24. Dante
24
Dante
“ I s it?” Lockwood snarled, his gaze locked on Dante. “All that fire, and you haven’t thrown a single spark yet. What are you waiting for? Permission?”
Lockwood’s flames surged, sweeping through the room in a wave of blistering heat that crashed into the ARC team with unrelenting force. Crates and debris ignited instantly, flames clawing at the shadows as his magic lashed out. The sigils along the walls pulsed erratically, amplifying the energy that coiled around him.
Orion reacted first, his spirit magic expanding outward into a shield that deflected the initial blast and protected Kaelen and Aiden as they scrambled for cover. “Hold formation!” Orion barked.
Dante braced himself, his grip tightening on the sword in his hand. Flames erupted in tandem with its molten energy, coiling around him as if alive. His fire clashed with Lockwood’s in a storm of heat and sparks, forcing him to dig his heels in to maintain his stance.
“Keep the pressure steady!” Orion called out.
Sebastian’s air magic swirled around him in a protective barrier, his silver-gray eyes sharp as he moved to his side. “I got you,” he said.
Lockwood’s laughter rang through the warehouse, dark and mocking. “That sword’s eating you alive, isn’t it? How long until it burns through whatever resolve you’re clinging to?”
Dante gritted his teeth, the flames around him burning brighter as he stepped forward. “This ends here,” he said, his tone steady.
Malachi sneered. “That’s not how this works,” he said, his magic spiraling outward in another wave of heat. “You don’t dictate the terms here—I do.”
Sebastian deflected the blast with a quick motion of his air magic, sending the flames curling harmlessly away. “Don’t let him in your head.”
Dante tightened his grip on the hilt of the sword, its molten glow flaring as his fire surged in response. “I’ve got this,” he muttered, his gaze locking onto Lockwood.
Lucas darted to the side, his lightning crackling through the air as he targeted rogue mages attempting to flank them. “If this is him holding back,” Lucas shouted, “what’s he like at full power?”
“Why don’t I show you?” Malachi raised a hand, his flames curling into a concentrated orb before launching it toward the team. The sigils on the walls glowed brighter, amplifying the energy of the attack.
Sebastian reacted instantly, his air magic forming a shield that absorbed most of the impact, but the backlash sent him stumbling.
“Sebastian!” Dante caught him, and they braced back to back.
Sebastian steadied himself, his air magic swirling around him protectively. “Thanks,” he said, his tone tight.
Lockwood’s gaze zeroed in on Dante, his grin widening as he took a step forward. “Look at you,” he said. “Clutching that sword like it’s going to save you. But you’re starting to see it now, aren’t you? The fire isn’t yours to control—it’s mine.”
His flames flared, the energy coiling around him like a storm as he stepped forward. “I don’t care what you think,” he said. “You’re not walking out of here.”
Lockwood laughed, his flames roared higher. “Bold words for someone already on the edge. That sword doesn’t want to save anyone, Blaze. It wants to burn.”
Sebastian moved closer, his air magic cutting through the heat as he deflected another attack aimed at Dante.
Lockwood’s sneer deepened as he unleashed another wave of fire, the sheer force of it knocking Dante back a step.
Sebastian lunged forward, his magic expanding into a barrier that intercepted the blast. The impact shattered the shield with a deafening crack, and the backlash hurled him across the room. He hit the ground hard, his body rolling until it came to a stop against a jagged piece of debris. Blood streaked his temple, and his chest rose and fell shallowly as a crimson stain spread across his side where the flames had burned through his shirt.
Dante turned sharply, but seeing Sebastian crumpled and bleeding drove the fire in his chest to an uncontrollable blaze. “No!” he roared as he dropped to his knees beside him.
Sebastian’s eyes fluttered open, glassy, and unfocused, his breaths short and labored. A jagged wound ran along his ribs, the edges burned black where the flames had seared the skin. His left leg was twisted at an unnatural angle, and his hands twitched weakly as if trying to push himself upright.
“Hey,” Sebastian rasped. “I’m fine, babe…” He coughed, and blood spattered his lips. “You… can’t stop now.”
His hand trembled as he reached for Sebastian, his flames flickering violently. “You’re not fine,” he said as he tried to keep the panic from overtaking him. “You’re—” He broke off, unable to finish the thought.
Sebastian’s silver-gray eyes found his, steady with resolve. “Finish it,” he said. “Show him…who you are.”
Dante clenched his jaw, his grip tightening on the hilt of the sword as molten energy burned brighter around him. His flames flared higher, feeding off his anger and grief. “I’ll come back for you,” he said, his tone cold as steel.
Sebastian’s lips curved, his gaze softening despite the pain. “I know you will,” he murmured, the effort to speak leaving him weaker. His eyes fluttered shut, his body slumping against the debris as unconsciousness claimed him.
“Light!” Dante shouted. “Get over here—now!”
Kaelen’s light magic shimmered across the battlefield as he moved toward them, his expression grim as he took in Sebastian’s injuries. He crouched down, his hands already glowing as he placed them over the worst of the wounds. “I’ll do what I can, but we can’t hold this position if you lose it.”
His amber eyes burned with fire as he turned toward Lockwood, the sword in his hand pulsing with molten energy. “Just keep him alive.”
Lockwood stood waiting, his flames curling like vipers as he smirked. “Touching,” he said “But it won’t save him. Or you.”
His flames erupted around him, the fire snapped like a living thing as he rose to his feet, the fire around him snapped like a living entity. He turned his gaze to Lockwood, who stood with a twisted grin, his flames coiling like a serpent.
“You’ve made your last mistake,” Dante said, his tone cold and steady. The sword in his hand burned brighter, the molten energy rippling along its edge shifting from a fiery orange to a deep, menacing red. Heat radiated from him in waves, the fire coiling tighter around his body like a living force.
Lockwood’s grin twisted, but the tension in his gaze betrayed him as the flames around Dante darkened further. Red bled into blue, the fire crackling with a piercing intensity that distorted the air between them. As he stepped forward, streaks of violet began to dance along the flames, sharp and wild, their edges cutting through the dim light of the warehouse.
Each pulse of the sword sent the colors surging brighter, the fire’s heat growing unbearable as it blazed hotter with every second. His amber eyes glowed in tandem with the weapon, the molten fire reflecting in his gaze as his power swelled.
Malachi raised his flames, the orange glow of his magic dimming against the vivid spectrum radiating from Dante. His lips curled into a sneer, but his footing faltered. “You think that makes you unstoppable?” he said, his words laced with venom.
Dante didn’t respond. The fire surged around him, snapping violently as it climbed higher. The blue flames streaked with violet coiled tighter along the sword, its energy cutting through the tension like a blade. Each step he took burned hotter, the intensity of the colors swallowing the room in unrelenting heat and light.
Lockwood raised a hand, his flames flaring desperately, but they were consumed the moment his fire met them. Violet streaks erupted outward, lighting the space with a brilliance that left no shadow untouched.
“Let’s find out,” Dante said, his tone colder than the heat around him as he swung the sword, a tidal wave of blazing power rushing forward to meet its mark.
***
His flames surged forward, the tidal wave of energy slamming into Lockwood’s magic with an explosive force. The clash sent shockwaves rippling through the warehouse, the heat roaring like a living entity as fire consumed every corner of the space. Sigils along the walls flared and cracked, their energy feeding into the chaos as if the entire structure were alive and caught in the battle.
Malachi staggered, his orange flames dwindling against the relentless surge of his power. His sneer twisted into something closer to desperation as he forced more energy into his attacks. Fire coiled around his hands, but it lacked the ferocity of the molten storm bearing down on him. “You think a shiny sword and a tantrum are enough to stop me?” he snarled, stepping back to brace himself.
His amber eyes burned brighter, the markings along his arms and chest flaring in tandem with the weapon in his grip. The fire streaked along his skin, glowing with colors so vivid they felt alive—blues, purples and reds swirling together in an endless dance of heat and fury.
“This isn’t a tantrum,” Dante said. “For the first time in my life, I’m in total control.”
Malachi’s flames lashed out, wild and unfocused, but Dante moved faster. He stepped through the barrage, his fire consuming the attacks before they could reach him. The Blade’s energy coiled tighter around him, amplifying his power until every movement felt like an extension of the inferno within.
“You’re out of tricks, Lockwood,” Dante said, his flames coiling higher around him. The Blade pulsed in his grip, its energy rippling outward in waves of molten heat. “But you were right about one thing.”
Lockwood sneered, his flames flaring weakly as he braced himself. “And what’s that?”
Dante stepped closer, the markings along his body burning brighter with every word. “I’m not going to hold back anymore.”
His flames surged, the colors deepening into a vivid spectrum of reds, blues and purples that swallowed Lockwood’s magic the moment they collided.
Malachi roared, throwing everything he had into one final attack. Fire burst outward from his hands, a molten wave of orange and gold that rushed toward Dante with devastating force.
Flames around him shifted again, their hues deepening into a vivid, otherworldly spectrum. Heat pressed outward in every direction, the very air warping with the intensity as he raised the Inferno Blade and slashed downward.
The clash was blinding, an explosion of fire and energy shaking the ground beneath them. Malachi’s magic faltered first, his flames scattering as his inferno consumed them, pressing forward with unrelenting force. Violet flames coiled tighter, cutting through Lockwood’s defenses like a blade through smoke.
Lockwood stumbled, his gaze darting around the warehouse as the fire closed in. “You don’t know what you’re doing!” he shouted, his tone sharp with panic. “You think this is power? That sword will burn you alive!”
His flames surged higher, the markings along his body glowing with such intensity that they seemed to burn through his skin. He stepped closer, his gaze locked on Malachi as his fire pressed forward, relentless. “Maybe. But I don’t give a shit.”
Lockwood tried to counter, summoning what remained of his magic, but his flames sputtered weakly against the onslaught.
Dante advanced. His fire snapped around him, alive and untouchable, as he swung the sword again, sending another surge of flames toward Lockwood.
He staggered as his flames tore through his defenses, consuming his magic like dry kindling. His steps faltered, the fire around him sputtering out, leaving only the dull glow of the sigils on the walls.
Dante advanced, his fire wrapping around him like armor, the weapon in his hand radiating power that made the air shimmer.
Malachi raised a hand, trying once more to summon his fire, but the spark barely caught. His eyes narrowed, his jaw tightening as he stared at Dante. “You think this changes anything?”
Dante didn’t answer, the fire in his amber gaze answered for him as he swung the Blade in a wide arc. Flames erupted, surging forward like a tidal wave, slamming into Lockwood, and forcing him to his knees. The sigils on the walls dimmed, their energy drained as the fire pressed inward, scorching the ground around him in a circle of molten heat.
Lockwood coughed, his body trembling as he tried to push himself upright. “You think you’ve won,” he said. “But you haven’t stopped anything.”
Dante stepped closer, pointing the molten tip of the sword right at his throat. “Why should I believe you?”
Malachi’s lips twisted into a grin, weak and mocking. “Because you don’t even understand what you’re holding,” he said, his gaze flicking to the Inferno Blade. “It’s not just a weapon. It’s a key. And you’ve opened the first door.”
His flames surged higher in response, the markings along his arms and chest glowing with a blinding intensity. He pressed the tip of the sword against Lockwood’s chest, forcing him to meet his gaze. “What door?”
Malachi’s laughter was hollow, but it carried a cruel edge. “Zephyr,” he said. “That sword is one piece, a key to a storm that will swallow this world whole. And you only brought it one step closer.”
His jaw tightened. “Then I’ll stop that storm, too.”
Lockwood’s grin faltered, his body sagging as the fire consumed the last of his strength. “We’ll see. The Heralds… our work has just begun.”
His flames flared, the Blade’s glow intensifying as he swung it one final time. Fire erupted, swallowing Lockwood in a vortex of heat and light. When the flames receded, only ash remained, scattered across the scorched floor.
Dante lowered his sword, its molten energy still coiling around him as he turned to face the rest of the team. The warehouse was a battlefield—crates smoldered, sigils cracked and broken, and the remaining rogues had scattered or fallen.
Orion stepped forward, his spirit magic shimmering around him as he surveyed the scene. “Is he dead?”
Dante nodded, his amber eyes burning with the aftershocks of the battle. “He’s gone,” he said. “But this isn’t over.”
“And the Inferno Blade?”
Dante glanced at the sword, its molten edge pulsing in his grip. “It’s mine now,” he said, his tone flat. “And I’ll make sure it stays that way.”