As the surging magical power erupted, the already tattered and crumbling Mirror Dimension was greatly reinforced. This magic, originally cast using the energy of cosmic magic, received a replenishment of energy that was nearly of the same origin and also possessed spatial attributes. The Mirror Dimension quickly transformed into an unbreakable cage.
Onyxia's previous attacks, as grand as they appeared, weren't just intended to strike. She also aimed to destroy the space that imprisoned her.
As long as this spell was broken, she could create immense chaos in Stormwind. At that point, whether she chose to continue fighting or flee would be entirely up to her, unlike now, where she was forced to remain and fight to the death.
What made it even more frustrating was that the Mirror Dimension created by Ethan was not infinite. Onyxia was confined to the ground, being ganged up on like a giant target. The incredible mobility of a dragon, which normally belied its massive size, was rendered completely useless.
Just when she thought the space was about to collapse under her relentless assault, she didn't expect that mage to suddenly unleash so much magical power, forcefully repairing and reinforcing the strange space once more.
Not only that, but due to the continued fighting, the space had sustained damage, and Onyxia had previously sensed the presence of several Blackrock orcs she had positioned within Stormwind. However, as Ethan repaired the space, that fleeting connection was severed again. Even the spatial structure she had slightly understood shifted once more, still preventing her from casting teleportation spells.
"Damn mage!"
This was the umpteenth time she had cursed today. But at this moment, aside from this phrase, she could hardly think of any other words to express her feelings. At most, when Bolvar stood up again and charged forward, she would add another curse: "Damn paladin! Damn humans!"
As the Mirror Dimension was reinforced, Loki, who had been quietly observing, finally unleashed his true strength. As the Scepter of Ice released visible, powerful magical fluctuations, the people of Stormwind immediately retreated, putting distance between themselves and Loki.
Those who couldn't contribute much in the fight against the black dragon, like Logan and Selene, helped move the wounded soldiers to the rear. Meanwhile, as the only spellcaster among them, Broll Bearmantle summoned a large patch of plants in front of him as a barrier.
"Everyone, hide behind these plants. The power of nature will block this terrifying cold."
In the time it took him to speak, the plants in front of Broll were already covered in frost. The cold radiating from Loki was terrifying. Even Jaina, who was enveloped in arcane energy nearby, could barely endure it and shouted in frustration, "Are you trying to freeze us all to death?"
"I don't think he's entirely against that idea."
The energy in Ethan's right-hand ring was almost completely depleted, with only a tiny amount remaining. This residual energy was no longer usable for casting spells, but served as the minimum reserve needed to keep the magical equipment functional. If this portion were also consumed, the equipment would become completely useless.
Having already lost the Flame Cloak and his protective suit, Ethan had no desire to lose his most important spellcasting tool. Fortunately, he had other methods to protect himself. Merlin's Book of Inheritance was already in his hand, and a white magical shield surrounded him.
"Tsk."
Loki didn't actually intend to freeze everyone to death, but he certainly wouldn't mind seeing Ethan suffer a little—especially after being tricked by that illusion earlier.
Retracting his gaze, Loki focused entirely on the black dragon before him and the scepter in his hand. Under his control, chaotic frost energy gathered into a thick beam of icy-blue energy, blasting straight toward the massive black dragon.
Loki wouldn't be so considerate as to warn Varian and Bolvar to get out of the way. If those two were hit by his attack, it would only prove they were too weak and very unlucky.
Ethan had long anticipated that Loki wouldn't care about Varian's life, so he acted the moment Loki unleashed his attack.
After releasing all the magic converted from the Tesseract, which filled the Mirror Dimension with energy, Ethan gained a highly convenient ability for a short time.
So, the moment Varian and Bolvar fell within Loki's attack range, a blue teleportation portal suddenly opened beneath their feet. Before either of them could react, they were transferred to a safe zone behind the barrier created by Broll Bearmantle, avoiding the incoming blast.
With Varian's safety ensured, Ethan concentrated most of the spatial energy on the area surrounding Onyxia. He practically solidified the space she occupied, tightly binding the powerful black dragon and preventing her from dodging the incoming attack.
"Excellent work!"
Loki suddenly praised Ethan, realizing that the speed of his own attack was far from ideal. To ordinary people, the beam's speed might seem fast, but to a powerful creature like Onyxia, it posed little threat. She had plenty of time to respond, including dodging what was clearly a devastating attack.
But with Ethan immobilizing Onyxia, those concerns were gone. Not only did Ethan freeze her physical movements, but he also disrupted her ability to channel magic. This meant she couldn't dodge or defend herself.
If Ethan had mastered the power of time, perhaps he could have even frozen her thoughts. But this current method was arguably even more tormenting. Onyxia could only watch helplessly as the ice-blue beam struck her enormous body, the overwhelming frost and soul-chilling cold gradually engulfing her.
As Loki's attack hit, the spatial energy that had bound Onyxia collapsed completely. Though it seemed like a long moment, Ethan had actually frozen her for less than two seconds, and it had nearly exhausted all the energy he had previously released.
Even though Onyxia regained her mobility, she still couldn't move. Loki's powerful frost energy had trapped her in place. The thick ice that covered her entire body was beyond her ability to shatter, and the chilling cold that penetrated her soul left her disoriented and paralyzed.
At that moment, Jaina Proudmoore's attack also arrived. This extraordinarily talented human mage of Azeroth converted all of her arcane energy into chaotic lightning, gathered it in her hands, and unleashed the violent energy at Onyxia's head—frozen solid and exposed.
"Ah!"
A tragic dragon's roar echoed through the reinforced space. The cracks that had disappeared during the earlier repair reappeared. Onyxia, having suffered a series of heavy blows, now sought to escape. She wanted to use the same technique she had tried before to shatter the space, while simultaneously disrupting the two spellcasters' attacks and breaking free of the spell's constraints.
But it was all in vain. Loki was highly resistant to this type of attack. Jaina, having witnessed it before, had prepared in advance and sealed herself off with a thick layer of arcane energy. Only Ethan, having continuously drained himself of energy, was affected by the blast.
Fortunately, Jaina's attack was especially fierce. When the lightning struck Onyxia's head, she intentionally increased her magical output. The blinding lightning, accompanied by violent crackles, finally caused a massive explosion on the black dragon's head.
Loki didn't let Jaina take all the credit. After freezing over half of the black dragon's body, the scepter in his hand shone even brighter. A 'sphere' formed along the ice-blue beam connecting Loki and Onyxia, and then launched from his hand, following the beam's trajectory before slamming into Onyxia's body. The ice covering her underwent a violent transformation, delivering a fatal blow. However, those watching from a distance couldn't clearly see what kind of attack it was.
Only Ethan had some ideas, based on the magical fluctuations. But since he had been affected by the previous attack, he now felt dizzy, nauseous, and close to vomiting. He immediately cleared his mind, sat quietly, and watched Jaina and Loki finish the battle.
His role was complete. All he had to do now was protect himself from the black dragon's dying counterattack. Then the dragon-slaying battle would be over.
Fortunately, neither Loki nor Jaina gave Onyxia that opportunity. Ever since Loki had frozen her with his frost magic, she hadn't had a single chance to retaliate. This allowed Jaina to strike her head repeatedly with lightning until the stunned Onyxia met her end.
As Loki and Jaina ended their spells, the massive black dragon finally collapsed. Her lower body was still sealed in thick frost. Only her massive head slammed into the ground, kicking up surprisingly little dust.
With Onyxia's fall, the Mirror Dimension created by Ethan finally collapsed. All around them, the crisp sounds of shattering glass rang out. As the mirror-like fragments disappeared, everyone returned to the real world.
(To be continued.)