A dozen or more magical duels continued, leaking magic into the air. Most were not even novice-level duels. The name-level semifinals were being held concurrently. Fierce volleys of wizardry sparked everywhere, distracting his eye. Whose eyes wouldn't be snared by the sight of dozens of streaking meteorites impacting somewhere on the field, each burning like a tiny sun and sending sharp shadows fleeing away? Or the brief appearance of a summoned dire bear the size of an elephant? But where was Hennet? And Aganon? Nebin thought how pleasant it would be to see Aganon eating his hat.
A second novice duel was decided, that between the two mages whose names Nebin had missed. A woman named Felecia, with catlike ears, was declared the winner. Her competitor lay sprawled in enchanted slumber.
Not a second later, Aganon was declared the winner of his own duel. The answering roar of the crowd was strong. Aganon strutted, saluting the stands, but his competitor, the halfling woman, lay burned and bleeding, halfway out of the competitive circle. Two of her wands were broken on the ground. Attending clerics rushed the circle, curative potions at the ready. Nebin winced. He hoped that whoever Aganon faced next would prove the mage's better. Aganon's tactics were questionable, and the gnome couldn't help noticing that Aganon's satchel fairly bulged with scrolls.
Hennet's duel wore on. The dragon-tattooed sorcerer pelted orange-robed Semeel Schniedly with spheres of sorcerous light. Nebin had seen the sorcerer use that very power to great affect in the past, striking enemies like tiny hammers. But against Schniedly, Hennet's spell faded. A shield of glowing orange hung before Schniedly, moving as he moved. Each and every one of Hennet's missiles impacted on the shield harmlessly. Grinning widely, Schniedly cast a spell back at Hennet. The sorcerer stumbled under a rain of tiny, icy stones.
Nebin gravitated closer, yelling, "Get him, Hennet! He's a lousy poser, and a poor dresser."
Nebin heard other voices cheering Hennet's name in the stands. He looked up and finally saw Ember. She was standing and waving, and several other people stood around her. All called out Hennet's name.
But the situation didn't look good for Hennet. He weathered another torrent of icy stones, barely. He staggered and stumbled on the slickened ground. The sorcerer pulled a tattered parchment from his cloak. Nebin recognized it-his friend had carried that ragged scroll since their very first foray together. He held it in one shaking hand.
Nebin tried to recall the spell on the sheepskin, but only for a moment. Then it didn't matter. Hennet croaked out the mystic words, gesturing toward Schniedly, and nothing happened. That final effort was too much for him. Hennet collapsed, unconscious.
"Get up!" whispered Nebin.
But something was also wrong with Schniedly. A look of panic crossed the man's face as he looked down. A layer of greasy liquid flowed up from the ground beneath his feet, forming an inky layer around him. Hennet's spell was working after all! The man in the orange suit tried to hold still, but a breeze caught him. Frictionless, he skated right out of bounds.
The judge called, "The duel goes to Hennet Dragonborn!"
Despite lying unconscious, Hennet was still in bounds and his opponent was not. Nebin squawked happily, but his voice was lost in the screams of the boisterous crowd around Ember. They cheered again after an attending Peloran brother applied a vial of potent curative liquid to the sorcerer's lips. As Hennet stood, he waved up to the stands, even going so far as to blow a kiss to Ember.
"You're a bold one," laughed Nebin, but he also saw Ember laugh, apparently pleased with Hennet's antics.
Hennet ambled up to Nebin and said, "I knew that old scroll would come in handy."
The gnome clapped his friend on the back.
The novice competition was down to just four contestants: Hennet, Nebin, the strangely catlike Felicia, and Aganon. In only minutes the semifinal pair-ups were called. Hennet was matched against Felecia, and Nebin was paired with Aganon.
"Drat my luck!" Nebin swore, but not too loudly, because Aganon stood near. He didn't want the man to know he was afraid.
Hennet and Felecia walked out to begin their match, to the accompaniment of several loud, colorful conjurations. Nebin supposed they were designed to get the attention of the audience, but he didn't see any more. His mind was on Aganon. The gnome felt his heart sinking. This would be his toughest match.
They were led to a ring by an excited judge. Nebin and Aganon took their places as yet more colorful displays of wizardry drew the crowd's attention to their ring. The judges sensed this would be an exciting match, and they wanted the crowd to take notice.
The judge called out, "Nebin Raulnor, wizard, novice, faces off against Aganon, wizard, novice. You have three minutes to duel, and they begin…now!"
The gnome, unsure of what tactic to use, fell back on his favorite-the illusory flaming ball, ten feet across. He called the sphere above Aganon and let rivulets of fire cover the man. Aganon was unperturbed for the few seconds he was visible before the flames hid him. The gnome felt emboldened now that he couldn't see Aganon. Nebin took the opportunity to sidle to the left. He might gain a small edge if Aganon didn't know exactly where he stood.
Without his volition, the flaming ball dispersed-always a bad sign, Nebin thought. A green glow surrounded the suddenly revealed Aganon. The man gestured at the gnome. A wave of green fluid swept up from nowhere, surging around Nebin's feet. He shrieked and tried to jump away, but it was as if he were caught In the undertow of an ocean wave. Where the liquid touched him, pain flared. With cruel slowness, the wave inexorably bore the screaming gnome across and out of the ring.
Nebin had lost.
Hennet worried. Felecia dodged two of his sorcerous missiles with uncanny quickness. No one had ever done that before. In fact, he was pretty sure it was impossible, and the knowledge only made the feat that much more impressive. He was close to exhaustion and none of his spells had found their mark. Even worse, Ember was watching and would see him defeated.
Felecia laughed. "Might as well give up, sorcerer. You know I'm only toying with you."
The woman had furred ears, large green eyes, and clawed hands. Hennet guessed her feet were also clawed, but he didn't bother to look. Mentally he scrambled for a new strategy, but his mind was a winter plain, bereft of life.
Stalling for time, he muttered, "You're not half as quick or gorgeous as you imagine, lady."
Felecia's eyes came near to popping from her head as she snarled, "You have no right to judge me, human!"
"Maybe not," Hennet shot back, "but I know beauty when I see it, and you're not it-mongrel!"
He tossed in that last word on a hunch, sensing he was on to something. In other circumstances, Hennet would have found Felecia enticingly exotic. Now he had to use every available weapon, including attacks on her ego and self esteem.
Felecia bristled, then screamed, "I'll see you in Hell, human!"
A rain of claws descended on Hennet, who gasped, stumbling back. His feet caught on the rocks marking the boundary of the duel. As quick as that he fell out. And Felecia was on him, roaring.
She's going to kill me! Hennet realized, trying to protect his ryes from the flashing claws. He could hear the judges yelling, the crowd screaming. He kicked out, but Felecia dodged and cut his cheek to the bone with a razor-sharp swipe. Blood gushed across Hennet's eyes, blinding him. More searing cuts lacerated him. All he could do was crawl away from the fangs and claws.
Air swooshed, and someone gasped-Felecia. She was off him. Hands helped him to his feet. A few of them belonged to Peloran brothers, apparently. The pain drained away, and Hennet's eyes cleared of blood. Gashes on his hands and arms closed as he watched. He looked up, searching for Felecia. She stood amid another group of judges. A net of silvery light held her immobile, though she continued struggling and glaring at him.