There was a brief calm in the few moments before the fight started. The din of spectators and betters talking, gossiping, guessing the outcome. The noise was loud, but a calming, reassuring sort of loud. Then, the gates opened. "Let's see who will walk out this time!" Someone yelled, "Will it be the imperial mage, or the wolf pack?" That was followed by loud, somewhat drunken cheering. Zavier stepped forward, the battle had begun.
Zavier summoned a frost atronach as soon as he entered the pit. The first wolves to dart toward him immediately jumped back, smelling the magic in the air and seeing the 7-foot ice monster materialize behind him. After circling the ring for a moment one of the wolves made a dash for Zavier, only to be struck down by the atronach.
Several more started to move, but a Rout spell kept them back. Two, however, were missed by the spell and struck at the atronach, the immediate threat. One bit into the daedra's right arm as another struck at its chest. Though the atronach's skin was below freezing the wolves kept on it. A firebolt from Zavier blasted off the one on the atronach's arm, while the other was crushed under the atronach's foot.
The illusion spell began wearing off as three more broke from the pack. One dashed for the daedra, while the other two moved around it and made their way to Zavier. Another firebolt took one out, but the other bit deeply into Zavier's left arm before he could loose a pacify spell. The wolf immediately let up on its bite, even began to go back to the rest of the pack with peaceful, contented look to it, at least until Zavier stabbed it with his dagger. The other one was taken down by the frost atronach, though it got in a few strikes before the atronach crushed it.
Zavier took a step back. He was bleeding, not too badly, yet, but the wound was distracting, and would make fighting with his left hand difficult. The atronach was still strong, but it wouldn't last long if the entire pack struck at once. He could summon another daedra to hold off the pack once the frost atronach went down. A storm atronach would be ideal. Between that and the frost the pack wouldn't stand long. But summoning that would use of most of his remaining reserves of power and leave him defenseless should the wolves strike. A flame atronach would cost less to summon, but might not have the power to face the pack, though he could have enough power to deal with whatever might be left. Could.
There was an eerie pause in the battle. The wolves were shaking off the last of the rout spell, and they were waiting. The only thing staying them was the knowledge that rushing the daedra would result in deaths among them, but they also knew that if Zavier had time to recover they would all die. It was an uneasy pause. Which would move first, the pack, or the mage?
