The cursed knight charged forward, its sword glowing with malevolent energy. The group was exhausted, but Tai stood firm, gripping his sword tightly.
"I'll end this!" Tai shouted, though his body trembled from the strain.
"Be careful, Tai!" Sen called, healing Ono who had taken a heavy hit earlier.
Yuuki stood back, preparing another sealing spell. "I can try to trap it, but I need you to weaken it first!"
Tai nodded. He focused his energy, remembering the elemental magic he had been practicing. With a deep breath, he conjured water from the ground around him, swirling it into a protective barrier.
The knight lunged, slashing at the barrier, but Tai's magic held firm.
"Now!" Tai shouted. He instinctively combined fire with the water, not realizing what he was doing. The two elements fused into a scalding mist that erupted outward, engulfing the knight.
The cursed knight staggered, its movements slowed by the searing mist. Its dark aura flickered, struggling against the sudden elemental assault.
"What was that?!" Ono asked, her voice filled with surprise.
"I… don't know!" Tai admitted, his hands trembling from the unexpected combination. "I just—acted!"
Yuuki seized the opportunity. She stepped forward, her hands glowing as she formed a sealing circle around the knight. The glowing runes of her spell pulsed with energy as she chanted.
"Stay still!" Yuuki commanded, her voice steady.
The knight roared, swinging its sword wildly, but the mist had weakened its movements. As the sealing circle closed around it, the dark aura began to dissipate.
"It's working!" Sen shouted, casting a quick healing spell on Tai, who was on the verge of collapse.
The knight gave one final, defiant roar before the sealing spell took hold completely. Its body froze in place, the cursed sword clattering to the ground. The dark energy surrounding it faded, leaving the room eerily silent.
Yuuki lowered her hands, breathing heavily. "It's done."
The group stood in stunned silence, staring at the now-sealed knight.
"You did it, Tai!" Ono said, her voice filled with relief.
"We all did it," Tai replied, his exhaustion clear. He fell to his knees, catching his breath. "That was… too close."
Sen walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You saved us, Tai. That was amazing."
Yuuki examined the sealed knight carefully. "This magic is powerful. We need to report this to the prince immediately. Something like this shouldn't have been here."
"Agreed," Ono said. "But first, we need to get out of this dungeon and rest. We're in no shape for another fight."
The group gathered their strength and began to make their way back to the surface, carrying the memory of their narrow victory and the questions it raised about the cursed knight and its origins.