With a fluid motion of his hand, Cyrus summoned a shimmering blue sword from the ether. Neno, now more beast than man, moved with feline grace and agility, his powerful limbs propelling him forward on all fours. The clash of sword against claws sent shockwaves through the air, blue energy colliding with golden-white in a dazzling display of raw power.
Leora joined the fray, her golden rope snapping through the air like a serpent striking its prey. Despite their combined efforts, the battle tilted heavily in Neno's favor. Each time Leora's rope made contact, a streak of lightning flashed, illuminating the chamber in brief, brilliant bursts. But Neno moved like quicksilver, as fluid and unstoppable as a current in water.
In a desperate gambit, Cyrus cast a levitation spell. To his amazement, Neno's feet left the ground, his golden eyes widening in disbelief.
"How is this not dissolving? Who are you?" Neno growled, confusion evident in his transformed features.
Cyrus seized the moment, his voice ringing out with determination. "Neno, I know you're still in there! Don't let it win against you this time. You can do it!"
As he shouted his encouragement, Cyrus's mind raced, searching for a solution. If Eldor couldn't defeat Neno, they stood no chance in direct combat. But perhaps they could seal him away...
Suddenly, inspiration struck. "Leora, mind control now!" he yelled.
Startled but trusting, Leora's eyes flashed golden, her hair billowing as if caught in an invisible wind. Cyrus felt the familiar sensation of his mind being invaded, his senses exploding into newfound clarity. They had first discovered this technique during the annual hunt exam against Tirag, and since then, they had honed it into a unique battle tactic – the double mind state. Leora's mind control forced Cyrus's body to respond faster than he ever could alone, embodying the adage that two minds are better than one.
Neno, snarling with primal fury, bit into the very fabric of reality. The levitation spell shattered under the assault of his powerful canines. He plummeted earthward like a golden comet, his impact leaving a crater in the ground.
Cyrus launched himself forward, his body enveloped in a dazzling aura of gold and blue. The battle resumed with renewed intensity, a symphony of clashing energies and acrobatic maneuvers. Despite the advantage of the double mind state, Cyrus was clearly outmatched by Neno's primordial power.
A particularly vicious strike sent Cyrus careening through debris, his body smashing through one obstacle after another. He spat a mouthful of blood, the metallic taste coating his tongue. Before he could regain his footing, Neno was upon Leora, moving with impossible speed. In the blink of an eye, he had her by the throat, lifting her off the ground with casual brutality.
"Any last wish?" Neno sneered, his transformed visage a mask of cruel amusement.
To his surprise, Leora managed a smile despite her predicament. "You were wondering how far our magic has progressed in a millennium, right? I hope you won't be disappointed." With those words, she yanked on her golden rope, which had snaked its way deep into the school's corridors during their battle.
Neno's bestial instincts flared to life. He glanced to the side, seeing Cyrus hurtling towards him once more. "It wasn't enough," he smirked, readying his fist for a devastating impact. But Cyrus surprised him, sliding low to evade the blow that shattered the very air in its path.
In that crucial moment, Cyrus tossed a small cube towards Neno. Uncertainty flashed in the transformed being's eyes as he leapt backward, but Leora's golden rope ensnared him, holding him in place. The cube expanded rapidly, its surface flickering with arcane energy as it enveloped Neno. Like a complex puzzle rearranging itself, the Cube of Myriad Transformations shifted and locked into place with a resounding boom.
Neno was sealed within, his roars of fury muffled by the magical prison.
"Amazing. I didn't think of that," Eldor's voice rang out as he emerged from the debris, a hint of admiration in his tone.
Cyrus managed a weak smile and a thumbs-up before his body betrayed him. Blood flowed freely from his mouth, nose, and ears as he stumbled backward. He braced himself for impact with the unforgiving ground, but instead felt something soft break his fall. Glancing up, he saw Leora's face, calm as ever despite the trickle of blood at the corner of her mouth.
Days blurred together as Cyrus drifted in and out of consciousness. When he finally came to, a series of blurry figures swam into view. "Big brother!" Jelly's voice pierced through the fog in his mind as she leapt onto the bed, her face streaked with tears. "I thought you would never come back," she sobbed, her nose running freely.
Cyrus's face darkened at the mess, but he didn't push her away. Instead, he gently stroked her hair. "I'm fine. Don't worry," he reassured her.
Eldor stepped into the room, his presence commanding as always. "Could you please leave us?" he requested. Though reluctant, the others filed out, leaving Eldor alone with Cyrus.
The older man pulled up a chair and sat facing the bed. "How did you know it would have worked?" he asked, curiosity evident in his voice.
Cyrus raised an eyebrow. "Isn't there anything more important to discuss?"
Eldor sat silently, his brows arching slightly. Cyrus understood then that Eldor wasn't angry, merely intrigued. As a player who loved mysteries, the method of Neno's defeat was a puzzle he yearned to solve.
"The double mind state does more than share control of my body," Cyrus explained. "It allows us to communicate silently, without Neno ever realizing our intentions. The Cube of Myriad Transformations did the rest." He had conceived the plan after observing the fight between Eldor and Neno, recalling what they had learned about the cube during their first assessment. Neno, with his ancient understanding of magic, had no defense against the adaptive nature of the cube's power.
Cyrus couldn't help but marvel at the magnificent blend of magic and technology. Eldor smiled, leaning back in his chair. "I'm confident you're aware of your current state, right?"
Cyrus's heart skipped a beat. He glanced down at the bandages covering his body, a canvas of accumulated battle scars. Neno's warning from their first day echoed in his mind – the dangers of forced magical healing on an unprepared body.
"Your body can't keep up with the rate at which you're destroying it," Eldor continued, his voice grave. "You've surely noticed that your healing rate drops drastically after each severe wound. You've been here for a week already."
"A week?" Cyrus blinked, his hands trembling with shock. The consequences Neno had warned about were becoming glaringly apparent.
"Soon, magic will be no more effective than ordinary medicine on you," Eldor explained, a hint of dark humor in his voice. "When that happens, the excitement in your life will end. You'll probably have to hide away in your villa until you die. And since the Bites are renowned for their long lifespans, it's going to be a very long sleep." He chuckled lightly.
Cyrus failed to see the humor in the situation. "It's not funny at all. Is there anything that can be done?"
The gravity of his condition settled over him like a heavy shroud. The path ahead seemed fraught with uncertainty, his future hanging in the balance. As he awaited Eldor's response, Cyrus couldn't help but wonder if his journey of magical discovery was nearing its premature end.