Stardust and Magic

PROLOGUE
—
ZANE’S RISE TO POWER

  TWO ELEVEN-YEAR old boys stood, facing each other, determination blazing in their eyes. They were standing in a darkened room, with only moonlight weakly shining in through the glass roof. They stood upon a large stone plinth about twenty feet long and five feet wide. The first boy had blonde hair in a crew cut, and he wore a sleeveless t-shirt with a turtleneck. His legs were dressed by baggy camo pants and he held his arms out, bent at the elbows and his palms pointed towards the other boy.
  The second boy had light-brown hair grown down past his ears, with two greased spikes of hair making a V at the back of his neck. His bangs were swept to the side so that they just covered his right eyebrow. He wore a white t-shirt that was a little too long and was five inches below the waist. His legs were garmented by long khaki pants.
  “Shall we begin?” asked the first boy.
  “When you wish, Avv,” replied the second boy.
  “Zane, you realize you will lose, don’t you?” said Avv.
  Zane chuckled dryly and smirked. “You’re so sure. You defeated the former champion when he claimed that you would lose.”
  “Well, that’s because I’m all powerful.”
  “Maybe. Let’s start now…GO!” Flinging his arms forward, Zane leaped slightly into the air and levitated backwards at a frightening speed for a distance of about one foot. Avv put on palm on the back of his other hand and placed it downwards. Light was building, flickering right above his skin. Zane placed one palm face up in the air, and arched his back. He put one foot backwards slightly, and the other one forward slightly, in a position that a runner might take on right before the race starts, but with one arm up. Blue light danced upon his hand, traveling in wispy chains down to his elbow. A sphere of blue light was formed when thin strands of energy were drawn into a central point, just above his palm.
  Both boys swung their arms. A yellow ball shot from Avv’s hand, while a pulsating stream of blue erupted from Zane’s palm. They two forces of energy collided in the center of the plinth, hovering one foot above it. The golden sphere that Avv had launched was being pushed back by Zane’s attack. Suddenly, a ring of white light formed on the ground at Zane’s feet and zoomed upwards. Zane vanished.
  He appeared behind Avv and he smote him on the back with a fiery fist. A circular shockwave blasted outwards on impact. Avv rocketed forward. 

Zane spoke some words on his breath, and then he was running at an amazing velocity, alongside Avv’s flying body.
  “Not so tough now, huh, Avv?”
  Avv grunted as he managed to flip onto his feet. His heels dug into the stone as he attempted to stop his travel. Dust collected in the air as the stone was lightly shaved by Avv’s shoes. Zane beckoned with his hands to the dust, and it traveled into his cupped hand. He threw the dust up in the air, and it condensed into several balls, which came downwards quickly, heading for Avv. Avv yelled and a powerful gust came from his mouth, rippling his cheeks. The dust was blown away. Zane was quick, though, and his fists moved at a speed so fast that his arms were blurred to the eyes of the watching kids. Avv felt several punches pounding his face, and then he buckled over from a violent whack to the stomach. Zane elbowed him in the back, making him fall flat on the floor. He back-flipped over Avv and stood to face him from behind. From there, he clapped his hands together, making the air molecules ripple and carry Avv speedily off the plinth and crashing into the wall.
  Before Zane could begin his next move, Avv said, “Stop! You win…you win…”

The new champion of the Secret Battles Amongst the Union of Magically Talented Youths, or Sbaumty, was crowned—Zane Underwood.