Chapter 34: duel 2
I closed my eyes for a second, took a deep breath, and then opened them again, only to see Voldemort trying and failing to break my protective mini-shields. This spell is really effective; it granted me the moment of reprieve I needed to regain control over myself and the battle. I can't afford to lose concentration here, especially not with the diabolica spell still active. So, let's start this dance again, but this time I'll be the one to set the tone and rhythm.
"Fulgere," I chanted, solidifying my first offensive spell since the start of this duel. The lightning generated by the spell would have been powerful, but to add more energy, I raised my wand toward the sky and quickly waved it down. This summoned lightning strikes, forcing Voldemort to jump and roll on the ground to avoid being caught by the spell. I didn't give him a chance as I waved my wand again, causing the ground to shake and create spikes. He was quick to react and jumped up.
"Potter!!!" he yelled, waving his wand while chanting "Fiendfire." The flames took the shape of a great serpent and advanced toward me, but I raised my hands, and the diabolica flames that surrounded the arena surged forward, engulfing the serpent. This also amplified the power of the flames, requiring greater concentration to control as I brought them back to the edge of the arena.
This happened very quickly, and I almost missed the sneaky Cruciatus curse he cast. I say "almost" because my trusty shields did their job and stopped it.
"Oh, Tommy, let's keep the unstable flame magic out of the duel, shall we? It would be boring if I had to burn you to ashes before I enjoy our battle," I quipped sarcastically.
"You think you can mock me, boy? I'm Lord Voldemort!!!!" he roared in fury, pointing his wand at me. I could feel the magic beginning to build up, and I knew this was going to be a costly spell for him. Even though he had immense power, his control over it was poor. If it weren't for his wand being bonded to him for so long, he wouldn't be able to cast spells so easily. With his wand still aimed at me, eyes full of hate, he shouted, "Avada Kedavra!" and a green bolt was sent my way, fast.
I readied myself and pointed my wand toward him, shouting, "Expelliarmus!" What? Who said only he could shout? I wanted to do it too.
Our spells met halfway and collided with each other. My spell was smoother and more structured, while his was chaotic and unrefined; yet the power behind it was undeniable. It made me marvel at the intent and desire that held the spell in place. This spoke volumes about just how much he wanted to kill me. Hahahhahah, poor him, if only he knew.
Our spells locked onto each other, advancing and retreating like they were engaged in a deadly dance. Magical energy burst forth from the collision like fireworks. I was growing bored of this stalemate, so I poured magic into my spell, redirecting both it and Voldemort's to the left while casting a severing charm immediately after; he narrowly avoided it by stepping to the right.
We began bombarding each other with spells again. I was learning from my first actual battle; my concentration was at its peak, my breathing calm, and I was thinking of how to extend this duel just a little longer.
"Come on, Tommy, is that all you've got? I thought you were powerful…" I was cut off from my monologue by a powerful "Diffindo" coming my way. I quickly deflected it to the left, looked over only to see the spell leaving a deep scar on the ground. That was an unnecessarily overpowered spell.
"You think this is a game, Potter?" Voldemort yelled, sending another barrage of spells aimed to either maim or obliterate me. I dodged some and deflected others back at him. He just dodged them. Not even trying to do the same and sending back to me. Oh, this could have been a fun game. Ugh, not now, focus.
I evaluated the situation and saw that He was losing whatever remained of his reasoning and was beginning to act like a beast bereft of it. It was time to end this and be done with it. I needed to look for other opponents to battle so that I could grow; he had lost all his value now.
I looked at him with pity one last time, aimed my wand at him, and at that moment felt the familiar presence of death behind me. With my wand aimed, I chanted, "Mortalis Sica!" Suddenly, it felt like the world lost its colors. The black spell reached him, and he simply stopped midway and just fell. His body began to turn to ashes as if caught in a great fire. His face wore an expression that conveyed how horrified he was in his last moments—a look that clearly expressed the terror he felt towards death.
The colors returned, and I became aware that death had just gifted me with a spell I hadn't even known before. The information about it popped into my head when death had somehow taken control of me for a moment there.
Fuck!!! Can't you higher beings just leave me alone? I feel like I'm just a new toy that everyone wants to play with. At least death gave me a spell that made it worth it, but still…
I was then pulled from my thoughts by a sudden increase in my magical power, both in quality and quantity. The influx of magic wasn't substantial, but it was noticeable; coupled with a liberating feeling that made my soul feel like it had dipped into a hot tub it was a great moment.
I looked around and heard cheering coming from all directions, but I didn't have time for that yet. I waved my hands, and the diabolica flames around me began to transform into huge birds, which I unleashed, guiding them toward the crowd of dark creatures and wizards outside with the help of Hogwarts' detection barriers. Some managed to escape, but I obliterated most of the slower creatures and wizards. With another wave of my wand, I unsummoned the flames and started walking toward the school.
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