Adrius and Lysander stared at Theron, their eyes burning with fury. Adrius could feel the weight of exhaustion pressing harder against him. His breath came in shallow bursts, and the trembling in his limbs had worsened. He knew this fight had only gotten more difficult.
Lysander cursed under his breath, his expression twisted with rage.
"That son of a bitch!" he spat with voice thick with hatred. His grip tightened around his staff, the sparks of residual lightning still dancing along its length. His anger toward Theron surged like a wildfire, burning hotter with each passing second.
Adrius sighed, though a faint, weary smile crossed his lips. "Fortunate that you managed to drink it," he said, nodding toward the now-shattered potion vial.
Lysander shook his head, frustration clear in his voice.
"Doesn't matter," he muttered. "I'm not sure I can beat him on my own."
Lysander eyes flickered with doubt as he stared at Theron who stood with maddening calmness.
Adrius straightened, drawing in a slow, painful breath. "I'm not defeated yet, son," he said, his voice steady despite the strain. "I can still fight. We'll face him together, so don't worry about that."
"But... your Magic energy..." Lysander glanced at Adrius, concern written across his face. He knew just how close to his limits Adrius had pushed himself.
"Don't worry. It's still enough," he said firmly, even though he wasn't sure if it was. He was bluffing, hoping to keep Lysander focused on the fight ahead instead of his waning strength.
Lysander nodded reluctantly, still uncertain but understanding the need to push forward.
"Well, I guess we don't have a choice besides fighting him head-on." He glanced at Adrius and then at Theron, who continued to stand as though he had all the time in the world. "So, let's fight."
Adrius returned the nod, tightening his grip on his Starsteel staff. "Yes," he said, though deep inside, he held onto one last shred of hope.
Far away, he knew help was on the way. He just needed to survive long enough.
Suddenly, Theron moved, launching himself at them with terrifying speed. His red coat billowed behind him like a bloodstained banner as he closed the distance in an instant, his eyes alight with hunger for the battle.
The water struck Theron's blood-red coat, soaking the fabric. For a brief second something changed in Theron's expression. His calm, collected demeanor faltered. Anxiety flickered across his face but it was so quick it could have been missed. But Adrius saw it. He felt it.
Theron's unsettling grin returned quickly, but Adrius had already seen the truth. That moment of vulnerability told him everything he needed to know. There was more to that crimson coat than met the eye.
Adrius didn't waste a second. The flicker of fear he had seen in Theron's eyes was enough to spur him into action. He raised his staff and summon more water Magic and without hesitation he directed it straight at Theron's crimson coat.
Streams of water spiraled around Adrius, twisting into a torrent that crashed against Theron. The ancient Mage's expression shifted. Gone was the smug amusement replaced by a hard, serious glare. For the first time Theron wasn't playing anymore.
Lysander, sensing the change in the air, tightened his grip on his sword. He, too, realized what was happening.
Theron scowled, his red aura flaring brighter as if to shield himself from the relentless attacks.
Explore more at m,v l'e-NovelFire
"So, you've figured out my coat's secret," Theron said, but now his voice lacking its previous arrogance. "Well, it doesn't matter. Don't think you can defeat me just because you've uncovered that minor detail."
But Adrius didn't respond. He wasn't about to fall for Theron's bravado. This could be a distraction. His mind focused solely on one thing—destroying that cursed coat.
His instincts screamed that this was Theron's weakness, and he had to exploit it before the mage regained control.
Ignoring Theron's taunts, Adrius unleashed another wave of water Magic, the torrent crashing against Theron again. He poured everything he had left into the spell, aiming directly at the coat's fabric, hoping to tear through whatever protection it provided
Theron's face twisted into a grimace as the water surged around him. His defenses were strong, but the concentrated attacks on the coat were taking a toll. "You're persistent, I'll give you that!" Theron shouted, his voice strained now as he fought to maintain control.
Adrius didn't let up. "Whatever Theron's saying, it's just to throw me off*.
With each spell he pressed harder, his water slicing through the air, each hit wearing away at the Mage's defenses.
---