Wielder

Chapter 4 - Magic Unleashed

Alie was not prepared for Darrel's instruction. Nor was she ready when he suddenly disappeared. Jumping ten feet in the air to the nearest shop overhang, he pounced on it like a springboard and soared up onto the third-story roof. Within a matter of a second and a half, he disappeared over the rooftops. 

   She gaped at the vacant roof tiles in shock. "How did he do that?!"

   Her feet began to move in pursuit. There was no way she would be able to make a jump of that scale, but she could at least dart after him from the ground. She launched toward the crowd, hoping she wouldn't lose sight of him as he jumped easily from building to building.

   She made it all of a half step. Michael still held onto her, and his grip was stronger than her panic. She jerked to a halt beside him. 

   "No one escapes on my watch," the woman in black spat, a hatred in her tone so fierce, Alie shrank in fright under the sound. The orb in the woman's hand crackled more fiercely, growing in size.

   Michael held up his free hand in surrender. "There's been a misunderstanding," he said calmly. "We're not—" 

   "You're under arrest for thievery!" The woman pulled back her arm, and the orb came flying. 

   The firelight of the streets suddenly extinguished, leaving everything in pitch black darkness. A gasp rose from the crowd, followed by a roaring cheer as the first bright firework erupted in the sky. It exploded with a thunderous boom of green and red and white. 

   But Alie could only watch the glowing orb shooting red-orange sparks that hurdled straight for her head. 

   "Duck!" Michael shouted, launching himself over her protectively. 

   She did more than that. She threw her arms over her face and crouched into a ball on the ground. An ear-piercing scream erupted from her throat. 

   She had never been great at sports. She could count on one hand the number of times she had been able to avoid the ball during dodgeball matches. She doubted she could dodge the oncoming orb. Even if by some chance it did miss her, all that electricity certainly wouldn't. She clamped her eyes shut and held her breath, waiting for the impact. 

   The orb erupted. Electricity hissed and snapped, striking at the air in large arcs. The ground around her cracked at the impact, splintering around her feet. 

   But she and Michael remained unharmed. 

   When the crackling died down, leaving only the echoing boom of the fireworks high above, Alie dared to peek out from behind her hands. 

   The red-orange glow had died away. All signs of the electric sparks had vanished. Cobblestone lay in shambles all around her. The surrounding crowds stared in open-mouthed horror and shock. 

   A translucent, golden-sparkling bubble had appeared around her and Michael, just large enough to enclose them. Everything within it remained completely untouched. 

   Michael brushed his fingers against the bubble, his brows furrowed in confusion. "What the heck...?"

   Now only a few feet away, the officer snarled at them. She drew a pistol-like weapon from her hip, pointing it directly at their heads. "Lower the shield!" she demanded, her anger rising. 

   Alie had no idea what to do. That bubble had just saved her life. She certainly didn't want it going away. She lowered her arms slowly, looking back and forth between Michael and the sparkling bubble and the officer. 

   "Noncompliance will be seen as admission of guilt," the officer declared. Her aim remained steady. "This is your last chance to stand down, or you will be executed."