The battle was pitched. Darren and Fukushu finding themselves unable to gain an advantage over their undead opponents. As the pair attempted to come up with a solution, Fukushu couldn't help but study the Catalyst.
The lessons Darren had received from not only Akira but himself had paid dividends. Fukushu watched as Darren was able to hold his own against two more experienced opponents. The teen had used the Ring of Change to increase his bodies physical limits, his strength, his speed, his stamina, all multiplied with the help of the ring. Couple that with his training with the Dragons Tongue and Fukushu couldn't help but feel a bit of pride in the fearsome warrior he had helped mold.
As the battle wore on though, the kitsune began to notice something. Darren was tapping into a power that was far beyond magic. The teens eyes began to glow a brilliant white, his reaction time increasing far beyond the limits of the ring. Another attack by Kellie and Mika now drove the pair back, Fukushu bracing himself for a counterattack. "Catalyst are you alright?"
"Ugh I'm fine," Darren groaned. "How powerful are these two?" Fukushu furrowed his brow as he gazed at the two undead sorceress's. Death had not dulled their skill by any means.
In life Mika Harris was a powerful wizard. Together with her wife Claudia she often found herself the first into battle. As powerful as Claudia was, it was Mika that concerned the kitsune. Mika was more in control, having less of a temper than her firebrand of a wife. This made the woman more calculating in her magic. Mika, unlike Claudia, took a moment to plan her attack. Fukushu had learned also that the woman had merged with her doppelganger, a kitsune teenager which doubled the sorceress's strength.
What concerned Fukushu was if Mika lost her temper. He had seen it in the past, the woman flying into a rage and nearly destroying him. He had counted on that when he framed Evan for Claudia's death. It took everything Evans mother Lynne had to stop the woman. Kellie Carlson on the otherhand was a bit of a mystery to the kitsune.
The wife of Katie Carlson, the former Catalyst, Kellie had stayed off of the front lines of battle after the couple adopted their daughter Morgan. For Kellie, protecting Morgan was her primary concern. This, however, did not mean she was weak.
Kellie was an accomplished wizard in her own right. Often relying on the guardian spell she had crafted, the woman would create an impenetrable suit of armor that even the sharpest blades could not cut through. Although Kellie would try to avoid combat, if her daughter was threatened then their was little her opponents could do to stop her.
The first instance Fukushu heard of was when a pair of elite vampires attempted to kidnap Morgan. Kellie had flown into a rage, useing her magic to soundly defeat the vampires with little effort. Over the years Kellie had shown off this strength, always in protection of her daughter. This thought now resided in the front of Fukushu's mind. Morgan had pleaded with her mother for help, her spirit returning from the grave to protect her. The kitsune now wondered if it was even possible to stop the vengeful spirit Considering what he had done to Morgan. "They are quite powerful Catalyst be on guard."
Darren nodded once more deflecting their attack before countering. He was tiring now, the undead sorceress's showing no signs of stopping. "Fukushu I'm going to try something," he exclaimed. "I just need a moment." Fukushu nodded, stepping in front of Darren as he engaged the two undead in combat.
Fukushu grunted, countering their attacks with magical strikes of his own. Defending himself against two powerful wizards was a challenge that he had little doubt he would succeed at. Still, even he had limits. Few throughout the multiverse could challenge him but he could tire.
"Get down!"
Fukushu glanced backwards, his eyes growing wide as he gazed at Darren. The teens body was glowing with pure, white light. Holding the Dragons Tongue aloft, Fukushu noted the teens eyes were now pools of light that shone out before him. With a mighty yell, Darren now released a blast of light, Fukushu jumping out of the way as their undead opponents were engulfed by it.
Their was no sound as the light engulfed their opponents. No cries of pain or even roars of vengeance. The sound of the blast rushing past them drowned everything out. Fukushu had never heard a sound like that before, it was like a sonic boom mixed with a angelic song. Whatever power the Catalyst had released though had done the job.
Darren and Fukushu blinked as the light dissipated. Gone were the rotting husks of the undead wizards. Instead, they now gazed upon to ghostly figures, floating before them in utter confusion. Two ghosts Fukushu immediately recognized.
Kellie and Mikas ghosts blinked gazing out at the scene before them. They were both middle age in appearance and confused as to what they were doing there. "Kel," Mika asked slowly. "Where the hell are we?"
Fukushu balked, looking between the two ghosts and Darren. The Catalyst had somehow purged their souls of any anger that had once infected them.
Throughout his nearly a millennium of life Fukushu had seen all forms of magic. Whether it was cast from objects, beings, or books it had always been consistent, always similar in its form. What Darren had done had gone beyond magic. Whether the teen understood it or not Fukushu realized he had seen the Catalyst evolve into something greater.