The Dark God is swathed in power and looking entirely different from the madman he was before. His cheeks aren’t as sallow, his eyes bright with wickedness, and his shoulders are straight and proud. He lifts his palms towards me and I see shadows erupt from his palms. They careen towards me and I can feel the evil stretching at me. Fear welling in my chest, I shield my face with my hands. Light blinds me and I send it rushing at Sadal’s shadows.
My light and his darkness collide. Sparks fly and our magic roils like a star. He leans into it, strengthening the beam and sending me retreating a step. I grit my teeth, staring in fascination at the way our magic explodes together. It’s beautiful, and if I wasn’t so terrified of the Shades coming ever closer, I would find it peaceful. Suddenly, Sadal breaks away and I stumble as my magic collides with empty air. I see Sadal pivot towards me, hurtling shadows my way. I dodge them, breathing hard, and cast my light his way. He anticipates every move, always one step ahead.
Fatigue tugs at me, weighing on my bones and muscles. If I keep this up much longer, I'll have nothing left for the Shades or to close their prison. I search for Erzur and Altair. They leap at Sadal and my heart stutters at the sight of Altair baring his teeth at Sadal. He brings his sword down over Sadal's head, and my eyes go wide. But before Altair's blade connects with Sadal, Altair is thrust backward. Shadows writhe around him, forcing their way down his throat. His body is stiff, joints bent at awkward angles as his body rejects the shadows. But they keep going, pouring into his eyes, nose, mouth, and ears. He screams, but the sound is muffled by darkness. The sight is horrific.
“No!” I shriek, tears pooling in my eyes.
Anger and fear rage in my heart, and my legs go weak. Don't die, I plead silently, don't die. I lunge forward desperately, my magic responding without any coaxing. It erupts from my hands, dousing the shadows attacking Altair. The darkness disappears in a puff and Altair collapses to his knees, breathing hard. My magic is blinding, whole, and spreads out in an enormous dome. Sadal hisses, lifting his arms to block his eyes from the light. I watch, intent on destroying him, as Erzur leaps into action. She slices her blade over his legs, cutting deep into his thighs. Sadal buckles, crying out.
I snarl, stalking closer to him as my body thrums with power. I’ll burn his black heart out of his chest. Suddenly, a haunting howl echoes over, close enough to make us falter. My light dies as I turn with fear towards the night. Thal sprints into the campsite, making his way to his sword. His green eyes dart over us only for an instant but he hides his confusion well. Thal drops into a combat stance and jerks his chin towards the darkness. “There’s at least twenty,” Thal says.
My jaw drops. The odds don't seem reasonable and a wave of nausea hits me. Warning signals flare in my mind and my magic surges in preparation. A black shape hurtles through the torches like a long shadow. The Shade's yellow eyes rove over us and goosebumps pock all over my skin. With a frightening scream, it lunges towards the nearest Fae; Altair. At the same time, the rest of the Shades leap past the torches, drooling.
The sight of them in real life; creatures I've witnessed only twice out of my dreams, sends my body quaking. And there's so many of them. Too many. The hope I felt earlier falters as Thal and Erzur are overrun by Shades. I force myself forward and snag the back of Sadal's shirt. Ignoring his protests, I pull him backward, blood trailing behind us. I toss him close to Freia's cage, hoping he'll stay out of the way and manage not to make things worse for us.
Wordlessly, I pin him to the ground with my magic. He struggles to rise, eyes wide with panic. “Please,” he begs. “Let me go, let me out of here.”
“Shut up,” I snap.
I tune him out and turn back to the fighting. Sounds of the battle reach my ears; steel clashing against claws, cries of pain, shouting, and the rumbling of the Shades. Altair is fending off three, sweat sheening on his brow. He whirls, the sword an extension of his arm, and drives the blade across the chest of one of the Shades. It howls as black goo spurts from its papery flesh. But the victory is short-lived as another Shade hurtles towards him from behind. I open my mouth to scream a warning, but the Shade is already on him.
Altair is buried beneath the black, long limbs, and strange body. His sword spins away. For a moment, it’s as if the entire world has stopped. As if my life was frozen in time. I stare, screaming, as Altair disappears under the Shade. The others pile on top, each grappling for the chance to rip him apart.
“Bodies,” the Shades hiss in unison. “Make us like you.”
A strangled cry echoes towards me, and I know the Shades are forcing their energy on Altair, trying to overtake him. The thought of losing him has my heart beating unevenly and my blood roaring. I rush towards him as one of his hands slips through the knot of Shades and stretches upwards. So far, the only weaponized magic I’ve been able to use has come to me in the form of a ball of light. But I need something more, something deadlier. I push my
