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Merlin stepped forward.
Lazarus felt both Merlin's and Bruen's power coalescing and it was like being close to an open furnace. Bruen smiled as he held the thin sword raised above his head. Suddenly, the orc wizard moved so fast Lazarus couldn't see him attack Merlin until sparks of power exploded between their battling powers.
Merlin created an electric shield and it sparked as Bruen brought the blade down in an arc. Their combined powers exploded, creating a wave of power which forced Lazarus off his feet. He struck a rock and landed in a small bush. Dazed and a little nauseous from the converging powers, he looked up and saw Merlin and Bruen had gone.
The two combatants were flying upwards into the sky. Merlin soared into the clouds. Lighting and thunder burst from the sky and struck Bruen. The Mage orc screamed in pain and fell to the ground.
Lazarus stood from his position. He ran toward the orcs guarding his friends and created a magical flame spell. He was about to unleash it when he was lifted off his feet and flung to the side where he struck the ground hard. Pain wracked his whole body. Lying on his side, he saw the grinning face of Bruen. He shook his head and then flew upwards to Merlin.
Bruen pointed his sword at Merlin, who was floating and waiting for him. Magic shot forward from the tip of the weapon and was about to hit Merlin, but the magic passed through him. A grinning Merlin was a few feet away and he pointed a fist at Bruen. The orc Mage was hit by an air fist.
Lazarus heard Bruen scream again in pain, yet the orc Mage suddenly shot upwards and struck Merlin. The great Mage created a magical shield but when Bruen’s sword struck the barrier Merlin was knocked down from his position and he fell a few feet.
Lazarus yelled and was about to enter the fray but Merlin soared to the side away from the orc Mage. He drifted downwards and waited on the ground. Merlin beckoned Bruen to come down to face him.
The orc wizard flew from his position and somersaulted in the air and landed on the ground. Bruen swung the sword back and forth. Fire crackled as the weapon moved. With each arc, the flames from the sword become an inferno and then became a large beast. It attacked Merlin with one of its flaming talons.
Merlin smote the flame beasts and Bruen at the same time with a blinding lightning bolt, which shot in arcs from his hands.
Lazarus felt the powerful magic each time they cast a strong spell. He wanted to intervene but he didn't want to hamper Merlin's concentration. Lazarus turned and noticed the orcs surrounding his friends were watching the two combatants fighting. He saw Cindy staring at him with fear, and Lazarus knew he had to do something. Without thinking, he launched himself forward.
Lazarus shot green flames from his hands. Three of the fifteen orcs were engulfed in fire and they fell to the ground writhing in pain.
His friends stared at him, and tried to move but couldn't with the magical net surrounding them. Royce growled and clawed at the net.
Lazarus felt something coming at him. An orc with his large axe raised struck down at him. Lazarus held up a hand in defense and blasted the orc with ice. The creature suddenly froze before him. He kicked the orc and it cracked in pieces to the floor.
Gathering his magic, he raised his hand and froze all the remaining orcs that stood with their weapons.
He moved his hand close to Cindy's hand. She couldn't move. Lazarus looked at the magical net and the power surrounding it. For some reason, he knew how to unlock it. He heard Merlin’s voice in his head. "Use the opposite power."
The magical net was made with dark Earth manna. He placed his hand on the net and used air magic to unfurl the net. The magical net instantly disappeared.
"I did it," Lazarus exclaimed. Cindy jumped into his arms, but then she pushed away and slapped him hard across his face.
Shannol said, "Master Lazarus, I think you need to help Merlin."
He turned and saw the great wizard blasting Bruen with a dark vicious power, but Bruen was holding up his sword and blocking the power.
Lazarus said, "What do I do?"
"We can give him our power," Grace yelled.
Cindy said, "I think Merlin has enough power."
Bruen slashed downward with his sword and a wind of bright power struck Merlin, knocking him from the area he floated in. The great wizard fell.
Lazarus flew upward and placed a protective covering over Merlin and halted his descent.
"Thank you,” Merlin said. “I was waiting for you to join the fight."
Merlin stood and floated upwards.
Lazarus heard the great wizard in his head. "I created this sword to fight against Morgana. The only weakness this weapon had was the user. I will grab it."
"What? Don't do it."
"Bring me back," Merlin said.
"I don't understand."
Merlin winked at him. He instantly flew at Bruen and before the Mage orc could respond Merlin had grabbed the sword at the hilt.
Lazarus saw something odd. Merlin was sucking up all the power of the sword.
Bruen was surprised at first, but then he tried to wrestle the sword from Merlin's grasp and couldn't.
Merlin’s voice came into his head again. "Lazarus, get your friends out of here. I will tell you were Excalibur is. Just leave. Now!"
"Everybody, we need to fly away from here," he said. He didn't care if his friends heard. He instantly used his power and yanked his friends into the air. He heard Shannol yell something, and Royce growled. They moved over the tops of the forest. Lazarus felt magic coalescing again.
Cindy said, "I feel like something is sucking my magic."
"It's Merlin," Lazarus said. "I don't know what is happening, but we have to leave."
