Aurora hesitated and tried to peer past the smoke. Could the lich really be dead?
All four of them couldn't even leave a mark on it the first time they fought and yet Storm dispatched him with a single attack?
"GO, Child!!! Free the others!! The danger has not yet passed!!" Yelled Storm.
Aurora scrambled to obey and ran out of the cell.
As if to confirm Storm's warning, the Lich stepped out of the smoke a moment later.
He had reverted to his true undead form again, his robes were torn and covered in soot.
A dull golden glow lingered on him as the magic continued to affect him.
He raised a shaky hand up to his skull.
"YOU WIELD DIVINE MAGIC!!? HOW!!?
ONLY A HANDFUL OF BEINGS KNEW HOW!! AND THEY'RE ALL LONG DEAD!!"
Realization suddenly appeared on the Lich's face.
"Ahhh so that's how it is!
How naughty of you, ancient one!! Using this young dragon as a puppet!!"
Storm sneered.
"This bond is not unwilling, abomination!!
We both are in agreement that you need to be erased from this world!!"
"And what do you intend to do once you have killed me!?
Continue using this boy as an second chance at life, spirit?
If you wanted to live again! You needed only to ask me!
I have the knowledge you desire! I can provide it for you!" Offered the Lich.
"What I 'desire' is to see you destroyed!!" Replied Storm.
Storm spread his wings wide and runes written in an unknown language formed on the membranes.
A magic orb as bright as the sun formed in front of Storm's chest, a beam flew from it a moment later and went straight for the lich.
He disappeared in a puff of smoke and the beam struck the wall, only for the Lich to step out of the shadows on the opposite side of the room unharmed.
The Lich gestured with a hand and several tendrils of darkness flew from the shadows around the room toward Storm.
The aura around Storm's body brightened and a wave of golden energy blew out of his body and banished all the shadow tendrils.
Aurora covered her face in fear as the wave approached her, but to her relief, it passed through her without harming her.
The Lich on the other hand got flung back against the wall by the wave when it struck him.
As he slid down to the ground, he gestured at the pit and the barrier covering it disappeared.
"Come to me, beast!!" Called the Lich.
The Chimera jumped out of the pit and took a defensive stance in front of the Lich.
Storm opened his mouth and fired a beam at the feet of the Chimera, before sweeping his head upwards towards the ceiling.
The beam cut right through the Chimera, before striking the ceiling above.
Rubble rained down from the ceiling and the whole chamber shook from the impact.
The Chimera seemed unharmed at first, but a thin line of blood formed along the center of his body, before both halves parted and fell to either side.
Fear showed on the Lich's face when he saw what happened to his pet.
"This ends now!!!" Shouted Storm.
He fired another beam at the Lich, who hastily fired a beam of dark energy to counter the attack.
The two opposing energies collided in the center of the room.
The two energies were even at first, until the glow from Storm intensified and the light energy quickly consumed the dark energy.
When the beam of light collided with the Lich, a bubble of light formed around him and lifted him into the air.
He howled horribly as the energy destroyed his form, until nothing but ash was left.
With a flick of the wrist, Storm dispelled the bubble and the chamber became dark again.
....
Mimereus was staring at the place where he struck down the Lich.
Liches were conduits of dark magic and destroying one always caused that excess dark magic to explode outwards upon their deaths.
And yet, Mimereus felt no such thing when he destroyed him?
A gut feeling told him that this Lich wasn't truly dead and that this won't be the last time they fought.
"Storm?! Is that you?!" Asked Razor.
Mimereus turned around and saw that Aurora had managed to free the others.
They kept a respectful distance and seemed to be partially fearful and uncertain around him.
"Go!! Get everyone out of here!!
This place must be buried underneath the mountain!! I will join you momentarily!!" Mimereus replied.
Everyone flinched at the power and authority in his voice, before rushing to obey.
Once everyone was gone, he made his way to the entrance of the chamber.
A thick leather tome on the Lich's desk caught Mimereus's eye.
He remembered that Storm was desperate to acquire information about the hunter base and he hoped that the tome would contain clues.
He made a beckoning gesture and the Tome flew though the air into his waiting hands.
Mimereus powered up another beam and fired it at the ceiling of the chamber, it cracked and debris began raining down in the chamber.
The cracks spread along the walls until a chain reaction started and the entire ruin began to fall apart.
He started running as debris bigger than his entire body started falling all around him.
A large boom sounded behind him as the chamber they had been inside a mere moment ago collapsed completely.
When the entrance came into view, Mimereus jumped for the entrance as he heard the ceiling give way and the tunnels and everything in it was buried under tons of rock.
.....
Storm watched Mimereus do all this from within his own mind, unable to react in any way.
As Mimereus turned back to look at the burried tunnels, Storm knew the moment of truth had come.
Would Mimereus keep his word and return control to him?
Or would he spend the rest of his life locked away in his own mind?
Mimereus seemed to hesitate for a moment. Until he finally addressed Storm.
"The threat has passed! And I keep my word young one! Take back what is yours!" Said Mimereus.
Storm felt the control over his body return to him.
The aura surrounding his body dissipated and his eyes returned to their normal colour
The first thing he felt was extreme fatigue. He swayed as if drunk, before he started to collapse.
Aurora rushed forward and caught him before he could hit the ground.
"Easy there!! You've been through a lot!! Go ahead and get some rest!!" Said Razor.
Aurora helped lower him to the ground before giving him some room.
"Would you care to explain what exactly happened back there?!" Asked Aurora.