’ve been through,” said Raine as she stretched her back. “I say Abyss.”

Koda looked around to his companions. Their eyes were tired and bodies worn. It was a no-brainer to him. “Then we set off for Dragon Realm Abyss!”