Chapter 18: Reversible Magic

Nathan disappeared only to reappear in front of the magical barrier he had created earlier. He made himself invisible with Zoreon’s magic, pacing around the army, thinking. Fatigue was working on him, but not as quick as he thought. He stopped pacing for a bit and watched the panic within the barrier.1

The Demons were going mad. The army’s senses fed off their magic. Nathan smiled to himself. He knew that there were only so many of them that used their common sense to quiet the chaos. He searched with the magic in him, trying to find out which demons were trying to take control.2

Nathan’s eyes went cold when he understood that Zoreon had raised the once famous demon captain and five others with magic almost as strong as Zoreon’s magic that swirled inside him now. He growled in frustration. This was not going to be easy.3

Nathan closed his eyes and shimmered inside the barrier. His magic recognized him and let him pass without setting off an alarm. Quickly he went to work pulling five small stones from his pocket and touched each on with a finger. As he had touched them, they began to glow a bright red color. Before the stone got to bright, Nathan set it down at his feet. He moved around the barrier wall and did the same with four others, circling the boarder of the barrier.4

When the fourth stone was in place, the mage pulled away from the barrier and moved quickly among the demons. He moved to the middle of the chaos and stopped. He kept himself invisible as he set the last stone down at his feet. When he straightened, he caught a wave of demon magic as it blew past him. Impossible! He thought no one can use their magic within the barrier. Someone could still function, he was sure of that. The mage didn’t think on it too long. He had to finish what he started.5

Nathan disappeared to reappear outside the barrier once more. Nathan quickly took a breath as his eyes caught what was happening within the barrier. The red stones he had placed on the edge of the barrier were glowing even brighter until a red beam struck out up towards the sky, but was stopped by the barrier. Five beams of red light had stuck the ceiling of the barrier and dripped down the sides covering the barrier in red. Nathan heard screaming from within the reddened walls, but he paid them no attention.6

Satisfied with his work, he started to walk around the barrier, chanting in a demonic language thanks to Zoreon’s magic. He walked around it about five times before he stopped holding out his hands palms out, but still chanting. A blue fired with a hint of white shot out of his hands and wrapped itself around the barrier that magically trapped the demons.7

The fire engulfed the Phantom Army on all sides then shot up into the sky. Nathan concentrated on trying to contain the fire as it continued to twist and writhe into the night sky. Bolts of lightning struck out, but Nathan wouldn’t let it. He controlled the twister of magic with both hands. When he had a good hold on the twisting magic, he held out one hand and flicked his wrist inward as if he were taking the magic and pulling it out of the sky. 8

The magic tried to resist by pulling the mage to itself. Nathan pulled harder and the magical fire was no match for the strength of the mage’s magic. Slowly the magical twister’s grip lessened, but would not give in that easily. The magical fire attacked Nathan. It wrapped itself around one of his arms like a snake. It twisted and squeezed his arm but Nathan didn’t pay any attention to the vortex except to keep twisting it. It continued to squeeze Nathan’s arm even tighter, but still the mage wouldn’t give in either.9

The vortex clawed at the magic within him. Nathan fought back and drew a protective spell around his magic. He gritted his teeth fighting the power he was struggling with. He was going to win this battle. He was sure of it.10

Without thinking, Nathan let the vortex go and pushed it out with both hands. The mage chanted in the demonic language again then flicked out his wrist again and the vortex vanished with the Phantom Army.