Chapter 44: Mage's Defiance

“Well, here we are, the right door." Florimel adjusted the brown wrinkled hat upon his hat, gesturing to the symbol of a platinum gear painted upon the stone door before them. “This time, I'm fairly certain."

“What of the previous twelve?" Arcturus countered, not in the mood for another lengthy explanation by the elderly mage. “What makes this one more certain than them?"

“Did I really have us visit twelve?" He turned, brow raised, stroking at his beard. “Fascinating. But to answer the question Arcturus, it's because this time…I'm certainer."

Voidwing approached as Arcturus pondered if the older man was pulling his leg. There was a happy bounce in his paws as he loving chirped over he and Nivra's coming reunion. “Well, you have my thanks Florimel. Wont Nivra be surprised!" Fluffing his feathers, he flung open the door.

They emerged into a busy cavern of intermixed gears and levers, wheels and the occasional metal hand, ticking away in the air. The marbled tiles of the platform clacked under the gryphon's sharpened talons. For a brief moment, gryphon and knight were silent, marveling of the constant motion all around them. Eyes traveled over the vast cavern with hushed breath, peering through the network of metallic beams. Across the hall, hidden far below, Voidwing spied his beloved and Nigel with his keen eyes. His ears flicked back, tilting his head in a half open beak smile.

“Nivra!" He shrieked in delight, extending a wing to wave and catch her attention. “Over here!" He leaned so far forward on the platform he nearly slipped, only saved by Arcturus' sudden weight upon his flank.

“Careful, you'll fall do your death!" He leaned over after Voidwing was safe, finding far below a maze of whizzing of metal. “Fall and you skewer yourself."

“That wouldn't happen." He chirped, preening to make sure his feathers were righted. “Besides, I'd have flown through them anyway."

Arcturus arms crossed, “You're kidding, not even Veledar could do that I imagine. Not without magic anyway."

“Well, he's certainly not me." Voidwing strolled forward, heart quickening as he spied his beloved had turned, staring expectantly in his direction. Her excitable wave made heat rush to his cheeks, already he longed to weave through the maze of metal to her.

“Voidy! Is Arcturus with you? How on earth did you find us?" Her voice was but a whisper against the imposing symphony around them. Voidwing had to turn his ear to her, tilt his head, just to even have a faint hope of making of what she was saying.

“Why not a spell?" Arcturus asked softly.

“Must be too far for message." Voidwing sighed, quickly relaying to Arcturus what she said. “Now, you might want to cover your ears."

“But why?"

He took in a deep breath, parting his beak, and Arcturus fully understood. The man had just managed to plug fingers into his ears as Voidwing bellowed his reply, informing her of their journey. When he got to the part of Florimel he turned and gestured to introduce the strange magician, but to he and Arcturus' bewilderment, the man was gone!

“Did you see him vanish?" Arcturus blurted, eyes darting too and fro around the platform. There was no trace of the magician have ever being there. Had he cast a spell? He had to of right? Arcturus' brow furrowed, Florimel hadn't even uttered a word, nor an exaggerated gesture. When he met Voidwing's eye, the same confusion was painted on the bird's beak.

“What did you say?" Nivra's shouted, her cheeks red, hands cupping her mouth. Voidwing didn't immediately respond. “Know what? Stay right there! We'll be right over!"

Was she going to try a spell? Voidwing retreated, his head tilted as she said something to Nigel and the platform they were on started to move. The gryphon's feathers rose in alarm as he noticed the undead wizard had two more appendages than he'd started with. Something wasn't right. He snapped to Arcturus, tail flicking behind him. To his surprise the man was busy walking around with his arms outstretched, the gryphon's furry brow rose. “Mind I inquire what you're doing?"

“One, you already did." Arcturus replied, “Two, what does it look like?"

“Acting like Florimel." Voidwing planted down his hinds, ears splaying. “Please gods don't tell me that's contagious. I do like keeping my cognitive abilities."

Arcturus' cheeks burned crimson, his brow furrowed. “Listen here Voidwing, I'm anything but mad! Invisibility is but one talent of a magician…I was just trying to find him…Without hurting him with my sword." He crossed his arms, averting his gaze, “Speaking of which, have you ever heard of a mage casting spells without words?"

Scratching his chin, Voidwing tried to recall all he knew on the subject, which for Arcturus' curious look, wasn't all that much. Despite the years of being by Nivra's side, the subject had never been brought up. The sigh Arcturus gave splayed the gryphon's ears. “But that doesn't mean it isn't impossible!" He chirped, following as the man paced around the platform. “Maybe he just teleported away, or is actually here, just keeping out of your reach?"

“Worse thought." Arcturus grimaced, “What if he wasn't even real? Some sort of illusion created by this place?"

“Either way, we lucked out. Which reminds me, I do apologize for doubting your bond. It would seem to be quite fortuitous."

“Was it?" Arcturus eyed the coming platform, locking upon Nigel's metal arms. All his muscles tensed; his gaze narrowed. “It would seem things have been afoot with our absence." He searched Nivra, her smile from ear to ear, she didn't look to be upset. That was either great or terrible. “have we been betrayed?"

Voidwing sputtered, clamping his beak shut. “Ah yes…I did forget to mention…That."

Nigel waved to them, his voice slithering across their hall. “You saved us quite the amount of trouble tracking you down! What luck!"

“Where is the boy?" Voidwing whispered, fluffing his wings, searching across Nigel's platform for any sign of him. “I have a bad feeling about this."

“You and me both." Arcturus whispered before turning to Nigel, clearing his throat, and giving the undead wizard a forced smile. “You know us, never do like to let anyone down."

“Course, course my boy. Always why I admired you. Do the right thing, make the hard decisions." The lich folded his arms behind him, a seriousness weighing upon his wretched brow. “Which is why I know you'll make the correct one even now."

“Is that so?"

At a slight gesture, Voidwing fluffed his wings and lashed his tail. Muscles all prepped for flight, if there was to be some double cross, he'd ensure to ferry Nivra away on his swift wings.

“Depending on your point of view though, I always seem to make the wrong one." Arcturus' eyes searched the lower platform, spying the empty chest resting on the floor. “What happened to the orb?"

“It did not come with us!" Said Nivra, cutting Nigel off. “It faded away when we teleported, it was immune to such magics."

Voiding gasped in surprise, eyes ever wide at the implications. Their entire journey had been for nothing? Getting separated and facing down angels, all to learn they could have stayed back in Struport? What would the Sapphire Guard say when they learned of this? Arcturus seemed to be of the same mind.

“So that's what this was all about?" His hands balled to fists, “All a scheme to be freed from his imprisonment and have his arms returned?"

“I told you he was up to no good." Voidwing huffed, already planning his flight to the opposite platform. Could he outrun the lich's spells? Weave and bank his way through the criss crossing metal beams all around them? His tail lashed, his courage swelling, for Nivra, he'd give it everything he could. After all, there was no way she was on his side…Right?

“Not entirely correct Arcturus." Replied Nigel, eyes gleaming with ill-intent. “I fully intended to house your trinket, but this Emperor was far too clever for such a plot. Faced with no alternative, I've devised a new plan. One that will salvage the setback of the day."

“And what is this new scheme of yours?" Arcturus grit his teeth, his legs already braced and ready.

The lich sighed, “Can you not figure it out? Rub those brain cells you have together and realize the truth dangling a lantern before your eyes?" Nigel slumped, faced with the man's hardened gaze. “Inside you is the shard of Bahamut, something this Emperor is quite motivated to acquire. If he is to absorb each of these shards, he will have the spark of creation that his mother once had. The ability to shape and change things as he sees fit." Surely you can already see the complications with your return to the sphere, we'd be risking not just your life but everyone else's!" He gestured to the hall, “I implore you to accept my invitation to remain here, at least until we can figure out how to separate you from the shards our enemy covets so dearly."

Voidwing trembled, searching the wizard, looking for any sign of deception. Though he saw none, the dread still ate away at his gut. He shifted with a twitch of his ears, eyeing the way Arcturus' breaths got shallow, the knight's fingers clench at his gambeson clad chest.

“And leave the shard in you're capable claws?" Arcturus all but growled, fire burning in his eyes. “You must take me for a fool if you think I'd put any trust in you."

Nigel grit his teeth, clenching a metal hand tight. “You had enough to trust me with the orb's safety. Selfishness finds your heart in this moment of need. Are you afraid once we take it away you'd lose your uniqueness? Is that really worth risking this sphere for?

 “Either way I'd be risking it." He recoiled, drawing his sword as he willed a shimmering blue shield around himself. “Nivra, get away from him. We're departing with haste."

“Pity." Nigel sighed, shaking his head. “And Nivra said you'd be much more agreeable to talk to." Turning to the controls by his side he punched in a few keys, turning a bone shaped key hidden in a metal compartment. In the blink of an eye, all the platforms save Nigel's, a protective, translucent, crimson dome of energy sprung into existence from tile to tile. “If you won't agree to such terms like a gentleman, then you'll be forced to comply. You won't jeopardize this world."

“Now I know why The Emerald Lady liked working with you." Arcturus remarked, scratching the sturdy surface with the tip of his sword, it was like stone. He grimaced as Voidwing offered an inquisitive chirp and did the same with his talons.

“Seen anything like this before?" asked Voidwing.

“Rothdellian prisons. But worry not, I already know what to do."

“You do?" His head tilted, one ear standing tall.

“Lets just say, we practiced with a certain dragon of mine." Arcturus already started the motions as Nivra began chewing Nigel's ear out, chastising him for his aggressive nature. That was just the distraction they needed to escape. “On my mark, get ready to spring forth." He gestured with his blade.

 “Are you sure?" Voidwing's ears splayed as he tapped the forcefield, finding it as sturdy as steel. “My head's going to crack like an egg."

“Not if it's not there." He rose a clenched fist, already staring the incantation. To his relief the gryphon gave him a solitary nod before adopting a readied stance. Muscles tenses, wings fluffed, eyes twin beacons of determination. At the flick of the silver tuft tail, Arcturus spoke the final words, willing the magic into life. “Now!"

Powerful muscles sprung to life as Voidwing pounced, letting loose a mighty squawk of battle. His wings flared on either side, prepared for a mighty pump that would propel him into the network of steel. His plans and strategy for navigating the arduous task was cut short, as the forefield had not retreated. At the last second, he shifted his weight, slamming his side into the wall of energy. Pain lanced his side, wretched a shrill screech from his throat. In a fluffed heap he collapsed to the floor, groaning as Arcturus ran to his side. “It wasn't….Down." He groaned as the knight already began to offer a brief reprieve with his healing magic.

“One of these days it's going to work." Arcturus' brow furrowed, eyeing the mechanical creation with ire. If they were to get out of here, it wasn't going to be on their merits. “Lets hope we get the chance-“

“Don't worry." Voidwing weakly replied, giving a beak parted smile. “Nivra has a plan."

*

“What is this assertion I'm unable to keep him?" Nigel sneered, forgetting about those he'd jailed. His focus was square on his apprentice before him, a tiny abode caught within his storm. “I certainly can and have done so. What I know not is your reservation." He eyed the thin strip of wood she'd pulled from her pack, a focus used in the casting of spells. It was poised to strike if she gave the command, he tentatively paced around the platform opposite her.

“Can't fathom that someone's conclusion differs from yours?" Nivra replied, her voice not wavering in its conviction. “I agreed to see what would transpire, Arcturus rather bluntly refused. I think to hold him would drive a rift too great. So, I leave you with two choices, release him and we can come to a compromise, or we can cross spells until a winner is decided." Her thoughts screamed as the lich suddenly stopped dead in his tracks.

“Your arrogance is quite astounding if you think I can be ordered around like another of your peons. I was weaving spells before you were even a glimmer in your father's eye. You stand there, courage wavering on a knife, thinking yourself my equal?" The lich merely scoffed at her stance, adopting one of his own. “I've defeated many wizards stronger than you, cleverer and braver than you. You're here without special books, staffs and allies, what makes you think you could ever hope to best me?"

“One thing you've not considered." She hurled her satchel at the lich, firing a beam of intense cold to distract him as she did so. “Say hello to my little friends."

“Little-“ The lich's eyes went wide as two forms flung themselves from the bag's contents, one the red scaled form of a dragon, the other the blue feathers of a gryphon, both their claws ready to bare. The size of cats they were as they surged through the air but in the blink of an eye they steadily grew.

Nigel tried to shift to avoid what was to come, but it was far too late. Veledar's sharpened claws found rotted flesh, stabbing into his carcass like swords. As a resounding trill of triumph echoed through the hall they fell backwards, slamming to the ground with a sickening crack. Unable to move, he was forced to stare up into the sapphire flames burning in Veledar's eye sockets.

“It would appear as though you didn't think of everything." He snarled, his great teeth brought to bare. As the lich began to shift beneath him, trying to cast his magic, nothing came. Veledar could only chuckle deeply in his throat, swishing his tail in delight, “Having problems with performance? I imagine it's no surprise with men your age. Fear not though, for in this case its not your fault. You find yourself trapped within my ingenious plot, pinned, and enveloped in a field of antimagic. Where you find yourself helpless, no more powerful than a rotted corpse. But myself? I still carry the strength of a dragon." He rose his head to flash Arcturus a grin, loving the stunned expression on the man's face. “Why if it isn't my beloved Umraadi, with his 'my mate's sexy when he's clever face.'"

“But this is always my face." Arcturus replied.

“Oh, that I know." The dragon rumbled, giving the man a wink, enjoying the reddening cheeks as realization dawned in the knight's eyes.

“Could you perhaps not flirt during your triumph?" The lich groaned, “Its pretentious enough as it is."

He shot down his snout, cracking a few of the lich's ribs. “Listen here you rotted, stitched together sack of garbage. You have no say in how I express my victory."

“And I suppose that make me nothing more than your means of transportation?" Nivra mused, gesturing for Krotos to join her at the platform's controls.

“That was your part of the plan." Veledar rolled his eyes, heaving a great sigh. “I suppose some merit could be yours. After all, he did buy all your acting."

Nigel uselessly grasped at Veledar's forelimbs, cold claws grazing crimson scales. “You think me trapped? That you've got me powerless?" He pressed firmly, hoping to disrupt the dragon's flow of magic, bring an end to this antimagic field, but nothing happened. His gaze narrowed.

“That's right." Veledar growled with pride, flaring his frills. “That little trick won't work on me anymore.  Accept it lich, you've lost. All your clever schemes and plotting undone by yours truly. How it must burn within that horrid chest of yours."

“Not as much as you'd imagine dragon." The lich's brow rose. “Last I recalled, you were not of many years. Such a spell…While impressive, must be quite the taxing experience to be sure. How long can you hold it I wonder? Long enough to drag me back? Or will I be free in a matter of minutes? My heart flutters at the suspense."

Snorting to mask the chill in his heart, Veledar tossed his head. It was something he didn't wish to acknowledge, the phantom weight resting on his spine with every breath he took. It was taking all his concentration to maintain the field around them, curse how this magician could know. He pressed down; eyes narrowed as he growled to maintain the illusion of control. “I can hold it long enough…Then we can tear off these galling looking arms and restrict you once more." He peered over his flank, the girl had yet to hit the right sequence to free Arcturus and Voidwing. “Unrelated note, Nivra how much longer do we have?"

Nigel smirked, “And do you think me truly trapped beneath your paws? I assure you, the victory you taste is merely fleeting, observe. Alexa! Remove this dragon off me with haste!"

Alexa? Who in the world was he talking to? The dragon jerked up in alarm as a clunk pierced it's way through the cacophony of noise. Around the mass of metal his diligent eyes swept, trying to locate the source. At the last moment he realized it didn't matter, there was a massive bulk of metal aimed straight at him. He tried to leap back but it closed the distance faster than he could shout in alarm.

Wrapping its way around his scaled chest was a writhing mass of tubes and grease slathered wires. They slithered around his paws, twisting down his flank and coiling tight around him like some horrific snake. The momentum send the dragon hurling backwards, careening off the side of the platform as he roared in defiance. With a great whistling intake of air he plummeted down into the cavern of steel below.

Nigel righted himself, seemingly unphased by this predicament. He dusted off his shoulder with condescending sigh before adopting a combative stance. Experienced eyes laid heavily upon the shocked expression of his apprentice, confidence was painted across his face. “Your support was misplaced my dear apprentice. Know this lesson was brought by your choices!"

The undead mage surged forward, metallic arms weaving in a blur of ill intent. He hissed the words of power, hurling fist sized bolt of fire through the air. As he landed upon the stone, another spell had already left his cruel lips, his body split into three perfect copies, mimicking his every movement. To his delight, Nivra had dodged out of the way. “You're reflexes are quite good, but can you keep it up?"

If this was the hand she was dealt, then Krotos needed time to free Arcturus and Voidwing from their prison. Nivra answered the Lich's mocking words with a spell of banishment, something to remove him from this plane for an extended time. The blue mist that enveloped him did little, only ending with the undead magician casually stepping out of it. She scowled, he was either too strong of spirit, or had magical protections against it. For her defiance she received a beam of intense cold to her leg.

“Banishment? Is that the best you could think of? I thought I'd train you better than to open with such a cheap trick like that." He strode confidently around the platform's edge, already starting to weave another spell as Veledar's roar reverberated through the hall. With a runic shape in the air he hurled to her a sphere of pure darkness in which light could not escape. To his surprise she shot up, canceling the spell with a well-placed counter spell. Without amusement he put her back down with another well-placed ray of frost.

“Is…that all you know?" She avoided another of his frigid beams, loosing upon him a bolt of fire. Back and forth they danced across the platform in their deadly dance, fire exploding against ice in a shimmering display, moisture scattering in its wake. With the passing moments she couldn't help but he was only playing with her. Her gaze narrowed, and a fireball blossomed from her fingertips.

Flames exploded around the lich, hungry, terrifying, eager to burn away the edges of his robes. His copies disintegrated in the blink of an eye as thick clouds sprung into being at their passing. He emerged, dusting off his shoulder, not a single scratch or burn on his flesh. Grim silence filled the hall as his gaze flicked to Krotos, the gryphon still busy trying to manipulate the controls. “Your form was adequate, the strength mediocre. How are your defenses?" He pulled back, hurling a fireball of his own.

He hadn't aimed for her, of course he didn't, instead going after her companion. Nivra hurled herself between them, barely weaving a rune to absorb the flames seconds before they were consumed by fiery death. Even with her spell, Nivra was sent tumbling back, her flesh all but seared. Scrambling to find a hold, she just managed to prevent herself from careening off the edge. Her reward was another beam of cold as Nigel stood over her, emotionless to her coming scream.

“This is all the resistance you can offer? After such a brazen defiance you offered?" He clicked his tongue, searching the now trembling blue gryphon with teal tips. “Your companions are clearly of little strength. Gryphon! You'll find without my key, those controls are quite locked. You could at least act as a meat shield for my apprentice than toiling away, uselessly."

“I don't tell you how to do your job!" Krotos sputtered, opening a satchel wrapped around his chest, pulling out a sizable pin. “Besides, I hate to break this to you leather face, you're not my type."

“And…I'm just getting warmed up." Nivra coughed, stars in her eyes as she struggled to her feet. She met his confident gaze with daggers, ignoring the taste of blood on her tongue.

“Are you so certain Nivra? To me it looks as though you can barely stand. Tell me you've had enough of this and it can end."

She entered her trained stance, hands up, arcane focus held tight within her trembling arm. Where was Veledar? If there was anytime she needed him, it was now. By the sounds of his roars, he was still struggling with the construct below. Hopefully, he was doing better than her. “Just a clever plot, I assure you."

He scoffed at the notion, already spying blood trickling it's way down her sullied robes. When she hurled a lightning bolt in his direction, he flicked it away like a troublesome gnat. “Final warning apprentice. Press me further and your pain will be quite extraordinary."

“I've…Already made my choice." She panted, starting to weave another spell.

“You leave me no choice." He sighed deeply, “Farewell gryphon, you will stand as an example." At a gesture came a beam of crackling purple energy, led by a spectral finger with its pointer thrust forward. It was the dreaded finger of death, doing as the name suggested with a mere graze upon the flesh.

Eyes wide in terror, she wove the counter spell as swiftly as she could speak. Though usually not of the strength to snuff out such a strong spell, there might still be a chance. She grit her teeth and held what ground she had as the beam curved towards her, drawn as if by a magnet. It struck her extended palm, the tremendous force billowing back her hair. Time seemed to slow as the power radiated through her, unleashing pain like a branding iron over every inch of her body. She collapsed, screaming in pain as the sensations went deeper, carving out her insides and ensuring only it remained. There she writhed and flailed, caught in a whirlwind of agony. When it stopped she could only lay there, hollowed out, hands blackened and burned. Somehow, she'd survived.

Nigel swooped to her with great interest, praising her on her attempt. “I was certain you'd perish if you tried to block it. You surprise me with your tenacity and strength. Though I doubt you could do so again."

 Fighting the intense pain, she shifted, gathering whatever resistance she had left to stand defiantly against this man. Every movement was agony, bringing tears to her bloodshot eyes. She forced her stiff fingers to obey, weaving a final spell as Nigel only chuckled at her display. He knew he'd won, no matter what spell she had in her arsenal. But that's when she caught sight of Veledar, wrestling with the construct on the opposite platform, bathing the red hot creature with another gout of flames.

“This is why I liked you. That spirit that never dies. Body breaking, pain unimaginable you must be feeling, you persist. All we have to do is mold you a bit more and you'll be perfe-“

“Marfedelom Vignar", she loosed a viridian ribbon of deadly purpose, a spell meant to disintegrate at a mere touch.

Nigel stood resolute, finger raised, already prepared to deflect it's coming. If this was the final act to instill how outmatched she was, he would oblige her. To his astonishment the beam went wide, not even coming close to finding him. He blinked in utter shock, “You…Missed."

“Did I?" She panted with a smirk as the construct quarreling with Veledar withered away to nothing more than green ash. As the dragon wheeled about, setting his narrowed sights to her former master she could only mockingly laugh, “And I think he's rather cross."

To drive her point home, Veledar swooped around the platform, his fireglands heavy and waiting. His maw opened, teeth flashing as an inferno billowed down to consume the lich in its intense fury. The air sizzled and warmed, stone blackened and burned, any loose clothing was obliterated in the blink of an eye. As the smoke billowed around them, Veledar landed with a heavy thump and satisfying throaty rumble.

“Good news Krotos, it appears as though you're no longer in a rush."

“Don't start." The gryphon squawked, heavily thumping his tail. “Or we can talk about how you got smacked around by that pile of slithering tentacles!"

With a wrinkling of his scaled snout, Veledar curled around to the princess, not taking his eyes off the center of the cloud of smoke. “Are you alright Nivra?" He eyed the wavering nature of her stance.

“Could always be better." She replied, barely able to stand.

“But will you be better is the question." Nigel mused, hovering out of the heavy smoke. Metal arms gleamed in the light, dusted with ash, his robes seared and fused to his burned and blackened flesh. His eyes narrowed, “It would appear as though I've under-estimate you again dragon. That shall not be happening again."

The dragon leaped to the lich with a mighty roar as Nivra collapsed to her side. His paws swelled to life with white, holy flames, courtesy of Arcturus' bond. Even Nigel's flesh proved ill equipped to protect him, forcing the undead magician to try and keep his distance, hurling what cantrips he could to try and bring down the raging beast before him. With claw, tooth, spell and breath, Veledar slowly but surely was whittling down what remained of Nigel's strength.

“Is this what I taught you to do girl? Let others do your work for you?" Nigel demanded, avoiding a snapping of Veledar's jaws by slamming the dragon's head away with a forceful jab, any lesser creature would have found themselves shriveled and slain.

“What do you mean let him do the work?" She shouted back. “I'm only letting him get his fair turn!"

With a savage snarl, Veledar's claws connected, tearing through putrid flesh and bone alike. He pursued as his prey slammed into the platform below. “I think you should really focus on me."

“Must I?" Nigel tumbled to his feet, avoiding the coming paw and placing his boney hand on the dragon's hide. Magic flowed through scale and flesh, seizing up muscle bravado. The dragon froze in place. “Even with his help it doesn't matter."

“What about everyone else?" Chirped Krotos, pulling down the metal lever with a heavy clunk, “It looks like your locks aren't as good as you thought!" He blew off his wiggling talons, “They never count on the magic talons-“ With an indignant squawk he was forced to duck, narrowly avoiding a ribbon of green magic hurled in his direction. Heart pounding, he scrambled to take flight, avoiding one right after the other. Only midflight did he feel himself safe enough to wheel around and taunt his decrepit adversary, “You know if you're having a hard time hitting the right spot, I can certainly be of help!"

But the undead magician could not respond to such a scathing remark, he found himself surrounded. With the magical prison's retracted, Arcturus and Voidwing had swiftly closed the distance, threatening the wizard with a combined assault of vicious talons and precise sword play. To add to their power was the might of Veledar, cutting off whatever avenues that Nigel took to avoid them with paw, jaw, tail, or flames. With their combined efforts they cut off deadly spells before they could be even woven, avoided his paralyzing touch and chipped away at his defenses bit by boney bit.

“Even with all of you, this is all you can muster?" Nigel sneered, slamming Arcturus' sword to the ground with a gesture. As he wheeled back, gryphon and dragon were forced to retreat from a writhing aura of tendrils, forged seemingly out of shadow itself. “I'm not impressed."

“Says one not able to land his spells." Countered Arcturus, “Your grip of the situation has laxed."

“Quite considerably!" Squawked Voidwing, managing to slam his bulk into the lich's back, hurling him straight into Veledar's waiting paws.

Nigel tumbled to the floor a broken mess, his robes tattered and torn. Flesh had ripped, exposing muscle beneath as he rose with the coldness of a winter wind. When Veledar and Arcturus pursued to press home their advantage he tripped up the knight with a slithering vine of thorns, while diverting the dragon's charge with a wall of stone. The resounding thump almost brought a smile to the lich's lips. When Voidwing tried to leap to him, the metal arm rose, so did the gryphon, his airway all but sealed by an invisible force. He began to flail and choke, sputtering for any breath.

In control the wizard strode to Nivra's side, paying no attention to his squirming prey. By the sounds of things, he'd ensnared the knight and dragon as well. “This is what it's come to apprentice. This inevitability. They are a weakness people like us can't afford to have, it clouds our judgement and the harms the insurmountable choices we must make." He gestured to Voidwing, the gryphon's talons locked to his throat, desperation swirling within his apricot spheres. “Must I rid you of such distractions for the path ahead?"

“Don't…You dare." Nivra struggled to maintain her footing, each breath as if firecrackers were going off in her chest. “They won't be any trouble, let them go. They'll never bother you again."

“Alas, I cannot trust such a thing. Not since this betrayal." He glode to the struggling gryphon, admiring his fur with a mocking tender brush to his chest. “Perhaps this is what I failed to capture the previous times…Pain is needed for our transformations…Nivra, for your own good…I shall remove your distractions."

Fear like she'd never known clenched at her throat, she'd only just gotten him back! “Not to him, please not to him! Do whatever you wish to do to me! Just not him!" She collapsed to the floor in agony, fighting through the pain to maintain her teary-eyed gaze upon her cruel mentor, and his emotionless stare back at her.

“There is no other choice now." He formed a fist, “I take no pleasure in this, truly. You must learn, just I did long ago." From his palm formed a metallic spike, long and gleaming with murderous intent. Without a hint of remorse he turned, pulled back and aimed straight for Voidwing's heart. That's when the shrillest of whistles rang through the hall, formed by a gryphon's beak.

“Forget about me old man? Again? Who knew you had memory problems?" The blue gryphon was on another platform, clenching fast another of the levers tight.

One more pest to squash? Nigel wheeled to face the gryphon, resting his hardened gaze upon him. “I have no use of you gryphon; I'd choose your next few words carefully."

“Then let me say on behalf of everyone here, you can thoroughly get mounted." Krotos' talons tightened as the lich tentatively moved. It was now or never, he doubted he'd have long before another spell was loosed in his direction, and by the look of things, he was the only one capable of doing anything. “And I know you'd probably like this to remain an intimate affair, but I have a weakness when it comes to dragons. And hey, I know one just killing to get reacquainted!" With a wink he slammed down the lever, the proper cell number already punched in. His ears splayed as he ducked, hairs on his head getting seared off.

With a shout of frustration, the lich proceeded to follow the smarmy gryphon with spell after spell, unable to burn a single feather off his back. Always the cavern seemed to protect him, metal or otherwise. He had to stop himself from chasing after him, he had far more pressing concerns to contend with.

With a resounding thud that shook the hall, Storm emerged from his confinement with a heavy snarl. Before the fog leaking from his cell could disperse, the dragon leaped into the air, lightning crackling off his every scale. In the blink of an eye he became what he always breathed, navigating his way through beam and platform alike. Diamonds shattered in his wake, tiles fragmented and exploded. Before Nigel's eyes could widen in fear, Storm was towering over him, wings splayed out seemingly forever. Air thrummed with power, his maw opened, and the space between them seemed to tear itself apart with blinding fury.

The undead abomination froze, despite his attempt to shield himself, the bolt struck him with the force of a typhoon. Metal arms melted under the stress, flesh peeled away and burned like parchment to an open flame. His eyes exploded, his robes disintegrated to dust, electric teeth wove their way to the core of him, ripping out all that remained. Nigel collapsed upon his ruined face, smoke curling whisps off his form.

Down went Storm's paw into his back, shattering the weakened bones. “Now you're defeated." Storm growled.

“Fantastic job everyone in enacting the plan!" Veledar wobbled over, shaking his head. “Though can we just stop for a moment and appreciate…That the great Ramakox had the same idea as well?" He placed a paw to his chest, relishing at the thought.

“It wasn't the same plan." Storm replied, “You shrunk, I shape shifted. Two entirely different plans."

“Essentially the same." He waved a paw, earning himself a low, guttural growl. “Fine, they're different."

As Storm held Nigel under his mighty paws, Arcturus tended to the other's wounded forms. His healing magic sealed their cuts, restored some of their energy, and mended the princess' scared fingers (To the happy chirp of her beloved.) Krotos did return to bask in his key part of the victory, even Veledar had to give him some credit.

“But don't let it go to your head." The dragon warned, leaving his snout mere inches from the gryphon's beak.

“Me?" Krotos replied in a singsong voice, poking the dragon on the nose, and placing a talon to his feathery chest. “I'd never!"

“I'm never going to hear the end of it." The dragon groaned.

“No way."

“Wonderful." He replied flatly as Krotos planted himself down, leaning into the dragon and nudging him with a wing.

“Come on big guy, you know you loved it."

."Fine…But I won't say it again." He squinted, lashing his tail, and ignoring the delighted trill currently piercing his ears.

*