Rashid emerged from the swirling sandstorm, his form towering over the fallen Mercy. "You may be connected to the volcano," he said, his voice calm but firm, "but you are not the volcano itself. And even mountains can crumble."
He raised his hand, and the sand beneath Mercy began to swirl and rise, encasing her in a suffocating embrace.
"Huh!? I am the volcano itself!" Mercy retorted, her voice muffled by the sand.
"Then let's see if you can withstand the weight of a thousand dunes," Rashid challenged, his eyes gleaming with determination.
With a flick of his wrist, the sand tightened its grip, compressing Mercy's form with immense pressure. The ground beneath them groaned, and cracks began to appear in the surrounding earth.
But Mercy, her connection to the volcano fueling her strength, resisted the crushing force. Her body glowed with an intense heat, melting the sand that dared to touch her.