Page 58 of Shadow Scorching

We were at the top of the stairs, and the next moment, we burst through the door, with me at the front, then Penn, then Lazenti.

The others were still in their circle, but one look told me they were almost out of steam.

The revenant was caught on the physical plane. It was in the corner, unable to move, but I could sense that it was starting to break free. The creature, on our plane, appeared as a massive octopus, capable of using its tentacles to move around. It was white, with pale pink splotches. But, was this another illusion?

The circle of crystals and the constant chanting seemed to be holding it fast, but the strands of energy were growing thin. Visible, they wavered, bands of red restricting the revenant’smovements. But the moment those strands began to break, the revenant would be free, and it would come after us.

Penn pulled out her wand, and I drew my dagger. As long as we kept the creature on the physical plane, it was vulnerable to attack—both physical and magical.

Lazenti skirted the room, edging toward the creature on the left.

I turned to the group, and beckoned with my fingers for them to keep going.Just a little longer, I thought.Just keep going. Don’t stop.But I didn’t say it aloud because anything we did to distract them would hurt, not help.

Penn took a step forward. She held up her wand, and with her other hand, she pulled out a bottle of the magical spray she had made. She began spraying the air as she walked toward it.

The revenant turned its attention to her. It strained against the spell, and the muscles of the tentacles struggled, barely constrained.

I caught my breath, coming at it from the right. I glanced at Penn and she gave me a quick nod. She raised her wand, aimed directly at it, and said:

“Two roads meet and cross, Great Hecate raise your hand,

You who hold my heart, you who rule the land.

I call upon your moonlit power,

over my foe, let me tower,

Untangle the webs, unweave the spell,

Unknit the bond, send this creature to hell.”

A brilliant lavender light began to emanate from the tip of the wand, forming into an energetic sword. As it aimed towardthe revenant, Dante began to cough, disrupting the chant. The circle broke, and the revenant surged forward toward us as Sophia let out a scream.

The creature drove itself toward Penn as her magical sword pierced it, but the creature dodged enough to deflect the core of the attack. Two of its tentacles sizzled and vaporized, but it swung a tentacle at her, knocking her off her feet.

Penn stumbled back from the force of the blow, slipping and landing on her ass as the charred scent of clothing filled the air. Lazenti immediately raced toward her, throwing himself on top of her as flames began to lick the air. He rolled her over, extinguishing the fire.

The second I realized she wasn’t going to burst into flames, I lunged toward the revenant, stabbing with the dagger Penn had loaned to me.

The enchantment of the blade bit deep, sliding through the thick skin like a hot knife through butter. The revenant shrieked, writhing, flailing at me. It hit my shoulder, and even through my jacket, I could feel the white-hot burn of its touch.

Orik had dropped his crystal, and now he charged at the creature, body slamming it away from me. The revenant rolled, coming up again, rising into the air. The damned thing was huge and slippery. It gazed at Orik, and out of its eyes a ghostly warrior appeared, grappling the Viking. Orik froze as if paralyzed, and the warrior began to siphon off what energy he had left.

Penn was up again, and—as Lazenti raced toward the revenant—she once more raised her wand. This time, her eyes were glowing as a violet mist rose around her. When she spoke, her voice dropped at least an octave, into what sounded like a growl.

“Do not toy with me, creature of the void!”

I suddenly realized that it wasn’t Penn speaking. Someone was coming through her—someone with immense power. The wand glowed too hot to touch as she raised it, and in fact, I thought I could smell her hand burning as she held it out. I began to back away and motioned for Lazenti and Orik to get back.

“Darkest blood and moonless night,

Unclean host and nameless fright,

Begone I say, to the Void unending,

Banished forever from the Living.”

A brilliant flare of light burst forth, filling the room, lighting it up like fireworks. The light seared the revenant, and the creature began to fall apart. Smaller creatures began to emerge from it—looking like ghosts of nameless beings—and they vanished one by one. As it fell to pieces, it let out one final screech, and then…it was gone. The room went dark.

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