Chapter 34: Magic and Sword Clash

Vyan leaped and yanked Clyde back by the collar just before the blade could turn him into a very dead pincushion.

Clyde tumbled against the other door, his head making an ungraceful thud.

Although Clyde dodged the knife, Vyan wasn't quite the successful hero today; Clyde's mask plopped to the ground like a disgraced pancake, along with a few strands of his hair.

"Run!" Vyan yelled, diving out of the carriage.

"But you said you would stay away from fights—" Clyde began, his protest weak and full of concern.

"Just fucking run! That's an order!" Vyan's look was definitive—the times when his orders were absolute. He would let a lot of things Clyde did for fun slide, in fact, even laugh along, but not these kinds of order.

Pursing his lips like he was holding back a scathing retort, Clyde obeyed and barked at the coachman, "Go back where we came from and take us to location B."

As the carriage made a hasty U-turn, another dagger whizzed through the air, aimed with disturbing accuracy at the coachman.

But before it could make the coachman's wife a widow, it pinged off an invisible shield, courtesy of Vyan.

Iyana finally dropped down from her elevated perch, revealing herself. Her armor glinted ominously, her platinum blonde hair tightly secured in a no-nonsense bun.

"I wasn't told the kidnapper had a magician ally," she uttered, her voice filled with irritation.

"And I wasn't told someone from the imperial army would be gracing us with their presence. The vice-commander, no less," Vyan shot back, a lace of snicker attached. "Though I cannot say I am shocked to see you. I kind of expected it."

"Good for you then. I certainly did not expect to be squaring off against a mage tonight," Iyana retorted, her eyes narrowing in challenge.

"Why, Vice-Commander, are you afraid of magicians?" Vyan mocked, his voice dripping with amusement, while her scrutinizing gaze took in his brown hair and black eyes.

"What can I say? Magicians are deceitful creatures. I mean, is that even how you really look?" she questioned, her tone taunting.

"Like you said, I am a deceitful creature. So what makes you think I would tell you?" Vyan's smirk was infuriatingly confident.

"Don't you think it is only fair if we both know each other's identities? One of us could end up dead, after all," she countered, her expression daring him to show her his real face.

"Well, it sure isn't going to be me," Vyan declared, his red robe billowing with a touch of theatrical flair as his hands crackled with arcane energy. "You might want to surrender, Vice-Commander. Your blade is no match for my magic."

"If your magic were that strong, you would have been working for the Tower of Magic, not as a lackey of a criminal. So don't get too full of yourself," she shot back, her icy violet eyes narrowing with steely resolve.

"Wow, you are quite the narrow-minded individual," Vyan let out a brief sarcastic laugh.

"Whatever you want to think." She positioned her sword, ready for combat. "I will never yield to the likes of you."

"Oh, please," Vyan rolled his eyes, "like I have been waiting my whole life for your approval. Newsflash: I haven't. But hey, it's your funeral."

"Funny, I was thinking the same thing about you," she responded, her grip tightening on the hilt of her sword, her stance exuding pure determination.

"Well, aren't we a pair," Vyan said, grinning wickedly. "Let's see if you can back up that bravado, shall we?"

And with that, the air between them sparked with tension, each waiting for the other to make the first move in a clash that promised to be as thrilling as it was deadly.

Vyan broke the silence with a wicked grin, thrusting his hands forward. Bolts of crackling lightning shot towards Iyana.

She tapped a particular spot on her sword, and a shield sprang up just in time. The lightning scattered upon impact, bursting into blinding sparks.

Unscathed, Iyana charged through the dissipating mist, while being unfazed, Vyan summoned an enormous fire golem.

The creature appeared out of thin air and loomed over Iyana, its burning fist ready to flatten her into an apple pie.

But Iyana didn't even blink as she thought, damn, he really has to be a good mage to have been able to do spirit summoning.

With a powerful swing of her sword, she cleaved through the golem's arm and then took out its knee. Normal swords would have shattered to pieces at that attempt. But thankfully, her blade was imbued with divine energy, and her enchanted armor allowed her to take damage from the creature.

Just as she thought she was done with the golem, its arm and knee regenerated.

She was caught off-guard as it swung its massive fist at her again. She still tried to chop it off, but this time, it caught her sword within its fiery grip.

As she struggled to free her sword, despite her armor, the heat radiating from the golem felt like it was searing her skin. She knew she couldn't keep this up for long. It would just be easier to back away at the moment.

But before she could pull back, the golem lifted its arm, along with her sword and body, and hurled her across the battlefield. She hit her head hard as she rolled on the rocky ground.

Vyan winced slightly, his hand involuntarily reaching out towards her.

Realizing what he was doing, he stared at his culprit of a hand and angrily slapped it back down to his side.

Stupid hand. It's only my instinct to want to protect her, nothing else, he told himself in his mind, forcing himself to not be bothered by the injury she sustained just now.

As he watched blood trickle out of her forehead, his fists balled and he muttered to himself under his breath, "I will keep the promise I made to myself. She is my enemy; so show no mercy."