The air still vibrated with the lingering energy of the battle as Aria continued facing the Great Dark Mage. From a distance, Alex—still recovering from extreme exhaustion—watched with growing anxiety. Every spell cast, every creature summoned seemed to drain a little more of Aria's strength, yet her determination remained unshaken.
Meanwhile, Serena moved silently among the ruins. Following Alex's instructions, she searched for any clue that might explain why the mage had chosen this specific location for the fight. Her gaze stopped on a structure protruding from the ground, partially buried beneath debris: an ancient altar, its surface engraved with runes worn down by time.
"This… doesn't seem like something we should ignore," Serena murmured, approaching cautiously.
As she examined the runes, her magic reacted unexpectedly. A surge of energy ran through her fingers, and a flash of light illuminated the altar. The runes began to glow, revealing a hidden mechanism. Serena stepped back instinctively, but it was already too late—the altar activated, opening a secret passage that descended deep underground.
On the battlefield, the Great Dark Mage noticed the altar's activation. His usually cold, calculating gaze hardened.
"Who dares interfere with my plans?"
Aria seized the moment and unleashed a powerful shadow spell, enveloping the mage in a temporary prison.
"You're not going anywhere… as long as I'm here," she declared firmly, though her breathing was uneven from the strain.
The mage let out a soft laugh.
"You're persistent, girl. But this is nothing more than a game to me."
At that moment, Alex reached Aria's side, still unsteady on his feet.
"Aria, how are you holding up?" he asked, worry evident in his voice.
"Doing everything I can," she replied, never taking her eyes off the spell.
"The altar," Alex added, still catching his breath. "Serena found it. It's hiding something."
Aria nodded but didn't respond. Her magic was at its limit, and she couldn't afford to lose concentration.
"I'll go with Serena and investigate. Keep him busy," Alex said, with a confidence that didn't fully match how he felt.
Aria nodded again, and Alex turned, running toward the altar.
When he arrived, Serena was waiting beside the open passage.
"Took you long enough, secondary hero," she said with a sarcastic smile.
"It's not easy to run after using up all your energy saving someone from a lunatic with katanas," Alex replied, smiling back.
They descended through the passage—a spiral staircase leading to a chamber bathed in faint blue light. Floating at its center was a sphere pulsing with overwhelming energy, as if it contained the very essence of the world itself.
"This is bad," Serena murmured, feeling the weight of the power radiating from it.
"What the hell is that guy planning?" Alex asked, approaching cautiously.
Before they could analyze it further, a roar echoed behind them. Turning around, they saw a grotesque creature emerge from the shadows—the altar's guardian.
"Looks like we'll have to buy some time," Serena said, preparing for battle.
"I've got your back, like always," Alex replied, gathering the last of his strength to support her.
The battle raged both above and below, and the pieces of the Great Dark Mage's plan were beginning to fall into place. They were close to uncovering his true objective… but every second lost could be their last.
The air grew heavy as Alex ran back toward the battlefield. Each step carried the weight of responsibility and uncertainty. Exhausted or not, he knew he couldn't let Aria face this alone.
When he arrived, he found her gasping for breath, her magic on the verge of collapse. Even so, her eyes remained locked on the shadow prison, refusing to let the enemy escape.
"How are you?" Alex asked, stepping beside her.
"Barely… holding on," Aria replied, without breaking concentration.
Before he could say anything else, a loud crack tore through the air. The shadows began to rip apart, as if something were breaking free from within.
"No…!" Aria shouted, pouring the last of her power into reinforcing the prison.
It was useless.
With an explosion of dark energy, the Great Dark Mage shattered the barrier and stepped out with a malicious smile, as if the spell had been nothing more than a minor inconvenience.
"Impressive, little witch," he said calmly, adjusting his cloak. "But it's not enough to hold me."
Aria stumbled back, visibly exhausted. The mage's gaze then fell on Alex, who instinctively stepped in front of her, arms raised in a defensive stance.
"Oh, how charming," he laughed. "A magicless human trying to protect a powerful witch? How touching."
"What are you doing?" Aria whispered, shocked.
"What I can," Alex replied without taking his eyes off the mage. "I won't let you hurt her."
The mage's laughter grew deeper.
"Do you really think you can do anything against me, boy? You're an ant trying to stop a dragon."
"Maybe I can't defeat you," Alex said firmly. "But I won't just stand by while you attack my friends."
One of the mage's eyebrows rose, intrigued.
"Very well, human. Let's see how long you can last."
With a quick gesture, he fired a beam of dark energy straight at Alex. At the last moment, Aria reacted, raising a shadow barrier that deflected the attack.
"What are you doing?!" Aria shouted. "You can't fight someone like him!"
"And you can't fight alone," Alex replied, not backing down.
Amused, the mage crossed his arms.
"This is becoming far more entertaining than I expected. I'll give you a chance. Show me whether your bond is more than empty words."
Alex looked at Aria.
"Trust me. Let's do this together."
She hesitated for a moment… then nodded.
"Fine. But you'd better not do anything stupid."
The Great Dark Mage began gathering power once more. Alex and Aria prepared to face him shoulder to shoulder, knowing that the true battle was only just beginning.