[Third Person's PoV]
Standing atop the giant frozen wave, Kordath grunted as he summoned his strength, tearing himself free from the icy prison. Shards of ice flew in every direction, accompanied by a wave of frigid air escaping from the opening.
He grimaced in pain, glancing down to see that his scales and skin had been stripped away by the cold, exposing raw muscle beneath. However, he had no time to dwell on his injuries as a flash of light caught his attention. Looking up, he noticed that the magic circles around some of the Stephens had shifted back to an orange hue.
The sky, a chaotic blend of blue and orange, lit up as the Stephens charged their attacks, unleashing a barrage of mystical energy down upon Kordath.
Kordath dove from the frozen wave just in time—
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
SHATTER! CRASH!
The area erupted in an explosion of orange and blue, the force powerful enough to shatter the sound barrier. A thermal shockwave blasted outward, sending shards of ice flying in all directions.
Kordath landed heavily on the ground, his impact cracking and slightly caving the earth beneath him. Ignoring the searing pain coursing through his body, he let out a low growl, his gaze fixed on the Stephens in the air as they prepared for another assault.
Determined to act first, Kordath muttered, "Let's level the playing field."
[Deep Sea Magic: Abyssal Gateway!]
Blackwater surged beneath him, expanding across a wide area. A massive, closed gate began to rise behind him, towering above even Kordath's formidable height. In the center of the gate was a large symbol—a gem encircled by three scales.
With a powerful swing of his arms, the gate burst open, revealing a yawning darkness within. "COME FORTH AND SERVE ATLANTIS ONCE MORE! KILL THEM ALL!" Kordath commanded.
From the abyssal gateway surged monstrous creatures from the deepest ocean depths—massive electric eels, colossal sharks with terrifying strength, anglerfish, king crabs, stingrays, and jellyfish.
The sky exploded into a kaleidoscope of colors as the Stephens clashed with the sea monsters. Waves of [Flames of Faltine] incinerated their foes, while the [Icy Tendrils of Ikthalon] encased them in ice, and the [Bolts of Balthakk] electrocuted them, reducing them to gory fragments. Yet, some sea monsters managed to seize Stephens in their jaws, ripping them apart or swallowing them whole.
As the last of the monsters emerged, the gate slowly sank back into the blackwater. Kordath crouched, mana surging as a silvery-blue sphere formed in his hand.
[Deep Sea Magic: Crushing Depths]
Determined not to let Stephen escape unscathed, Kordath launched forward, the ground cracking beneath him. He surged through the air with the fluid grace of swimming through water, intent on obliterating his enemy for all he had done.
Meanwhile, Stephen awoke from his meditative trance. "It seems the potency of my illusions has improved. I'm able to influence reality more effectively now," he mused, a smirk tugging at his lips. "And that fool kept himself thoroughly distracted by them." With a dismissive scoff, the shielding around him dissolved.
Stephen landed gracefully, the green aura surrounding him fading as he flexed his fingers. 'That should do it,' he thought, feeling his strength fully restored. 'I'm back in top form.'
"Now then..." Stephen murmured, strolling toward the source of the flashing lights and explosions with his hands in his pockets, his cloak fluttering gently behind him. Upon arrival, he casually waved a hand, and all the clones of Stephen Strange vanished simultaneously.
Kordath stood amidst the chaos, a bewildered expression on his face. His body was marred with burn marks and cuts, his breathing labored. As he scanned his surroundings, he noticed Stephen below, hands weaving intricate signs while chanting loud enough for Kordath to hear.
"By the mighty and fearsome power of Cyttorak, I invoke the Crimson Shards of Cyttorak," Stephen declared, extending a hand forward.
[Arcane Magic: Crimson Shard of Cyttorak]
Around him, countless shards of crimson crystal materialized, each gleaming with a menacing red glow.
"TAKE HIM DOWN!" Kordath roared, commanding the sea creatures to attack.
Without hesitation, the monstrous beings surged toward Stephen, their predatory instincts driving them forward. Stephen, unfazed, flicked his hand, sending the crimson crystals into a blur of motion. The shards sliced through the advancing sea creatures effortlessly, leaving a trail of blood and fallen bodies.
However, Stephen quickly realized that Kordath was no longer in sight. The cunning adversary had used the sea monsters as a distraction, reappearing behind Stephen with fists aglow in silvery-blue mana, ready to unleash his [Crushing Depths] spell.
But Stephen's heightened senses were one of his greatest assets. He had already detected Kordath's approach. The crimson crystals shifted like puzzle pieces, forming a protective shell around Stephen just as Kordath's fist descended.
BOOM!
A powerful shockwave erupted, causing the very space around them to tremble. Kordath swung again, his belief in his superior strength as a Fishman driving him to break through the shield. Another shockwave rippled out with his strike.
Growling in frustration, Kordath channeled more magic to enhance his strength, hammering the crimson barrier with relentless force. The pressure of his attacks began to crack the mirror dimension itself, fissures spiderwebbing across the ground and surrounding area.
Determined not to relent, Kordath roared and continued his assault, each punch shaking the battlefield as he sought to breach Stephen's formidable defense.
Stephen observed Kordath's relentless assault with an amused expression, silently letting the Fishman exhaust himself against the unbreakable shield. The surge of mana around Kordath intensified as he let out a feral roar, slamming his fist down on the crimson barrier. The ground cratered beneath them, and shards of the mirror dimension shattered, only for Stephen to nonchalantly curl his fingers, restoring the fragments back into place.
Feigning a yawn, Stephen patted his mouth, further fueling Kordath's rage. "YOU COWARD! COME OUT OF HIDING AND FACE ME LIKE A MAN!!" Kordath bellowed, his fists blurring as he hammered away at the shield. The ground exploded around him, and the mirror dimension continually fractured and reassembled.
Stephen calmly cleaned his ear, blowing on his pinky afterward, seemingly indifferent to Kordath's fury. Kordath's rage climaxed as he unlocked a new spell in his desperation.
[Deep Sea Magic: Pressurizing Surge!]
A powerful wave of pressure erupted from Kordath's fists, carving a deep trench and shattering the mirror dimension, revealing glimpses of the outside world where the Black Bulls were engaged. Stephen snapped his fingers, and the shards flew back into place, sealing the dimension once more.
Noticing Kordath's bloody fists and exposed knuckles, Stephen decided to act. With a swift motion, he shattered the shield and sent the crimson shards flying toward Kordath. The shards tore through Kordath's scales and skin, leaving deep gashes and covering him in blood.
When the barrage ceased, Kordath stood, arms hanging limply, his breathing labored, eyes bloodshot and filled with seething hatred. As he opened his mouth to speak, Stephen preempted him.
"I conjure the Mighty Crimson Bands of Cyttorak!" Stephen proclaimed.
[Arcane Magic: Crimson Bands of Cyttorak]
Thick, crimson bands shot from Stephen's arms, wrapping around Kordath's mouth and immobilizing him. Kordath struggled, attempting to tear the bands away, but to no avail. Stephen summoned more bands, binding Kordath until only his enraged eyes were visible, thrashing in futile defiance.
Disconnecting the bands from himself, Stephen observed Kordath's futile attempts to break free. With a gesture, he formed the eye symbol with his fingers, summoning the Eye of Agamotto, which began to shine with a hypnotic glow.
"Look into the Eye of Agamotto! Let your mind succumb to its might!" Stephen commanded.
Kordath's eyes trembled as he fought the eye's influence, but the Eye of Agamotto's power was insurmountable. His gaze grew droopy and distant, his resistance fading.
Stephen snapped his fingers, releasing the binding around Kordath's mouth. "State your name and age."
"Kordath Black... Age 18," Kordath responded in a monotone voice.
Stephen blinked, momentarily surprised. He had expected the response to be a simple formality, but the revelation of Kordath's youth caught him off guard, noting that Kordath was not much older than himself.
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