บท 17: Dark mage

As Gadjeel and I stood amidst the defeated bandits, their groans of pain echoing through the clearing, a sudden chill ran down my spine. The air grew unnaturally cold, and an oppressive darkness began to seep into the area. I turned to Gadjeel, who was also on high alert, his eyes scanning the surroundings.

"Something's coming," I murmured, my voice tense. Gadjeel nodded, his iron scales already forming over his body in preparation for a new threat.

From the shadows of the forest, a figure emerged, cloaked in a tattered black robe. The air around him crackled with dark energy, and his eyes glowed with a malevolent red light. He carried an aura of immense power, and I could feel the weight of his presence pressing down on us.

"So, you're the ones who dared to disrupt my plans," the dark mage sneered, his voice cold and sinister. "You've made a grave mistake."

Gadjeel stepped forward, his fists clenched and ready. "We took care of your bandits. Now it's your turn," he growled.

The dark mage smirked, raising his hand. "Let's see how you fare against real power." With a flick of his wrist, he unleashed a wave of dark energy that surged towards us.

"Watch out!" I shouted, diving to the side as Gadjeel braced himself. The dark energy collided with him, pushing him back a few steps but not breaking his stance.

"Iron Dragon's Roar!" Gadjeel bellowed, gathering magic power in his mouth before unleashing a powerful tornado of iron shards towards the dark mage. The tornado tore through the clearing, generating powerful explosions and sending shards of metal flying.

The dark mage raised a barrier of shadowy energy, deflecting most of the attack but still getting hit by some of the shards. He grimaced, clearly not expecting such strength. "Impressive, but not enough."

I quickly conjured a ball of light in my hands, hurling it towards the dark mage. "Light Ball!" The orb of light streaked through the air, aiming for his chest. He dodged with surprising speed, the ball exploding harmlessly against a tree behind him.

Gadjeel charged forward, transforming his arms into long, lengthy iron poles. "Iron Dragon's Lance!" he shouted, whipping his arms in a circular motion to clear out anything in his immediate vicinity. The poles crashed into the ground, sending shockwaves through the earth.

The dark mage countered with a wave of dark energy, pushing back against Gadjeel's assault. "You can't defeat me with brute strength alone," he taunted, his voice dripping with arrogance.

I knew we needed to coordinate our attacks better. "Gadjeel, keep him distracted! I'll find an opening," I called out, positioning myself behind a large rock for cover.

Gadjeel nodded, his body tensing as he prepared for another attack. "Iron Dragon's Scales!" he shouted, covering his entire body in steel scales. He lunged at the dark mage, his iron-clad fists smashing through the dark energy barrier.

The dark mage retaliated, summoning tendrils of shadow to lash out at Gadjeel. "Dark Bind!" he hissed, the tendrils wrapping around Gadjeel's limbs, trying to immobilize him.

Gadjeel struggled against the tendrils, his iron scales straining under the pressure. "Not gonna hold me down that easily," he grunted, transforming his arm into a large spearhead. "Demon Logs!" He fired a barrage of steel spears towards the dark mage, the rapid succession of attacks forcing him to release his hold.

I seized the opportunity, stepping out from behind the rock and summoning a rain of light arrows. "Light Arrow Barrage!" The arrows streaked through the air, targeting the dark mage from all angles. He dodged and deflected some, but a few found their mark, piercing his cloak and drawing dark, shadowy blood.

The dark mage's eyes blazed with fury. "Enough of this!" he roared, his power surging. A dark aura enveloped him, and he began to chant in an ancient, guttural language. The ground trembled, and I could feel the raw power building up.

Gadjeel glanced at me, his expression serious. "We need to finish this, Jade. He's too dangerous to let him keep going."

I nodded, focusing my energy. "I'll use my katana. Cover me."

As I summoned my katana, my eyes turned a deep, glowing gold, and my hair transformed into a brilliant white. Angelic wings sprouted from my back, and I could feel Seraphina's teachings flowing through me. The dark mage's eyes widened in surprise as he sensed the change in my aura.

"Celestial Slash!" I cried out, charging forward with my katana glowing with celestial light. The blade cut through the air, leaving a trail of radiant energy. The dark mage summoned a shield of darkness, but my attack sliced through it, forcing him to leap back to avoid being hit.

Gadjeel took advantage of the opening, his fists transforming into massive iron clubs. "Iron Dragon's Club!" he shouted, swinging the clubs with immense force. The dark mage barely managed to deflect the first blow, but the second struck him square in the chest, sending him crashing into a tree.

The dark mage coughed, struggling to get back on his feet. "You... you think you've won?" he spat, his voice filled with venom. "I'll show you true power!"

He raised his hands, and the shadows around him coalesced into a massive, swirling vortex. "Shadow Abyss!" The vortex expanded, threatening to engulf everything in its path.

I stepped forward, raising my katana high. "Guardian Shield!" A radiant shield of light appeared in front of me, blocking the oncoming darkness. The two forces clashed, the light from my shield pushing back against the shadows.

Gadjeel roared, transforming his arm into a jagged steel blade. "Iron Dragon's Sword!" He lunged at the dark mage, the blade cutting through the shadows and striking him with a powerful slash. The dark mage cried out in pain, the force of the blow knocking him to the ground.

I advanced, my katana glowing with celestial energy. "It's over," I said, my voice steady and resolute. "Celestial Slash!" I swung the blade down, the light from the attack enveloping the dark mage.

With a final, anguished scream, the dark mage's form disintegrated into shadows, the dark energy dissipating into the air. The clearing fell silent, the oppressive darkness lifting.

Gadjeel and I stood there, catching our breath. My wings slowly retracted, and my hair returned to its normal color. "We did it," I said, a sense of relief washing over me.

Gadjeel nodded, a satisfied grin on his face. "Yeah. That was one hell of a fight."