Leo and Ariana entered the fortress through the tunnel. They had followed Rax's map and instructions, which led them to the mine shaft. They had found the entrance, which was hidden by some rocks and bushes. They had moved them aside, and entered the tunnel.
They saw that it was dark and narrow, but also long and deep. They saw some wooden beams and metal rails, which supported the tunnel and marked the way. They saw some carts and tools, which were used by the miners who had worked there. They saw some bones and rats, which were the only signs of life there.
They walked through the tunnel, using their torches and senses. They avoided some traps and guards along the way, which were placed by the mage's forces. They encountered some spikes and pits, which they jumped over or climbed out of. They encountered some soldiers and dogs, which they killed or knocked out.
They managed to overcome them with their skills and teamwork. They used their swords and magic, their wits and courage. They also helped each other out, covering each other's backs.
They reached the heart of the fortress, where they found the Dragon's Eye and the mage.
They saw that it was a large and circular room, with a high ceiling and a low floor. They saw that it was filled with candles and crystals, which lit up the room and amplified the magic. They saw that it was decorated with banners and statues, which showed the mage's symbol and image.
They saw that in the center of the room, there was a pedestal with a glass dome on top of it. They saw that inside the dome, there was a large and round gemstone, which glowed with a bright and pulsing light. They saw that it was the Dragon's Eye, the ancient artifact of great power and mystery.
They also saw that next to the pedestal, there was a man with a cloak and a mask on him. They saw that he had a staff and a ring on him, which were his sources of magic. They saw that he was the mage, the enemy of all living beings.
He looked at them with surprise and anger.
He said to them,
"Who are you? How did you get here?"
Leo said to him,
"We're here to stop you. We're here to destroy the Dragon's Eye."
The mage laughed.
He said to them,
"Stop me? Destroy the Dragon's Eye? You must be joking. You don't have a chance against me. You don't have a clue about what you're dealing with."
Ariana said to him,
"We know exactly what we're dealing with. We know that you're a tyrant who enslaves dragons and humans alike. We know that you're a coward who hides behind your mask and your magic. We know that you're a thief who stole the Dragon's Eye from its rightful owners."
The mage sneered.
He said to them,
"You know nothing, girl. You're just a foolish witch who meddles in things she doesn't understand. You're just a pathetic pawn who follows orders from others."
He then looked at Leo's sword, and said to him,
"And you're just a stupid boy who plays with toys he doesn't deserve. You're just a worthless worm who wields a weapon he can't control."
He then pointed at Leo's sword, and said to them,
"Where did you get that sword? Do you know what it is? Do you know what it can do?"
Leo said to him,
"I got this sword from Atlantis after the Sunblade and Moonblade merged into 1 sword. I know what it is. It's the Starblade. I know what it can do. It can cut through anything, even your Dragon's Eye."
The mage gasped.
He said to them,
"The Starblade? The legendary sword that is a combination of the Sunblade and the Moonblade? How did you find it? How did you activate it?"
Leo said to him,
"I found it by fate. I activated it by will."
The mage shook his head.
He said to them,
"No, no, no. This can't be happening. This can't be true."
He then clenched his fist.
He said to them,
"But it doesn't matter. It doesn't change anything. You still can't defeat me. You still can't destroy the Dragon's Eye."
He then raised his staff.
He said to them,
"I'll show you why."
He then cast a spell at them.
He said to them,
"Die!"