Orphenius looked around, in awe at the room filled with his pictures. He still couldn't wrap his head around it. As he watched, trying to find something to explain why the room was filled with his photographs, he heard the house doors being opened.
"I leave him to take over for five minutes, and he frees him," he heard Belphimore say as he tried opening the door to the room where Orphenius was chained. "Oh no! He's back," he said as he ran out of the room, but unluckily, he came face to face with Belphimore and five of his minions. "Oh, good, you're still here. Go fetch him for me, boys." The men start walking towards him when he threw his left hand forward and shouted, "Aren't you going to face me, or are you scared that I'll beat your hind again?" Belphimore scoffed and said, "I think you forgot what happened during the last time we fought. But I'm ready to stretch my limbs a little before I do what I want to you," Belphimore said as he stretched and cracked his knuckles.
"Arma Lucis", Orphenius shouted, and his whole body was covered with silver armor with golden trims. "Nice party trick, golden boy. It's my turn. Arma Tenebrarum," he shouted, and black and crimson dragon-scale armor formed on his body. Orphenius struck a battle position, and Belphimore did so too. They walked in circles with Orphenius standing at one end, his armor gleaming with the bright rays of light. On the other side, Belphimore leaned casually against the wall, a smirk playing on his lips, his stance relaxed, but his eyes sharp. Belphimore unsheathed his broadsword, its weight familiar in his hands. Without further exchange, they closed the distance. Orphenius struck first, his blade a blur, aiming for Belphimore's shoulder. Belphimore parried, the clash of steel ringing out. He countered with a heavy swing, which Orphenius narrowly avoided by twisting away. The fight intensified. Orphenius danced around Belphimore, his movements fluid, exploiting every opening. Belphimore, grounded and methodical, absorbed the flurry, waiting for the right moment. A sudden feint from Orphenius drew Belphimore's guard low, allowing a quick slash across his upper arm. Belphimore grunted, the pain sharp but manageable. He responded with a powerful overhead strike, forcing Orphenius to retreat."Do you still think you're capable of beating me?" Orphenius taunted, circling him. Belphimore's eyes narrowed. "You've still not gained the victory." They clashed again, blades meeting in a flurry. Sweat dripped from their brows. Each strike, each parry, was a conversation.Seizing the advantage, Belphimore pressed forward, his strikes more aggressive. Orphenius backpedaled, regaining his composure, and with a swift maneuver, disarmed Belphimore, sending his sword skidding across the floor.Breathing heavily, Belphimore faced his opponent unarmed. Orphenius pointed his rapier at him, chest heaving. "I've defeated you. Let me go," Orphenius said, voice tinged with both triumph and regret. Belphimore met his gaze, pride and defiance burning in his eyes. "Finish me off." Orphenius smiled as he lifted his sword to deliver the finishing blow. Belphimore smiled as he pulled back and swoop kicked him. He fell back, dropping his sword, as Belphimore rose and stood over him. Orphenius did a Chinese wake-up and stood on his feet. They began walking in circles again. "Ignis ferrox, ardere visca!"Orphenius shouted, shooting a fireball at Belphimore. Belphimore dodged smoothly as the fireball passed and killed three of his men. Belphimore looked at them and said, "Useless morons." He turned to face Orphenius and tauntingly said, "Guess your hand-eye coordination is as bad as your magic," as they continued to walked to walk in circles. Orphenius grinned and shot a fireball at Belphimore, who dodged again for the fireball to hit the wall, creating a hole. "Now let me show you how to create a real fireball," Belphimore said, putting his palms together in the opposite way. He pulled his hands apart, pointing his right hand at Orphenius, and shot a black fireball out of it. Orphenius' brain could not comprehend the attack before it struck his chest, which sent him flying back. "Black..., black fire," Orphenius said with shock and fear. Belphmore inhaled loudly and smiled wickedly. "I can smell your fear," he said, kicking the air, which sent a strong gust of wind at him. Belphimore slowly walked towards Orphenius, who helplessly crawled on the floor. "I know this isn't ready, but Ipsi Videntur," Orphenius shouted as he rose, and fifteen duplicates of himself appeared around him. "Multiplication spell, huh?" Belphimore said with a smirk on his face."Two can play at that game." Belphimore said as he walked towards him, and his duplicates started coming out of him. "This place isn't big enough for what I want to do to you." "Hah!" Belphimore scoffed. "Are you joking?" "Then take this as the new joke," Orphenius said, putting his hands together. "Dilatatio dominii," he screamed, separating them. A blinding light filled the room, and when Orphenius opened his eyes, he and his foe were in another place.
The chamber pulsed with ancient energy, its stone walls etched with glowing runes that flickered like distant stars. Belphimore stood at one end, his robes billowing as if caught in an unseen breeze. Across from him, Orphenius paced, his fingers twitching with anticipation, sparks of raw magic dancing along his fingertips.
"Still relying on old spells, Orphenius?" Belphimore sneered, his voice echoing off the chamber walls.
Belphimore's eyes snapped open, revealing irises that shimmered with ethereal light. "You brought me here, Orphenius. But you won't leave here alive."
With a sudden motion, Orphenius thrust his hand forward, releasing a ball of green fire that crackled through the air. Belphimore raised a hand, conjuring a translucent barrier that absorbed the attack, the impact resonating like a gong.
The ground trembled as Belphimore retaliated, summoning tendrils of black light that surged toward Orphenius. With a grin, Orphenius spun, the tendrils dissipating against a shield of swirling shadows.
"You'll have to do better than that," Orphenius taunted, launching a barrage of fiery orbs. Belphimore countered, weaving a lattice of light that intercepted the flames, each collision illuminating the chamber in bursts of color.
The duel intensified, magic clashing in a symphony of light and sound. Orphenius summoned a vortex of wind, attempting to unbalance his opponent. Belphimore anchored himself with a gravitational spell, the floor cracking beneath his feet as he stood firm.
Drawing upon the chamber's ambient energy, Belphimore extended his arms, channeling a beam of concentrated light toward Orphenius. Eyes narrowing, Orphenius absorbed the beam into a prism of darkness, redirecting its force back at Belphimore. Caught off guard, Belphimore was propelled backward, skidding across the stone floor.
Pain surged through Belphimore's body, but he rose, determination etched into his features. He whispered an incantation, and the runes on the walls flared, infusing him with renewed strength.
Orphenius, sensing the shift, unleashed a tempest of arcane missiles. Belphimore responded with a wave of his hand, transforming the missiles into harmless motes of light that floated gently to the ground.
"What in Photes' name," Orphenius shouted, sweat beading on his brow. "But let's see how you handle this."
"Feralis lupus, me defendite!" he shouted, raising both hands, summoning a colossal wolf composed of light and flame. The creature barked, its eyes glowing with malevolence as it lunged at Belphimore.
Summoning his inner reserves, Belphimore conjured a phoenix of pure light, its wings spanning the width of the chamber. The two constructs collided mid-air, and the ensuing explosion shook the chamber's very foundations.
As the dust settled, both men stood, visibly exhausted. Their magical auras flickered, the toll of the battle evident.
Orphenius stood amidst the remnants of the shattered chamber, his breath ragged and uneven. The air was thick with the acrid scent of burnt ozone, a testament to the ferocity of the magical duel that had just transpired. His silver armor, once gleaming with golden trims, now bore scorch marks and dents, each telling a tale of a narrowly deflected spell or a hastily conjured shield.
Across from him, Belphimore emerged from the settling dust, his black and crimson dragon-scale armor shimmering ominously. His eyes, glowing with a malevolent light, locked onto Orphenius with predatory intent.
Breathing heavily, Orphenius steadied himself, every fiber of his body screaming for rest. Belphimore, though equally taxed, still bore that cruel smirk — like a predator savoring the end of the hunt.
"You've always been a thorn in my side, Orphenius," Belphimore sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. "But this ends now."
Orphenius tightened his grip on a staff, the runes etched along its length pulsating with residual energy. "Your reign of terror ends here, Belphimore. I won't let you continue this path of destruction."
With a guttural roar, Belphimore raised his hands, summoning a torrent of dark energy that coalesced into a massive sphere above him. The chamber trembled as the sphere grew, absorbing the ambient magic from the surroundings.
Orphenius's eyes widened. He recognized the spell—Oblivion's Embrace, a forbidden incantation capable of erasing matter from existence. He had only read about it in ancient tomes, never witnessing it firsthand, and never taking it seriously.
Thinking quickly, Orphenius chanted, "Aegis Lumina!" A radiant shield enveloped him, its brilliance contrasting starkly against the encroaching darkness of Belphimore's spell.
With a malicious grin, Belphimore hurled the sphere towards Orphenius. The impact was cataclysmic. The collision of light and dark energies sent shockwaves rippling through the chamber, causing the very foundations to quake.
Orphenius's shield held, but barely. Cracks spiderwebbed across its surface, and he felt the immense pressure threatening to crush him. Gritting his teeth, he poured more energy into the shield, reinforcing it just enough to withstand the onslaught.
As the energies dissipated, both men stood amidst the devastation, panting heavily.
Belphimore chuckled darkly. "Impressive. But how long can you keep this up?"
Orphenius didn't respond. Instead, he focused inward, tapping into the latent energies of the chamber. He could feel the ancient magic that permeated the place, remnants of a bygone era.
Drawing upon this power, he began a complex incantation. "Tempus Reverti!" Time itself seemed to slow as Orphenius manipulated the temporal energies, attempting to rewind the last few moments to gain an advantage.
But Belphimore was prepared. With a swift motion, he disrupted the spell, causing a backlash that sent Orphenius sprawling.
"You think you can outmaneuver me with parlor tricks?" Belphimore taunted, advancing menacingly.
Orphenius clenched his fists. He had no choice. He couldn't win this—not like this. The summoning, the teleportation, the constructs — he had burned through too much mana too quickly. Every breath was a labor. Every step, a gamble.
Orphenius struggled to his feet, blood trickling from a gash on his forehead. Desperation crept into his eyes. He needed a plan—and fast.
Scanning the chamber, he noticed the ancient runes on the walls, still glowing faintly. An idea sparked.
Feigning weakness, Orphenius staggered towards the wall, placing his hand upon the runes. Channeling his energy, he activated them, causing the chamber to respond.
"Tired already?" Belphimore rasped, his voice ragged but laced with cruel amusement. Belphimore raised a hand, dark energy crackling between his fingers. "Let's end this, shall we?"
Orphenius faked a lunge to the left, drawing Belphimore's focus for the briefest moment. It was enough. With a desperate whisper, he chanted, "Fuga Umbrae!"
A blast of blinding darkness erupted around him, swallowing the chamber in a shroud of night. Belphimore cursed and threw up a shield, expecting an attack. Instead, he heard only retreating footsteps.
"Running?!" Belphimore's voice roared through the gloom. "You think you can flee from me?!"
Orphenius sprinted toward the shattered hole left from the earlier fireball—the hole in the wall he'd deliberately created during their first exchange. He could hear the furious pounding of Belphimore's boots behind him.
"Corrumpere vincula!" Belphimore shouted, and chains of black magic snaked through the air, trying to ensnare Orphenius.
Orphenius hurled himself through the hole just before the chains could wrap around his ankles. They snapped shut like the jaws of a beast just inches behind him.
He hit the cold stone outside hard, rolling painfully across the ground. But he didn't stop. He couldn't afford to. He scrambled to his feet, ignoring the sharp sting in his ribs, and bolted into the misty forest beyond the ancient ruins.
Inside, Belphimore reached the breach in the wall and snarled, surveying the darkness beyond. "You can run, Orphenius!" he bellowed. "But you cannot hide forever!"
Hiding behind a thick, mossy tree several dozen paces away, Orphenius pressed a trembling hand against his chest, feeling the dull throb of his injuries. He heard Belphimore's roar echo across the ruins, felt the dark magic swirling angrily through the air. He knew it was only a matter of time before Belphimore hunted him down again.
But he was alive. Barely, but alive.
He allowed himself a grim, tired smile as he whispered, "Next time, Belphimore... I'll be ready."
With a final glance at the broken ruin where his near-death had played out, Orphenius melted into the shadows of the forest, the night swallowing him whole.
The chase was far from over.