Episode 7 — The time fight

“You have a beautiful place here. I have never seen anything like this.” 

As he speaks, I point my staff at him, distrust itching at my spine. 

“Why should I give her to you?” I shout, fur on end as I prepare a spell. My eyes follow his, watching as he observes the circling of his Yellow Bird above him, Yellow light glinting off its shining wings. 

“Vi skal ikke bruge hende!” I grit my teeth, annoyed at my inability to understand the bird’s language. The Sorcerer raises his staff; not at me, but behind me. His message is clear… he wishes for me to step aside and exclude myself from his fight against the Furless. I shift to fight back, causing him to point the staff directly at me. I brace myself for an attack, unprepared for him to suddenly look away. A pearl-like orb of light floats above him, swirling shapes almost like faces shifting within it. From the orb, comes a gentle voice in the Mijow language. 

“Mari will not come out unless…" Then it change to the Furless language, "...Du kæmper mod hende"

“You are certain?” He asks the orb, the appearance of which is very similar to the other cat-cat soul of the Furless, leaving me to ponder as to whom he is speaking. The voice sounds like... me? My Sorceress Reflex feels odd, peaceful. But of course it cannot be me; it is just another soul. 

“I must go back to check on her.” The orb speaks one last time before fluctuating out of existence and shortly after bringing the Cat-cat back again. The Cat-cat runs between my legs and back to the house. What is going on, I wonder? 

I startle as he turns his expression back toward me. Evil tone in his voice, demanding that I bring the Furless to him, revealing his cruel true nature. 

“I desire to have the scroll she carries, or else, your death!” 

His voice carries across the forest with great volume, irritating my ears. He must want the Blue Scroll… I shall protect the Furless and with her the scroll she gifted me. His Red Magic will be destructive, fierce, but I have my own powerful magic, as I am the White Sorceress of the Woods. I have mastered my own techniques.

“Stream!” His staff lights up red, sending a deadly stream of magic flying towards me. 

Sorceress reflexes kicking in, I swing my staff forwards with a shout of;

“White Shield!” The shield quickly constructs itself, an expert swirl of my staff assisting in its growth. I grip the staff tightly as the Red Magic hits my shield, the force and power of the magic enough to kill had I not protected myself. Aware that the shield can only hold for so long, I glance towards the bubble, where the Monster-Dog should be. Except, the only creature there is the Blue Bird. I grunt as my shield flickers out, repeating my spell even as I despair - he is winning. 

“White Shield!” I shout for a third time, unable to cast The White Curse due to a lack of preparation for a fight such as this. My power is draining with every recasting of White Shield.

I can’t hold him back.

Out of the corner of my eye I see Trolling, holding my Secret Elixir.

Yes, quickly now! What is my heart's desire? 

I must buy some time. Digging deep into my Sorceress Reflex, I begin to establish a connection with my environment. I desire… to become proficient at Green Magic, to deepen my connection with nature so that I can make use of its power.

“Trolling now!” 

Understanding, he uncorks the elixir… but it is not what I had expected. Onto my paw drips the elixir that should supposedly raise my ‘level’. Hopeful, but uncertain, I drink the elixir as fast as I can, feeling my eyes burning with the strain of my magic. 

“White Shield!” I growl out the command, breathing heavily as my sight is taken away - replaced with green. I can sense the tingling Green Magic spread from my eyes to the rest of my body. I take a deep breath… 

“Wind!”

A vicious gust blows out from my paw, hitting his own gale over top of my Fungus plants. A tornado begins to form, ripping greenery up from the ground between us. 

Still, he stands firmly on the Fungus as I ponder over the elixir. It did make me more powerful in the Green Magic, not because it was my wish, but because of the 'level'. 

Wind doesn’t work, he’s too powerful… 

Perhaps another type of Green Magic? I send my will into the ground, pleading for help with magical signals towards a half-dead tree. My shield around the house has broken for the last time now… The strength of the old soul left me. 

I have read about a certain type of Green Magic, in a book called ‘The Green Sisters’ by Mivi, and now is the time to use it, as I have the power to do so.

“Leap of Tree!” 

Fearful, I open my eyes to the magic seeping into the Earth. The roots of the tree are shifting. 

The Evil Red Sorcerer chuckles, 

“Goodbye, White Sorceress of the Woods…”

My staff is drained of power, but I observe him carefully, realising that his staff must also be depleted. Neither of us can use our scroll-bestowed magic. Too fast for me to react, he shoots powerful Wind Magic towards me, throwing me backwards. His staff has suddenly regained its power, I realise as a red bolt of magic impacts my arm. Unable to land on all fours, I’m forced to let my back smack into the tree. Trolling flies to me, passing me the blue scroll I’d dropped in the commotion.  “Blue!” He reminds me of the Furless’ words before flying away. 

The Red Magic burns, blocking my ability to cast spells. Clutching the Blue Scroll, I consider the speed at which he regained power - Haste Magic, perhaps? I can feel the branches of the tree around me shifting, morphing around me as protection all while shooting small branches at the evil sorcerer. But still he is too powerful, sending Red Magic to the branches. Standing, I grit my teeth at the ache settling in my bones as my youth begins to fade even faster. Ageing without the shield’s influence means I will have to fight harder than ever. With a deep breath, I gather my power in the faintly charged White Staff. There is always a spell that cannot be blocked… 

"Heal!" 

White bolts surround me and the Red magic disappears. 

While the tree acts as a distraction, I control my breathing carefully along with the magical power. Pleading with my magic and the staff, I begin the song for my most powerful spell, The White Curse, all while swinging the Staff methodically. 

“White, white, white come to aid me in the fight. Powerful and wise, add the curse so he dies”

Fog flows out from my staff as he frustratedly throws more and more bolts of Red Magic. In his desperation, several bolts stray from their paths, even my home being set aflame by the sparks.

“White, white, now as I’m saying Meow”

I shift my left paw down the staff, using it to swing the white fog towards him. In the corner of my eye, I glimpse Trolling flying around the house. The sorcerer tries casting spells against it with little results, causing him to shout up to his Yellow Bird, 

“Raku!”

With his shout, the bird swoops down through the fog, absorbing it completely while Yellow Magic sparks from its mouth. My strongest spell… has vanished. I take in a deep breath as I take in the reality that Yellow Magic truly exists… I have never seen it before. Shooting another bolt of magic, he growls at me.

“Why did you do that? Now I have to keep my promise to the bird!”

“White Shield!” I will not back down. 

With every bolt of magic, he steps closer. Closer and closer to my shield, full of holes where his magic has penetrated it. I fall to my knees beneath his anger, unable to hold my shield magic any longer. Blinded by his magic, I can see only the shadows of objects. Before me, I can only watch as the tree goes up in flames around me, a huge shadow covering the sun. I can sense his presence as it nears, intense anger flowing like the very fire erupting around me. Desperate, I try to call for help, Trolling’s name catching in a whisper as I let out a weak breath. 

Suddenly, yellow light dances across my vision. As it clears somewhat, the Furless female comes into focus, a Yellow Lightning Sword grasped in her hands. She is adorned in only a small amount of red cloth, barely enough to cover some of her body as she parries the bolts of magic. 

“Still with us?” She asks me, even as she continues to present her mastery over the blade. Speechless, I nod to her gratefully. She has saved me. 

“Say Blue to the scroll.” 

I close my eyes, prepared to be killed by the red magic surrounding me. Trolling will be safe under the Furless’ protection. 

 Consumed by time, I let my old body relax on the grass, using what’s left of my energy to part my lips and speak.

“... Blue.”