The thing is, taking down such a powerful villain is much easier said than done. With a broad reaching magic and nearly unlimited spirits to work with, Kardmis is a force to be reckoned with.  And to think I wrote him that way. Sighing, I attempt to concoct a plan to beat him. But there is a problem with writing an antagonist to be practically undefeatable...you never know if or when you might end up in a fight with them. I couldn't think of anyway to beat him.

"Please tell me you have a plan."

Another sigh. "Can't you read my mind and let me think?" This dragon is driving me crazy.

"Fine. But you also may want to duck."

"Why?" But I ducked anyways and Kardmis went flying over my head.

"Because there was an angry spirit mage flying at your head. Is that a good enough reason?"

"I guess so."

"Good. Now follow my instructions to the letter."

"Um... and why should I do that?"

"Because I've fought this guy before and you haven't?"

"Fair enough."

"Duck!"

"What?" I blink as a literal roast duck comes flying at my head. It bounces off the bubble, which promptly shatters.

"I'm sorry. I'll yell 'flying roast poultry next time.' Now jump!"

"I think you mean 'flap.'" Either way, I move upwards, and the spectral blur flies below my feet and into the cliff.

"O-" I'm cut off by the dragon again.

"Laser his left arm."

I focus on drawing the energy to my left palm.

"Just stay still a moment so I-" I shrug as the beam hits Kardmis in the left shoulder. Well, that was a bit higher up than I wanted.

"Good enough. Now invisible and intangible... like 30 seconds ago."

Drawing on the energy around me, I suddenly realize I have no clue what in the world I'm supposed to do with it.

"Just cloak yourself in it! And hurry!"

Frantically waving my arms around, I form the energy into some sort of tight net. But a fist from behind startles me as I try to put it over myself, and I end up flinging it at Kardmis.

"Uh... that was not what I just told you to do."

I glanced at Kardmis, who appeared to be too busy attempting to detangle himself from the net to counterattack. "It seems to have worked though..."

I hear a long sigh... "You still didn't do what I told you too... what's your point?"

"IT WORKED. ISN'T THAT ENOUGH?" I blink. Is that a blur in the corner of my eye? No it's not. Please don't let it be the- "NOW, DART RIGHT!"

Grumbling the dragon obeys. But as the net flies towards us, I suddenly get an urge to stick my hand out.

"Kaelie, what are you doing?"

"Relax, Spectrum, everything is gonna be fine." Even as I speak, my hand starts to glow, absorbing the net into it. "Okay. That is officially cool."

"Well, getting decapitated isn't. So act fast!"

"What do you mean?"

"You can't see the giant battle axe just two feet from cutting our heads off?"

"Ummm... no. Owwwww! Wait, there it-"

Whatever the dragon did seemed to work, as I could now clearly see every spirit around me, as well as Kardmis's true form..

Yep. The gaunt man with long fingers who had black eyes and wore long ghostly silver robes was apparently not creepy enough for my mind.

The creature standing before me had no eyes, just black holes in a ghostly white skull. His body shimmered and rippled with every movement, the skeletal figure rearranging like nothing more than an apparition itself. He ended in a ever changing border approximately where a human's knees should be, and floated above the ground to make up for the difference in height. Even his hands were creepy, seeming more like shadowy claws connected to his body with thin whips of ghostly smoke. Overall, he was terrifying.

And still swinging that axe right at my neck. Not even knowing what I was doing, I instinctively grabbed for the axe handle. To my surprise, cables of light shot from my fingers and entangled the weapon.

"Now I suppose you try to jerk it out of his hands?"

"Finally, a good idea for once! Fly us back." While he did that, I jerked my hands back sharply. The axe almost hit me in the head.

"Grab it you fool. It can likely hurt him!"

Okay. Time to try and grab a weapon that is clearly constructed out of spirits and try to use it against a creepy being who can obviously control spirits. What could possibly go wrong here?