Vidare 13: the Duel

"Again." Jason looked up at the sky. "We're going to stay on this until it's perfect."

"Jason, it's been over an hour." Derrick whined.

"Do you need a break? Are you worn down?" Jason asked quizzically.

"No I'm not tired, I'm just frustrated with how it's going. I feel like I'm never going to master this." Derrick paced with his hand on his hips, panting as he caught his breath.

"You're going to get this. It's taking time because you're still young. This reads as a powerful skill. Do you think just anyone can paralyze people so easily?" Jason smiled. "The fact that you even have this much mastered is amazing."

"Why do I have to learn it?" Derrick sighed.

"Derrick. One day the Akashayana is going to order you to kill people." Jason said sadly.

"I...I don't want to kill anyone again." Derrick looked scared as he looked all over the place.

"You won't have to. I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure you never have to." Jason put his hand on his shoulder.

"But orders are orders, I thought we were supposed to fulfill every mission we were given?"

"We are...but I don't want you to have blood on your hands ever. It's a horrible feeling to kill."

"I remember..." Derrick sighed. "I couldn't sleep for days."

"Nothing can make that feeling better, so we try to help people. I want you to learn to paralyze so you don't have to kill them. You could...be like Batman." Jason smiled. "You stop people, lock them away, but you don't have to kill."

"That sounds cool as hell." Derrick smiled. "Thank you Jason, can we run it again?"

"Absolutely. Assume your stance." Derrick dropped into form and poised his hands for the strike. "Begin movement." Derrick slowly turned, balancing his weight on his back foot as he realigned his body to aim the strike. "Now invert, and strike." Derrick spun suddenly, but fell as he struck out with his fist, scraping his hands on the ground.

"God damnit." He yelled, pushing away Jason's hand when it was offered to him.

"Derrick, it's okay. We're gonna be training every day. You don't have to get this now." Jason smiled.

"How the hell am I ever supposed to make it in the Akashayana?"

"Take a break for the rest of the day and ease your muscles. Take the Epsom salt bath, and visit Kai for healing." Jason pointed. "Now young warrior." He smiled as Derrick gave him the finger and walked inside. Garrett stepped into the backyard with his vape, hitting it and blowing smoke through the grass.

"How's training?" He asked.

Jason sighed. "Kid's way too hard on himself. I've...talked with you a little about my mentor right?"

"He's a dick. He tortured you." Garrett looked worriedly.

"Eventually, I became so eager to please that I trained and studied like Derrick does with working out. Every day I worked magic until I unleashed backlash or collapsed of exhaustion. Derrick was given the same kind of rigor from his father. That kind of mentality sticks with you. It tells you every day that you're not good enough to undo what they told you." Jason bitterly stared at the ground.

"You want advice I assume?" Garrett asked as he blew another puff.

"Always." Jason nodded.

"You are not David. You are not the cruel and merciless dick that he was to you. You now have a chance to go back and redo the pain that he inflicted, while helping Derrick. I suggest you see David to ease the burden of the missions he might be given. With any luck, you can stop it before any come in. How did you find out anyway that Derrick would be allowed to kill?"

Jason fidgeted. "Vicente...warned me that those missions were inbound soon."

"I'm glad he did. None of us need the burden of more blood on our hands." Garrett smiled and opened his arms for a hug from Jason. He gripped him tightly and patted his back. "Do your best."

***

"You asked to meet with me?" David didn't look up from his desk.

"Yes...Sir." Jason closed the door slowly and sat down with a sour look. "I wanted to talk to you about the missions Derrick has been given."

"Derrick..." David mumbled in confusion. "Which one is he?"

"The little boy we rescued?" Jason said shortly. "How were you not briefed on this?"

"I was briefed. I was just drunk." David said quietly. A large bottle of whiskey sat on the desk and was more than half empty.

"Well that's nothing new." Jason grumbled.

"Apprentice what the fuck do you want?" David raised his voice, finally looked up with a glare.

"I'm not your apprentice anymore. I have been recognized time and time again as my own man." Jason shot back at him. "I'm here to ask why a little boy is being ordered to kill."

"Because he's an adult."

"No. He isn't." Jason stood angrily. "He's seventeen. He isn't a murderer, and in his stead I've taken over his duties."

"You?" David laughed. "A killer? I highly doubt that."

"I have and I will again if it means keeping that boy from you inept and inadequate teaching." Jason said coldly.

"You unbelievable child." David stood up. "That boy, like you, is nothing more than a killer."

"You made me a killer!" Jason screamed. "Had you taught me control, I might have saved her!"

"Quit fucking joking yourself and whining over your childhood. The minute your mother was cold I took you in and gave you every bit of strength I had. You're a coward."

"And you're drunk!" Jason slammed his hands on the desk. "Why are you like this David?"

David poured himself a glass, lifted it to his lips, and then motioned for the door. "I don't need to explain myself to you. Get the fuck out of my office. You have no reason to whine about your missions, so you better get out and go do them."

"Can you...just try to be a human for five seconds?" Jason cried out. "Why David...what drove you to be this man? Speak with me for just a second as an adult. See me for what I've made of myself."

David sipped the drink again and set it back down. "Alright. You've got my attention. You're an achieved and practiced magician who has taken on the roles of a team and the ability to carry out tasks of others if need be. You exceed me in breaking the record for apprenticeship time required, and have a diligent study of magic." David stepped around his desk and faced Jason. "Now, with all of those things out of the way, I have something to ask you." David got closer yet again, the whiskey on his breath heavy. "Do you honestly think that you can spare him forever?"

"No. But I ask for mercy until he is ready." Jason faced him defiantly. "I ask for mercy I was never shown, in my own experience as a magician."

"And I refuse, lest you take my position, you'll never get your request." David wobbled slightly.

"I challenge you. A formal duel for the title." Jason balled his fists.

"You...what?" David laughed. "Well how about Jason, you might have some balls on you yet. Alright scared little boy, notify the houses."

"Tomorrow, 8 am. I'm going to wipe the floor with you."

"I think you'll see I have a lot more than you ever thought." Jason grit his teeth. Jason stormed out of the office and slammed the door on his way out, pulling his phone out to text the rest of his cabal.

***

"Jason, are you sure you wanna do this?" Kai asked as he handed him water.

"He could kill you." Garrett added.

"Or at best, maim you for life." Miles sighed. "It's not too late to back out."

"Hey. Don't say that. Jason, you can do this." Ariana smiled. "Beat his ass and we can take Derrick out for ice cream."

Jason grinned at her. "Is he okay at Rema's? I feel bad we all ditched for this mess."

"It's not a mess. You're gonna win." Kai smiled.

The large circular room was outlined in rings with the inner one being inlaid in gold with runes etched right in. For years the duels of the Hermetics had taken place in this hall, and on the opposite end of the room were three seats for the rule enforcers of the duel.

As the watchers took their seats and noted that they were ready, David and Jason stepped into opposite ends of the ring. In the large runed circle that spanned the room, David raised his arms across his chest. Large glowing orbs began to appear as revolving and spinning balls around him. Six of them appeared in a large circle like a force field, and a pattern emerged.

"What the hell is that?" Ariana whispered.

"It's a manifestation of the enlightenment that they have achieved." Miles stated. He watched as three orbs appeared from behind the head of Jason. "Jason is only halfway there."

"But he's quite talented. I thought we were all grouped together based on our ability. Aren't we on the same level?"

"We are, but Jason is barely 28. Imagine what he could do in thirty years." Ariana smiled. "He surpassed the record Kai, he's the youngest to ever achieve such mastery at such a young age for the apprentices of Hermetics."

Jason took one of the orbs and molded it to his hands, taking a long sword from it and materializing it into a suitable weapon. The weapon shined for a moment, and then settled into a real object. With another, he pressed his hand to it, and from it he took a circular shield.

"Traditional I see. How simple." David laughed at him. From his orbs he took first a large staff that crackled and sparked into existence. "And now, for my beauty." David took another orb in hand and from it he pulled a large steel cone.

Putting the staff to the cone, he gripped it tightly and grinned as it filled with electrical charge, amplifying the charge into a large glowing circle. The large balls of energy that served as their health for the duel attached to their chests, and the watchers for the duel raised their hands.

"Begin." They called in unison.

David fired quickly a large beam of electricity firing from the cone. Jason tried to jump out of the way, but the lighting partially struck him, burning away some of his robe. Jason stood and charged with his sword and shield, slashing at David who blocked it with his staff. He grinned before he spun his staff and knocked Jason in the face, blood spilling from his mouth onto the floor. Jason slashed at David's leg and smiled as a blow was dealt to his leg. David cried out and knocked him in the back with his staff, kicking him away.

"Little shit." David said through grit teeth. David raised his staff once again, firing his cone of lightning again. The electricity struck Jason in the face, and violently he was thrown back into the twisted position on the ground as Kai cried out in horror.

Jason stood, shakily gaining his balance. He held his sword high. "I'm not submitting to you."

"Then you'll die in the fight." David yelled, red in the face with rage.

Jason ran forward again, dropping his shield suddenly and darting to the side to gain and strike on David's shoulder, but his eyes went wide as the cone was leveled with his chest. The blast knocked him into the border of the ring, and back to the ground. His clothes were burned from his body, and his muscles spasmed horribly from the shock.

"Jason!" Miles screamed.

David lowered the cone once again to his apprentice and smiled. "It's over."

"Don't! You're gonna kill him!" Kai called out to the battlefield.

David showed no mercy as he once again fired directly into Jason's chest, sending him into a seizure-like state as the orb on his chest slowly dissipated. The border of the ring began to fall, and as it did, the cabal rushed to Jason's side as David's weapons vanished.

One of the watchers stood and waited for Jason to finish spasming, her face in shock as she watched him drool down the front of his body. "Jason, are you okay? Come on man, talk to us." Miles begged.

As he slowly opened his eyes, his burns settled from the quick action that Kai had taken, his hands still humming with glowing light. Jason only groaned, and after a minute he was able to sit up.

"Did you learn your lesson apprentice?" David called with a grin.

"Don't answer him." Ariana looked Jason in the eyes.

Jason stood slowly and with the help of his teammates, limping over to David. Despite the burns, the drool, and the glazed look in his eyes, he stood tall as he approached. "Congrats David. You won a fair challenge and did so beautifully, with mastery and form." Jason held out his hand with a forced smile.

David pointed his wand at Jason and flicked it quickly. Smiling as a large slash appeared in Jason's chest, blood spraying all over the ground as he screamed.

"What the fuck?" Kai screamed, running to catch Jason as he fell to the ground in shock, whimpering and crying as he grasped at his chest.

"What have you done?" Ariana screamed. Pressing her hands to the wound, Kai began his prayers as more and more blood continued to pour.

"Just teaching you what happens when you break protocol, apprentice." David smirked, beginning to walk out of the room.

"You fucking coward!" Miles screamed, pulling his gun and letting out a cry as it cut in half from another flick of David's wand, his hand bursting on the palm with a wide cut. Miles fell to the ground, shaking as he held his arm, and Garrett rushed over with his belt, tying the wrist off.

Ariana and Miles both screamed as the watchers for the duel ran over. "Help him!" Ariana yelled.

The watchers gathered and began administering the healing they could, sealing the wound with Kai as David pushed open the doors and left the dueling room with his hands tightly in his pockets.

***

"State your name." The councilman asked lazily.

"Jason Howard Clay, Initiate Exemptus of House -"

"Yes yes that's enough." The man waved it off. "Why are we here Jason?" Nicholas sighed.

"Because I questioned my Master, I challenged him to a duel, I lost, and he is still angry." Jason had his arms tightly behind his back.

"And David, why are we here?" Nicholas looked over to him.

"My student challenged me for my title, I expect that he accepts he could be stripped of his rank for his actions. I called to have him held to the code of The Order of Hermes." David looked bitterly over at Jason.

Nicholas continued notating diligently. "How quaint. Jason, why did you challenge your mentor?"

Jason looked over at David and back at Nicholas. "He was drunk, and refused to see reason. I asked him to spare a seventeen year old boy the missions he was assigned, which were to murder in his tradition's name."

"Touching. What happened after the duel?" Nicholas looked up again, adjusting his glasses.

"My mentor gave me this." Jason lifted his shirt to reveal the large wound running across his chest.

Nicholas shook his head with frustration. "David, thoughts?"

"He was taught a lesson, nothing more." David had a small smirk on his face.

"It seems he was taught his lesson when you defeated him." Nicholas pointed to Jason.

"And yet he continued to harass me."

"Incorrect Sir. I held out my hand and offered you congratulations." Jason said sadly, his eyes fixing to the ground.

Nicholas once again shook his head. "Is this true David?"

"It was his tone Sir." David smiled.

"What the hell am I supposed to do here?" The councilman groaned. He flipped through the record books. "David I have all three of the watchers and this kids entire cabal testifying that you attacked Jason for no reason. Do you actually expect something?"

"Serve justice. Given time, Jason should learn to respect authority as I have through my work." David smirked again.

"Yes David your work with The Ortus Cabal is well documented and recognized, however since you're disbanding, you've been written up six times for use of substances in a reckless manner while on missions. You've been put on probation more than three times for your outbursts as well." Nicholas set his notation on the table and took off his glasses to clean them.

"This is-"

"Enough David. That is quite enough. Both of you wait outside." Nicholas pointed, his eyes narrowed with anger.

David and Jason were escorted to separate rooms as they waited, and forty minutes passed as the council delegated.

"Return." Nicholas called in a booming voice, his sound amplified by simple magic that was taught to apprentices.

Slowly, Jason stood and headed back into the chamber, taking his place at the podium provided.

"Are you both ready for my decree?" Nicholas asked them both, waiting for the nod that followed.

"Jason, you have been recognized as disobeying your mentor, and insubordination. Your availability to test for your next rank is hereby pushed back two years, and your rank privileges suspended until this time."

"Thank you councilman." David grinned.

"I'm not finished. David, you are recognized as harming an apprentice with undue cause, in a violent manner, as well as another citing of acting reckless while under the influence. You'll be placed on a probationary period for a year, and submit to psychological evaluation. Your rank is hereby suspended until this process is complete."

"Motherfu-"

"Furthermore, you will surrender your mentorship over Jason, who will be assigned to another. Jason, you have our sincerest apologies. Dismissed."

"That's the third apology I've had from this order in the last month. Go fuck yourself." Jason held up his finger to Nicholas.