The Judgement of the Profession

Tenever felt the changes in reality's weave as the orc mage assembled her spell. The methods by which she tugged were strange, the power foreign-tasting and roundabout, and in another time he might have been interested in their function and construction.

But now he had to focus, and this he did. The golem swung both arms in a deceptively languid downwards blow that Tenever could not evade, not without leaving the orc to die. He brought up a magical defense of considerable strength, manifesting as an immaterial white disk. It rang like a gong, a deep bass note, when struck.

Stone fragments and sparks exploded outwards in a circular blast wave. Tenever grunted, feeling the shield channel the kinetics back into him. The arcane surge filled him to capacity, and he re-radiated the energy in a spray of prismatic light that reflected wildly as it flashed across the golem's body.

The orc, at last, turned to Tenever with a smile. He felt a gentle tug as his wards were evaded, and then the golem disappeared.