Lance fingered his protective amulet. Malachi snorted. "That ridiculous piece of junk? Please. A string of costume pearls would be more helpful." He doesn’t know Anna placed the counter charm on the amulet, Lance reassured himself. Malachi almost answered, then decided not to. "You ready to fight me for your mind?" "Yeah." A flash of light exploded, and Lance found himself standing on top of the cliff overlooking the sea. Five feet away, Malachi stood across from him. "Teleportation is so much faster. The mind is an amazing piece of equipment. I know the magic well." The fight began.
A green mist formed around the two men. Lance felt his feet float off the ground. He and Malachi floated in mid-air, never taking their eyes off each other. They slowly circled one another. Bands of transparent colors swirled around Lance’s body. They were blue, white, and silver. Malachi’s colors were black, red, and gold. "These are our auras," he explained as if he were speaking to a three-year-old, "Every human has one. The colors define our hearts. The colors of your aura show you have a good heart. My aura is the exact opposite. Stronger too." The sound of the sea echoed through the mist. Lance’s heartbeat pounded in his ears. "You are afraid," Malachi concluded, "Excellent."
A beam of lightening shot out from Malachi’s aura. The intensity knocked Lance backwards. A second bolt of lightening struck Lance’s aura. Searing hot pain zoomed through Lance’s blood. The blue, white, and silver colors weakened. Why isn’t the amulet protecting me? "That is the incorrect amulet," Malachi answered, "Anna accidentally switched them. Delightful mistake, wasn’t it?" Lance pushed away his worry. Using every ounce of strength, he willed himself to fight the Mind Stealer. Strike! To his surprise, lightening zapped Malachi. Malachi wobbled, but remained firm. "Not bad for a beginner." Malachi’s aura struck Lance’s. Lance, using his mind, put up a shield. The beam bounced off and lashed at his opponent’s aura. The aura crackled. Malachi blinked in astonishment. "How-how…" Lance jeered. "Anna taught me a couple moves." Enraged, Malachi flew toward Lance. Their auras collided brutally. Red light exploded inside Lance’s head. The auras vibrated, neither one prepared to give up. Give up Lance. Never, Malachi. Lance gritted his teeth and shoved his opponent’s aura with a beam of force. Malachi flew back ten feet, then lashed out at Lance. The lightening penetrated Lance’s shield. 300 bolts of electricity zoomed through his body. "Aaahhhh!" The colors of his aura weakened even more. Malachi’s aura had faded slightly. Lance, during a fight where your main weapon is your mind, Anna mentioned before his departure, You are enabled to imagine your weapons and outside forces to assist you in the fight. The higher level of experience you gain, the better supply of weapons and forces you’ll possess access to. Lance squeezed his eyes shut and imagined he carried a gun. In his mind, he could see the chained version of him break loose and grab a gun. Weapon in hand, he shot four bullets at Malachi. The booms echoed off the mist. The bullets zapped through Malachi’s aura, for he waited too long to put up his shield. Perhaps I underestimated Lance’s skills in mind games. Malachi’s aura quivered, and the colors faded to a degree. Malachi imagined he carried a dagger. The dagger stabbed Lance in the chest. Blood spurted out. Lance flung the knife aside. The bleeding stopped, but his aura crackled and vanished. Malachi laughed. Lance knew he’d remember that laugh for years to come. If he lived long enough. "Your aura is gone. Nothing to protect you." I still have my will, Lance figured. Outside forces. What forces would be totally effective? Fire! Let fire burn Malachi’s aura. Burn it now! Sparks burst into leaping flames. Malachi screamed. Suddenly, water appeared and extinguished the flames. "Nice try, Lance." Malachi murmured a chilling chant. A viper leaped out of the green mist, its fangs glimmering. They aimed for Lance’s throat. The fangs punctured two neat, clean holes. Venom rushed to his brain. Lance blacked out. Your spirit will forever be imprisoned inside your mind, which still belongs to me. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!!!!!!
