Nat gasped, waking up with a start. One moment she was fighting off the Normal, the next she found herself lying on the ground. As she tried to figure out what happened, she felt her body surge with pain. Now she remembered, Casseus had attacked.
Unable to move, the teenage dhamphir now glanced around the parking lot. Things looked bad, her friends prone upon the ground. Fear began to grow inside her, wondering how they would make it out alive. As she continued to survey the area, she paused as she noticed a series of portals now begin to open. A pair of familiar figures stepping through. "Ms. McKinnon?"
Mary Elise and Sebastian furrowed their brows. A call from Amara alerted Mary Elise to the trouble she was in. Now, sitting in her wheelchair with Sebastian by her side, she could see why. "Mary," Sebastian asked, noticing his fiancee tense. "You okay?' Mary Elise didn't answer, her vision trained on Casseus. The man who put her in a wheelchair.
"I'm okay." she said quickly. Casseus had returned yet he too now bore scars. The formerly handsome man's skin grey and cracking, his silver hair looking dull and tattered, even one of his eyes was missing; replaced by a pinpoint of red light that seemed to gleam with hatred.
A sinister smile now spread across Casseus's face. He remembered this girl from his time serving Villar. She had been instrumental in rescuing the children, before Casseus attacked. At the time, he thought he killed her. After all, how many humans could survive having they spine severed? Now, the two old foes faced each other once more, their battle scars noticeable to all. Still, he doubted this woman would only come with just one wizard.
Slowly other figures now emerged. Nat's eyes going wide in surprise. Mika and Claudia Harris stepped forward, the pair sporting stern expressions. Standing next to them, the teen noticed two figures she recognized from pictures Kari had shown her. A blonde woman named Jennifer and the children's Uncle Shiro. Jennifer now preparing a spell as Shiro clutched a katana in one hand. They now stood next to Mary Elise as more portals opened.
Sailing through yet another portal came Samantha Davis along with her husband, Mike. Nat was in awe gazing at the dragoness, her purple wings spread out behind her. By her side stood Mike, his skin converted to steel. Oddly, Nat wondered what Connor would do if he saw his favorite baseball player coming to their aid. Last, but not least, came Katie and Kellie. Kellie adorned in her golden armor, brandish a great sword as the Catalyst Katie furrowed her brow. The seraphim spreading out her six wings as she clutched Excalibur.
Casseus paused, gazing at his opponents. He expected to face the older wizards at some point, he just wasn't expecting them all at once. The Catalyst alone could prove a challenge yet the others were just as powerful. "Hey Mary that's him isn't it?"
Casseus turned noticing Claudia now pointing at him. Mary Elise nodded, causing Claudia to scowl. "Oh I'm going to enjoy kicking your ass," she grinned.
With a roar, Claudia transformed. The petite blondes body engulfed in a pillar of flames. Those flames taking shape, becoming a massive anthropomorphic tiger. Cursing under his breath, Casseus looked to prepare a defense, only to be struck by the wreckage of a car.
The fight was on. Claudia, Mary, and Sebastian attacking Casseus. Mika, Shiro, Kellie and Jen attacking Rick. Finally Katie, Samantha, Mike, and Mika attacking Demeter. Casseus could barely catch his breath as the massive tiger avatar slammed into him, slamming into a wall before dragging him. Claudia's fire based magic was potent, with the petite blondes viciousness on full display. Even as he broke free, he found the psychic wizard Mary using her telekinetic abilities to pummel the Dark wizard with objects littered throughout the damaged garage.
Rick and Demeter seemed to be faring no better. Mika was just as powerful as Claudia, yet more measured in her attacks. Favoring ice based spells, she attacked the Boss’s protege with precision, her twin brother and his fiancee Jen applying pressure with magic of their own. Obviously, Shiro and Jennifer were not as powerful as Mika, but combined offered enough of a distraction to keep Rick off balance. Even when Rick did begin to gain an advantage, he would have to deal with Kellie Carlson. Adorned in her golden armor, the woman attacked with a fury. Rick barely able to avoid being cleaned in two by her great sword.
Finally there was Demeter and the Catalyst. Casseus had seen the woman in action, how she found herself on equal ground with Villar. Villar was a conqueror of multiple universes yet this woman bested him. Now facing a goddess, Casseus could see that Demeter's chances were slim. Those dropped lower as the dragoness swooped in to attack, unleashing a torrent of dragon fire while her husband intercepted attacks with his metallic body. Slowly but surely Casseus and the others were being overwhelmed.
"Enough!"
Rick's exclamation caught the others by surprise, the power he generated pushing everyone back. It wasn't enough to stun the wizards, but it was enough to give Demeter an opportunity. The nature goddess now lashed out, her vines wrapping around Mike before dragging him through the concrete floor. "Mike!" Samantha yelled, the dragoness looking through the hole to see her husband sitting in a pile of rubble. Demeter now took the moment to attack, swatting the dragoness away sending in crashing into a van. Now one on one with the Catalyst, Demeter looked to strike. Throwing a cross that split the very air, the nature goddess thought the fight was over. Instead, the seraphim caught it, releasing a blast of light that sent the goddess soaring into a wall.
Rick roared, tapping into his ring and Chenoa's magic. Slamming his fist into the ground, the teen now sent a shock wave that knocked down Shiro and Jennifer. Facing Kellie and Mika, the teen now fired off a series of spells, knocking the women back. "You think you can beat me?!" he yelled. "You're nothing! NOTHING!!"
Rick's boasts were futile at best. Casseus now understanding how this group of wizards had defeated his old master. Their bond and their strength were unmatched. As they now stood tall, Casseus and the others stepped forward, ready to continue the fight. A fight that the Dark wizard realized they would not walk away from. Looking to strike, Casseus and Demeter paused. Something was happening, the pair sensing a tremendous power emanating across dimensions. A look of concern on Demeter's face told Casseus everything. Something was happening with the Boss. Without a word, the nature goddess now vanished leaving Casseus and Rick alone.
"Where's she going?" Rick exclaimed. Casseus guessed she was off to find the Boss. The problem though was now the pair were outnumbered and outgunned. Against his better judgment, he now turned to Rick. "We need to withdraw." he said quickly.
"Withdraw?!" Rick exclaimed. Casseus cut him off, he couldn't quite explain it, but he could tell that the Boss was in trouble. "Listen to me," Casseus exclaimed. "Something is wrong. Can't you feel it? We need to regroup for a moment."
"Why?"
"Because," Casseus said slowly. "I think the Boss just lost." Rick's eyes grew wide in shock. How could the Boss lose? Realizing the situation, Rick nodded. Casseus now turned once more, glaring at his enemies before vanishing with Rick. Now Casseus needed to discover if the war was over as well.