Snippet #2249646

Lilly ran to the side as Zac jumped back, promptly landing on the highest spire. "Well, that was cool. I wasn't expecting your blade to pass through mine. A very neat trick. However, if you were attacking me with a corporeal blade, yours would have been blocked and sent skittering across the ground. Your form is non-existent and a non-corporeal blade can't block my attacks. Further, you let anger fuel your movements. I don't even care if I win or lose, I'm using this as an opportunity to pound some fundamentals into your thick head. Instead of running at me blindly, stop and think for a moment. Is that energy draining blade your only trick? Any other layers to your plan? If not, I'm actually disappointed. The best mages have multiple schemes and tricks forming layers upon layers of deception in their plans. I can tell you're like me, you want to use a single massive attack and overwhelm your opponent with raw power, however, even I need to create distractions to give me enough time to build up my power and to help it connect. Now, from the top!" Zac said with gusto.

With that little speech, Zac sent his swords into the boulders and started doing something Lilly couldn’t really understand. Don’t get distracted, don’t get distracted, Lilly told herself over and over. You may be a little cut up, your clothes might be a little torn up, and your hair might be in your face, but you can’t let any of that or his nonsense get to you.Zac was going pretty fast as he launched himself at her. Don’t stand there but don’t run away, her mind yelled. Lilly just leapt to the side and with most of her concentration, sent her Shadow Fire off the dagger and speeding towards Zac. She landed on her butt from trying to move out of the way to quickly, but still went on fighting. “I’m not going to let you get in my head! This isn’t over until I say it’s over and I’m not going down that easy! You may as well give up now!” But even Lilly couldn’t feel her words. She was a first year that knew a tiny bit of magic that worked perfectly on humans, but now seemed useless against other mages. Lilly got up, turned and ran behind one of the giant boulders. She was panting for some strange reason … and her dagger, no, her hands were shaking. “Stop spouting nonsense you stupid … you …,” she shouted from behind the boulder, getting tongue tied as she tried to think of something to call him. There were shadows all around her, but she couldn’t think of anything to use them for. Maybe Shockwave will do something … Lilly peered around the boulder while summoning some of the shadows from the ground. They formed tentacles on her back which would lash out at anything she willed them to and send a hopefully nasty shock through them. Shockwave, Shadow Fire and Puppet Master … probably the best things she knew, and they weren’t even truly that effective … “Dammit...,” she huffed, feeling the energy drain from her own body just to make the Shockwave more effective.