Magi's Path (Aether's Revival Book 3) by Daniel Schinhofen (motivational books to read txt) 📕

forcing her way into the space. With a startled cry, they spun to stab her with their spears, but she wasn’t there anymore. They both spun around again and lashed out behind them, only hitting air, as Yukiko had merely folded into the shadow for a moment before stepping back out. Her wakizashi lashed out twice in rapid succession, catching one in the back of their neck and the other in the throat when he pivoted back toward her.

Gregory was closing the distance to the wind magi even as he backpedaled, eyes wide as he threw more and more wind blades. Panicking, he looked behind him to see Yukiko standing over his two allies, and looking to the side, he saw Jenn driving his last ally back. Taking a deep breath, he spun away from Gregory and flung wind blades at Jenn.

“Jenn, back!” Gregory shouted a second before the wind magi started throwing them at her.

Jenn didn’t hesitate and immediately threw herself backward. A barrage of wind blades flew through the space where she’d just been, almost catching her opponent who’d turned to chase her.

Yukiko was already stepping into the shadows, having seen the panic on the man’s face. She came up behind the wind magi as he spun back to Gregory and used her blade to make a line across his neck. “Dead,” she said softly.

Gregory pivoted and rushed for the last magi, having seen Yukiko go to kill the wind magi. Jenn also reversed course, rushing back to help.

Seeing Gregory and Jenn both coming for him, the man hissed and raised his arm. “Out!”

“Break!” Yunlo shouted.

Gregory and Jenn slowed, then headed toward the middle of the arena.

Klim was right near the two crafters, allowing her to check them quickly. She found neither of them were injured besides light bruising. Mindie came jogging out of the far tunnel and went to check on the wind magi, but he waved her off. She shrugged and went back inside the tunnel.

“Light bruises only,” Yukiko told the wind magi. “For asking us to be nice to your crafters, you tried to seriously injure my husband.”

“For all the good it did...” the man said tightly. “If I had done less, how much quicker would we have lost?”

“That’s a fair point,” Yukiko said.

“You did the best you could,” Gregory said, extending a hand to him. “That was taxing. A single misstep, and I would be bleeding.”

Exhaling, the wind magi shook hands with him. “Your foresight is ridiculous... Good luck with the rest of your fights.”

“Thank you,” Gregory said.

The three of them formed up and bowed to the fallen, the adjudicator, and finally, the boxes. With that done, they walked off the arena floor.

Chapter Seventy-one

 

They sat in the stands, watching the other fights. The Eternal Flame tore through the two-man team from the Windswept Water clan, using the same tactic for nearly every fight— Parks would hem them in with barriers, Nick would throw fire at them, and Jason would run right after the fire barrage to finish off anyone who didn’t quit by the time he got there.

“Parks and Nick by themselves would be trouble, but add in Jason and it’ll be rough. That’s not even including the others,” Jenn said.

“I have an idea for how to deal with them, but we’ll discuss it when there aren’t other people nearby,” Gregory said.

“A good idea,” Yukiko nodded.

Hayworth and his clan were next, fighting against the Eternal Blossoms clan. It was another lopsided fight with Swift Wind having seven apprentices and the Eternal Blossoms only having four. The Eternal Blossoms had their four magi split evenly between earth and water.

When the fight began, the physical enhancement magi on Hayworth’s team went rushing forward only to drop into a pit. He tried to spring out of it, but a roof formed over the top.

Yunlo made them stop and went forward to investigate the trap. After a moment, he made a motion and the apprentice who had fallen in was beside him. They had a brief discussion before the apprentice stood rigid, bowed curtly, and walked off the field.

Hayworth looked upset but bowed to Yunlo. He eyed the four magi across from him with respect, though it was clear he was going to make them pay. The moment Yunlo let the fight resume, Hayworth stepped sideways and tore a hole in space. Three of his clan members fired crossbows into the hole at almost the same instant it formed. The padded bolts appeared above the other clan and struck before they could react.

Panting, Hayworth dropped to a knee. The three magi who had been hit raised their hands and walked off the field. The remaining fighter shrugged and raised their hand.

Yunlo called the bout and declared Swift Wind the winner.

“Well, that will be something to worry about,” Jenn said. “It looked like it taxed him heavily.”

“No,” Yukiko said. “Look at him walk.”

Gregory and Jenn watched Hayworth as he left the field.

“His stride is even and smooth,” Yukiko said. “He was faking it. It should have taxed him, but he likely had an item to store aether and used it instead.”

The Eternal Flame destroyed their opponents in their second fight, securing their place in tomorrow’s semi-finals. When Swift Wind fought again, they were surprised that the physical enhancement magi wasn’t with them.

“Hmm... Yunlo must have declared him unrecoverable,” Bishop said. “Rare, but it’s still a valid rule.”

“He’s out for the rest of the tournament?” Jenn asked.

“Yes. Undoubtedly, they would rather have gotten Hayworth, but they had to neutralize the advancing threat.”

“Well, tomorrow will be a little easier, then,” Jenn said.

“And easier for the Eternal Flame if Swift Wind bests you,” Dia said.

“True, but we won’t lose,” Gregory said. “We need to get down to the waiting area.”

“Fight well,”