Everyone continued to attack the pillars, hoping to break down what kept them from helping one of their own, though it was to no avail. The villagers grew frustrated as their weapons couldn't break down the magic set by the adventurer. The rain continued to fall as frustrations grew within the area. Rita watched solemnly as their attempts didn't amount to much, wondering and worrying about how Dante was handling his own. For once, I finally believed in not only her teachings but also her students.
She looked to Terra, who rested on her as she passed out in her arms.
"Give that guy a taste of what you can do, dove."
-:-
"I knew fighting a mage would be troublesome…but this guy's magic is irritating!" he thought as he held his now bloodied leg. Even in the confines of the area, he could retreat thanks to the debris of the pillars' emergence, hiding behind some of the rocks. Thinking heavily about dealing with such a troublesome mage was at the forefront of his mind. Though his worries about what happened on the outside would present some difficulties in his thinking.
"He can manipulate the pillars with his casting…but that doesn't explain how he can see me before I get close. It's like he can sense my every…"
tremble tremble tremble…
He looked to the ground and felt a slight tremor underneath him, instantly rolling away from the spot and avoiding the oncoming spikes that thrust from the ground. He'd done well dodging the spikes that he couldn't see, but the issue lies within how many he could avoid when clusters were thrown at him from all directions. He was grateful that his training equipped him to deal with long-range opponents, but he never knew he'd have to deal with someone like this as his first proper fight.
"Shoot, that was close…" he thought as he wielded his sword once more. Now out in plain sight once more, Gordon began to laugh at Dante's attempts, ridiculing him for thinking he stood a chance against his magic.
"You're nothing but a damned lizard stuck in my cage. Why not just give up already? You're clearly outmatched here, kid."
"Shut it! I don't wanna hear it."
"Oh? Pressed, aren't we?
Gordon shrugged arrogantly with wand in hand, showing the slightest regard for his words. He'd felt this had been an experience he wasn't expecting when he took on the request to take the girl who'd snuck off and sell her to the highest bidder. But finding a Dragonborn on top of that, he couldn't have gotten any luckier. He knew his spellwork was good enough to handle somewhat troubling threats, but a boy who'd never seen real battle would be a breeze.
He pointed his wand once more at Dante, distorting his smile into a much fiendish look.
"If only you knew what was happening out there, I'm sure the others are wrapping up nicely. It doesn't look too good from what I'm sensing," he said, laughing once more. His voice was irritating Dante, though he worried about how everything on the outside was going. Was Terra and Xavien alright? What about the kids? What about Rita…? He shook his head, quickly drawing away the thoughts. He had faith that they'd be able to handle themselves no matter what and that the words spoken were only to throw him off.
"You've got a pretty nifty trick there. It's like you know where I'm at no matter where I go," he said abrasively, noting that it was troublesome feeling so caged in the limited space. He believed that if he got him to talk some more, he'd possibly find a crack in his technique. Fully assessing the situation and finding a solution to deal with the issue, Gordon laughed as he spread his arms in what seemed to be enjoyment.
"Is that praise I hear? I'll accept it graciously even if it's from a low-class being; you realize the genius that will take you down one way or another." He said in a snide manner. His confidence was through the roof at the current moment, given the situation, but it felt as if it was something that could be taken advantage of. In Dante's mind, he knew to never underestimate the enemy before him. Rita practically beat it into his head since you never know when you could lose such an advantage.
He tightened his grip on the sword's hilt before preparing himself to go on the offensive, before noticing a change in the air.
He tilted his head upward and sniffed the air. He instantly noticed that the spell creating the cell-like structure within the pillar's cage began to crack. The water seemed to slip through the cracks and fall to the ground. It must've started to rain outside, but how would that be possible, especially so suddenly? Dante continued to assess the situation before realizing something was off about Gordon. He seemed to be holding his head with his hand, seemingly somewhat in pain.
"Crap…just gotta hold out a bit longer…!"
His eyes winced as they began to slowly change to red due to strain. His body language shifted from one of confidence to one of seemingly trying to keep it together. The thought of him previously using an item and consuming it before creating the pillar cell came to mind.