Chapitre 7: The Dark Dragon Part 2
The clash in the forest grew fiercer by the second. Luke gritted his teeth as he forced the Dark Dragon back, their movements tearing through the dense trees like a storm. King Lion charged forward, his eyes blazing, and with a swift swing of his sword, he unleashed a powerful aura that crackled through the air, aimed right at the dragon. The blow left a shimmering trail of energy in its wake, its force undeniable.
Gustavo, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth, sneered. He raised his hand, summoning a formidable barrier in front of him. It deflected King Lion's attack effortlessly, sending ripples across its surface. "No one is leaving this forest," he spat, his voice echoing through the trees as a larger barrier spread, trapping them all within its confines. Robin felt his stomach twist as he realized escape was now impossible. With a final glance back, he ducked into the shadows, knowing the best he could do was stay hidden—and stay alive.
The air around them grew tense. Luke tightened his grip, adrenaline surging as he prepared for the next round, knowing that the battle had only just begun.
With a flap of his black wings, Gustavo soared above, launching dark missiles and arrows in rapid succession. Each projectile hissed through the air like a shadowed fury, forcing both Luke and King Lion to dodge and defend. Luke swung his sword, releasing waves of cutting aura to intercept the oncoming attacks, yet none reached Gustavo as he deflected them with ease. Frustration gnawed at him. "I can't break through his defenses," Luke realized, his jaw tightening.
King Lion, sensing Luke's struggle, shouted over the roar of battle, "Luke, he's an Arch Mage, this won't be easy." His own aura surged, building like a storm around him, and Gustavo's gaze narrowed, sensing the growing threat. In a swift move, King Lion leaped high, closing the gap with Gustavo in a powerful strike, his blade aimed straight at the mage. Gustavo barely had time to raise his hand, summoning a barrier, but the sheer force of Lion's blow shattered it, sending Gustavo crashing down to the forest floor.
Seeing his chance, Luke dashed forward, his steps quick and precise as he aimed to strike while Gustavo was vulnerable. The fight had reached a critical point, and they would need everything they had to stand a chance against the Arch Mage's dark magic.
Gustavo's roar echoed through the forest, his rage manifesting in dark, sinister tendrils of energy swirling from his form. The earth around him decayed, grass blackened, and trees withered as his body grew, transforming into a monstrous, thirty-foot-tall dragon. His legs thickened into powerful, reptilian limbs, arms rippled with muscles, and his fingers extended into massive claws. His head morphed into that of a true dragon, eyes blazing with fury as he roared to the sky, darkening it with a sudden, unnatural night.
Before his transformation could fully solidify, King Lion seized the moment. With a fierce leap, he crashed into Gustavo's towering form, shoving him back toward a small hill. The impact weakened the dark barrier around them, and the forest's decay finally halted. "Luke!" King Lion called out, his voice filled with urgency. "If we don't kill him now, this will never end!"
Gustavo's voice boomed in retaliation, filled with contempt. "Why?! You have no honor, human!" he roared, the ground trembling beneath his claws. King Lion met his gaze without flinching. "We are humans. Shamelessness is part of our nature," he said coldly. He then whispered, "Ashton Stance." For a brief moment, King Lion's movements slowed, and a golden glow enveloped him. He lunged at Gustavo, aiming directly for the dragon's deformed head.
As Gustavo raised a massive clawed hand to strike, Luke surged forward, slicing cleanly through the limb in a swift, decisive motion. Gustavo howled in pain, his dark aura flickering. "I will not fall like this!" he bellowed, writhing as he struggled against his attackers.
But with a final burst of defiance, Gustavo unleashed a wave of force that flung King Lion and Luke backward, tearing them from their grasp on his body.
The intensity of the battle heightened as Luke, facing the monstrous transformed Gustavo, realized the stakes. "Damn it, he's burning his life force!" he shouted, panic threading his voice.
Meanwhile, Mary, the Duke's wife, and Peter were rushing toward the battlefield, leaping swiftly from tree to tree. As they neared the scene, they encountered Robin at the edge of Gustavo's impenetrable force field, its ominous shimmer stretching high around the forest. Mary scowled, her frustration evident. "That bastard put up his barrier!" she cursed.
Robin, catching her anger, turned to his spirit companion, Malsa. "Can I use Gluttony to take this barrier down?" he asked. Malsa's voice echoed in his mind, steady but concerned. "No, Master. The energy level is too high for you to consume. But you might weaken it using healing magic."
"But… how?" Robin muttered, realizing he'd have to figure it out on his own.
Sitting by the barrier, he released a trickle of healing magic. Nearby plants revived, but the effect barely touched the barrier itself, and he felt the drain immediately. Frustrated, he growled, "This isn't working!"
Mary noticed his efforts from the other side and shouted through the barrier, "Brat! Try that again!" Surprised but willing, Robin focused on her, recognizing her as the Duke's wife. At least sound gets through, he noted. "Put your hands on the barrier where my palm is, and just channel your mana!" Mary instructed.
Robin followed her guidance, positioning his hand against the spot Mary indicated. Immediately, a surge of heat coursed through him, powerful and intense. Peter watched nervously from a distance, but within minutes, a small fissure appeared in the barrier. Robin kept his focus, feeling a strange sensation as if his hand were in direct contact with Mary's through the field.
"Leave the rest to me, and step back!" Mary called to him.
Robin took a step back, watching in awe as Mary's fiery mana surged against the barrier. Her hand blazed with a focused, intense heat that seared into the barrier itself, creating a narrow but sufficient opening. She turned to him, eyes sharp. "Enter, quickly! Boy, get out of here," she commanded Peter urgently.
Peter nodded, ducking through the small gap into the forest. But Robin didn't move to follow him. "I'm not leaving without my father," he insisted, his voice steady with determination.
Peter glanced back, his frustration clear. "Your Highness!" he shouted, pleading, but Robin's resolve was unshakable. Resigned, Peter sighed, accepting that Robin wouldn't back down.
Mary gave Robin a brief, approving nod. "Just don't die," she murmured before stepping through the barrier herself, her gaze now locked ahead. She dismissed the barrier behind her, fully focused on the battle raging in the forest. With each step, her aura flared, casting a fiery glow as she prepared to join the fray and face the dark powers at work.
Mary and Peter arrived at the heart of the battle, their eyes widening as they took in the scene before them. Luke stood nearby, bleeding but resolute, while King Lion fought fiercely against Gustavo. The once-proud Arch Mage had transformed into a grotesque, disfigured entity, his body twisted and malformed. Dark energy pulsed from his every movement, but beneath his monstrous form, he seemed to be writhing in agony.
Gustavo's distorted voice rang out, filled with fury and anguish. "Look… look at what you've done to me!" he snarled, his words laced with bitter torment. "I can feel it… this pain!"
As he spoke, dark, spectral hands erupted from his body, clawing and lunging toward King Lion and Luke with desperate rage. Each hand moved like an extension of Gustavo's suffering, flailing wildly as he fought against both his enemies and his own twisted transformation. Mary gripped her weapon, her expression hardening. She knew they'd have to end this quickly—before the dark magic consuming Gustavo unleashed something even worse.
Mary lunged at Gustavo, her fists ablaze with fiery mana, her movements swift and powerful. She was a battlemage—one of the rare warriors who fought with the precision of a knight but relied on mana instead of aura. A shimmering protective layer of mana surrounded her, shielding her from Gustavo's dark energy as she closed in.
With a fierce cry, she struck him square in the head, her punch landing with an explosive force. Gustavo's head shattered under the impact, fragments of darkness scattering. Yet, within moments, the dark magic reformed his head, a twisted grin reappearing on his face. Furious, Mary glared at him. "GUSTAVO! You despicable fool! You're burning through your own life force!"
As she spoke, the dark energy emanating from Gustavo surged, spilling beyond his control. Tendrils of darkness reached out, expanding through the forest, and the ground beneath them began to decay. The trees blackened and withered as the life force of the forest itself was drained. The corruption was spreading fast, and Mary realized with horror that if Gustavo's power continued to grow unchecked, the darkness would soon reach the capital. She clenched her fists, knowing they had to stop him before he consumed everything around them.
"Damn it! If this keeps up, the corruption will reach the capital—and the farms! Robin....." King Lion shouted, desperation etched into his face as he struggled for a solution.
Gustavo, his twisted form looming ever larger, let out a chilling, guttural laugh that quickly turned to a broken sob. Red tears streamed down his face, his eyes bloodshot and wild as his body swelled with volatile dark energy, radiating an intensity that seemed almost ready to burst.
Meanwhile, on the outskirts, Robin focused all his strength on dismantling the barrier. He had wrapped his hands in healing magic, letting it pulse around his fingers like a delicate yet powerful shield. With one final push, he forced the healing energy into the barrier, weakening its structure until a section finally fractured and gave way.
Just as Robin caught his breath, a wave of thick, visible dark mana washed over him. He froze as the oppressive energy pressed down on him, its darkness so intense it seemed to ripple through the air. It wasn't just a presence anymore—it was a storm. For a brief, terrifying moment, he realized the full extent of Gustavo's power, a power that threatened to consume everything in its path.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone