Astral would slowly stand. He felt like he had gained another soul, but it lay dormant next to his. He would be staggered as he walked over, the influx of power inside of him is another battle, looking up the timer hadn't begun, was he moving faster than time?
No, that's impossible, his mind was rattling loudly as he collapsed to the ground. He would calm himself and clear his mind. Searching into his soul he would see not just Magic Mike but another shadowy figure, one that looks like him. This empty battleground would be the last fight.
Smiling Astral would speak to him. "Come to my soul, try to invite others and take me over?" Soul magic was something Astral studied. He was the one to keep the thing from happening. His full armor would appear as well as his sword and shield. "This soul is mine," A giant beacon of light came from above, beaming down onto Mike as the shadow figure turned into smoke, leaving his body.
"So either accept your fate and die forever." With each step forward the beam of light would grow stronger. Mike would have used a charm to try and reflect the beam. "Or become more than yourself and be a part of me forever." Astral would be behind Mike. Pinning him to the ground he would cackle. "Or do you want to be a part of the great journey?"
"Oh child, the only way you can gain all my memories and skills is by defeating me here, you can conquer people and add their talents to your own, however. To reach true mastery." Mike would flare upwards into the sky. "Is to conquer their souls."
He would summon two light swords and send a barrage of light spears. "Otherwise it's just folly to have all these skills and never be used." He would come down swinging on Astral. With each swipe at Astral he would be looking for the critical hit to turn the tide.
"Do as much damage as you want. We won't hurt anyone here." Astral mocked the man as he slashed his sword, sending out waves of light as sharp as his blade. Mike focused his energy once more as the galaxy looked to take over his body. The beams of light doing nothing.
"I am immune in this form. I have no weakness." Mike mocked Astral by firing lightspeed magic missiles that were infused with lightning and fire. Astral dodged and rolled away from each one till the last, grabbing it and hurling it back at Mike as it went into him and sat.
"SHEER COLD" Astral shouted to freeze Mike's arms. It worked as Astral seemed faster than light as he snapped past Mike, the slashes burning and severing his arms. Before snapping the arms back Mike caught Astral's blade within his teeth.
"Ha, it tingles but there is more to me." Mike slammed Astral into the ground as the entire arena looked like the galaxy and space. "Bang." Mike who was the entire soul at this point clapped, a cosmic entity of massive proportions.
Astral stood there and took the hit while his armor glimmered, he shielded himself with a shimmer of light. It all began to fade as Mike returned to his normal look. Holding the solar blade and a blade of light.
"Come and get it." Astral waved Mike to come at him as he laughed. Mike charged at him as the two slashed at each other to no avail, any blows done to the other were too shallow to leave a lasting mark on either of them.
Mike kept summoning meteors and light spears as the fight kept going and he wasn't winning. "You won't succeed in beating me. Never!" Mike shouted as another wave of parries and blows were sent at him. Astral pushed him back and finally broke him as his hat started to fade.
"You forget one thing though." Astral parried Mike's swords and kicked him away. "Ultimately I have control of my soul. And where are we?" He would hold his hand out and press it downward increasing the gravity past anyones limits.
Causing Mike to fall to his hands and knees. Then falling flat onto his chest. "You have one option left. Merge with me peacefully and I will dedicate all my magical prowess to you. If not, well. I will just teach myself." Astral would reach his hand out to Mike. Letting the gravity up so they can agree.
"If you do let me merge. I will still keep my form here and my identity." Mike would look up to the man above him. "But I will have no body to manifest myself. Becoming your spiritual guide." He would stand up. "Meaning we are equals. Agreed?"
"Why of course we are equals, your magic was the most impressive thing I have ever seen. It would take me forever to even learn magic, let alone master it." Astral would bow in respect to Mike. Mike bowed back. "As you will be here it just means that we become one."
Mike nodded his head happily. "Someone to take my skills and use them for a better use than I have. My life I tried to live for myself. You want it for others and your family." Astral nodded his head slowly.
Astral would extend his hand out and Mike would shake it. "But I didn't say you would still have your consciousness constantly." Mike would slowly fade away as Astral would merge their souls. "You will be missed." a fire was lit inside of Astral's eye as he got up and flashed back to reality.
Astral would stand back up. This time in full form as his armor slowly faded and the timer began. He smiled, two souls in one body would be another power level missing from Astral, which would cause new avenues to be explored. He would think of a crazy idea before waving it off as impossible.