The chamber erupted into chaos the moment Erick's attack struck the walls. The stone around them trembled, cracks snaking up the pillars as the raw energy of his magic surged through the room. Lumi's ice shield had held, but she knew Erick wasn't going to stop with just one attack.
Lumi lowered Glaciel, her hammer humming with power as frost swirled around its head. She could feel the magic coursing through her, ready to unleash at a moment's notice. But this wasn't going to be easy. Erick had his lackeys with him, and the Eye of Tempestus itself pulsed ominously in the center of the room, adding to the tension in the air.
"Stay close to the Eye," Cyana commanded, her voice sharp with focus as she summoned her magic. Water swirled at her fingertips, glittering with the same silvery-blue light as her eyes. "If Erick gets too close to it, we'll lose our advantage."
June, ever the quick thinker, darted toward the side of the room, positioning herself near one of the ancient pillars. "I'll distract the goons," she called, her eyes blazing with excitement. "You guys focus on keeping Erick away from the artifact."
Heath unsheathed his weapon—a heavy, enchanted axe crackling with earth and fire magic. "I'll hold the line here. Erick won't get past me."
Lumi exchanged a glance with Cyana, her heart pounding. She could feel the intensity between them, a silent understanding that they had to work together if they were going to protect the Eye.
"Let's finish this," Lumi muttered, raising Glaciel once more as frost spread along the floor, chilling the air around her. "I've had enough of Erick's nonsense."
Erick sneered, his green eyes gleaming with arrogance. "You think you can stand in my way? I've been preparing for this moment for years. You're nothing but a minor inconvenience."
With a wave of his hand, Erick summoned a bolt of lightning, hurling it directly at Lumi. The bolt crackled through the air, but Lumi was faster. She swung Glaciel in a wide arc, and the head of the hammer collided with the lightning, shattering it into a spray of icy shards that dissipated harmlessly into the air.
"You've got to try harder than that," Lumi shot back, her eyes narrowing as she took a step forward.
Beside her, Cyana unleashed her magic, sending a wave of shimmering water crashing toward Erick's lackeys. The torrent of water hit them like a wall, throwing them off balance and knocking them to the ground. But Erick didn't flinch. Instead, he raised both hands, his lips curling into a dark grin.
"You're not the only one with elemental power," Erick growled.
With a thunderous crack, the room filled with swirling wind and violent gusts as Erick called upon the storm. Lightning arced from his fingertips, striking the floor and sending cracks through the stone. The wind howled, whipping through the chamber as if the storm itself had been unleashed inside the temple.
Lumi's heart raced. Erick's power was stronger than she expected. The storm raged around them, and the Eye of Tempestus responded in kind, its crystal surface glowing brighter with each passing second.
"He's trying to draw the Eye's power into himself," Glaciel's voice warned in her mind. "You have to stop him, Lumi. If he gets control of that artifact, we'll all be in serious trouble."
"I'm on it," Lumi muttered, her grip tightening on Glaciel. She couldn't let Erick win. Not here, not now.
With a determined shout, Lumi charged forward, Glaciel blazing with icy energy. The frost spread out in front of her, freezing the ground and slowing Erick's storm magic. She swung her hammer, aiming directly at Erick's chest, but he was quick to dodge, slipping to the side as another bolt of lightning crackled toward her.
Lumi ducked, the lightning searing the air above her head. She gritted her teeth and swung again, but Erick was relentless, his movements swift as he danced through the chaos of the storm he had created.
Across the room, Cyana was locked in her own battle with Erick's lackeys. Her water magic flowed like a river, crashing into them with precision and force. But even she seemed strained under the weight of the storm's power. The wind buffeted her from all sides, pulling at her control over the water.
June, meanwhile, was darting between pillars, casting small fire spells to distract the lackeys, but even she was feeling the pressure of the storm. "This wind is insane!" she shouted over the roar of the elements. "I can barely get a spell off!"
Heath held his ground, his axe glowing with fiery power as he fended off the brunt of the attacks from Erick's goons. His face was grim, his muscles taut with effort as he swung his weapon in powerful arcs, keeping them at bay.
Lumi's mind raced. They were holding their own for now, but Erick's power was growing. He was drawing on the energy of the storm, and the Eye of Tempestus was feeding him. If they didn't do something soon, Erick would overpower them.
"I need to get to the Eye," Lumi thought, her eyes locking onto the glowing crystal. "If I can disrupt its connection to Erick, we'll have a chance."
She turned to Cyana, who was still battling the storm's onslaught. "I need you to cover me," Lumi shouted. "I'm going for the Eye!"
Cyana's stormy grey eyes met Lumi's, and for a moment, they understood each other without words. Cyana nodded, her expression resolute. "Go. I'll hold him off."
With a flick of her wrist, Cyana sent a blast of water directly at Erick, forcing him to dodge as Lumi made a break for the center of the chamber. The wind howled in her ears, and the air was thick with the crackling of lightning, but Lumi kept moving, her eyes focused on the Eye of Tempestus.
As she reached the artifact, the storm seemed to pulse, its energy swirling around the crystal like a living thing. Lumi could feel its power—a deep, ancient force that was almost impossible to contain. But she wasn't going to let it fall into Erick's hands.
"This is it, Lumi," Glaciel's voice echoed in her mind. "Break the connection. You can do it. Just trust yourself—and trust me."
Lumi nodded, her resolve hardening. She raised Glaciel high above her head, channeling all of her magic into the hammer. The air around her froze, and frost spread across the chamber as she swung the hammer down onto the base of the Eye.
The moment Glaciel made contact, a shockwave of ice and magic exploded from the crystal, shattering the barrier that encased the Eye. The storm that had been building around Erick faltered, the wind dying down as the connection between him and the artifact was severed.
"No!" Erick roared, his voice filled with fury. He stumbled back, his hands sparking with wild, uncontrolled lightning. "You… you've ruined everything!"
Lumi lowered Glaciel, panting from the effort. "You're done, Erick. It's over."
Cyana stepped forward, her magic swirling around her like a shield. "You lost, Erick. Leave now, or we'll make sure you never get another chance."
For a moment, Erick's face twisted with rage, but then he sneered, his eyes narrowing. "This isn't over," he growled, backing away toward the door. "I'll be back, and next time, you won't be so lucky."
With that, Erick vanished in a flash of lightning, disappearing from the temple as the last remnants of the storm faded away.
The room was silent for a moment, the air still crackling with the remnants of magic. Lumi let out a long breath, her body sagging with exhaustion. "We did it."
June, her face flushed from the battle, grinned widely. "We totally did! That was amazing!"
Heath nodded, though his expression was still serious. "Erick got away, but we stopped him from getting the Eye. That's what matters."
Cyana stepped beside Lumi, her voice soft but filled with pride. "You were incredible, Lumi. You saved us."
Lumi smiled, though she could feel the weariness creeping over her. "Yeah, well… I just wanna laze around now."
Cyana laughed, the sound light and genuine. "You've earned it."
Together, they secured the Eye of Tempestus, ensuring that it would remain out of Erick's reach. But even as they left the temple, Lumi couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning. Erick had escaped, and she knew he wouldn't stop until he had what he wanted.
But for now, she had her friends—and a well-deserved nap waiting for her.