Chapter 11

I threw a metal meteor from the sky down onto Mars and his warriors. It was remarkable bold act and more for show than effectiveness.

The god of war parried it, but the sheer force staggered him. The metal ball redirected and crushed over dozens of his well armoured warriors before coming to a stop half a mile through the city leaving behind a path of destruction.

"You shouldn't have done that, barbarian magician."

"Shut it and fight."

"The leash of the witch isn't as tight as I heard. We are at peace, Sorcerer. Desist while I feel charitable."

The good thing about being a sorcerer is that honour doesn't really matter.

I rose into the sky and blasted lightning out from my staff.

"Death to the gods!" I cried for all to hear.

He took the stream of energy to the chest with a bellowing roar, flexing chest and curling his arms afterwards. Smoke sizzled and steamed from his sternum. His face was red and veins popped out.

Clearly it had hurt, but it wasn't nearly enough.

The intimidating force of his bellow left me stunned and disorientated.

"You really think you can beat a god?" He shouted.

"I know you scared." I bluffed. "How many times did daddy strike you with the same lightning? I wondered if you stopped when you begged."

It was shameful boasting. Never would do it to a human, but a god, I felt less about.

"Your screams will be unending. How could you be so stupid!"

"What can I say? I'm tired of war and I think it is time you leave for good."

He laughed, "Never, this is my playground and once you're dead I will make my camp in your secure full domination of Albion for all time."

I frowned darkly, "Your ambition leaves me no choice."

I blasted a stream of pure magic. He blocked with his shield, but it cracked, ever so slightly.

I had gotten better at using my magic and drawing out its full destructive potential.

At range I had the better options. So, I blasted him with magic, struck down lightning and rained metal spikes down on him. His defence be it shield, agility, durability held strong.

We were interrupted by a charge of my people who had broken through the weakened Roman lines. Much less skilled than the outriders, but noble in their bravery. They launched themselves at the God of War.

He swung his weapon each brush deadly and painted Elkilbour crimson. Mars slaughtered the defenders of the city, his immortal skill far superior to mortal warriors.

I retaliated with equal brutality. I conjured a metal.

A sawblade, big as a house, halved most of the nearby Romans with a swing. Chest separated from their waist they toppled down dead.

I had never killed so many humans before. Never by myself and never with so little care. Determined to hit back, I was blind to the value of human life. Consumed in my anger.

I flew into the air to find more, to hurt him in this new way. I blasted down blue arcs upon his invading forces.

Mars rushed after me, and gave a front kick to a building in his way. It shattered the wall and the buildings support. Everyone inside was crushed by falling stones. He leaped over the now much smaller rubbles soaked with blood and the cries of the dead and dying.

Atop the rubble, he jumped into the air and after me.

I tried to back away. I grew many vines, tries and poisonous plants to grab, stab and choke him. They restrained him momentarily but he cut and flexed his way through them and they proved to be little more than an obstacle.

He grabbed me by the throat and tried to crush it. But my body strengthening enchantments held. Even as he tried to disperse them, I reinforced them.

Frustrated, he yelled in my face and tried to gut me with his spear. I blasted it out of his hand.

He headbutted me in turn.

He drew his knife, but I blasted great voltages of lightning from my body. He screamed in pain and shook from the waves of burning energy.

He was forced to let me go and his knife.

I called for a terrible blue bolt from the sky to strike him down, but he raised his shield and it absorbed the blow. It shattered, but had done its function in sparing his life.

My pitiful reserves of mana were further drained and I was swaying on my feet from injury and mana exhaustion.

I had less than little to give now.

I fired pure magic energy, but quick as a fox he drew his sword and it channelled the energy to nothing.

We clashed again staff and sword; magic and divine energy.

We were destroying Elkilbour and the Romans as we clashed.

Unlike my battle with Maradon which was a surreal duel of magic. Mars and I were fighting like beasts in our anger or maybe machines in our all levelling destruction. The power of magic smashing with the might of the divine.

We stood and faced off, each panting and measuring the other.

"Sorcerer."

"What, I am not going to give up." I spat while glaring at him with baleful eyes.

"Nor will I."

We circled one another. Each tired, wary but keen to fight to the death.

"You cannot win. You did your best, and I thought maybe you had it in you. You simply aren't a godslayer." Mars pitied.

"Even if it takes the last drop of my magic, I will set Albion free."

I threw out a containment cube of metal, one body shaped just like I had contained Làidir.

The metal straitjacket hit the God of War and crashed him into the earth. Encased from the shoulders down in the hardest, densest metals I could conjure.

His muscles bulged as he tried to force himself free.

"This was made for a woman stronger than you. You are caged, Mars."

I stepped on his throat.

"I won't kill you. This is my final mercy to you. Go to your father and accept your beating. Plead the case for peace, you will fail but it is the only hope for us both, and if you ever return. I will kill you once and for all."

"My father is dead. Zeus is all our fathers and I am his chosen son. What he took meant everything, and he also gave back my place of power. I will not return in disgrace and defeat. Death before humiliation."

I laughed, "Mock my words. You are caged. Give it up or I shall fulfil my call and bring you death."

"You think this can cage me? I am not Ares the lesser. I am War. Mars is my name. I cannot be bound. My virility seeds the children and wheat of Rome. My virtue guides my people to glory, honour and virtue. I once bore the thunder, before it was taken and I do so again."

Lightning cracked, not mine, and struck my back at my heart. I arched, fell to my knees and then hit the earth.

My eyes were open and my body was still as the dead.