Tempest ran while deflecting the tendrils goign after him, leading the green ball into the area that had been blasted by the circular dark fire. Once inside it, he didn't leave the area and instead faced off against Der.

[Tempest: Do it now! I'll keep him in!]

As he heard the message, Der also noticed that the ground under him was once more lighting up, just like it did the previous time the dark fire was summoned. Were they trying to have him die alongside the wolf? He didn't take a chance and sent himself towards Atem, outside the range.

But nothing happened in the circle. That's when he noticed the grin on Atem's face. He used a spell in the area.

Atem: Stagnation.

It was another spell affecting an entire area. It was a very peculiar one as it affected ennemies but allies alike, even the caster. In this area, the time was slowed and as such, movement became slower. That's when a different circle began to light up, this time again right under the area Der was slowed down. That circle was just short of reaching Atem.

Der noticed easily that it was the same dark fire spell as before. But Atem wasn't the one casting it. As he slowly turned around, he could see Tempest pointing an open palm forward. In it was a mark. A dark red seal of some kind. He recognized it as a Magic spell that gave property of a spell to someone else. But when did they?! This was a spell requiring contact after it was set!

He never noticed them coming into contact even once!

But it was too late for thinking about it further. The spell under him was activating and there was no way he could survive it. He could feel Tempest's magic being infused to provide even more power into it. It seemed like he was putting his everything in there. Was this going to be his end?

No!

He bit into his own tongue and with the blood seeping inside his mouth, as the fire began to erupt, he activated a forbidden spell of his. In exchange for consumming his life expectancy, he could for a short time boost himself. It was just enough to break through the slowing spell and try to break away in a different direction from the both.

He would lose the fight but he wouldn't die. Escape to fight another day.

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As he was exiting the area of the spell, having ahd to endure some of it, with 3/4 of his tendrils burnt to crisp and lost, he was relieved. However it didn't last long as Atem appeared right in front of him, plunging his own arm inside Derk's mouth. Then, he put his own arm, with Der biting it ferociously, into the fire spell.

Atem sacrificed his arm to push back the ennemy into the flames.

As the green monster was being burn alive and on its last moments, it sent the few remaining tendrils to pierce through Atem. His head, his remaining arm, his heart, his lungs...There were no vital areas safe. But Atem did not let go nor did he lose the smile filled with madness plastered over his face.

Everything stayed this way until the dark fire spell stopped, Tempest falling down onto the ground exhausted. He had poured his all into it. He looked at Atem, filled with holes, and laughed. Atem laughed along as darkness began to coat through the holes. He couldn't regenrate right now but he would. And he wouldn't die.

As a puppet, this body was disposable. Pierced through the brain? Doesn't matter. Pierced through the heart? Who cared!

For safety measures, Atem burnt all the remaining tendrils left and checked with his Magic for any remainig life around. There were none.

The battle had been tough but they won. Two- no, three- against more than a thousand. They won. This final fight was the hardest part though.

Atem used his arrows to set different spells onto the ground, one solely to imitate the conjuring of the powerful dark fire spell and another of the dark fire. Then, he had to cross path with Tempest and in that brief window transfer ownership of the real spell. Finally, he had to coordinate with Tempest so that a raindrop managed to activate so as to take away the memory of them clapping their hands from the ennemy's mind.

So much had to be done in order to trap this single ennemy. He had been strong. And the state he left them was a sorry one. Lera likely lost her body, Atem's is in tatters filled with holes and missing an entire arm. He can only stand thanks to filling the gaps with Magic. As for Tempest, he had numerous cuts and burns all over his body and his two arms missing.

Certainly, it could have been worse. But it was a hard-earned victory regardless.

As they were getting in the mood to rest, a little humanoid no higher than twenty centimeters flew down near them. It was Lera with wings simingly made from leaves. Even without power, she had rushed her as fast as she could in hope to be able to provide assistance.

However, as she reached the site and saw the fight, she decided to remain aside and hidden. She would have been an hindrance more than anything as it was obvious that the green ball had not gone all out with her. At all.

Still, she came bearing sad news for the duo. They had more work to do.

Lera: Come on, get up! We need to back up Shen!

The duo looked at each other, sighed and got up. With some difficulty as their states weren't the best. Tempest had no juice left in him and Atem was dangerously close to depletion. And yet, they needed to go.

They looked at Lera and told her:

Atem & Tempest: Send us there.