The Fallen Angel - Prinxiety (ON HOLD)

Chapter Sixteen

Noise filled Roman's ears as he watched a new challenger enter the arena. It was a woman covered in deep blue and golden robes. She was tying her headscarf tightly as she approached. Once she finished, she snapped, creating a spark of lightning between her fingertips. The hairs on his arms raised with the static electricity that filled the whole room. Roman had never seen a mage capable of before.

He expected Virgil to react similarly as he did to Maurice, but to his surprise, the smile that crossed the mage's lips was far less sinister.

"Ah, it's good to see you again Vodella," he said. His voice was still confident but lacked the bite it held when he spoke before. "What are you doing in town?"

"Just passing through for a couple days, but I heard you were here and I had to come," the woman, Vodella, said with an easy-going smile. "You always give me a good spar to keep my skills sharp."

Virgil laughed with a nod. "I'll try not to disappoint."

They took their stances as Janus spoke. The prince was too busy thinking about their interaction to pay any attention to what he was saying. They knew each other, but not only that, they were friendly with each other. The concept of mages fighting each other in an underground ring like this and being friends was unbelievable to someone like him.

I guess you could argue it's similar to how swordsmen fight each other regularly, but in this environment... he thought, it seems to hard to believe they wouldn't be out for blood.

As Janus signaled for the match to start, Vodella shot a bolt of lightning at Virgil. The light mage leapt to the side, rolling across the ground before expelling multiple orbs of light toward his opponent. She dodged them effortlessly as she created lightning front her hands and cracked it like a whip. Virgil smirked as he slid beneath it and landed a punch to her gut.

She stumbled back and the fight paused as she laughed a little. Virgil smirked. "Still too fast for you Vodella," he teased.

"We'll see about that," she replied, spinning the whip of lighting in a circle above her head.

Roman's eyes widened as Virgil seemed to multiply before his eyes. They all moved at once as Vodella started to crack the whip back and forth at an alarming speed, causing each illusion she hit to disappear. His heart raced as the number of illusions dwindled. He was sure any second she'd strike the real one.

A gasp escaped his lips as he watched her swing the lightning toward the final Virgil. "No!"

He disappeared. A shocked murmur rippled through the crowd as Vodella looked around in confusion. Her eyes narrowed, seemingly aware of the trick Virgil was pulling but unable to find him regardless.

"See? Still too fast," Virgil's voice said, echoing through the arena.

The mage suddenly appeared, charging at Vodella from behind. She gasped and turned to block him, but it was too late. He swept her legs, causing her to land on the ground roughly, pinning on of her arms beneath her. He pressed his foot to the other as lightning began to crackle, trapping it firmly against the ground. An orb of pure light surround his fist as he held it in front of her face threateningly.

A silence fell over the room. Roman could hear his own heartbeat beating rapidly against his chest.

Vodella finally smiled and relaxed. "Alright, you win," she admitted. The crowd began to scream and cheer as Virgil let her up. She shook his hand. "Thanks for the fight, it was a good one."

"Likewise," he replied with a nod.

As Vodella left the arena, the prince's mind spun with confusion. He didn't understand how Virgil was able to appear from nothing. Was he using an invisibility spell? If it was, what did that have to do with the speed they kept talking about during the match?

He watched Virgil roll his shoulders as he awaited his next challenger. He felt himself beginning to get less worried about him; it seemed the mage could handle himself.

"Well hello there," a rough voice said into his ear.

Roman jumped back, hitting someone behind him. He didn't have time to draw his sword. They grabbed his arms, pinning them to his back as he gasped. He looked at the person who spoke.

It was a man with a scarred face and emotionless smile. He leaned in and took his chin in his hands. "I don't believe I've seen you in town before. You're a handsome one!" he said, running his fingers along his jaw. The prince shuttered in disgust as fear clawed at this heart. "You'd make me a lot of money, why don't you-"

"GABRIEL!" Virgil's voice boomed.

The ring went silent as the man in front of Roman turned to look at him. "Ah, it's been a long time," he said smoothly. "I didn't expect you to show up here again. Why don't you stop by my new establishment?"

"Get your ass in here so I can wipe that smug expression off your face," he demanded furiously. "And tell your goon to release my friend."

Virgil's expression was dark as Gabriel waved a hand. The person hold Roman let go and he reached for his sword, prepared to fight. "Now, now, no need for that, I have an invitation from Virgil," Gabriel said in a belittling tone. He strutted away toward the arena's entrance. "You don't seem too pleased to see me. Don't tell me you're still upset about our previous arrangement."

"I've had enough of you and your disgusting business," the light mage growled. A shiver went through Roman's spine as he began to circle. "If I win this fight, you'll leave this town and never open one of your establishments again."

Gabriel considered and then agreed, unsheathing his blade from his belt. "Alright, I'll accept, but if you lose, you and your friend come with me."

Virgil's eyes seemed the glow with anger. "Deal."