章 203: Gerald 2 295 AC
Green fire burned in a dozen brazed scattered above the rough sand of the Arena, it's dragonglass walls rising to a firm, rounded edge ten feet off of the ground, above which at least a fair part of the order had gathered.
He raised an eyebrow at the sight. Last he had seen it, the Arena was in a state of mild disrepair, despite its location deep beneath the black firmament of the alchemist guild house.
There was normally little use for it beyond initiation, after all. Alchemists were no warriors, and what spells had once been used to allow them some measure of combat ability had long ago been lost to the ages or ceased to function entirely.
Still, the old traditions were kept in some capacity, and Wisdoms could challenge each other to duels to settle grievances, or, as in this case, to demonstrate the worthiness of their magic.
Not that it had even been used for such a task in living memory, not since the Dance of Dragons.
Thus, the copper rod he had not held since initiation felt odd to him, heavy in his hand. He was not one for fighting himself, though that did not mean he would not demonstrate his powers here.
Across the sands, Lands stood, his bald head and fat form obscured by his cloak, but his height recognizable, in his hands a trifold staff, copper, silver, and gold running in circles about each other. A new design, then. The guild must have discovered the secrets of other metals.
Or rediscovered perhaps.
He placed the base of his staff in the sand, and Gerald mirrored his movement, as both men turned to face the chief wisdom, who stood on a small podium above the arena. The other three Wisdoms present in the city, as well as a gaggle of acolytes, gathered behind him.
"Tonight we have come in the manner of old, to witness the magic brought forth to us from the Kingdom of the Stepstones by wisdom Frey." The man nodded at him slightly. " He presents claims that this new magic is powerful and worthy reason for us to join with his Master, the Prince Arthur Baratheon."
The expressions of the gathered alchemists were unreadable with their hoods drawn over their faces, but the body language was mostly tense, not angry, but unsure of him.
He had been gone many years after all.
"Wisdom Lanus has objected to this new magic, saying that it cannot be considered a match for the old secrets we have recovered and that we are doing better than we have in centuries already."
The other man drew back his hood with a sneer, beady black eyes matching Gerald's gaze.
"In the way of the alchemists of old, this call be decided now. The matter shall be resolved when one yields or is rendered unable to fight by the skill of their foe." Kavin raised an arm, before bringing it down sharply.
"Begin."
Gerald moved swiftly, his hands clutching the staff, he drew deeply of the well of power within himself and thrust it forward like a spear, sending forth a shower of crackling green lightning towards Lanus, the metal at the tip dissolving into the blast.
He could remember when he had first discovered the principle, simple as it was, the Prince had been greatly pleased by it, laughing and saying something about unlimited power.
It was exhausting, certainly, but one could hardly argue with its effectiveness.
He frowned though, as Lanus reacted quickly, raising his staff and angling the silver end against the oncoming electricity.
The silver flew away, breaking apart and melting at the touch of the lightning but only for an inch or two before the blast was expended. The force drove Lanus to step back, but only two steps.
Gerald idly wondered if that was an innate property of silver or one that needed alchemy to bring it out. Such a diffusion was…
He was ripped from his thoughts as Lanus sent a wave of green wildfire rolling across the sand, slamming his staff into the ground as part of his own copper melted away.
Gerald had no similar countermeasure as Lanus silver, but there were still methods available to him, though in truth it was new, and experimental at that.
Still, left with little option, he grabbed hold of his staff, copper melting and reforming rapidly by its own resistance as he dumped nearly his entire reservoir into the quickly heating ball of metal.
Spinning, projecting, burning the palms of his hands, he grit his teeth as the swirling mass of metal lifted him mere feet off of the ground, defying the downward force of gravity and sending arcs of electricity ricocheting through both himself and the battlefield.
It was not a pleasant experience, and it quickly failed, falling away and coating his hands in quickly cooling copper, scalding his flesh.
Even the Prince had difficulty stabilizing such devices. He claimed the magnetic field of the world was too unpredictable to make them worthwhile.
Lanus laughed triumphantly as Gerald climbed to his feet.
"I can't say that that wasn't impressive Gerald." The man grinned broadly, his copper reserve almost depleted by the scale of the wave. "But it seems to have left you guardless now." The man twirled his staff, mockingly. "Still, rather than simply club you into submission like a primitive. I think I'll demonstrate for you the true power of an alchemist. The true requirement for becoming a real Wisdom in this new Era of power."
Gerald saw Lanus raise the staff and charged forward. The copper on his hands quickly melting into lightning as he went, crackling brightly across his body, giving power to his steps and sending pain shooting through him as his hair stood on end.
Lanus backed up quickly and slammed his staff into the ground, uttering a word of power that Gerald didn't recognize as the golden part of his staff began to fall away and melt-down to the floor.
From the point where it met the sand a burst of white fire shot forth, and to Gerald's shock began to hiss and smoke. The flames reformed, shaping into the recognizable shape of a serpent, perhaps a dozen feet long but coiled and sitting on its tail. Its body formed pale opaque fire, and its eyes blazing balls of light.
Before he could even comprehend the sight, it was lunging for him, and he was barely able to avoid its first lunge for the lightning that crackled in his veins and the speed it gave him.
He threw himself to the wall, his eyes snapping between the alchemist and the serpent he had summoned. The beast showing no sign of disappearing as it prepared to strike again.
Gerald sighed to himself. He would need to defeat Lanus while avoiding the monstrous fiery snake.
'This won't be easy.'
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