"Please don't say that again."
Arthur said as he got up, cringing from the words spoken by Magnus. His wounds healed up and he stood beside the unexpected ally.
"YOU! WHY ARE YOU HERE?", Taros yelled in a voice tinged with fear as he pointed a trembling finger at Magnus Night.
Arthur raised an eyebrow, "You know this big lump of rock?"
Magnus nodded, "Yeah. Big guy challenged me and I gave him what he needed, a challenge."
His lips curled into a sinister grin, "He ran away after facing me for ten minutes. He literally jumped into the sky to get away from me. Do you even know how heavy a Vaharis is?"
"Ah.", Arthur's eyes perked up as he understood something, "So that's how cheese breath ran into us."
He crossed his arms, "How can you lose your prey like that? Didn't those elders in the branch family teach you how to hunt down your quarry?"
Magnus rolled his eyes, "Ugh. Since when do I care about what those fogeys think?"
"You'll be in so much trouble if those fogeys heard you right now."
"Oh, they can try."
The two continued their banter, ignoring the stunned and very confused Taros.
"Should I believe what I am seeing?", Flare turned to Ray who looked like he had seen this before.
"You better believe it.", He sighed and rubbed his temple, "I just wish they could stop rambling on. They always do this."
Oliver carried Gray on his huge back and observed the two young men from the Night Family.
"I heard the Night branch family is not on good terms with the main family. But those two are chatting away like they are old friends.", he looked at Ray and spoke.
"That's because they are good friends.", Ray replied, "Magnus and his father, Richard are the only ones from the branch family who are loyal to the main family."
"Hm.", Flare thought, "I doubt the elders of the branch family are happy about that."
Ray nodded, "Oh they're pissed all right. But Magnus is too valuable to them. He is the strongest warlock in the family and its rising star. So they won't try anything against him and his father."
"Ah. But do you think this is the right time to be bickering with each other?", Oliver asked, glancing at the speechless Vaharis.
"Don't worry. Oh look, Gray's awake.", Ray smiled as the young Aria rubbed her eyes and looked around in a daze.
"Huh? Where am I? What is happening?"
"Hey, Gray. You woke up just in time. The fun's about to start!", Ray waved cheerfully at her.
"Fun?", she asked, clearly confused.
He grinned, "Oh you'll see."
Arthur and Magnus were still having a lively chat when a powerful presence bore down on them.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?", Taros's boomed at them. He was up and glaring murderously at the duo.
Arthur rolled his eyes, "Catching up. Duh. You got pebbles for eyes?"
The Vaharis pointed again at Magnus and then at Arthur, "Do you know this monster?", he demanded.
Magnus frowned, "You know it's rude to point at others.", he turned to Arthur, "You sure you want me to finish him?"
Arthur shrugged, "He was your prey. Plus I had my fun."
A grin formed on Magnus's face and he approached Taros.
The Vaharis gulped and took a step back.
"Oh? You scared, big guy?", Magnus taunted as his eyes glowed.
Taros's nose flared like a dragon and sneered , "Scared? Of you? I underestimated you back then. I won't make that mistake again!"
He thrust out his hand and pointed roots erupted out of it.
{Plant Code: Dancing Roots}
Hundreds of twisted roots surrounded Magnus and went for him.
Flare gripped her scythe and stepped forward only to be stopped by Arthur. "No need for that. You've seen his powers, right? He'll be fine", he assured her with a smile.
No sooner had he finished speaking when the writhing mass of roots was incinerated by roaring flames.
Multiple columns of flames rose high in the sky and swirled like tornadoes. They were so bright that Arthur had to shield his eyes to see properly.
"He always had a flair for the dramatic.", he muttered.
Standing in the middle of the raging flames was Magnus. In his right hand, he held a silver and green sword covered by swirling winds and in his left, he held a thin cylindrical stick the size of a dagger, a wand.
With a flick of his wand, the flames dissipated and he assumed a stance with his wand behind him and his sword in front of him.
"Let's dance."
Taros roared and charged at the young man.
Multiple tentacles of roots erupted from his back and he attacked.
Magnus gracefully dodged the attack and swung his sword, unleashing winds that ripped the roots into shreds.
Taros's eyes glowed and the surrounding trees shuddered and groaned as their trunks elongated and they snaked towards Magnus.
He was undeterred and grinned widely.
"That's more like it."
He flicked the wand again and a huge water column erupted from the tip. It moved like a gigantic serpent and blocked the incoming trees.
He replaced the winds on his sword with flames and swung it at the trees.
{Fire Code: Infernal Claws}
Crescent claws of flames passed through the water column but instead of getting extinguished they burned brighter and incinerated the trees.
"Hm. Interesting. He used a very thin layer of steam to prevent the flames from being extinguished and enhanced the flames with the magia inside the water column.", Arthur mused and grinned.
"Magnus, you bloody genius."
Taros was relentless in his attacks, sending more trees snaking toward Magnus along with thousands of sharp roots.
But the young man countered and dodged them all with skill and grace. It was as if he was directing the attributes with his wand like a conductor and dancing with his sword.
"A marvelous performance.", Arthur declared and turned to his friends, "I believe Magnus has a nickname in the academy?"
Ray snorted, "Of course he has one. The Performer."
He shook his head, "Honestly, what is it with these weird names? He's called the Performer, you're called the Trickster.", he nodded at Arthur.
Arthur raised an eyebrow, "If I'm not mistaken. You also have a name. The Tinkerer, wasn't it?"
Ray winced and his face turned red, "Yeah. My bad. Let's enjoy the show then!", he quickly switched his attention to the battle happening before them.
The insane clash between Magnus and Taros was releasing a huge amount of magia and strong winds rocked the trees.
The ground shattered as more roots erupted out of it and attacked Magnus. The young man destroyed all of them with his flames, winds, and water.
Taros roared and started to grow bigger. His roar shook the earth and a powerful presence pressed down on almost everyone on the island.
"This fool is getting controlled by his rage!", Arthur yelled as the ground shook by the presence of the mighty Vaharis.
"Is this the power of an S Class?!", Ray yelled back.
Arthur nodded and looked at Magnus who had a slightly concerned look on his face, "This doesn't look good.", the young man muttered.
Soon, Taros broke through the canopy of the dark forest and stood tall above the trees, releasing steam from his mouth in the light of the midday sun.
The spaces between his rock-like exterior pulsed with his attribute and his eyes glowed as he looked down on the warlocks, especially at Magnus and Arthur.
The Vaharis opened his mouth and uttered a mighty bellow that shook the earth and deafened every single living being on the island.
It was especially bad for Arthur due to his sensitive ears. The bellow assaulted his ears like mighty dwarven hammers and his head throbbed.
The screams and yells of other participants running away from the sight of the enormous Vaharis didn't help his situation either.
"HOLY ARKENSTEIN! THAT WAS BLOODY LOUD!", he shouted over the ringing.
"HOLY DRAGNIA! MY EARS ARE BLEEDING!", Flare yelled, holding her ears.
They both stared at each other before Magnus appeared beside Arthur, "So. What do you think?", he asked.
Arthur shook his head to clear it and looked at Taros, "About twenty meters tall. I believe that is not even half his height. Things would get quite difficult if he unleashed his full height here."
He observed the Vaharis who seemed to be in a slight daze, "I think he may be a little disoriented after his transformation. That will probably give us some time to think."
"He just became a bigger target. We can beat him."
Magnus chuckled, "What are your orders then, young master?"
Arthur looked around and saw that his friends were looking at him expectantly.
Even Gray, who just woke up was looking at him as if ready to fly into battle at any moment.
A plan sprouted in his mind and a smile graced his face. But before he could say a shadow loomed over them.
"Scatter!", he yelled and they jumped away just as a giant rocky fist obliterated the place they were standing on.
"Oliver! Ray! Restrain him now!", Arthur barked.
The two of them nodded and quickly went to work. Oliver used his attribute to trap Taros's fist in earth and Ray quickly flung chains around the length of the arm and fastened them to the ground using spikes.
Taros roared and pulled out his hand. Oliver's earthen binds began to crumble and Ray's chains began to stretch and break under the strain.
There isn't much time left.
"Gray! Follow me! You'll attack first!", Arthur yelled as he flung his knives at the rising fist.
He looked at Flare, "Protect us!"
Gray quickly grabbed his outstretched hand and both dangled from Taros's arm as he lifted it up and looked at them with annoyance.
But before he could say anything, Arthur flung Gray up and she sailed up to the Vaharis's face.
"Now!"
Gray stared at Taros's eyes in her Catharsis state and pointed her polearm at him.
{Ice Code: Giga Lance}
Ice particles rapidly swirled behind her and formed a giant lance which then slammed the Vaharis in the face.
"Argh!", Taros stumbled back, destroying more trees.
"Awesome!", Arthur yelled as she fell back. However, Taros was straightening up and saw Arthur dangling.
With a growl he proceeded to slap the young man out of his arm only to buckle with a roar of pain.
Flare had attacked his ankle with her flaming scythe.
"Go for it!", she yelled as she jumped away.
Arthur yanked at the magia strings attached to the embedded knives and launched himself to the Vaharis's shoulder.
He scrambled like a gymnast upto the neck and threw a knife to the other shoulder.
He yanked at the magia strings and moved just as a huge palm slapped the shoulder he was on.
Soon he was right in front of Taros's face. He smirked at the surprised look on the Vaharis's face.
Before Taros snapped out of his shock and swatted him out of the air, Arthur gathered magia into his fist.
He mustered his draconian strength and combined it with magia.
With his eyes glowing and his midair stance ready, Arthur dealt a powerful punch.
A shockwave ripped through the air and the blow was so devastating that it shattered the scales on the Vaharis's face.
With a mighty groan, Taros staggered back, a thick black liquid, the blood of a Vaharis flowed out of his squashed nose.
Arthur landed on his chest and jumped off it as Taros fell backward.
"The stage is yours!", he yelled to Magnus.
Magnus Night nodded with a grin.
He took a stance and aimed his wand at the toppling Vaharis.
Magia particles along with wind, water, and fire swirled all around him as he prepared his code.
{Air Code: Tempest Dragon}
{Water Code: Swirling Serpent}
{Fire Code: Flare Drakon}
He opened his glowing eyes and spoke.
"The Grande Finale. Tridragon Storm"
Fire, water, and wind formed the shapes of three massive dragons and shot toward Taros.
The dragons roared as they spiralled each other to form a deadly tornado that spun like a giant drill of pain.
The sky lit up as a powerful explosion rocked the island and shockwaves rippled across the sky.
Arthur had covered his ears to prevent them from bursting and tried to see through the smoke and dust.
He felt a hand on his shoulder.
Magnus, who looked exhausted gave him a tired smile.
"How was it?"
Arthur gave a huge grin.
"A marvelous finale. Bravo."