"Leora, I will need your help on this one," Cyrus called out, his voice taut with urgency.

Despite the wounds that marred her body, Leora forced herself to her feet. Her face contorted with concentration as she unleashed her formidable mind control abilities. Cyrus felt the familiar aura envelop him, its power thrumming through his veins like liquid lightning.

Across the chamber, Nemesis stood unflinching, seemingly unaffected by the psychic assault. The air crackled with tension as Cyrus and his nemesis locked eyes, each waiting for the other to make the first move.

In a blur of motion, they clashed. The ring of steel on steel echoed through the cavernous space as their swords met in a furious exchange. Impacts flowed continuously, each strike a testament to their skill and determination.

As they fought, Cyrus's mind raced, analyzing every detail of their past encounters. He realized that Nemesis had rarely used his powers in their previous confrontations. Even during the infiltration of the Bureau, Nemesis had stood aloof in the combat matrix, allowing his agents to butcher the non-humans. The same pattern had played out with Marko's guards on the island, where Nemesis had focused solely on Cyrus and the Karmic monster.

This behavior, upon reflection, seemed increasingly strange. Why focus only on targets of choice? One could argue it was the pride common to all those of great power, but Cyrus doubted it was that simple. To test his theory – and potentially secure their victory – Leora would be key.

"Now, Leora!" Cyrus shouted, unleashing his powers in a dazzling display. A giant arc of energy erupted from his sword, colliding with the dark forces emanating from Nemesis. The impact forced their opponent into a premature retreat, creating the opening they needed.

Leora sprang into action, her mind control abilities unleashed to their maximum potential. A palpable wave of psychic energy swept through the Magma stomach, causing the very air to shimmer. Her body levitated, floating serenely in the void as her golden hair danced around her like individual strands of living silver. It was a sight of breathtaking beauty and awesome power.

"You really think some minions will be enough to kill me?" Nemesis taunted, flipping to the side to evade a swarm of magma ant workers that had materialized in response to Leora's call. More and more of the creatures poured into the chamber, their chitinous bodies gleaming in the eerie light.

Nemesis fought with fluid grace, defeating the encroaching ants with single fists and kicks. He danced and maneuvered through the chaos, a dark whirlwind of destruction. But Cyrus smiled, noticing the subtle tells that confirmed his suspicions.

While Nemesis appeared to be fighting, he was carefully evading direct confrontation with the stronger creatures. It was Shi, his shadow, who was truly engaged in the slaughter. Nemesis struck only to push the creatures back, creating the illusion of combat without fully committing.

"Nemesis's power is more complex than we realized," Cyrus explained to his companions, his voice low and urgent. "It can increase his combat abilities with every kill. The more he kills, the stronger he gets – that would explain his fulgurant rise in the ranks of the Bureau."

He paused, watching the battle unfold with keen eyes. "But that's not all. For such immense power, the cost isn't negligible. Each time he kills, if the target's strength is greater than his, he experiences an exponential increase in his powers. But if the target is too weak compared to him, he doesn't absorb their strength – he absorbs their hatred."

Armed with this knowledge, Cyrus knew exactly how to turn the tide. They needed to swarm Nemesis with enough magma ants to force him to engage directly, bringing his powers back to a more manageable level.

Shi, observing how her master began reluctantly using his sword to dispatch the magma ants, went berserk. She tore through the swarm with savage efficiency, but they were simply too numerous. Leora's magic had surpassed all of Cyrus's expectations, calling forth a veritable sea of magma ant workers and even a few soldiers.

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Nemesis, for all his agility, found himself cornered. Forced to kill the creatures himself, his movements began to slow perceptibly. Within seconds, his once-blazing speed had dwindled to a fraction of its former glory.

Seizing the moment, Cyrus leaned forward and let out a deep breath. His blue aura bloomed, rising to the heavens like a pillar of cerulean flame. With a burst of speed that defied comprehension, he shot towards Nemesis.

The masked villain, too preoccupied with the swarm, couldn't move fast enough to evade. Cyrus's fist crashed into Nemesis's chest with a thunderous impact, sending him reeling backward. But Cyrus didn't relent, pressing his advantage with a flurry of devastating blows.

"This is for the Prophet," he snarled, landing another deafening blow to Nemesis's jaw. "This is for the little boy," he continued, his fist connecting with his opponent's thigh. "This is for Leora," he roared, driving his knuckles into Nemesis's chin.

Cyrus reached into the void, letting his magic run wild as it had during his journey with the Queen. A massive blue sword materialized in his grasp, its edge gleaming with deadly promise. "And this," he bellowed, bringing the blade down in a devastating arc, "is for Lork's hand!"

A booming impact echoed through the chamber, kicking up a massive cloud of smoke and debris. For a moment, all was still. Then, a dark light sliced through the haze, forcing Cyrus to evade mid-air. He retreated, scooping up the Prophet and Leora as he put some distance between them and their formidable foe.

As the smoke cleared, Nemesis stood proudly, blood trickling down his face. He wiped it away casually, spitting to the side. "Not bad," he called out, his voice laced with grudging respect. "It's been a long time since I had a worthy challenger."

Cyrus felt a cold sweat trickle down his face. Even that devastating assault hadn't been enough? What kind of monster was Nemesis?

"Your theory about my magic is half correct," Nemesis continued, sliding his sword across Shi's head in a casual, almost tender gesture. The woman stumbled back, her eyes wide with a mixture of devotion and fear. "I don't necessarily need to kill to gain power. I just need a wound serious enough."

As he spoke, the very air seemed to darken. The sky above them began to spin ominously, as if the gods themselves were about to deliver their judgment. Nemesis's eyes blazed with an unholy, blood-red light.

"Kings, royalty, monarchs – all must bend to my will," he intoned, his voice resonating with otherworldly power. "Under this sky, only I exist. Power? I am the very definition of power."

A bolt of dark lightning fell from the roiling heavens, striking Nemesis squarely. As he prepared to unleash his fury, the ground beneath them erupted. A series of magma ant soldiers burst forth, followed by a truly titanic figure – the Queen herself.

Unlike the more humanoid forms of her children, the Queen was a colossal ant sculpted entirely from living magma. The aura that surrounded her was monstrous, a palpable force that made even Nemesis hesitate.

Cyrus allowed himself a grim smile. "Next phase of the plan," he muttered, reaching for the Myriad cube – a parting gift from Eldor. With a deft motion, he activated its transformation properties and pulled Leora and the Prophet inside.

A nearby magma ant worker, responding to some unspoken command, swallowed the cube whole. Without hesitation, the creature dove into the surrounding lava, disappearing from sight in an instant.

Nemesis, witnessing their escape, let out a howl of rage. But he had no time to give chase, as the Queen and her soldiers closed in, forcing him into a confrontation he couldn't avoid.

Inside the relative safety of the cube, Cyrus, Leora, and the Prophet caught their breath. The plan had worked, though not without risk. Cyrus had never been certain of defeating Nemesis outright, which was why he had devised this elaborate escape route.

The first step had been Leora's masterful use of mind control to summon the magma ants. Cyrus had been confident that such a massive display of power would attract the Queen's attention. In case he couldn't overcome Nemesis directly, they could use the cube to flee, hiding within a magma ant's stomach and letting their pursuers fight amongst themselves.

Thanks to their unique mental bond, Cyrus and Leora had been able to communicate and coordinate without speaking aloud. Their complicity and synchronicity had reached new heights during this harrowing ordeal.

As the adrenaline of battle began to fade, Cyrus turned his attention to his companions. "Leora, are you okay?" he asked, moving to her side. She had settled onto the cube's floor, clearly exhausted from her monumental efforts.

But as he approached, he noticed something was wrong. Leora's eyes, usually so bright and alert, began to dim. A cold fear gripped Cyrus's heart as he watched the light fade from her gaze.

"Leora!" he cried out, dropping to his knees beside her. The Prophet moved closer, his weathered face etched with concern. As they huddled around their fallen comrade, the cube continued its journey through the fiery depths of the Magma stomach, carrying them towards an uncertain future.