Hunted Sorcery (Jon Oklar Book 2), B.T. Narro [digital book reader txt] 📗

could have removed the curse long ago but didn’t care to do it.”

“I thought you said a curse is like enchanting.”

“Enchanting gone horribly wrong, yes.”

“But enchanters can’t do anything to an enchant after it is completed.”

Leon shrugged. “Different rules. If you believe in the demigods, you might want to thank Airinold for that. He gave up a lot more of his power to create dteria than Nijja did to create ordia.”

“I thought you didn’t believe in the demigods.”

“I believe in some aspects to the stories, like the ones that make sense. Dteria is stronger than any other magical art. There’s probably a reason for it.”

And the simplest reason is the most likely to be correct. It was something I believed, and it sounded like Leon did as well.

I supposed that meant I believed demigods were real.

I suddenly recognized the man walking toward us. Leon put out his arm protectively across my chest as he stepped in front of me.

“Stay behind me, Jon.”

Cason, with his dark hair and dark cloak, looked almost friendly as he grinned. “Leon. It has been a long time. I’m surprised you still recognize me.”

“It’s the stink of your mana that told me it was you. What have you done to yourself, Cason?”

Cason frowned. “Chosen the winning side. You and Jon could as well. It would be as easy as convincing the king to leave his castle for me. I promise two things to you, old friend: No one will be hurt if you join me, but many will die if you don’t.”

“You hope to be king?”

“No, that role is reserved for someone else.”

The people on the street around us started to murmur as many stopped to stare. I heard Cason’s name among the whispers. Soon, everyone was hurrying away from us but a few who seemed too interested in watching to leave.

The castle was close, but not close enough for anyone there to hear me if I shouted. Cason had waited here for us, most likely. There might be a trap. I looked around, but the street was just about empty.

“You’re going to bring about the destruction of many lives,” Leon said, his voice cold. “But you can stop this. You’re the only one who has the choice to end this without death. Come with me to the castle and let’s negotiate with Nykal.”

“I will walk into the castle when it is clear. Jon, it is a surprise to see you walking.”

I didn’t reply.

“Leon, did you somehow learn to extend your range of mana to lF, or is Jon here just full of surprises?”

Leon whispered to me, “He can heal himself like you can, probably even better. No injury will last.”

“What?” Cason said as he playfully put his hand to his ear. “I can’t hear you.” He casually came toward us as if to listen.

Leon lifted his hands and formed a sphere of fire. Ripples of heat rose up, distorting the sneer on Cason’s face.

“So your decision has been made to fight?”

“You’re sick from dteria!” Leon yelled. “Smiling like a damn fool. I know what it feels like, Cason. You have to resist the urge to use it. If you refrain long enough, your mind will return to normal.”

“This goes far beyond dteria. I’m not surprised that you haven’t figured it out by now. You’ve always been dense.”

“Last chance, Cason.” Leon widened the girth of his hovering fireball. The heat made me wince as I squinted to study our enemy’s eyes. If a trap was in place, Cason would be the first to look in its direction.

I was shocked when, instead, he soared into the air. Cason soon started to come down over us. Leon hurled his fireball up at Cason, but Cason must’ve made a shield of dteria. Leon’s fire washed over the clear energy, sizzling yellow and orange. It continued to burn, revealing a cluster of dteria that suddenly came at our heads with incredible speed.

“Move!” Leon yelled.

I dove as I heard the spell strike the ground between us with a thud. Dust rose up as I got to my feet.

Cason was about to crash down, but an upward swing of momentum gave him a soft landing. He motioned like he was throwing something at me, and another cluster of dteria sped at my chest like a hurled stone.

I fell backward to avoid it. Unfortunately, it struck Leon behind me. It looked like he’d caught a massive steel ball as he was taken off his feet and rolled along the dirt road.

I got up and faced Cason. Neither of us had a weapon, it seemed. Again, I looked around. He couldn’t be here alone. Or was he just that confident?

No, I caught sight of one man coming around the chimney of a roof. He had a sword, a weapon I desperately wanted in my own hands. I looked across the street the other way and saw someone else hopping down from another roof. This man had a long staff. I wasn’t sure if it might be enchanted to enhance his ability somehow or if it was just a melee weapon. Either way, they were quickly surrounding us.

I saw one woman who still had not fled yet. “Get the guards!” I yelled to her.

She didn’t move, just gaped at me.

“Go!” I tried again.

I flinched as something fast moved in front of me. A cluster of clear energy smacked the woman hard enough to toss her into the wall of a building. She fell and did not move.

Cason laughed like a madman, a clear effect of the dteria. “You must see now that it is pointless to stand against me!”

Leon was getting back up with a groan. “Do you even hear yourself? Your mind is completely lost to the dark magic. And more importantly, you sound like an idiot!”

Cason showed gritted teeth as he motioned like he was throwing something at Leon. Another cluster of dteria flew at Leon faster than any man could toss a stone. Leon flicked his hand. A wall of water appeared