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It was a day like any other at the Russo house, or at least that's how it seemed to anyone outside our lives. The daily routine of magic was in motion, and Dad, as always, was in charge of the lessons. There was something in his tone of voice when he taught us that told me he expected a lot from us. However, I no longer felt like I was learning anything new.
I was sitting on the couch in the lair, watching Justin and Alex, who were both focused on their own spells while Dad gave them instructions. Justin, the eternal magic enthusiast, seemed to be enjoying the moment, as always. Alex, on the other hand, looked a little distracted, but she was still showing the same skill with magic as usual. And there I was — frustrated.
Dad looked at the three of us with a smile.
—"Today we're going to review a basic defense spell, but it can also be used to immobilize your enemies. Alex, can you demonstrate?"
Alex, with her usual confidence, said firmly:
—"Bind chain!"
Chains appeared around Justin, Dad, and me. Alex was about to run off, but before she could, Justin said:
—"Bind chain!"
I stood up from the table and walked over to Dad. He stopped talking to the others when he saw my serious expression.
—"Dad, I don't want to keep taking these lessons anymore," I said with firm decision in my voice.
He looked at me, confused, but didn't lose his composure.
—"What do you mean by that?" he asked, as if he couldn't believe what he had just heard.
—"Exactly that. I've already accepted that I might not win the wizard competition — and if that's the case, who cares? What do you all expect me to do after I become the family wizard? After all, we all know the chances of winning are between Justin and Alex."
I crossed my arms, looking at Dad seriously.
—"If you allow me, I want to go one step further. I propose a challenge. I want a duel with you. If I win, I won't take another magic lesson from you or anyone in the family ever again."
—"A duel?" he asked, with an amused smile, although it was obvious he didn't expect me to take it so seriously.
—"Yes," I replied without hesitation. "Choose your best duelist. The strongest you have — the best. If I defeat him, I promise you'll never see me in one of your classes again."
A heavy silence fell over the room, and all eyes turned toward me. Justin and Alex couldn't believe what they were hearing.
—"Dad… are you sure about this?" Justin asked, raising an eyebrow. "Max is… well, a little out of control with all of this."
Dad frowned thoughtfully. I wasn't afraid of the challenge; I knew this was the moment. My magic was stronger than they thought, and I was going to prove it.
Finally, after a long silence, Dad nodded.
—"Alright," he said with a confident smile. "I'll choose the best duelist in the magical world. Someone who will test you. Be ready."
Dad left the room, and shortly after, he returned with a man I had never seen before. A wizard with an imposing appearance, wearing a black cloak and an aura so dark that I felt uncomfortable for a second. His wand glowed with an intensity that made it clear he was no ordinary person.
—"This is Elrik. The best duelist in the magical world. If you defeat him, you'll win your freedom, Max," Dad said with a proud tone.
Elrik nodded with a cold smile, his gaze fixed on me. It was obvious he was underestimating me, but that only motivated me more.
Dad took out an object, and the whole room shifted into a combat arena. The duel began quickly. Elrik cast a spell:
—"Magic Ray!"
His wand shot a powerful bolt toward me.
—"Protego!" I said, and then quickly followed with — "Sectumsempra!"
—"Arcane Wall!" Elrik responded, creating a magical barrier that partially blocked the Sectumsempra. However, a thin line of blood appeared on his cheek. His eyes narrowed, incredulous.
Elrik didn't let the cut intimidate him. He raised his wand and pointed it directly at me.
—"Elemental Flames!" —A torrent of fire shot toward me.
A massive wave of flames came at me, and I couldn't dodge it. The pain was too intense for me to move, and before he could attack me with more spells, I shouted:
—"Crucio!"
Elrik fell to his knees, screaming in pain as invisible currents of energy ran through his body. The entire room fell into complete silence, holding their breath.
A red beam shot from my wand, hitting Elrik directly in the chest.
Elrik collapsed to his knees, letting out a blood-curdling scream. His body arched as waves of pain traveled through every inch of his being. The veins in his neck bulged, and his face twisted in pure agony.
—"Max…" Justin whispered, his eyes wide with shock. "What are you doing?!"
But I couldn't hear him.
Elrik screamed and writhed on the ground. I could feel the magic flowing through my body — pure, intense… perfect. The feeling of having that absolute power over another person was intoxicating.
—"Max, stop!" Justin shouted.
I didn't care.
I took a step toward Elrik, keeping my wand firmly pointed at him while the spell kept flowing.
—"Weren't you the best duelist in the world?" I said mockingly. "Then… get up!"
Elrik screamed even louder. The pain had to be burning through every nerve in his body. I realized I was smiling. Smiling.
—"Max…" Dad's voice cut through the room — loud and authoritative. "Max, stop!"
I ignored him.
—"Come on, Elrik," I said, my smile widening. "Is that all you've got?"
Justin ran toward me, but before he could reach me, Dad raised his hand.
—"Max, enough," Dad said, this time with a much more severe tone.
But I didn't stop. The magic was coursing through my veins like liquid fire. I felt like I could crush him — that I could keep increasing the power, and there would be nothing he could do to stop me.
Then I felt a hand on my shoulder.
—"Max."
My father was behind me, looking me directly in the eyes.
—"That's enough."
I felt his words cut through the connection with my wand. My breathing was heavy. I realized my heart was pounding in my ears.
I slowly lowered my wand. Elrik collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily, his body still trembling from the pain.
Then I felt my mind cloud over… and everything went dark.
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