...
The cave shuddered with every clash. The ethereal dragon let out a deafening roar, its voice more like the grinding of ancient stone than any creature Tsukasa had ever heard. Zorc answered with a guttural snarl, sending another blast of dark energy hurtling through the cramped cavern. The heat from the magic scorched the air, stinging Tsukasa's skin even through the Ryuki armor.
He gritted his teeth, feeling the weight of the battle settling deep into his muscles. Each swing of the Drag Blazer felt heavier than the last, the oppressive dark energy around them pressing against his body like a physical force.
"Elara, stay back!" Tsukasa shouted, his voice rough with exhaustion.
Elara and Lumi huddled by a jagged outcropping of stone. The light from the dragon's scales danced over their faces, making their fear plain. Elara looked like she wanted to run in, to help — but even from here, she could feel the sheer force of the power surging through the air. Her hands trembled at her sides.
"This isn't a fight we can win like this," Lumi said quietly, almost to herself.
"I know," Elara muttered, swallowing hard. "But we can't just leave him here."
Tsukasa didn't hear their exchange. His focus stayed locked on Zorc — the thing was relentless, its attacks battering the cavern walls and causing chunks of rock to rain down. The creature's shadow seemed to move independently, writhing along the floor like a living thing.
Then Tsukasa felt it. A pulse of energy, raw and ancient, coursing through the Drag Blazer. He wasn't a stranger to power, but this was different. It wasn't clean, calculated, like the other worlds' magic systems he'd encountered. This was primal. Wild. It demanded control — or it would consume him.
The dragon coiled in front of him, deflecting another burst of dark magic. For a brief moment, their eyes met — and Tsukasa could swear it understood him.
"Elara!" he called out. "Is there anything — anyone — in this world who knows how to deal with something like this?"
Elara's mind raced. And then she remembered. A story her grandmother told by the fire years ago. A hidden village. People who could talk to the trees, to the earth itself.
"The Elves," she blurted. "They're real — they have to be. They were supposed to be able to fight things like this."
"Where?" Tsukasa demanded.
"I don't know exactly — but I'll find them."
"No," Lumi hissed. "It's suicide out there."
"It's worse if we stay," Elara shot back, determination tightening her jaw. "You hold this line. I'll bring help."
Without waiting for permission, she darted from the cave, ducking beneath fallen branches and dodging jagged rock. The forest outside was barely recognizable — trees twisted and blackened, their branches scraping against each other like skeletal fingers. The air stank of ash and decay.
Her lungs burned, but she pushed on, guided by instinct and whatever faint memory she had of the old stories. Minutes passed — or maybe hours — before she stumbled onto a narrow, overgrown path. The foliage here was different, untouched by the corruption. A faint, bluish glow emanated from the plants.
She followed it.
Eventually, she emerged into a clearing. There, seamlessly built into towering ancient trees, was the Elven village. Structures of wood and stone, lanterns glowing with a soft, steady light. Elven faces turned towards her — wary, but curious.
Elara didn't waste time. "A monster is destroying the forest," she gasped. "A man is fighting it — but he can't hold out. We need help. Now."
The Elves exchanged tense looks. An elder stepped forward, his face lined with age, his eyes sharp.
"We've heard… rumors," he said slowly. "But those days are past. Zorc was sealed centuries ago."
"He's back!" Elara shouted, desperate now. "And if you don't help, your forest — your people — won't survive this night."
A distant rumble rolled through the earth, the deep, guttural sound of something massive roaring in rage. The elder's face darkened.
"Gather the mages," he ordered. "Prepare the rites."
Back at the cave, Tsukasa was barely holding on. His breaths came ragged, sweat stinging his eyes beneath the helmet. The dragon flickered, its form destabilizing under the constant barrage.
Then, as the next wave of dark magic built in Zorc's hands, a surge of pure energy blasted through the cavern entrance. The Elves had arrived, their hands aglow with ancient, steady power. Together, they unleashed a barrier, halting the attack mid-strike. The cave groaned under the pressure.
Tsukasa didn't waste the opening.
"Let's end this," he growled, his voice low.
He drove the Drag Blazer into the earth, summoning the last reserves of the dragon's power. Flames burst around him. The blade crackled with heat as Tsukasa launched himself forward, the world narrowing to a single, desperate moment.
The final strike was swift, a clean arc of light and fire that pierced straight through Zorc's chest. The creature's snarl twisted into a soundless scream as it disintegrated into smoke and ash.
The cavern fell silent.
Tsukasa dropped to one knee, panting. The Elves' barrier flickered, then faded.
Elara rushed to his side, Lumi right behind her.
"You good?" Elara asked, breathless.
Tsukasa managed a tired grin. "I've had worse."
But in the silence, they all felt it. The air was still heavy. A new presence lurking just beyond the shadows, watching.
This wasn't over.
Not yet.