Story by Shauna Reynolds
Photos by Noah McLane
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At the end of a long spring semester at Middle Tennessee State University, students needed a distraction. Wednesday, that distraction came in a most unusual form of entertainment– a wizard duel.
Students spotted flyers around campus a week before the event. The flyers offered little information– only a promise that Nature Wizard and Storm Wizard would duel at the Student Union. That was enough to capture the curiosity of many.
Mars Alcantar saw the flyer on a friend’s Instagram post. She was already familiar with the Nature Wizard after seeing his flyers on campus last semester.
“There was a wizard that you could pay $5,” Alcantar said, “and he would do any task within reason.”
Alcantar was fascinated. She was eager to see the duel, she said.
Alcantar was part of a small crowd of intrigued students gathered around the Student Union lawn Wednesday afternoon. Nature Wizard sat with his entourage until the bell tower chimed at 1:30. It was time for the duel, but Storm Wizard was missing.
Staff in hand, the Nature Wizard marched toward the Student Union building like a bearded Pied Piper. The crowd followed enthusiastically.
Inside, students seemed confused about what was interrupting their lunches. They saw the Nature Wizard in his colorful robes, long beard, and pointy hat- the attire one might expect on a wizard. His dark sunglasses and Birkenstocks with socks were less typical.
By the time Nature Wizard found Storm Wizard and left the building, the crowd following him had grown.
Bailey Sumner couldn’t resist joining the audience. He tallied predictions about the duel on a whiteboard.
Sumner’s personal prediction was a win for Storm Wizard.
“He just looks more powerful,” Sumner said, “and it’s even starting to storm outside.”
Storm Wizard was dressed similarly to Nature Wizard. His black boots complimented his brown pointy hat and blue robe. He also wore a gray wig, possibly from the same Party City shelf as Nature Wizard’s beard.
The Wizards and their crews were well prepared. Recorded thunder and other sound effects blasted from a boombox. A knight joined in on the chaos. Two people in banana suits were also present.
The duel was impressively theatrical. The two wizards traded spells and insults. The crowd gasped when the Storm Wizard revealed he was the Nature Wizard’s apprentice. The mood of the duel was anything but serious.
The onlookers followed the wizards to the duel’s final location, the quad outside the library. By then, the crowd had more than doubled. Even some professors joined the students enjoying the spectacle. The crowd chanted in an effort to encourage the wizards to kiss– twice– but this was unsuccessful.
The Wizards gave a brief but confusing speech about unity.
“We can join forces to better the United States of America in this time of awkwardness,” Nature Wizard said.
It didn’t make a lot of sense, but neither did the rest of the duel.
Alcantar recapped the duel’s message.
“The Storm Wizard saw the error of his ways and now believes that every person should be different,” Alcantar said. “And I think that’s so real.”
Hailey Barlow was glad she witnessed MTSU’s wizard duel.
“I wasn’t expecting those well thought-out like speeches,” Barlow said. “It wasn’t just five minutes of whacking staffs together. They put effort and time to prepare this.”
Alcantar and Barlow agreed they would attend another duel and encourage others to join them.
Neither the Nature Wizard nor the Storm Wizard won the duel– the officially announced winner was “the power of friendship.” But with some free entertainment, much-needed levity and an unforgettable afternoon during the difficult final weeks of the semester, maybe everyone was a winner.
Shauna Reynolds is a staff reporter for MTSU Sidelines.
To contact Lifestyles Editor Destiny Mizell and Assistant Lifestyles Editor Shamani Salahuddin, email lifestyles@mtsusidelines.com. For more news, visit www.mtsusidelines.com, or follow us on Instagram at MTSUSidelines or on X at @MTSUSidelines.
