Chapter Eighteen
The next day, Karl tests Victor on all the spells he’s learned. Victor ensured he brought the silver card with him so he wouldn’t rage out again.
“You’re a very quick study,” Karl proudly tells Victor. “And I’m happy you’re not raging out today.”
Victor stops his air throws to take a quick breath. “I’m sorry about that. I didn’t know what was happening. I’m just glad I didn’t hurt anyone.”
Karl pats Victor’s shoulder. “Hey, no hard feelings. It wasn’t you that night. You shouldn’t have to feel sorry for your actions.” Karl looks over at Leo, “I think he’s ready.”
Leo gets up from his seat and brings Victor his jacket. “You sure he’s ready?” he asks Karl.
Victor looks between Karl and Leo. “Ready? Ready for what?”
Leo tosses Victor his jacket. “Suit up. We’re going to fight.”
Victor gives Leo a confused look as Leo approaches his spot inside a circle. “I don’t know if I’m ready for a fight,” Victor states as he puts on his jacket. “What if I rage out again?”
Leo cracks his knuckles and neck, shaking his arms and shoulders to loosen up.
“Don’t worry about that. You’ve got your silver card on you, right?
You’ll be fine.” Leo bounces up and down a few times, swinging his arms around him.
He takes a deep breath and then prepares to fight.
“I’ll go easy on you.” He gives Victor a wink.
Victor walks over to his spot in the circle, nervously thinking, I’m not sure if I should do this.
Victor looks over at Karl, standing at the circle’s edge with his arms crossed.
Karl stands tall, with his muscular chest puffed out.
Karl gives Victor an assuring nod. Victor takes a deep breath and looks at Leo, waiting for the signal to start.
Karl opens his arms wide, his palms facing outward.
Using Air Magic, he creates a dome. The clouds swirl around in the barrier like little hurricanes.
Victor watches as the dome traces the circle on the floor and connects to the top.
As soon as the dome is completed, Karl swings his hands into a loud clap, creating an air pulse from his hands as the signal to . . .
“FIGHT!” Karl’s shout echoes around the warehouse.
“Why all the fanfare?” Leo comments to Karl.
Karl shrugs his shoulders and smiles brightly, amused by Leo’s annoyance.
Leo turns his attention back to Victor and gives him a devilish smirk as he prepares for his first move.
His hands start to glow yellow and orange, engulfed in flames.
He throws an arm as if tossing a frisbee, and a fireball is flung toward Victor.
Victor throws a palm outward and sends an air pulse to block the fireball, but it doesn’t stop it.
Victor becomes worried, flings his hands out in front of him, and turns his face, anticipating being hit with a fireball.
He slowly opens one eye and sees that he has captured the fireball in an air bubble.
Before he could react, Leo throws another fireball, making contact, and Victor went flying back.
Victor coughs while laying on his back. “Ugh, Fuck! What the hell, man?” Victor groans as he struggles to get back onto his feet.
Leo flings another fireball, which Victor blocks perfectly. “I told you I’m not going easy on you, young empath.”
Victor gets back on his feet and starts throwing air punches.
Leo uses his forearms to block and knock them around.
Leo then spins around and uses both palms to throw a green flame.
Victor twirls his wrists together, creating a white tornado from his cupped palms. The tornado revolves around the flame.
Karl nods, his face very impressed. “Well, looks like I don’t need to show him that move tomorrow,” he says aloud.
The tornado sucks the flame in, causing the tornado to become the flame. It spins around between Leo and Victor. Victor pulls his arms back a little, then pushes his palms forward, tossing the spell back at Leo.
Leo flies back and gets knocked into the barrier.
Victor is shocked as he still holds the green-flamed tornado, “Holy Crap! I’m so sorry, Le–”
Before Victor can finish, Leo rolls a large red fireball like a bowling ball.
The impact causes Victor to lose the green twister as he falls forward.
As the green flame scatters throughout the dome, Karl quickly waves his hand across the air, conjuring his Water Magic to eliminate the flame before it causes any damage.
Leo gets back on his feet and sees Victor face down on the floor, trying to get up.
“You let your guard down. You need to stop doing that if you plan to win,” Leo shouts from across the circle. “And what did I say about fire tornadoes?”
Victor becomes upset with himself. He picks himself up as Leo gets ready to throw another attack.
As Victor returns to his feet, he makes fists with his hands, and air swirls around them.
He starts tossing air bubbles the size of basketballs and just as solid.
Leo counterattacks and blasts the bubbles into smoke.
He looks over at Victor and starts to get nervous. Victor’s eyes are glowing.
“Um, Victor,” Leo swallows a dry gulp, “your eyes.”
Victor stops and stands straight. “Are you just saying that to declare me the winner?”
“Victor! Are you in there?” Karl shouts.
Victor looks confused at Karl. “Of course, I am. What’s wrong with both of you?”
Leo takes a chance and starts throwing fireballs at a rapid pace.
Victor snaps back into the fight and defends himself from Leo’s attacks.
He dodges the rain of fireballs and starts jumping and stepping on air-made steps under his feet, allowing him to move around the circle.
When Victor gets a chance, he creates an air rope and lassos Leo’s wrists together.
Leo looks down at his wrists and then at Victor, suddenly shocked. Before Leo can counteract the spell, Victor pulls Leo off his feet. When Leo is a couple of feet away, Victor throws his palm out and pushes Leo, slamming him to the ground.
When Victor lands on his feet, he looks over at Leo. Leo is not moving. The glow in Victor’s eyes disappears, and he rushes over to Leo in fear.
“Fuck! Leo!” He runs over and drops down to Leo’s side. “Leo! Leo, are you okay?”
Victor didn’t see it coming.
Leo smacks a flame into Victor’s face, causing him to fly back. Victor rolls around when he lands and finishes on his back.
Karl ends the fight. “Winner! Warlock Oliveira!”
Victor groans as he lies on the ground. As he opens his eyes, he sees the top of the dome starting to disappear. Leo looks down at him with his hands on his hips. Leo clicks his tongue against his teeth as though he is disappointed.
“What did I tell you?” Leo asks as he holds out a hand to help Victor up.
“Stop letting your guard down.” Victor takes Leo’s hand and is lifted off the ground.
“Let me take a look at you,” Leo says as he examines Victor’s face.
He cups a hand under Victor’s chin and inspects the damage.
“Still got your beard and eyebrows. So, the flame wasn’t as intense as I thought. ”
Victor pushes Leo’s hands off his face. “That was pretty crappy what you did. Letting me think that I hurt you.”
Leo laughs as he brushes the sleeves of Victor’s jacket. “Maybe you’ll learn your lesson next time you’re in a fight. Never trust those who are on the ground. You don’t know what defensive attack they have to slam in your face.”
Karl walks over to Victor and Leo, smiling proudly. “I’m impressed, youth empath. I was also very impressed when you created that tornado. That was very wicked. Wicked in a good way. And I’m also pleased you didn’t rage out when your eyes started glowing.”
The leather-clad woman walks over with a brass tray with a bottle of champagne and three glasses. A small green box sits in the middle of the glasses. Karl hands Victor and Leo a glass and then pours them a drink.
Karl raises his glass and toasts, “To our young empath. Even though you might have lost the fight, you are a quick study. Here’s to the next part of your journey.”
They clink their glasses together. As Karl takes a swig, he remembers the box on the tray. “Oh, this is for you.” He takes the box and hands it to Victor. “I got you something.”
Victor hands Leo his glass and takes the box from Karl. He opens the box, revealing a silver bracelet encrusted with crushed celestite. As Victor removes it from the box, Leo puts their glasses on the tray and takes the bracelet from Victor. He then proceeds to fasten it to Victor’s wrist.
Karl explains his gift. “Even though you have a ring to help you with your Air Magic skills, this bracelet should help with any rage issues. While you were passed out, I had my staff investigate what artifacts could help you.”
Victor looks at the bracelet on his wrist and takes back his glass. “Thank you, Karl. I greatly appreciate it.”
“Well, I was anticipating one more day of training, but I think we are finished here,” Karl mentions as he takes another swig.
“It’s time for you to move on to your next specialty.
Until we meet again, Empath Russo. And when it’s time for you to join a coven, think of me when you do. ” Karl winks at Victor.
Meanwhile, in Madame Jeanette’s home, she sits at her table with Superior Jackie and Superior Charles.
“Well,” Superior Charles states as he exhales a puff from his cigar, “what do you see, Jeanette?”
Madame Jeanette takes a deep, long drag from her pipe and blows the tobacco cloud over her table. A few flashes of light look like lightning in a storm cloud. She leans back into her seat and strokes her chin as if she has a beard.
“We must be cautious with Empath Russo,” Madame Jeanette explains. “Someone out there would like to see him be used under their power. If we do not stop them, we might be unable to stop Victor. And if we cannot stop Victor, then I feel it will be us or him.”
She pauses and tilts her head in confusion. “His life could be in danger as well.”
“So, whoever was at the warehouse wanted Victor to rage out,” Superior Jackie comments.
“No necessarily,” Madame Jeanette responds. “They might have just been trying to hurt him, as well as hurt those around him.”
“Either way, we need to keep Victor safe,” Superior Charles remarks. “The last thing we want is the council on our asses, having us answer questions we don’t know. For now, let’s just keep things to ourselves until we can figure out who is going after our young empath.”