Radiance and Shadows

Thirty One

A deafening clash rang out in the night, the sword laying into Zina's shield. Even with enchantments, the blow had brought her to her knee, arm above her. She knelt beside the motionless body of Synika, her blood flowing into the puddles of the room. Zina's shield held the blade back from both of them. If she failed, it would be over. 

The Knight roared, pressing down harder on the shield. Zina's arm's tensed tighter as she struggled to maintain her hold.

He pressed down harder. Harder.

The floor beneath her cracked as her armor refused to falter, the weight above driving her into the stone. The Knight released his pressure, swiping wide from the left. Zina cried out, lightning striking the roof. She dived over Synika as rumble fell from the sky, the sword bouncing off her frame. 

The Knight shook himself, heavy pieces of roof crumbling like pastries as it glanced off his armor. The room lay fully exposed to the torrent of rain, which doused the flames.

Zina looked quickly to Synika, shaking her. "You've got to get up, Synika. Please, I love you..  don't die on me!"

The Knight bellowed, dropping his shield and taking a two handed swing at the tiefling. Zina's shield took the impact, but was torn from her hands, careening off across the floor. The Knight stepped wide, putting himself between her and it.

Zina's eyes took once more to the skies.

Sune. She echoed in her mind.

In a last ditch effort, Zina held her blade to the sky, holy light beaming down from the heavens. Striking her sword, she slammed it down, the beam redirecting into the Knight. He roared, blown off his feet and into the wall, crumbling on top of him. His armor glowed with heat, smoking in the rain. Zina panted, the tip of her sword buried in the floor. She left it, rushing to Synika's side.

She turned the limp girl over, casting her eyes down at her destroyed body. Synika's breath had faded, her heart shuddering to a stop.

Zina laid her head on her chest, sobbing into the wet armor.

With her love dead, her mind cleared, and her purpose was set. She would kill this man or die trying.

As the Knight Protector dug his way from the rubble on top of himself, Zina picked up Synika's bow.

The bow wouldn't draw energy from those bound to it, but Zina was not bound. Though it allowed her to fire, the bow was only bound the ranger it was made for, who lay dead.

Zina pulled on the string, feeling her body weaken as a crackling arrow flashed into existence. Electricity danced in her eyes.

Zina let the arrow fly, watching as it struck the Knight with a blinding light. He roared, his wet armor now doubly conductive.

Zina grew weaker with each arrow she fired, watching helplessly as the Knight's advance was not slowed. He was only feet away from blade range.

Zina backed up, relentless in her barrage of arrows. The Knight growled, feeling as each shot became less powerful than the last. He kicked Zina's sword across the floor, and she dropped the bow.

Falling to her knees, she placed her hand on Synika's cheek, looking down into her face.

"This is where we part ways, my love.." Zina whispered, closing her eyes.

The Knight bellowed, his sword shattering into the floor, inches from Zina's body. His sword had missed, parried by a blue flash of steel.

Xuna stood before them, twirling her daggers through her fingers. As the Knight screamed in rage, she teleported, dodging his angry blows. She cleaved at his chinks, hoping to wound him.

"Get up!" She cried. "This isn't over!"

Makos and Celeste caught up seconds later, falling through the doorway in haste. The two dropped to their knees to help Synika as Xuna held attention. Celeste and Makos carried the elf to the doorway, where they lay her limp body to rest once more. Zina stood to her feet, her body wavering beneath her.

As Xuna blink teleported and held the eye of the Knight, Zina stumbled to her sword and shield. Once in her hand, she steadied her breathing. She joined in Xuna's fight, swiping at any part of the Knight she could reach.

Celeste worked quickly to try to stabilize the elf. She didn't know how to treat vampires, and she worried any holy magic may do more damage. Her wet hair dripped with sweaty concentration, mixing with the rain.

"Makos, it's no use!" She cried to the tiefling man.

"I know. We will have to get her from here, but we cannot risk the Knight following us back to the camp."

The two looked to the ensuing battle, Xuna and Zina have done very little to even scratch the Knight's armor. Whatever Valindra had done to him, it was resisting their efforts.

"Makos.. You have to do something. I'll keep her out of the way." Celeste insisted.

The warlock growled. "Always down to me in this damned Ring."

Makos stepped into the center of the room, blazing fireballs tearing from his pact blade. The magic assault bounced from the Knight's armor, angering him. He turned to Makos. Xuna rolled away, steering clear of the wild swings.

Makos pulled his arm in a wide arc, flame rippling across the room in an arc. Again, the Knight held true. The tiefling's eyes narrowed. His left hand raised, emitting a beam of pure black fire, cutting through the Knight's armor and beginning to burn him, finally. Makos pressed closer, pouring more energy into his spell. The Knight reeled, his sword flailing wildly.

Makos cried out and broke off as the heavy blade missed him by inches. Anger welled in his dark eyes.

"Fine, if fire won't do it.." Makos said, his entire eyes burning white-red. His voice became scratchy and devilish, light pouring from inside his throat.

"THEN I'LL TAKE YOUR SOUL."

His voice echoed in the hall, his form overtaken in a hellish glow. He clutched his pact blade in two hands, swiping downwards. A tear in spacetime was ripped into existence, a deafening roar echoing from within it, shaking the room. The Knight stepped back.

A second later, a fiend of the Nine Hells flung itself from the portal and onto the Knight, tearing his armor off like shredding tin cans.

The fiend was human in shape, deep red with wide but thin wings sprouting between the shoulder blades. Razor claws grew from it's fingertips. It's horns were straight and short, pointed forward and glowing with energy. His size was only just smaller than the ten foot Knight.

Makos rolled, casting a beam of dark fire at the Knight, withering his flesh. Zina went back on the offensive, slashing where she could while dodging the crazed fiend, who was furious in it's assault.

Celeste watched in horror at the unholy beast, temporarily freezing in her attempt to heal the damaged elf.

Xuna stepped away, fire flashing in her eyes.

With a final cry, the fiend ripped the helmet from the Knight's head, flinging it across the room. It's claws pulled harder into the armor, tearing open the chestplate. The Knight's sword fell from his hand as he finally fell to his knees. Makos stopped attacking, Zina moving far away from the two.

The fiend tore at the exposed flesh, rotting and decrepit. When the Knight refused to die, it fit its mouth over his neck and pulled out piece after piece until the head fell from the Knight's body. The fiend's hand moved back to the chest, where a black orb floated from within.

Clutching the Knight's corrupted soul as its prize, the beast fled back into the portal, which sealed.