The cavern was eerily quiet as the smoke cleared, leaving the group battered and exhausted. The spot where the Djinn of Wrath had stood was now a molten crater, glowing faintly with residual heat. Everyone watched in silence, their breaths ragged and their bodies trembling.
Henry fell to his knees, his sword clattering to the ground as he clutched his side.
Henry:
"We did it… right? That had to be enough to take him down."
Liam looked at Dakota, who stood motionless at the forefront, his sword still drawn, its blue flames dim but steady.
Liam:
"Dakota… is it over?"
Dakota didn't respond immediately. He stared at the crater, his sharp eyes scanning for any sign of movement. A faint ripple in the molten ground made his grip tighten on his sword.
Dakota:
"No. Not yet."
Before anyone could react, the crater flared with an intense light, and a deafening roar echoed through the cavern. The molten ground erupted, and the Djinn of Wrath emerged, his form battered and cracked, but his fire still burning fiercely.
Djinn of Wrath:
"Mortals… you truly are a persistent lot."
The group recoiled in shock. Henry, barely able to stand, stared at the Djinn in disbelief.
Henry:
"How… how are you still alive? That was… everything we had!"
Djinn of Wrath:
"Indeed. That attack was the strongest I have ever faced. It even managed to damage my core."
The cracks across his body glowed brighter, molten energy leaking from within. His once-mighty flames now flickered erratically, a clear sign that his strength was fading.
Djinn of Wrath:
"But even in my final moments… I shall not fall alone."
His flames flared, filling the cavern with unbearable heat. The ground beneath him began to melt, and fiery fissures spread outward, forcing the group to scatter.
Djinn of Wrath:
"I will use every ounce of my power… to kill at least one of you!"
Dakota's mind raced as he assessed the situation. The Djinn's power was unstable, but that made him even more dangerous. One wrong move, and someone would die.
Dakota:
"Henry! Use the gravity ability now! Pin him down!"
Henry, though barely conscious, gritted his teeth and forced himself to his feet. He raised his hand, his body trembling as he channeled the last remnants of his mana.
Henry:
"Gravity… Field!"
A wave of crushing force slammed into the Djinn, driving him to the ground. The fiery titan roared in anger, his molten body cracking further under the immense pressure.
Djinn of Wrath:
"You think… this can hold me?!"
He struggled against the gravitational pull, his flames flaring wildly. The ground beneath him shattered, and with a burst of raw energy, he broke free, sending a shockwave that knocked several members of the group off their feet.
Liam was thrown against a wall, groaning as he struggled to stand. Ava shielded herself with her flames but was still knocked back. Lucas and Mia collapsed from exhaustion, their earlier efforts leaving them vulnerable.
Djinn of Wrath:
"Futile. None of you can escape my wrath!"
The Djinn turned his gaze toward Mia and Lucas, who were too weak to defend themselves. He raised a molten fist, ready to strike them down.
Mia:
"No… I can't move…"
Lucas:
"Damn it… is this it?"
As the Djinn's fist descended, a calm voice broke through the chaos.
Dakota:
"Ah… I haven't used this in a long time."
The Djinn paused mid-strike, turning his gaze toward Dakota. The others, though battered and dazed, looked at him in confusion.
Ava:
"Dakota… what are you talking about?"
Dakota's expression was unreadable as he stepped forward, his sword glowing with an ominous light. He sheathed it and spread his arms, his body beginning to emit a faint, pulsating energy.
Dakota:
"You've forced my hand, Djinn. I didn't want to use this… but you've left me no choice."
Djinn of Wrath:
"What trickery is this, mortal?!"
Dakota closed his eyes, his voice steady and cold.
Dakota:
"Explosion."
The word hung in the air for a moment before Dakota's body erupted in a blinding explosion of energy. The force of the blast consumed the Djinn entirely, his roar of defiance swallowed by the overwhelming light. The cavern shook violently, chunks of rock falling from the ceiling as the explosion spread outward.
The others shielded themselves as best they could, the intense heat and light forcing them to look away.
When the light finally faded, the cavern was silent once more. The ground where the Djinn had stood was now a deep, smoldering crater, and the oppressive heat that had filled the air was gone.
Ava was the first to recover, her eyes scanning the area desperately.
Ava:
"Dakota! Where are you?!"
The others slowly got to their feet, their expressions a mix of confusion and fear.
Liam:
"Did… did he just blow himself up?!"
Mia stumbled toward the center of the crater, her voice trembling.
Mia:
"He can't be gone… he can't…"
Before panic could fully set in, a faint blue glow appeared at the edge of the crater. Dakota emerged, his body battered and burned but still standing. His self-healing ability had already begun to repair the damage, blue flames licking at his wounds.
Dakota:
"Relax. I'm not that easy to kill."
The group let out a collective sigh of relief, their tension finally easing.
Henry:
"You scared the hell out of us, man."
Dakota smirked, his usual confidence returning.
Dakota:
"It worked, didn't it? The Djinn's gone."
The group exchanged tired smiles, their exhaustion finally catching up with them. But as they began to regroup, a faint voice echoed through the cavern.
Djinn of Wrath:
"You… may have defeated me… but my wrath will never die…"
His voice faded into silence, leaving only the faint crackle of dying embers.
The group sat in silence, the weight of their victory slowly sinking in. Dakota leaned against a wall, his wounds still healing as he watched over the others.
Ava:
"That… was insane. We barely made it out alive."
Liam nodded, his expression grim.
Liam:
"If Dakota hadn't pulled that move, we'd all be dead."
Henry looked at Dakota, his eyes filled with a mix of gratitude and curiosity.
Henry:
"That explosion… what was it? I've never seen anything like it."
Dakota shrugged, his tone nonchalant.
Dakota:
"Just a little trick I didn't use in a while. Don't worry about it."
Dakota: "oh it looks like the dungeon is getting destroyed, well looks like it's finally time to leave."