Idol jumped at Aldir switching both hands into different weapons; his left a greatsword, and his right being a hammer.
Both weapons were aimed towards Aldir, and right before they connected a sharp black blade struck the machine's core yet it did no damage.
With a somewhat surprised tone, he commented, "So your core remains durable after many years of sleep. Good then you'll do well."
Soon he created a sword made of black root swirling with dark electricity and when he swung it down a massive shockwave pushed Idol away..
"We have to help!" Aralia exclaimed while pulling her arm away from Volhcard's tight grip.
He spoke seriously while opening his eyes looking at the sky, "We can only watch, for that man is too strong for even all of us combined."
Hearing this she punched Volhcard before rushing towards Aldir combining her two war axes into one. Theo who sat beside them spoke with a grim smile, "You deserve that, you knew she has a big heart yet you tried to stop her"
Volhcard chuckled somberly before picking up his staff and walking towards the battle, he turned his head back to Theo and the currently unconscious Yuni.
"Watch over her."
Theo quickly gave a thumbs up before slumping down on a nearby slab of debris.
Aldir turned his gaze to Aralia and Volhcard, a cruel grin appeared on his face as he turned to face them.
Hundreds of black root blades swirling with dark flames appeared behind him forming the illusion of wings. Seeing this made Volhcard vomit inwardly from blasphemous sight of looking like an angel.
"Bastard." he cursed underneath his breath.
Those blades were launched at the two before being deflected by a light barrier made by Volhcard, and seeing this made Aldir more excited.
Snapping his fingers, a transparent dark orb which had red gusts of wind, dark flames, and purple electricity swirling around it formed on his left hand.
"You've grown adept in your magic, how wonderful!"
Volhcard gritted his teeth before twirling the staff around, and spinning it creating a massive storm which was followed up by raining swords.
Aralia quickly rushed in, but the moment she got close the range was set causing Aldir to laugh hysterically.
"Truly a barbarian."
He tossed the orb with barely energy as to mock the whole group's exhaustion, and the moment the storm collided with the orb it created a massive black flame shockwave which burned away at Aralia's skin.
"Damn it!" cursed Volhcard while he created a small healing barrier around Aralia.
Sticky seeing all this just kept trying to break out from the cage yet the dark electricity surrounding it stopped them.
The battle had went on for so long that the sun started rising, and so Theo placed Yuni down gently before aiming the blunderbuss at the cage.
Sensing another intruding presence, Aldir summoned a pack of undead wolves which rushed towards Theo.
"You've all gotten stronger especially you, dwarf."
A gentle smile appeared on Aldir's face for a brief moment before sending black fireballs at Volhcard.
He switched the staff to his left hand before summoning roots from the ground to latch on to the undead wolves. The fireballs collided with his barrier causing Aldir to make more only for Idol to pierce through his torso with the greatsword.
"Where's all that bravado now?" mocked Volhcard as he summoned spears made of lightning which pierced through his body.
Blood poured from his wounds, and mouth before he could even rest for a second, a greatsword moved towards his waist.
Clash! The greatsword was parried by a dark blade that floated by Aldir which looked as if the weapon had a mind of it's own.
"Kaizel?" he muttered, before chuckling and grabbing the sword, "Come forth you pathetic so called adventurers!"
Volhcard moved his palm up before closing it crushing the undead wolves which tried to attack Theo. While Idol dashed towards Aldir and started barrages of many attacks from his greatsword and hammer which the sorcerer would parry with his black sword.
The sword emitted a dark aura, it also had dark flames and electricity swirling around it. With each parry feeding the sword with power however, Idol didn't know that which caused the machine to keep attacking him.
Bsng!
"Keugh!" Aldir spat out blood from a bullet piercing though the side of his neck.
It was Theo who shot at him from a destroyed pillar which he used as a vantage point. He then started twirling the fingers on his left hand around before sending bolts of black lightning at Theo which he barely dodged from their speeds.
Idol used this moment to dash in for the hit only for him to appear behind the machine stabbing them with the black sword named "Kaizel".
"I won't kill you yet, so be grateful." taking out of the sword he kicked Idol back to the ground.
And when he turned around he saw Volhcard floating having the same transparent orb he created, but his was colored yellow instead and emitted a much more peaceful and nicer aura.
"You remember my techniques, how thoughtful." Aldir said before chuckling.
He dashed towards him only for large roots from the ground to hold him back. With the opening right in their eyes, Volhcard threw the orb at Aldir right at the same time as Theo pulled the trigger.
When they both collided together against Aldir it created a massive explosion causing the island to quake and surrounding ocean to spread across the island creating mini tsunamis.
A black root impaled Theo to nearby debris which came from the dust revealing that Aldir was still alive. His cloak tattered revealing multiple tattoos shaped like veins which converge to the center of his torso creating an eye shaped symbol.
"Impressive, but I think this game has gone long enough."
He raised his palm at them creating a whirring ball of back flame and electricity. Just as he was about to launch it a sword stabbed him in the back piercing out from his chest.
Turning his head he saw Yumi holding on to a longsword, and confused he looked back down to where her unconscious body was only to see it still there.
"Wait!"
He soon realized too late when noticed his body from his lower half was starting to freeze and when he looked up to see where it came from he saw Theo holding on to a ice beam scroll.
Volhcard raised his staff summoning thousands of fireballs while screaming, "Jae do it now!"
Then hearing Jae's name had finally made Aldir realize causing him to smile taking the hits gracefully.
"This was your illusion wasn't it, Theo?" he looked over to Theo pulling out the black root impaling him.
He stared at Aldir before all the attacks from everyone hit him, and using this chance he threw a scroll towards Yuni which she caught.
She slowly floated her way to the cage of Sticky by using a floating scroll she got from Theo.
Seeing all this, Aldir tried to break out of the ice only for massive roots coming out of the ground to latch on to him.
"You will die here alone as a failure!" screamed Theo as he shot at him.
The bullet pierced through his head only for the wound to slowly heal while all Aldir had was mocking grin.
After using the scroll on the cage the swirling energy around it vanished allowing Yuni to lockpick the cage freeing Sticky.
They both gave each other a hug before Jae currently a ice wyvern flew to pick them up bringing them back near to Theo while Idol helped Aralia up.
Soon a portal appeared above Aldir and from that portal came hundreds of swords which all cut or pierced him. Volhcard used almost all his mana trying to give time for everyone to get close to Theo.
All as this happened Aldir started laughing like a mad man before from the destroyed stronghold came out a 8'7 lizard humanoid which rushed at them.
"Deal with them later! Our job here is done!" called out Aldir.
Exhausted, Volhcard fell fast to the ground before being saved by Idol. An arrow was flying towards Aldir wherein he flicked it away before breaking out of ice, roots, and swords.
"We'll meet again"
He laughed while entering a portal he made while the lizard followed him in. The moment he was gone everyone fell to their asses exhausted from the fight.
"Just like that? He's gone?" Aralia asked while her question was immediately replied by Jae, "Yeah no, that bastard is planning is something."
A gurgling noise was heard from Sticky, "We need to head to Altissa. He told me about the Ocean Goddess watching over the Ocean Ruins is going to be forcefully awaken."
Hearing this everyone tried to get up only to fall back tired and coughing.
"Let's move tomorrow morning, I know a fast route to Altissa." said Volhcard.
So everyone fell asleep from their injuries and exhaustion. A long day of fighting, of trying to save a friend and yet their job wasn't over they still had to find Volantis.
And somewhere in the dark corners of Relisquae in a broken castle overflowing acid, and miasma was Aldir looking at a large map where he pinpointed a specific location.
"To think I'll be back to cause chaos there once again." he chuckled while staring at the location.
That location being the land of the dwarves the great kingdom of Vyolmir also Volhcard's home.
End of Act 1