That's So Wizard

Chapter 50 - Near End and Beginning

"I don't know who you are, or how you did that, but thank you so much," the man cried.

Eldrian, garbed in his hooded disguise, nodded to the gentleman he just rescued a moment ago from a pack of bat-wielding bullies. The man then ran off into the darkness of the city's vacant streets. It was near the edge of town, so hardly anyone was out and about, and for good reason. The less people around, the more likely something shady would go down.

Another job well done. Eldrian was elated that he could use his gift to help people, even if he had to do so in a costume under an alias. It helped take his mind off things as well, such as Tyreth, Noah, and everything else that'd been happening lately.

He let out a sigh and leaned back on a brick wall of the alleyway. It was time to head home. He knew he shouldn't burn out all his energy staying out all night, fighting crime and all that. His hand rest upon the wall beside him, but before he prepared a portal door home, he stopped to the sound of movement. His hood's glowing yellow eyes shot left and right.

"You have sharp hearing, Dark Mage," came a smooth, confident voice.

Eldrian turned deeper into the alley to see Noah Jackson himself, dressed as he always did, with the same umbrella swung over his shoulder. A wide smile was present across his face.

"Do I know you?" Eldrian fibbed.

"You might. I certainly know you. I've heard stories of the supposedly magical vigilante. You wouldn't happen to be using real magic, would you? Surely it's some kind of trick."

"You're right. It's a trick."

"No. I'm usually right, but not this time. It's no trick, Dark Mage, and to be frank, I think I know exactly who you are. This city has recently had an outbreak of wizardly pests. I refuse to believe anyone like you wouldn't at least know these pests, but I believe it's more than that. We've met before. I can feel it in the pit of my gorgeous stomach."

"And why would you think that?"

Noah took a step closer. "Among the wizards I met, there was one I felt a powerful sense of drive coming from. They were all passionate indeed, but when you emerged from that portal, bloody and burned, I knew. Eldrian."

The glow beneath his hood stared intently at the accusing gentleman. Noah Jackson was a wizard sent to hunt them down, and Eldrian knew that. He dealt with a government-sanctioned spellbreaker once, and that was difficult enough, but he never thought he'd so quickly run into one that was a wizard. This would be an entirely different problem.

In the time it takes one to snap their fingers, Eldrian appeared behind Noah, and attempted to flee. Noah spun around on his heel and thrust out his umbrella, and from the tip, a rope of golden light fired like a harpoon to wrap around Eldrian's torso and yank him crashing to the ground. Heaven's Chain!

"Not so fast!" Noah spoke sharply.

Eldrian, or the Dark Mage, rolled onto his back. With two hands together, he make the shape of a diamond with the negative space between his fingers, and immediately, a spark of light appeared in the center. He shifted his hands forward, and the spark become a blinding burst. Flare!

Noah brought up his arm to cover his eyes as he groaned in pain. The chain dissipated. Using the distraction, Eldrian took flight, and he had clearly been practicing. He soared into the sky almost as easily as a crow.

"Damn it," Noah grunted. "He can fly? Even when I tried not to, I still underestimated him."

He took off after him, albeit with a shaky beginning. The two wizards floated through the sky, though it was clearly obvious which one was fastest, and that infuriated Noah Jackson. It didn't deter him, however. He was in hot pursuit.