Alex looked quickly at his friends. They all looked as stunned as he felt, but none of them made any kind of movement. He felt a wild and reckless surge of anger rising up in him, and he gripped his staff in his fist.

“Alex, no,” said Thrang, his voice low and urgent.

“What?” Alex had started to rise to his feet, but Thrang’s voice stopped him.

“Don’t,” said Arconn.

“What are you saying?” Alex asked in surprise. “Did we not agree to uphold each other’s honor?”

“This is different,” Thrang whispered.

“How?” Alex asked, confused.

“He’s not just a man,” said Arconn, nodding toward the man at the bar. “He’s a paladin.”

“A what?” Alex asked, angry that his friends were trying to hold him back.

“A paladin,” Thrang repeated. “A holy or sacred warrior.”

“And that means we should let this insult pass?” Alex said hotly.

“They have powers of their own,” said Arconn, putting his hand on Alex’s shoulder and guiding him back into his seat. “Some say they are the equal of wizards—if not greater.”

“I doubt that is true,” said Alex, the reckless feeling getting the better of him.

“Perhaps it is not true, but this is not the time to find out,” said Thrang, his voice full of fear.

“The little one wishes to defend the witch,” one of the three men at the bar said loudly.

“Listen to the dwarf and the elf, boy,” the second man added. “They know better than to meddle in things that do not concern them.”

“But the little one carries a staff,” said the third man with a laugh. “Perhaps he thinks himself a wizard, free to meddle when and where he chooses.”

It happened too quickly for Thrang or Arconn to say or do anything. In a flash, Alex was on his feet, his staff blazing like the sun and filling the room with light. The three men at the bar were picked up and thrown across the room, pinned to the wall by Alex’s magic. The locals screamed and ran for the door, and Alex ignored them. He moved closer to the men he magically held against the wall, the reckless feeling burning inside of him and threatening to overtake him completely.

“Enough,” the man at the far end of the bar said loudly. “Release them, wizard, and face me.”

Alex did not release the three men, but he turned toward the man who had called Kat a witch. The man looked directly into Alex’s eyes with a slight grin on his face, as if he had heard everything Thrang and Arconn had said and was not at all amused by it. Alex moved to meet him, shifting his staff from his left hand to his right, ready to confront the paladin and whatever powers he might have.

The room seemed to vanish around him, and all Alex could see was the stranger by the bar. He held the paladin’s gaze and felt the contest of power and will begin. Alex immediately knew he was the stronger of the two. Time seemed to stand still. For Alex, there was nothing but the stranger in front of him and the recklessness inside of him.

You must bow to me,said a voice in Alex’s mind. You must bow and acknowledge that I am greater.

No,Alex answered in his own mind, directing his thoughts back at the stranger. You will bow to me and apologize for your rash words.

They stood, locked in combat that no one else could see, for what seemed like a long time, Alex resisting the words of the stranger and forcing his own will and words back at him.

The end came as quickly as it had begun. There was a flash in Alex’s mind, and he knew that he had overcome the stranger. He blinked once to clear his eyes and the wild, reckless feeling slipped away from him. He stood in the middle of the room, though he didn’t remember moving there.

“Forgive me,” said the stranger. “Forgive my pride and arrogance.”

Alex looked down and saw the stranger kneeling in front of him. He glanced at his friends, their faces frozen in fear and amazement. The three men he’d held against the wall had fallen to the floor, pale and gasping for breath.

“What is your name?” Alex questioned the kneeling man.

“I am known by many names,” the stranger answered, his head bowed almost to the floor. “In this land, I am called Bane.”

“Why did you attack as you did?”

“I felt your power when you entered,” the paladin answered. “I heard your conversation with the dwarf and the elf. For a moment, I thought they would convince you to let my harsh words pass. I was already angry with myself for speaking too quickly to the seer, and I wanted you to confront me. Then my friends spoke out of turn, and you attacked them instead. I could not let them suffer for what I had done.”

“Why did you not just apologize to my friend?” Alex asked, his tone softening.

“My pride would not allow that. It was also my pride that forced me to test myself against you. I thought myself more powerful, but I was wrong. Forgive me, master wizard, I have been a fool.”

“Will you take back your hasty words and apologize to my friend?” questioned Alex.

“Gladly,” said Bane, looking up for the first time. “I know you could force me to apologize, and I appreciate the opportunity to ask the seer for her forgiveness.”

“Then I will forgive you as well,” said Alex, putting his hand out and helping the man back to his feet. “I am Alexander Taylor, but my friends call me Alex.”

“Then I hope to be among your friends, young wizard,” said Bane, smiling weakly.

Alex nodded. “There is only one thing left for you to do before we can be friends.” Alex glanced to the far corner of the room where Kat sat, looking as shocked as the rest of the company.

“As you wish,” said Bane, bowing and walking quickly toward Kat.

Alex watched for a moment and then turned back to his friends at the table. Thrang and Arconn still looked dumbstruck, as did Nellus and Barnabus. Thrain looked pale and terrified, like he wanted to run and hide. Alex sat down at the table, and that seemed to break the spell that was holding his friends motionless.

“I . . . I don’t know what to say,” Thrang stuttered, looking at Alex. “I’ve never seen or heard of anything . . .”

“An impressive feat,” Arconn said, his voice a little shaky. “I have never heard of a paladin bowing to a wizard.”

“How did you . . . ?” Nellus stammered, unable to finish his question.

“It was a test of will, but it is over now,” Alex answered. “And I was only doing what Thrang asked us all to do.”

“Yes, but . . . a paladin,” Thrang managed to say.

At that moment, Kat and Bane walked up to the table.

“My thanks, Master Taylor,” said Kat, bowing to Alex. “I am in your debt.”

“As am I,” Bane added, also bowing.

Alex glanced at the three men who were struggling to get off the floor. “Perhaps your friends need some assistance,” he said to Bane. The paladin hurried over to them and said something that Alex could not hear, and then returned to the table.

“If it’s all right,” said Bane slowly. “They would like to ask your forgiveness as well.”

“Perhaps I should ask for theirs,” said Alex. “I don’t make a habit of throwing people around magically, and I’m afraid I’ve hurt them more than their words hurt me.”

“No, master wizard,” said the first man, kneeling down with his two friends. “We spoke as fools, and you were right to punish us.”

“Forgive us for our rash words,” said the second man in a pleading tone.

“We did not think, and we are sorry that we offended you,” the third man added quickly.

“Then rise as friends,” answered Alex.

The three men stood up and bowed to Alex and the rest of the company. Bane nodded to his friends, and they quickly made their way out of the tavern.

“And all is well between us, then?” Alex questioned, looking from Kat to Bane.

“All is well,” answered Kat. “And I ask that you not place all of the blame on Master Bane. I offered help where it was neither needed nor wanted.”