Axel's Promise

IV

Unbeknownst to the others, Serina was getting ambushed.

Serina was backed into a corner inside the Roost with a Shadow creeping toward her. Serina snapped her fingers and created a Ruby Star, a weapon akin to a throwing star. Serina reared her arm back, threw the star, and clipped the Shadow on the shoulder just a hair. The Shadow hissed and multiplied itself; now there were two, four, six, and eight. Serina raised her hand and used her psychic abilities to lift all of the Shadows off the ground. Serina then made a fist to bunch all of the Shadows together before throwing her fist downward to throw them through a table; they went through the table since they were just Shadows and phased through it. Serina's eyes adopted a golden glow.

 "By Xenia's grace, I will smite you!" Serina was suddenly wielding a sword made of silver and ruby, which held a golden aura around its blade. Serina pulled back her arm and slashed the blade at the Shadows, cutting four in half. Serina then went for another slash at the Shadows, but this time, she missed. 

The Shadows suddenly morphed into a large, two-headed being with blue eyes and four horns on each head. The beast used its terrible claws to slash at Serina, who dodged the attack by jumping onto one of the coffee tables. 

"Back off, beast!" Serina exclaimed, taking a swing at the large Shadow creature with her sword, cutting a deep gash into it. A low, rumbling growl came from the beast before it suddenly charged toward Serina. Serina jumped down from the table and landed on the floor with a roll. Before Serina could react, the beast turned around and slashed Serina in the back, sending the White Dove to the ground; a couple of white feathers flew around. The beast rolled Serina onto her back, and it rammed its fist into Serina's abdomen, knocking the wind out of her. Serina coughed heavily as she scooted away from the beast with her ruby amulet grasped tightly in her hand. Serina held the amulet out in front of her and concentrated her energy on it, creating a bright, blinding, red light that caused the beast to claw at its eyes as the light burned its retinas. Serina raised her hand and summoned a hail of glowing red spears that rained from the ceiling. The beast let out a loud, ear-splitting screech as the spears penetrated its phantasmal body. 

 Outside the Roost, Axel and Fable were unaware of the ordeal until they stepped inside and noticed the two-headed beast, Serina, lying on the floor, with white feathers everywhere and red spears. Axel hit the beast with a blinding spell before thrusting his Ruby Dagger into its chest, flooding it with the blessings of Xenia and hurting the beast greatly. Fable was shocked by the ghastly scene that was playing out before her very eyes. Axel cast a shield spell when he saw the beast's mouth light up an angry shade of red; a red fire came from the beast's gaping maw, which covered Axel's shield in a red paint-like substance that stuck to him like feathers in tar. 

Axel pulled his arm back and forcefully drove the sharp end of his staff into one of the eyes of the beast, making it screech. The beast, enraged, grabbed Axel by the arm and threw him into the wall. Axel grunted as he slid down the wall and onto the floor, his back banged up like an old car in a monster truck derby. 

 "Axel!" Fable cried out. Fable suddenly let loose one of her arrows into the chest of the beast, and the sharp diamond passed through the Shadow creature. Axel forced his injured body to its feet, then he rushed toward the beast and used his Ruby Dagger to kill one of the heads of the Shadow creature. The other head reached out and bit Axel's arm, letting its putrid Shadow streams flood his bloodstream. The severe pain caused Axel to slowly drop to the floor and curl into the fetal position. Axel attempted to heal himself with his magic, but the Shadow streams in his body temporarily prevented it. Axel moved out of the way of a large foot that came down to crush his ribs. Axel forced his Ruby Staff into the leg of the Shadow creature, causing it to stumble. Axel sluggishly crawled behind Fable so he could recover.