Jonathan Thunder

CHAPTER 1 Herbert, you better stay away from that man. He is a commoner but he definitely isn't a pretender. Did you just see that? There were three of them and the first died so quickly I didn't even realize that he had been dealt with. You let your friends run their mouth, you stay out of it. Let them be outraged enough to stand across from that man in the Arena. -Ivy Lowe speaking to her husband Herbert Lowe “I want you all to listen very closely,” Jonathan said as his voice was artificially boosted by magic. Jonathan could hear the jeers, they were silent at first and were steadily gaining in volume. “There are many of you in this crowd that hate me, you hate what I represent and you want me replaced. You have not seen me in my element before, the Haffles, have not seen me in my element before. I can tell this, because the Haffles are in front of me and are so outraged by me being named Archmage that they are willing to put their entire bloodline at risk.” “Can you just hurry this up!” Prince Jeffrey snapped. “No, I cannot hurry this up!” Jonathan snapped back. “This is my duel and I have the right to say what I please and for how long I please to say it. If, Your Highness, you are so incensed and insulted then I challenge you to either find a champion to face me afterwards or climb in here yourself.” “Did you just threaten me?” Prince Jeffrey said angrily. “I just told you the rules, find your Champion or sit down,” Jonathan said. “Unless you believe that you are a King and that your will should be followed above the Queen’s laws. Say it now and say it loudly for us to hear.” Jonathan stared down Prince Jeffrey who gave him a similar venomous look. Jonathan turned his gaze away and focused on his opponents. Jorn Haffle was a Mage of decent standing that came from good money. He had married well and from that union had one daughter and two sons. Those sons were standing next to him, a fourteen year old boy named Reginald and a sixteen year old boy named Jorn Jr. that was going to start the Tower this year. Jorn Haffle had fallen ill to the Speckled Fever and was one of the few Mages to beat the disease. Once he healed up, he was outraged about Jonathan becoming Archmage and traveled to find Jonathan to personally challenge him. Jonathan didn't even bother with the man, instead he told him to go away. Jorn responded by trying to attack Jonathan only to be slapped hard across the face. Jorn Jr. blindsided Jonathan with a strong Magebolt. Before Jonathan could get his senses together, Reginald had joined the attack which was eventually broken up by the Royal Guard. Jonathan accepted the challenge, his only condition was if all of the Haffle men were in the ring against him. Prince Jeffrey himself was overjoyed once he found out that Jonathan was beaten down and further elated when he heard about the match being a three versus one. Prince Jeffrey himself had given his permission for the duel. “Like I was saying, anyone who has seen me fight before may hate me as a man but respects my ability,” Jonathan continued. “There is a reason that coward Kevin Wilson would rather watch me kill his weakling brother than get in here against me himself. There is a reason Walter Westcott gave up his status as Champion rather than come in here and face me. There is a reason the Dragonknights of Downey killed many of our people but ran in fear when they saw I was on the field. I am the deadliest Mage that ever existed. I am the best Mage that ever was, the best Mage that ever is, and the best Mage that ever will be. I will not spare any of the Haffles, they represent the old ways. They represent sending commoner Mages off to die while the so called nobles sit on their asses and criticize while watching from afar. They would gladly continue the trend that coward Kevin Wilson started. It is because of that, that I see wiping them from the Kingdom as a public service. Don't blink when this match starts, it will be over quickly.” “Finally,” Prince Jeffrey said. “Could you talk any longer? Jorn, do you or your sons have anything you need to say?” “This commoner is an idiot!” Jorn Jr. said as the crowd broke into uneasy laughter. “I already put him down once, now he thinks he can take on all three of us! He is even letting us pick our places on the field.” “We don't have anything more to say,” Jorn said. “I don't want the mantle of Archmage, but I am willing to bear it until a more suitable Mage is found.” Jonathan watched as Jorn finished and told his sons to spread out. Jorn wanted to be a few paces to Jonathan’s right and have Jorn Junior a few paces to Jonathan’s left. Reginald was going to be across the arena in the traditional starting position. Jonathan supposed it was a good plan, Jonathan would have to focus on one of the Haffles nearest him while the others could pound on him. Jonathan thought against anyone else that maybe it would have worked. Monica Manchin would have found it difficult to escape. Perhaps only the Golad twins stood a chance after being placed in such a predicament. Jonathan waited for the signal to begin, Prince Jeffrey would be the one giving it. A loud sound was heard and Jonathan instantly launched a sizable bolt of lightning at Jorn Jr. that Jonathan was sure took the younger Mage by surprise. It was not a stunning blow but a killing one. Jonathan was sure under the bulky robe that