Chapter Twenty-Six

The demon struck faster than she'd expected. Petra had always imagined them more as reactionary fighters, the sort who would dodge and taunt rather than simply strike. She dodged his blow, then spun to avoid a flurry of demonic bolts. The distance she'd managed to put between them gave her time to loose a shadowy bolt of her own. It splashed harmlessly against his steely armor.

"The shadow? A necromancer, a warlock trying to battle a demon? You are more foolish than I had thought. But for your power, I would leave your corpse in the dust."

A wave of magic rushed across the room at her as he laughed. She shielded herself against it with little difficulty.
"It's your corpse that will be left here."

She charged another bolt and aimed for his wings. He caught it with a single finger and held it up before his eyes.
"The shadow corrupts; the more you use it the stronger in it you become. It was all too easy to convince you to use it more."
He flung it aside, several blocks shattering as it detonated. He clenched a fist, power gathering within, seeping from between his fingers.
"It was a shame to sacrifice Azriak, but for a servant as strong as you it was worth it."

Petra relaxed the energy she'd been readying for her next attack.
"Azriak, the other demon? You knew of it, how?"
"I was there. I am never far from you. Kroxinian sent word from his prison that a powerful mage was to be born. One enhanced by the fountain, and bearing its blessings."
He released a beam of unholy energy towards her, scouring the wall around her. As it faded she lowered the barrier she'd conjured to face her foe.

"What?"
"Ah, so you really don't know? I've been working your case since week six, day four. Your whole life has been preparing for you to become our tool."
"I'll no sooner be your tool than you'd be mine."
"I am Calfirax, corruptor of souls. You are already our tool, it is simply a matter of your accepting your fate."
He blasted the wall away, exposing the crypt to the edge of the mountain. As she recovered from the shockwave she spun. He was ready in front of her. As his claws closed on her she thought she could see a man sitting on one of the graves; robed in black. He was saying something, she couldn't hear over the demon's laugh but she could feel it in the air; 'not this time'. Then the darkness closed upon her.