Magi

Magi Chapter 10

Julia released her enormous aura of mana. Hayako launched several balls of mana at the girl. They were easily deflected, but they were just a distraction. Hayako stabbed to blades of mana into the girl's feet and froze them. She then closed in.

Hayako kicked Julia in the face. She then punched the girl in the stomach, then stabbed her in the stomach with a mana blade, before an enormous wave of mana forced Hayako back.

Julia created several blades of mana and launched them at Hayako. Hayako jumped over them, but one corrected its course and stabbed Hayako in the stomach. Hayako fell to the ground in a heap and felt herself rise into the air and get thrown across the ring by a mana arm. Hayako noted that Julia wasn't using the ambient mana at all, only her own.

Hayako was lifted right above Julia and dropped. Julia punched Hayako in the face and sent her flying up to the ceiling of the cube. Hayako created a platform to stop herself from falling and launched a large ball of flaming mana at Julia, and several smaller balls.

Julia dodged them all and reached out toward Hayako with a mana arm. Hayako created several blades of mana and spoke an incantation.

"Oh, coldest blades of sharpest steel, rain judgement upon my enemies, Blade Storm!"

All the blades turned to steel and fell down toward Julia. Julia, dodged them all. Hayako jumped down and landed right on Julia. She sprung off the girl and stabbed her in several places with mana blades.

"You're pushing it, Suzuhara," said Julia.

"I told you, I have to win," said Hayako.

Hayako kicked the still fallen girl in the face, sending her skipping along the ground. Hayako grabbed the girl with an arm of mana and threw her to the top of the cube, causing her to slam against the ceiling, then grabbed her again and, as forcefully as she could, threw the girl back toward the ground.

Julia landed with a crash. Hayako moved to take advantage of this position, when, in the blink of an eye, Julia stood up and rushed over to where Hayako was. She kicked Hayako in the face, sending her flying across the ring, and followed Hayako. Hayako slammed into the wall and Julia attacked with a series of rapid blows, pinning Hayako to the wall. As a magus's physical abilities were proportional to their mana output, Julia's strength and speed were insane.

Hayako forced Julia back with a wave of mana and fell to the ground. Julia glared at Hayako with incredible intensity. Hayako struggled to her feet, but Julia was there again, grabbing Hayako buy the throat and throwing her back against the wall.

Suddenly, Hayako felt herself being lifted off the ground by her arms and sensed a blade forming above her head. Hayako's mind raced, trying to find a way out of this. Julia had a weakness, all her mana constructs were connected. Just before the blade made contact, Hayako sparked the mana, and Julia's entire aura of mana went up in flames. Julia screamed and released Hayako. Hayako fell to the ground and landed gracefully on her feet. She whipped off her now flaming cloak dramatically.

"I'm just getting started," she said, as the crowd cheered.

"And that's proof that you never count out our teenage goddess!" declared the announcer.

Julia screamed and writhed on the ground. Her aura had started to reform after being burnt away. Suddenly, the small aura of mana that had reformed all turned into water and fell on Julia, quenching the flames on her.

Free form transmutation? Thought Hayako, That's impossible, even I can't do that!

"Suzuhara, you witch!" screamed Julia, "I'll kill you! Slowly and painfully!"

Julia began producing mana at an even higher rate than normal, quickly restoring her menacing aura and Hayako's heart sunk.

In truth, she was exhausted and had hoped that move would have finished Julia. Still, she had to make an effort to win.

Julia reached out with spikes of mana. Hayako back flipped out of the way, but she faltered in her landing and fell over. A spike caught her in the calf. Hayako sent a wave of mana flying at Julia, but she easily dodged it. Julia lifted Hayako into the air with a mana arm and slammed her back down to Earth. This process repeated itself again and again, more times than Hayako cared to count. Finally, her exhausted mind found the solution to her problem.

Hayako reached out to Julia's aura with her mind. Focusing, she condensed the mana as far as she could, then spoke an incantation.

"Imprison my enemies even after death, immobilize, bind, trap, freeze their souls with your cruelty, Ice Prison!"

And with that, Julia was frozen inside her own aura. Hayako let herself fall to the ground and curled up in a ball. As she passed out, she heard the announcer speaking.

"And it appears we have a draw! We'll have to go to tournament officials to decide what this means!"

Hayako awoke in a hospital bed and looked around. Suzuku, Shirou, and her parents were there.

"Oh, she's awake!" said Suzuku, "Hayako, are you okay?"

"I think I'll be fine with a little rest," said Hayako, "Magi heal fast."

"That's what they said, but you looked pretty beat up."

"Oh, Hayako!" said Mrs. Suzuhara, "How could you leave like that? You're in big trouble when we get home! But right now I'm just glad that you're okay!"

"You gave me a real scare there, kid," said Shirou, "And I'm already missing out on sleep with all that business you've gotten me."

"How long have I been out?" asked Hayako.

"About twelve hours," said Suzuku, "It's the middle of the night now."

"Excuse me," said Julia from the door.

She had a blanket wrapped around herself and was still shivering.

"Look, Suzuhara, I just wanted to say, I'm sorry about the match. No hard feelings, right?"

"...Right, no hard feelings," said Hayako.

"How about a day on the town tomorrow, on me?"

"Sounds good," said Hayako, then she slipped back into a deep sleep.