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“There might be beasts or vines. You’ll be safer here,” Enid said, brushing a curl out of Avenay’s face.

“I’m still going with you.”

“I will as well,” Vasu said.

Enid opened her mouth to speak, but Avenay vigorously shook her head. “You won’t talk me out of it. I’m coming.”

Enid sighed. “Very well, then.”

They left the cave, winding up to the ground floor of the building. Carcasses of the beasts littered the ground, some from when they had made their way down. Others, she assumed, were Enid’s kills from making her way to them. Vines stuck to the windows, slowly tapping, the ominous sound setting her nerves on edge.

“Let’s check the west wing. I took the east before and didn’t see the others,” Enid said, leading them to the stairwell.

Cool air wrapped around her, making her breath come out in puffs. They halted, Avenay’s feet growing heavy with fear. The cold pierced through her skin, through to her bones, sending aches along every one of her nerves. She recognized this feeling. It was the same way she’d felt when the void creature had attacked them at the gate.

Enid brandished her sword, and she stood in front of them, wings fanning out as her head whipped back and forth, up and down, waiting for the source of the feeling to show up.

A low cackle rippled in the hall, then the ground rumbled beneath them, making Avenay stumble. In front of them, the world split, a veiltorn in two, a door opened to blackness. A huge, shaggy black body came through the slit, white void eyes and an open maw screaming.

And it was missing one arm. The one they fought before had returned.

Enid backed them up further, but Avenay knew it was no use. They’d fought this before and barely been able to make a dent with double their numbers of warriors. But where could they go?

“Vasu, can you banish it again?” Enid asked.

“I can try,” Vasu said, grimacing, “but we don’t have enough people to distract it. It takes too long. We’ll die.”

A cold look of determination settled on Enid’s face.

“Then we’ll kill it this time,” she said.

“And how do you propose we do that?” Vasu asked, looking around for an exit.

The hall was long behind them and maybe they could go back, but it would lead it to the caves, giving them less room to fight it, and more opportunity for it to kill them.

“We fight. I’m stronger now, you have your spells, and Avenay has her light. We can do it.”

Avenay’s breath came out shaky, her hands gripping the strap of her satchel so hard her knuckles ached. She didn’t feel an ounce of the confidence Enid did. Still, it was their best option.

Enid met Avenay’s gaze. There was a hunger there, a thirst for vengeance, and Avenay touched her elbow. “We can do it. We’ll kill the beast.”

“Ready?” she asked.

Avenay and Vasu nodded, then Enid stepped in front of them. She flew up, throwing out shadowfyre at the creature. It wailed, thrashing towards her. She ducked, twirling in the air and coming up behind it. Avenay cast light, making it shudder and scream, stumbling back. Enid jumped, slicing up its back. Black liquid sprayed over her, but she rolled forward, under its arms to get away.

The creature swiveled its head around, trying to find her. Its gaze landed on Avenay and she froze, limbs locking up. It was huge, its remaining hand larger than her whole body. How in the world could they defeat this thing?

It lunged toward her, and she threw out a ball of light. It hit its face, and it screamed, fumbling with its steps and swaying. Avenay darted to the other side, getting out of harm’s way. Maybe she could do this. She just needed to keep using her powers of light.

She spread her fingers out, focusing the rays to precision focus. They came out of her fingertips like spears, and she tossed them toward the beast. They lanced through its back, and it arched, crying out, reaching behind it to find the source of its affliction.

Vasu muttered spells, a few hitting, and the creature reacted as if he’d been bitten by a mosquito. Vasu let out a curse—the first Avenay had ever heard the acolyte say—and backed up towards her.

“My spells aren’t working. Its body isn’t made of the same stuff ours is,” he said.

Enid flew up again, slashing the back of its head. It jerked towards her and Avenay let out another ball of light to draw its attention back.

“What about your light powers?” Avenay asked.