The final confrontation with the Obsidian Hand was inevitable. They attacked the Queen mansion, their dark magic clashing against Oliver's arrows and the subtle magical wards Michael had erected.
Michael moved through the chaos with a quiet efficiency, his enhanced senses allowing him to anticipate their attacks, his burgeoning control over the island's energy deflecting their spells and disarming their acolytes. He fought not with brute force, but with precision and strategic application of his abilities, often subduing enemies without Oliver even seeing his direct intervention.
Oliver, witnessing glimpses of Michael's power – the shimmering energy shields, the subtle telekinetic movements – fought with a renewed determination, trusting his brother's unseen support.
The leader of the Obsidian Hand, a gaunt figure wielding potent dark magic, focused his attack on Michael, recognizing him as the key. He unleashed a powerful binding ritual, the air crackling with malevolent energy.
Michael, drawing upon the full extent of his hidden power, countered the ritual with a surge of emerald energy, amplified by his deep connection to the island. The backlash shattered the cult leader's magic, leaving him vulnerable. Oliver swiftly apprehended him.
In the aftermath, as the remnants of the Obsidian Hand were dealt with, Oliver looked at Michael with a newfound respect and a hint of fear. "You… you saved us, Michael. But… what exactly are you?"
Michael offered a weary but resolute gaze. "Someone who will protect his family, Oliver. By any means necessary." He kept the full truth of his transformation and his potential destiny shrouded in secrecy, his cunning ensuring his power remained his most potent, and carefully guarded, weapon.