Krokk's axe came down with the force of a falling boulder, aiming to cleave the old Cobalt in half. Yet, in an instant, the figure raised his hand, and a dark energy coalesced around him like a shield. The axe struck the barrier, sending a shockwave rippling through the air, but the old Cobalt stood firm, his expression cold and unyielding.
Prut darted to the side, attempting to flank their opponent, but the old Cobalt was already reacting. With a flick of his wrist, tendrils of shadow burst from the ground, writhing like serpents as they lashed out at Prut. The Cobalt deserter slashed through the first few with his blade, but more kept coming, forcing him to leap back and reassess his approach.
Finn stayed behind, his barrier shimmering as it absorbed stray magical energy from the old Cobalt's attacks. His mind raced. This was no ordinary opponent—this was a master of dark magic. Summoning another spell, he focused his mana and launched a volley of fireballs, hoping to disrupt the old Cobalt's defenses. The fireballs streaked toward their target, but the old Cobalt merely raised his other hand. A pulse of dark energy erupted outward, extinguishing the flames before they could even touch him.
Krokk snarled, pulling his axe back and swinging it horizontally. This time, the force was enough to crack the dark barrier protecting the Cobalt. The old Cobalt staggered slightly, his glowing eyes narrowing as he extended both hands toward Krokk.
"Enough," the old Cobalt intoned, his voice like a distant echo. A surge of dark energy burst forth, slamming into Krokk and sending him skidding back several feet. Krokk gritted his teeth, his massive frame trembling as he planted his axe in the ground to steady himself.
"Muck! Bring it down!" Krokk roared, his voice cutting through the chaos.
Finn nodded, sweat beading on his brow. He poured everything he had into his next spell. His hands glowed as he summoned a massive barrier above the old Cobalt, inverting its protective properties. With a shout, he brought the barrier crashing down like a cage. The old Cobalt raised his arms to defend himself, but the barrier collided with his dark energy, trapping him momentarily.
"Krokk! Now!" Finn shouted, his voice strained from the exertion.
Krokk roared and charged again, his axe gleaming as it cut through the air. This time, the old Cobalt couldn't block the strike in time. The axe smashed through the remnants of his dark shield, carving into his shoulder and forcing him to stumble. Prut seized the opportunity, closing in from the side and delivering a precise slash to the Cobalt's side.
But even as blood dripped from his wounds, the old Cobalt let out a chilling laugh. The shadows around him began to writhe again, more intense and ferocious than before. The ground itself seemed to tremble as he unleashed a wave of darkness, throwing Krokk, Prut, and Finn backward.
Finn barely managed to roll to his feet, his barrier flickering as it absorbed part of the attack. His mana reserves were running low, and he knew they couldn't keep up this pace for long. Krokk and Prut stood, battered but determined, their weapons ready despite the odds.
"This isn't just magic," Finn muttered under his breath, watching the old Cobalt's wounds begin to close as the shadows clung to him like armor. "He's tied to the darkness itself."
"Then we cut the tie," Krokk growled, hefting his axe.
Prut nodded, his eyes narrowing. "We end this now."
Finn took a deep breath, summoning every last ounce of strength. He knew this fight wasn't going to be won with brute force alone. Together, they would have to find a way to break the old Cobalt's connection to the shadows—or be consumed by it.
Finn wiped the sweat from his brow, his mind racing as the old Cobalt seemed to gather even more strength. The shadows around him grew denser, twisting and warping the air. The ground beneath his feet cracked as if rejecting the dark power coursing through him.
"This isn't working!" Finn called out, his voice strained. "We're hitting him, but it's like he's feeding off the darkness!"
Krokk spat to the side, gripping his axe tightly. "Then we'll rip it away from him!" Without waiting for further discussion, the hulking warlord charged forward once more, his roar echoing through the village.
Prut flanked to the left, his movements precise and calculated. He darted in with quick strikes, aiming to create an opening for Krokk. The old Cobalt, despite his frail appearance, moved with unnatural speed. He deflected Prut's strikes with waves of shadow, his glowing eyes locked on Krokk as the warlord barreled toward him.
"Fools," the old Cobalt hissed, his voice reverberating unnaturally. With a sharp gesture, he summoned a massive wave of dark energy that surged outward, threatening to engulf them all.
Finn acted quickly, throwing up a barrier in front of Krokk and Prut. The shimmering blue shield barely held against the wave of darkness, cracks forming along its surface. Finn gritted his teeth, pouring every ounce of his remaining mana into reinforcing the barrier.
"Push forward!" Finn yelled, his voice trembling from the strain.
Krokk let out a roar, smashing through the dissipating remnants of the barrier as the wave ebbed. His axe came down in a devastating arc, slamming into the old Cobalt's shoulder. The force of the blow sent the enemy stumbling back, black ichor dripping from the wound.
Prut seized the moment, lunging in and delivering a precise stab to the Cobalt's torso. The old Cobalt staggered, coughing as the shadows around him flickered.
But the victory was short-lived. The old Cobalt let out a guttural growl, his form twisting as the shadows around him surged once more. The air grew colder, and Finn felt a sickening pressure in his chest.
"This is far from over," the old Cobalt rasped. The shadows around him condensed into a solid form, encasing him in an armor of pure darkness. His wounds began to close again, the ichor flowing backward into his body.
"He's regenerating!" Prut shouted, leaping back to avoid a swing of the Cobalt's shadow-clad arm.
Finn's heart sank. His mana reserves were almost empty, and he knew Krokk and Prut couldn't keep this up forever. He needed to think fast. Looking around, he spotted the remnants of the hut's wooden beams and an idea sparked.
"Krokk! Prut! Keep him busy!" Finn yelled, rushing to the side.
"What are you planning, Finn?!" Krokk shouted, parrying a shadowy tendril with his axe.
"Just trust me!" Finn called back, grabbing one of the smoldering beams. He focused his remaining mana into it, igniting the wood with magical fire. The flames turned a brilliant blue, hotter and brighter than anything he'd summoned before.
Turning back toward the battle, Finn hurled the flaming beam at the old Cobalt. The shadow armor absorbed the blow at first, but the intense magical fire clung to it, eating away at the darkness like acid.
The old Cobalt howled, the flames tearing through his defenses. Krokk didn't hesitate. With a mighty leap, he brought his axe down onto the now-exposed form of the Cobalt, cleaving him from shoulder to hip.
Prut followed with a precise thrust of his blade, piercing the old Cobalt's heart. The shadows around the figure dissipated with a deafening roar, leaving only silence.
The old Cobalt collapsed to his knees, his glowing eyes dimming. "You… will not… stop him…" he rasped, before his body crumbled into ash.
Finn collapsed to the ground, exhausted but alive. Krokk and Prut stood over the remains, breathing heavily.
"This was no ordinary fight," Prut muttered.
Krokk nodded grimly. "If the Cobalt Chief commands this kind of power, we'll need to be ready for worse."
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