Darius Venn raised a hand as arcs of crackling lightning surged to life around him. The chamber pulsed with raw energy, the runes beneath Adrian’s feet flaring as if awakened by the sheer force of the spell. His breath hitched. This is getting bad.

  A blinding flash erupted from Darius’s palm, and in the next instant, a jagged bolt of blue-white lightning tore through the air toward him. Dodge!

  Adrian flung himself sideways, rolling across the marble as the bolt struck where he had just stood. The impact sent fissures spiderwebbing across the stone, smoke curling upward from the scorched surface. Before he could fully recover, another bolt streaked toward him, sizzling through the air with a deafening crack.

  He barely had time to throw up his arms before it struck. Pain lanced through his body as the force of the blast sent him hurtling backward. The impact rattled his bones, a searing jolt racing up his spine as he crashed against the floor, skidding across the polished stone. His breath caught in his throat, every nerve ablaze with residual static.

  Adrian pushed himself upright, his limbs quaking beneath him. His vision blurred, colors swimming together in a dizzying haze, but even without seeing clearly, he could feel the overwhelming weight of Darius Venn’s presence pressing down on him like the pressure before a storm. The ghostly mage hadn’t moved, yet the air itself trembled with the sheer force of his power.

  Then, a pulse of energy rippled through the chamber. Adrian’s stomach tightened as twin runes flared to life around Darius, weaving together in a radiant display. Light twisted and coiled in the empty air, forming complex sigils. Then, with a flick of the mage’s wrist, three bolts of lightning shot forth, searing through the darkness like jagged fangs.

  Adrian’s body reacted before his mind could fully process the attack. He twisted sharply, barely slipping past the first, the static charge making his hair stand on end. The second one, however, wasn’t so forgiving.

  It clipped his shoulder, pain shooting through him as his muscles spasmed violently. His footing faltered just long enough for Darius to strike again.

  A massive arc of lightning erupted from the mage’s outstretched palm, writhing like a serpent, its glowing tendrils illuminating the chamber in blinding light. Adrian’s instincts screamed at him to move, but the moment his body tensed, the world flashed white.

  The explosion threw him backward. Adrain's back slammed into a towering pillar with a sickening crack, the impact stealing the air from his lungs. Pain splintered through his ribs like shattered glass. Sparks danced across his vision, his limbs sluggish as he crumpled onto one knee.

  He tried to grasp at the marble for balance, but his entire body throbbed with the aftershock of the blast. The sharp tang of ozone filled his lungs, mixing with the acrid scent of burnt fabric. Damn it… He clenched his jaw, forcing himself to stay present, to keep his focus. If he lost control now, it was over.

  His gaze snapped back to Darius. The mage hadn’t moved, his silhouette framed by arcs of electricity flickering hungrily in the air around him. Adrian could almost feel the inevitability of the next attack.

  Then the chamber pulsed again. Adrian barely had time to react before another bolt of lightning came crashing down. He wrenched himself aside, rolling just as the marble where he had knelt erupted into a spray of molten stone.

  Residual energy snaked outward, slithering along the fractures in the floor like veins of liquid fire. He landed hard, the force jarring his already aching body, but he couldn’t stop now. If I keep dodging, I’ll never get an opening. I need to shift the momentum before he grinds me down completely.

  With a sharp exhale, Adrian thrust his hand forward, blue flames twisting into a spiraling arc that burned through the air with searing intensity. The fire rushed toward Darius, the heat distorting the space around it, but just as it closed in, the air rippled. A translucent barrier materialized around the mage, shimmering like the surface of a still pond catching the light. The flames crashed into the invisible wall, and vanished.

  Adrian’s breath caught, his pulse stuttering. Not blocked. Absorbed. He’s converting my magic… repurposing it.

  His mind raced, searching for a way to counter, but Darius wasn’t about to give him the time. A flicker of darkness swept through the chamber. Adrian barely registered the shift before a deafening crack split the air. Lightning surged down from the ceiling, not as a single bolt, but as a writhing storm. Jagged tendrils of electricity fractured outward.

  Adrian’s heart pounded. I can’t dodge that—

  The crackling arcs of energy twisted unpredictably, splitting apart in every direction. There was no pattern, no clear escape route. His body moved before thought could take hold, pushing off the ground in a desperate dive just as the storm came crashing down.

  The explosion sent shockwaves barreling outward, raw energy detonating against the marble with enough force to send fissures splintering across the chamber floor. Adrian hit the ground hard, momentum carrying him into a rough roll as debris scattered in all directions. Heat licked at his skin as static crackled through his hair.

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  His lungs heaved as he forced himself upright, feet barely finding their balance before he propelled himself toward cover. His heartbeat roared in his ears, nearly drowning out the faint hum of electricity still hanging in the charged air.

  The moment he reached the nearest stone pillar, Adrian threw himself against it. He gritted his teeth, fingers twitching from the lingering jolts still pulsing through his body. He’s pushing me back, keeping me on the defensive. If I don’t turn this around, I won’t last much longer.

  Adrian curled his fingers into fists as he tried to ground himself. The electricity still prickled along his skin, tiny sparks dancing over his exposed arms, making his muscles tense involuntarily. He looked toward Darius, still standing motionless in the heart of the chamber, his masked face revealing nothing.

  I can’t keep dodging forever. If I fight him head-on, I’ll be overwhelmed. But there has to be a pattern. A weakness.

  He peeked from behind the pillar, eyes scanning the chamber. Darius stood motionless in the center, wreathed in a crackling aura of mana. His mask revealed nothing, but Adrian knew that every movement, every spell, had been deliberate. Calculated. This isn’t just some mindless construct. It’s thinking.

  Adrian's gaze flickered to the runes lining the floor. The entire chamber pulsed with them, feeding into the mage’s power like veins carrying lifeblood. Darius's ghost is drawing energy from something. In that case, I just have to cut him off.

  Tightening his grip, Adrain pushed off the pillar, bursting into motion. His boots barely touched the ground as he sprinted, zigzagging across the chamber. The moment he moved, Darius responded. Lightning crackled overhead.

  Adrian threw himself forward, rolling beneath a searing arc that split the stone behind him. The air hummed with power as another bolt crashed down, but he was already moving, staying just ahead of the deadly strikes.

  Sparks trailed in his wake, the aftershocks numbing his fingertips. Another bolt lashed toward him. Instead of dodging, he thrust his hands forward. Blue fire erupted from his palms, intercepting the lightning mid-air. The moment the two forces collided, Adrian clenched his fingers, forcing his flames to twist around the electric current, absorbing its energy. The combined power twisted violently before detonating in a burst of heat and light, sending a shockwave outward.

  Using the explosion’s momentum, Adrian twisted mid-air and landed in a crouch. His flames burned brighter now, flickering with residual electricity. It worked. I can redirect his magic… but I need to use it wisely.

  Darius lifted a hand. The marble floor trembled beneath Adrian’s feet. He’s charging something bigger.

  drian’s gaze flicked past his opponent, scanning the space behind him. The runes. They pulsed in time with the energy surging through the ghostly mage. That’s it. He’s anchored to them.

  Instead of launching another direct attack, Adrian broke into a sprint, not toward Darius, but toward the runes etched into the chamber floor. Darius reacted instantly. Bolts of lightning shot toward him, cutting through the air like crackling spears. Adrian twisted, ducking beneath one strike before vaulting over another.

  His feet barely touched the ground before he was moving again, heat licking at his heels as another explosion of energy erupted behind him. He could feel the shift. Darius was adjusting, pushing harder, trying to force him back. But Adrian wasn’t running away.

  The boy reached the first cluster of runes and slammed his palm against the stone. Blue flames surged outward, flooding into the intricate markings. The moment his fire touched them, the runes pulsed violently, flickering erratically before several blinked out altogether.

  Darius staggered, and Adrian’s eyes widened. That worked.

  The mage’s form wavered, the lightning surrounding him flickering for half a second. His grip on the battlefield was tied to these runes. Without them, he’s weaker. Adrian didn’t waste the opening. He hurled himself toward the next cluster.

  Darius recovered fast, he extended both hands, and a massive bolt of electricity surged downward, splitting into multiple tendrils that arced toward Adrian. There was no dodging this one.

  Adrian slammed both hands onto the stone, channeling his flames into the runes just as the lightning struck. Energy erupted around him. The chamber filled with a blinding flash, a deafening crack echoing through the air. Heat surged against his skin, but Adrian gritted his teeth and held firm. The moment his flames surged through the second rune cluster, the chamber trembled as the lightning dissipated.

  Darius’s form flickered violently, his entire body wavering like a mirage. His masked face tilted slightly, as if in realization. Adrian exhaled sharply. You’re tethered to this place, and that means this is my win.

  He turned sharply, locking onto the largest rune at the center of the chamber: the one directly beneath Darius. That has to be the core.

  If Adrian severed it, Darius would have nothing to draw from. But the ghostly mage wasn’t going to let him. With a sudden burst of speed, Darius lifted both hands. He’s going all out.

  Adrian sprinted as the chamber exploded with light. Lightning crashed down in rapid succession, scorching the marble with every strike. Adrian dodged, ducked, wove between the deadly arcs as he pushed his body to the limit.

  His flames burned hotter, his muscles screamed, but he didn’t stop. Just a little more—

  When the final rune was within reach. Darius raised a hand, his last spell forming in a blinding sphere of raw energy. At the same time, Adrian threw himself forward and blasted the rune with every ounce of flame he had left.

  The rune shattered. A deep, guttural sound rumbled through the chamber as the entire foundation of the spellwork collapsed in on itself. The lightning flickering around Darius’s body stuttered. His form buckled, flickering wildly as if struggling to stay cohesive.

  Adrian didn’t stop to watch. He dove behind a stone pillar just as the final burst of magic erupted outward. The shockwave rattled the chamber, sending cracks spiraling through the marble. A harsh wind surged past him, lifting dust and debris into the air.

  Then, silence. Adrian exhaled, his back pressed against the cool stone. His heartbeat hammered in his ears, but when he glanced toward the center of the chamber: the ghostly figure of Darius Venn flickered once more, before vanishing entirely.