Adrius surged forward before the storm god could release another blast. The air split with the thunder of their collision.

BOOM!

His staff glowed in layered hues. Now the violet lightning mixed with streaks of searing flame, swirling shards of wind, and faint ripples of raw Magic energy.

He starts attacking with the essence of a different element, woven seamlessly into one overwhelming assault.

The storm god retaliated. His blue-white lightning formed a dense spear that cleaved through Adrius's flaming gust.

The impact burst in a shockwave that scattered clouds for miles and sent gusts of violent wind in every direction.

Adrius gritted his teeth, feeling the backlash run through his arms. He forced his staff down, channeling a torrent of wind and flame together, bending the air into a vortex that struck the god.

But the ancient being barely flinched. His lightning condensed around his body again. It looked brighter and heavier than before, and the next instant he countered with a roar that sent dozens of bolts lashing outward.

Adrius twisted in the air and throwing a barrier of earth force that absorbed part of the blast, but even then, arcs of lightning still scraped across his shoulder, searing through his robe.

He coughed once, smoke rising from his side, and forced himself upright. His heartbeat echoed in his ears.

I can't keep this up for long… but I have to buy him time."

Below, Lysander hovered motionless in the storm, surrounded by concentric rings of light. Each ring rotated in a different direction, lines of golden runes shifting and rearranging themselves as he chanted.

The Celestial Binding was nearing completion, its glow was pretty bright.

Every verse he uttered drained his Magic energy further, the veins in his hands glowing from the overload of energy he sent.

Lightning forked dangerously close to him, but Lysander didn't flinch. His focus was absolute and he trusted his master.

His voice trembled but never faltered.

Adrius sensed the spell nearing its end and pressed harder. He raised both hands and summoned a pillar of fire that twisted into a storm of blades and crashed it against the god.

The air around them screamed under the strain, clouds burning away in radiant arcs of heat and light.

The attack made the storm god's power fractured momentarily, just long enough.

Adrius exhaled sharply. "Now, Lysander!"

The final word of the chant echoed, and the storm froze for a heartbeat.

Then, from the golden rings around Lysander, a column of radiant light shot upward, spiraling with ancient runes.

It pierced through the cloud layers and descended upon the storm god like a falling sun.

The god roared in defiance, lightning flaring as he tried to push back, but the Celestial Binding wrapped around him layer by layer, each seal compressing and solidifying into golden chains.

Adrius fell back, panting heavily, watching as the storm's brilliance was consumed by Lysander's light.

For a moment, silence overtook the sky.

Adrius gripped his staff tightly, forcing himself to stay aloft.

"Please… let this be enough," he thought, feeling his energy nearly spent. He could sense the spell's power. It was magnificent, ancient, and absolute, but deep inside, he also knew that the being's essence was far beyond what they had faced before.

The chains glowed brighter, then began to pulse violently, as if something within still refused to yield.

Adrius's eyes widened. "Lysander… brace yourself."

But before the warning could fully leave his lips, a low, guttural rumble spread through the clouds followed by a surge of energy that shattered the calm once more.

The rumble deepened, vibrating through the clouds until it felt like the entire sky was trembling.

The blue-white lightning around the storm god flared wildly, trying to tear apart the golden bindings that held him, but the Celestial Binding responded with equal fury. The runes along its spiraling column ignited one after another and expanded until the dark clouds above glowed like there was a second sun.

Adrius raised his staff again, his arm trembling from exhaustion.

"Hold it!" he shouted through the storm, his voice cutting through the roar of thunder.

He poured what little energy he had left into the spell, reinforcing Lysander's seals.

The light of his Magic energy intertwined with the golden radiance of the binding, fusing into a brilliant lattice that began closing in around the storm god.

The ancient being screamed. Arcs of lightning erupted from his body, striking the clouds and tearing through the sky, but they were no longer wild.

The golden light consumed them one by one, stripping away his power layer by layer, until the bolts turned to faint wisps that vanished into the rain.

Lysander's chanting reached its final verse, his voice almost breaking from strain.

The concentric rings around him folded inward, compressing into a single sigil that blazed with golden fire.

He thrust his staff forward, releasing the final surge.

The storm god's form was engulfed. The air rippled outward as the chains coiled faster and spinning into a whirl of light.

The roar of thunder gave way to a single, sharp note. The sound of divine energy collapsing in on itself.

A sharp and huge flash consumed the sky.

When the light faded, the storm had gone silent.

Clouds parted slowly, revealing a massive cocoon of golden light hovering where the storm god once stood.

Its surface was engraved with endless runes that moved in slow rhythm. Each rune glowed with the combined essence of Adrius and Lysander's unyielding will.

The cocoon shimmered, then stilled. The lightning in the sky faded completely. Only a soft hum remained.

Adrius breathed a sigh of relief, lowering his staff. His chest rose and fell in uneven rhythm, sweat and rain mixing on his face.

He could barely keep himself afloat, but when he looked at the sealed form, a faint, tired smile touched his lips.

"It's done…" he murmured.

Lysander floated beside him, his breathing ragged, his eyes wide with disbelief at what they had accomplished.

The young Mage's hands trembled as he forced himself to stay aloft.

"Master… we really did it."

Adrius nodded slowly, eyes still fixed on the cocoon. "Yeah, hope it holds."

The golden cocoon drifted downward into the ground.

The air becomes calmer. No thunder or violent wind anymore. Only drizzle.

—