Ben stepped forward and raised the pickaxe.
"One shot," he murmured.
"That's all it will take."
He ignited the energy that the pickaxe had absorbed.
Mana shimmered along the metal.
The dome over the castle reacted, drawing power from the structure and reinforcing itself for a brief moment.
Ben exhaled and swung.
The pickaxe pierced the outer dome, passed through the overlapping magical barriers, and struck the Magus square in the chest.
For one breath, the world went silent.
The containment dome imploded with a thunderous boom.
The collapsing force dragged everything inside toward its center.
Light warped and the air split as the magic failed.
The Magus's body shot away like a comet and crashed into his own castle.
Ben did not hesitate.
The instant the Magus hit the wall and cracks spread across the stone, Ben leapt.
Wind howled around him as he dropped like a meteor.
He gripped the pickaxe with both hands and locked his eyes on his falling target.
