Read Off to Be the Wizard - 2 - Spell or High Water for Free Online Page B

down gently to Earth.
    Gary lay motionless for a moment in the scrub grass along the river bank, eyes closed, gathering his strength, hopefully luring Martin in closer. After a carefully timed interval, Gary sprung up into a three-point crouch, his staff held in front of him. His defiant laugh was made less dramatic by the fact that he misjudged Martin’s location and had sprung up facing away from him. Gary felt something soft hit him in the back, heard Martin say, “Bamf,” then felt Martin’s full weight bear down on his back, buckling his arm and forcing him back into the dirt.
    “You done?” Martin asked, standing on Gary’s back as he lay prone in the dirt.
    “Yeah, I guess,” was Gary’s muffled reply.
    Martin stepped off of his friend and gave him a hand up. He didn’t mention that Gary had two big dusty footprints on the back of his robe, and he hoped nobody else would tell him either.
    They turned their attention to Tyler, who was still creating foul, purple curlicues in the sky. Gary muttered something under his breath, and the smoke and noise let out one last, powerful trumpet blast, then stopped. Tyler remained motionless, a dot in the sky, for a moment while he composed himself. When he was ready, he flew to Martin and Gary’s position, landing in front of them, glaring at Gary the entire time.
    After a thick, velvety silence, Tyler asked Gary, “When will this smell come out of my robe?”
    Gary said, “As soon as you figure out how to make it come out. Sorry. ”
    “You will be,” Tyler said. He then turned his attention to Martin . “So, what’s up with the old guy?”
    They were amazed to hear that Roy was from the year 1973, or as Gary put it, pre- Star Wars . Martin told them about how Roy had arrived the night before, copped an attitude, then settled down eventually. He hoped Roy wasn’t giving Jeff a hard time. Jeff could be a little sensitive.
    They took to the air to reconnect with Jeff and Roy. Martin was relieved to find them sitting in the grass, Jeff listening in rapt attention as Roy told him about what it was like to work at the Skunk Works.
    Now that the pleasantries and the combat were over, they all formally demonstrated the new defensive power they’d brought to share. Gary described what he called his “gas jets,” which he’d accidentally used on Tyler.
    Tyler demonstrated his spell by deliberately using it on Gary. Tyler shot him in the back with one of the same glowing bolts Martin had seen whiz past him during their chase. As soon as it hit Gary, he was lifted into the air. Gary swung and lolled sickeningly in space. Clearly he had no ability to stabilize himself . He was also visibly vibrating as he hung in space, helpless .
    “WHYYYYYYYY,” Gary whined, in a goat-like, wavering tone.
    Tyler walked toward the helpless wizard. He grabbed Gary’s leg, stopping his motion.
    Gary said, “Thaaanks.”
    Tyler said, “You’re welcome,” and gave him a good, hearty spin. “I’m sure this looks familiar to you all,” Tyler said. “The spell lifts the victim three feet into the air, drops him, then places him right back there, three feet above the ground. It does this ten times a second. The result is that the target is helpless, and has no attitude control, although, in this case, the target had never been able to control his attitude in the first place.”
    Gary told Tyler to shut up. Tyler shoved Gary with all his might, sending him gliding away from the group, yelling plaintively the whole way.
    Tyler continued. “Also, the vibration humiliates the target, and almost instantly gives them a splitting headache.”
    Roy asked, “Why would you think that would look familiar to us?”
    “Oh,” Tyler said, “sorry, Roy. I forgot you were so new. It’s based on a spell Martin invented, and used in front of all us wizards once.”
    Roy turned to Martin. “You invented that? Kiddo, that’s diabolical .”
    Martin shrugged and said, “Yeah, well, I hope never