A Few Days Before the Fight with the Djinn
Dakota: So, guys, what should we do now?
Lucas: We three should go training.
Henry: Yeah, let's do that.
Dakota nodded, and they all headed to the training grounds.
The group sparred for hours, pushing themselves to their limits. Every clash of swords and burst of magic helped them grow stronger and closer as a team. By the end, they were completely drained, lying on the ground and catching their breaths.
Dakota: That was fun. We should do this again.
Lucas: Yeah, we should.
Henry: So, should we finish the training now?
Dakota: … Actually, why don't we make a backup plan, just in case we ever get into some big trouble?
Henry: Oh, okay… Then what kind of backup plan should we make?
Lucas: Maybe we can make a combo attack? For a backup plan? Like a trump card?
Dakota: A trump card, huh? That's a good idea, but I don't think a combo attack is a good trump card.
Lucas: Then what kind of trump card do you want?
Dakota: … All three of us have domains, right?
Henry: Yes, we do…? Why do you ask?
Dakota: What if we combine our domains?
Lucas: … Combine our domains? … Would that work?
Dakota: Trust me, it would. Now let's practice our domain combination.
Henry: Okay… This should be interesting.
Over the next few days, the three of them worked tirelessly to figure out how to combine their domains. Domains, being the ultimate expression of one's magical prowess, were intensely personal and incredibly powerful. No one had ever attempted to fuse domains before, and it was unclear if such a thing was even possible. But Dakota was determined.
After countless hours of practice, trial, and error, they began to see results. Their domains, while vastly different, started to blend at the edges, creating something entirely new.
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Present Day
All three of them had their domains open.
The battlefield was a chaotic mix of fire, ice, and energy. Each of their domains expanded outward, enveloping the area in a blend of blistering heat, freezing cold, and overwhelming magical pressure.
Djinn: … You guys are only 15 and already have domains… You really are a special group. I admit that you're strong, but you still can't defeat me, at least not you three alone.
Dakota: Yeah, well, I think that too, but we can definitely hold out until all of them wake up.
Henry: Yeah, it ain't gonna be that easy to defeat us.
Lucas: A high-ranked Djinn is nothing to us.
The Djinn tilted his head, his fiery eyes narrowing.
Djinn: … Oh? I'm nothing to you, huh? I guess to you geniuses, I'm insignificant, which makes sense. You're really talented. My talent is nothing compared to yours. But right now, your talents haven't blossomed yet, so I can kill you before they do.
Dakota: … I appreciate the compliments, but don't think that just because our talents haven't blossomed yet, you can kill us.
Djinn: Why don't we see, then?
The Djinn sprinted forward, a blur of motion. Lucas reacted quickly, freezing the ground beneath the Djinn's feet and locking him in place. Henry followed up with a flame bomb, the fiery explosion engulfing the Djinn. Dakota struck next with Flame Strike, the searing attack smashing into the Djinn.
The Djinn staggered but pressed on, his body smoking from the attacks. He charged straight at Dakota, his claws poised to strike, but at the last moment, he jumped back.
The heat emanating from Dakota's domain was unbearable, even for a Djinn.
Djinn: He actually managed to burn me. Just how hot is his domain? … Wait. Is it because Henry's domain is close to his? Their domains combined and increased the heat. So that's why I was burned.
Taking advantage of the Djinn's distraction, Lucas unleashed a barrage of ice spears. The Djinn destroyed most of them mid-air, but one slipped through and struck his shoulder.
Djinn: Agh… Damn it!
The Djinn snarled, increasing his speed and closing the distance to Lucas. But Lucas just grinned, a confident smirk that unsettled the Djinn.
Djinn: The hell is he grinning for?
As soon as the Djinn stepped fully into Lucas's domain, he felt an intense, bone-chilling cold.
Djinn: Oh, shit. This is… incredibly cold.
Djinns were naturally resistant to fire, but cold magic was their weakness. Lucas capitalized on this, summoning an enormous ice spear and hurling it at the Djinn. The Djinn prepared to block the attack, and the spear hit with a thunderous crash.
When the smoke cleared, the Djinn was gone.
Suddenly, the Djinn reappeared behind Lucas, his blade aiming for a killing blow. Lucas barely dodged, but the Djinn's strike grazed his side, drawing blood.
Lucas: Ah… Damn it!
Dakota and Henry rushed to Lucas's aid.
Dakota leaped into the air, aiming a powerful downward slash at the Djinn, but the Djinn deflected the attack. While he was distracted, Henry closed in and drove his blade into the Djinn's stomach. The Djinn coughed up blood, his movements faltering for a moment.
Dakota didn't waste the opportunity, launching a rapid barrage of fireballs. Each attack hit its mark, engulfing the Djinn in flames.
The Djinn roared in fury, releasing a wave of heat and energy that knocked both Dakota and Henry back.
Dakota: Ah, shit. He's angry now.
Henry: … This is going to be difficult.
The Djinn appeared in front of Henry in the blink of an eye, swinging his weapon with devastating force. Henry managed to block just in time, but the impact sent him skidding back. Dakota attacked from the side, his blade igniting with fire, but the Djinn dodged and countered, landing a brutal strike on Dakota's stomach.
Dakota: Ah, fuck! … He's too fast. He's going full speed now. Shit!
The Djinn focused his attacks on Dakota, forcing him into a desperate struggle to defend himself. Despite the pain and fatigue, Dakota fought back with everything he had, but it was clear he was being pushed to his limit.
Henry intervened again, drawing the Djinn's attention and giving Dakota a moment to recover. Lucas, still injured, summoned a flurry of ice spikes that struck the Djinn, forcing him to retreat briefly.
The three of them regrouped, their breathing ragged.
Djinn: It's time to go full power.
Dakota: …!? You're telling me this wasn't your full power!? Fuck, we're screwed.
The Djinn's aura surged, the sheer intensity of his power sending shockwaves through the battlefield. The three friends braced themselves, knowing the fight was far from over.