--Serlin-POV--
This might be our only chance, Ilin is badly wounded, her arm is scraped, and she is stabbed in the chest, it might've caused her fatal harm.
She is barely maintaining the barrier, I can't expect her to fight anymore, her breathing is getting heavier and she is may not be able to stand for much longer I need to end this fast, or-
"Sir. Sirlin, you really stand upon my expectations, but still, the time you took to snap out of the spell is maybe a sign of you getting old, so how about this,
I will let you go if you hand me that brat and act as a witness for the incidents that happened."
He rested his sword on his shoulder and stood completely relaxed, smirking and ridiculing us.
"Gosh!!"
A long sigh made my thoughts clear,
"I should've done this a long time ago, miss Ilin you should stand back, just hold this barrier for some time-"
"Are you serious? Can you defeat him alone?"
She said holding back the of my shirt and her chest with the other hand, her legs were trembling and she finally fell on her knees but still, she was keeping this barrier up,
"He may be young but he is still the General of the Domain don't be absurd-"
"You stay there for a while, I don't know if I can win or not, but there is a guy whose punch can knock him for weeks," I said.
"What are you talking about?" She mumbled,
[ OPEN ]
"OUCH!!!"
I opened the Cross Void and Aaris fell from it and kissed the Ground.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING OLD MAN!?"
-- Ilin-POV --
Was he serious? Why did he pull Aaris back? It's dangerous for him, no way he can fight Dustin.
What is he doing?
"Boy!" Serlin raised his fist against Dustin and the back of his fist was facing Aaris,
"The Strength you pulled out of you when you fought me that night, can you do that again?"
"I-
.
.
I am sorry but I don't know!" His face was clueless standing and confused, he was still trying to grasp the situation, I wanted to cry and slap him but,
It's all hopeless now!
"AHAH HAHAHA!!"
Dustin broke into a laugh,
"This pipsqueak-
Haha
with no mana, this donkey will fight me!
Ahaha-
Serlin, I didn't know you would lose hope this early!"
As he laughed tears came out of Dustin's eyes, it was frustrating how he mocked him, hurt him all these years, but
Still, it was Aaris who faced all these punishments,
Even he did nothing.
A chain of emotions soared in my mind and I broke into tears,
"Here I am also, injured and helpless on the ground,
If only I can-
I could've,
Helped Aaris."
I started sniffling losing hope.
"Don't worry, miss. Ilin!"
Aaris yelled, He bumped his fist to Serlin raising against Dusting.
"Indeed, I don't know I can win or not, neither I don't know I can fight him or not but all these years would go in vain if today I backed down with a fight,
So don't cry, I promise I won't let him hurt anyone here."
"Oho big words for a useless brat like you, I changed my mind now. After I eliminate the three of you I'll burn down this flower nest of yours, it's nothing but a gold leaching cave of insects, you should've taken my offer!"
Dustin dashed to Serlin.
[ BIND ]
Serlin chanted and chains from the void grabbed Dustin and strangled him,
But Dustin smiled again.
" Useless!",
[ INK - DREAM _ CLONE MANIFESTATION ]
Tens of clones poured out Dustin's body and he broke the chains by bending his sword and charged against them.
Serlin took few steps back pulling Aaris covering me, he looked tense,
"Boy, listen carefully you got one chance, even if I use VOID-CHAINS, I can't out strength his level, his last spell already wore me out also his sword, it bends at his will, another Illusion spell and we are done for, so I am betting all of my chances here, focus all of your mana in a fist and charge at him"
"Now?" Aaris looked at Serlin,
"Yes, NOW!"
Aaris clenched his fist and leaped toward clones coming straight to us.
"Didn't I tell you it's useless!!"
They swung their swords aiming for his body,
No, he will be slashed, stop him, Serlin!
"AARIS!!!"
[ DEVOUR ]
Serlin chanted and Aaris disappeared in a closing Void before their sword could touch them.
"Enough of you puny tricks!" His clones yelled and ran furiously to us.
[ CHAIN FLESH BRAID ]
As Serlin chanted Nine of The Clones were skewered by the chains running through voids, opening and closing irregularly in the air creating a web trapping Dustin in between,
"Hmm I didn't expect that you still had so much mana left, I thought I drained you through the Nightmare but-"
"I don't think you have the liberty to talk!"
Serlin opened a Void from behind Dustin,
"You GEEZER!"
Before Dustin could turn, Serlin stabbed Dustin.
Did we win?
Dustin coughed blood from his mouth and held Serlin's sword, and then spoke,
"Good planning old man, but you should've checked that I was the real or not."
It was a clone too?
It disappeared after the incursion!
No! " Serlin, get away from there" screaming in the hope he could make it,
God, no! Save them, please!.
" GOODBYE OLD-MAN!"
A sword went through Serlin's chest, and slowly the air around Serlin bend weirdly Dustin appeared standing in front of him,
"You really thought I would fall for this huh?"
He twisted his sword and giggled.
"Actually.... I did!"
What are you trying to do? get away from there old man! My eyes went blurry. I was at my limit.
"What?" Dustin spoke.
Serlin grabbed his sword,
"What the fu-" Dustin tried to back off…
[ OPEN ]
Aaris fell from a void opened up on top the Dustin,
And under him on the ground with a punch!!
"OLD-MAN!" Aaris yelled and Serlin leaned on the Aaris shoulder.
"Get hold of yourself Old-man, oye!"
" I am fine boy, this ain't enough to get me down!" Serlin pulled the sword out of his chest and sat down.
Thank God they are safe,
Finally, it ended now we can-
"Damn you brat that hurt!" Dustin stood up again.