AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I draw on my magic and watch it swirl in my fingers. A part of me fears I will be wrong yet again. That this attempt will fail and the spell will retaliate.
But if I don’t try...
Before I can change my mind, I whisper, “Volu.”
The aether follows my command. Violet light drifts to the center brazier and settles within. My jaw tenses as the aether flickers, and I pray my guess is right.
Several moments pass. More aether whirs in my fingers, ready to conjure a shield in case the magic inside the brazier strikes back at me.
But nothing happens.
The violet light remains within the brazier.
Hope soars within my chest. It worked!
I turn to the other braziers. Fire, water, earth, and air must go inside each. But in which order? Placing the wrong element inside the braziers will cause my magic to retaliate.
Water defeats fire, and fire defeats air. Because of that, I’m certain water and air must go on either side of fire. First, I need to decide which brazier to place fire inside. And if I choose wrongly, I risk my magic striking back.
But if I don’t try, I’ll never pass this trial. I’ve already wasted too much time here. I need to open this door as soon as possible. Or I won’t make it out of this maze before the hour is up.
At least I will be prepared if my magic retaliates again. Since I’m only lighting one brazier, rather than five, there will be fewer flames to hurl at me if it does.
“Ignis,” I say, sending flames toward the nearest brazier.
For a moment, they hover there. Then they charge for me.
But I am prepared and cry outaquis, meeting the spell with a blast of water. Since these flames are less potent than the previous ones, my water spell easily douses them. Tendrils of steam pour out. I wave them away, clearing my view.
I try the brazier to my right. This time, the flames stay right where they are. Their amber light flickers inside the brazier.
I grin.
Two down, three to go.
Now I need to decide where to place water and air.
I stop before the flame-filled brazier and glance at the ones in the adjacent corners, unsure of which to pick.
In the end, I choose the left brazier. “Aquis.”
Water magic splashes over to the brazier. It hovers there. I ready myself to summon an earthen shield in case I’ve guessed incorrectly.
But the magic remains within the brazier.
I guessed correctly.
I turn to the brazier on the right. “Ventrez.”
Air magic flutters to the brazier. Knowing that the choice must be correct—after all, fire defeats air—I don’t bother summoning flames to my fingertips.
White light shines in the brazier. I start over to the final one.
“Tera.”
Earth magic springs from my fingers and fills the remaining brazier with emerald light.
Magic hums. Green, red, blue, and white beams fire at the center brazier. The aether inside explodes. Violet light shoots out and strikes the stone door.
