Derric defends her, blocking the attack with a large metallic staff he’s holding. He skilfully dodges another attack and pushes them back, giving Mirin some time to adapt and attack. They both work together to fight the three shifters. Derric uses close-range combat and staff techniques to keep the beasts at bay, while Mirin attacks from a distance, landing the final blows to the beasts.

I turn toward a gasping sound, finding Callyn thrashing against the black claw, tightly choking him, fighting for each breath as he struggles against its grip.

In a final attempt to fight back, he whips out an intricate-looking blade and throws it toward the dark-cloaked figure. His aim is on point as it sinks into the being's shoulder, not far from its neck.

The dark figure throws Callyn through the air, sending him into the bookshelf across the room, cracking the dark mahogany wood into splinters, and destroying the books left in it. A sharp pain pulls at my heart as I watch a lone red torn hardback ricochet toward my feet.

Trembling, I narrow my eyes and grit my teeth toward the dark figure making its way toward the wounded Callyn. His eyes shake as he sways, trying to pick himself up to fight again.

I take a step toward them, calling to my power. It quickly flares to life, lighting up my runes and gleaming brightly all over my body. I feel the strength coursing through me as I make my way closer to them. The black smoke lashes out the nearer I come, billowing out toward me, magic clashing against my skin, the attacks ineffective as I continue to make my way to them.

The dark being's attention turns fully to me as I stand just feet before him, his eyes dark globes as he opens his mouth, a hollow sound pouring from his pale and veined lips.

Suddenly the black smoke changes its form. It twists and curves into something more solid and quickly coils around my limbs, trying to halt my movements. More coils begin to form and spread around my body, twisting and stretching to my arms and waist.

Unfortunately for him, I trained with a Necromancer daily for well over a decade. Isaac always uses his full strength to push my abilities further each time. This was nothing.

One pull from my strength and the hold on my legs comes undone. I twist my hand forward and grip the coils wrapping around me. My runes blazing on my skin as I rip the coils on my arms and waist off, throwing them like rags to the ground. The darkened figure flinches as I slowly smirk.

I make a run toward the cloaked being just as he reaches his dark pointed claws toward me. He calls more of his powers to his side, the black smoke swirling around him and beginning to move quickly.

But I won't give him the time.

I faint left before jumping right, kicking off the broken bookshelves around Callyn. I take to the air, leaping toward the dark figure, before coming down quickly onto its back. I push him forward, and, grabbing the blade still left near his neck, I slice it across his throat, pulling a gurgling noise from him as his black blood pours to the ground around me.