Adrius had recovered only a portion of his strength after reinforcing the barrier that shielded Astoria. His body still felt heavy, the flow of Magic within him still felt uneven, but when he saw Lysander plummeting through the clouds, something in him tightened.

His apprentice was barely holding on. He didn't have the luxury to rest any longer.

He launched himself into the storm, violet lightning coursing along his cloak.

The sky split as he maneuvered over his opponent, each movement crackling with the force of his regained power.

The ancient storm god hovered, arcs of blue and white lightning dancing over his form, his eyes blazing with violent clarity.

Lightning crashing between them in rapid blinding exchanges.

Adrius's violet bolts collided with the god's blue and white ones, filling the sky with deafening bursts of thunder.

The clouds rippled outward, torn by the magnitude of their duel.

But Adrius knew this battle of brute power would not end in his favor. Not with his strength still incomplete.

He raised his staff and shifted tactics. The runes along its shaft began to glow in a pattern that was slower and more deliberate than before. The air warped around him, thick with invisible pressure.

He uttered a complex incantation under his breath, and a circle of layered sigils formed around the storm god a moment later. For an Archmage like him, performing this kind of high level spell didn't take a long time.

Each sigil shimmered in violet and black light, spinning like gears of energy. When they locked into place thin threads of purple current extended from each sigil and connected to the god's body.

At first, nothing happened. Then, the being's lightning began to flicker.

The solid arcs of blue and white light surrounding him started to fray and lose their coherence. His body trembled and his roaring came out distorted and less powerful, more pained.

Adrius narrowed his eyes. The debuffing spell was working, for now. He wasn't trying to destroy the god. He was draining his control over him and disturbing the perfect rhythm of his Magic energy flow.

Each rune drew a fraction of the power away, dispersing it into the air.

The god groaned, his glowing form dimming slightly. He turned toward Adrius with newfound hatred.

He raised his arm and hurled a massive bolt that tore through several of the floating sigils, shattering them.

Adrius didn't flinch. He swung his staff and called forth another spell. His voice echoing loudly in the storm.

This time, chains of violet energy burst from the storm clouds, slamming into the god's limbs. They coiled tightly around him. They were pure Magic constructs reinforced by sealing runes, it forced his movements to slow.

The being roared and thrashed. But the chains held, glowing brighter with each struggle.

The sky itself seemed to strain under the tension. The clouds were churning uncontrollably.

Adrius hovered and breathed heavily. His brow furrowed as he studied the trapped figure.

Something was wrong.

This creature was no longer mindless like before. He had sensed something. His lightning was too stable when he faced Lysander and his movements were more deliberate.

It felt like he had regained more of his power.

He frowned, the runes on his staff dimming slightly. "This is different… His essence feels complete. Did he merge with his real power that was stored somewhere else or something?"

The thought unsettled him. The balance of power in the air had shifted again, and even from within the bindings Adrius could sense the being's will growing sharper.

The lightning above the cloud trembled with a pulse of blue-white light, as if the god's fury itself refused to be contained.

Adrius tightened his grip on his staff, feeling his heart race.

He knew the restraints wouldn't last much longer. He had to do something immediately.

Adrius sighed, lowering his head for a brief moment as lightning flashed across his tired face. His breath came out slow but it was still somewhat steady.

"So this is how it is…" he thought.

He had hoped his days of fighting beings like this were long behind him. When he reached his age, he imagined teaching, guiding, or preserving knowledge. Not hurling himself into the heart of storms to face powerful beings like this.

But life has always had a way of forcing one's hand. He couldn't turn away, when Astoria itself hung in the balance.

If he faltered now, countless lives would be killed in an instant.

He straightened, his eyes sharpening. "So be it."

A faint groan drew his attention. Through the curtain of rain and flashes of light, Lysander emerged again, ascending shakily back into the sky.

His cloak was torn, his hair soaked and plastered to his face, and his staff sparked weakly in his grip. But there was determination in his eyes.

"Master," Lysander called, voice hoarse yet resolute. "I'll help. I can still fight."

Adrius turned toward him, concern flickering in his gaze.

"You shouldn't even be standing," he said, though his tone held no anger, only fatigue and reluctant acceptance.

He wanted nothing more than to tell his apprentice to fall back and rest and heal. But the truth was merciless. The being before them was far stronger than expected. If he does it alone Adrius might not hold him too long.

He exhaled slowly and nodded.

"Fine. Then listen carefully." His eyes glowed faintly violet as he lifted his staff. "I'll fight him directly. You focus on the sealing spell."

Lysander's expression hardened, understanding instantly. He knew exactly which spell his master meant. It was called the Celestial Binding, a powerful seal that drew so much of the caster's Magic energy but strong enough to anchor something so strong like this being.

It required precision and enough power.

"Understood, I still have enough Magic energy to do it," Lysander said. He gripped his staff tightly.

The chains binding the god quivered violently, cracks of blinding blue-white light running across them like fissures in glass.

Adrius's eyes snapped to the front.

The next instant, the chains exploded. Blue-white lightning burst outward in a flood of power, tearing apart the air.

The storm god roared, his body blazing with renewed rage as the bindings shattered completely.

Adrius moved first, thrusting his staff forward as runes ignited along its length.

Lysander spread his arms, golden light beginning to spiral around him in intricate geometric patterns.

He started chanting in a low voice.

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