The worst night of my life

"Yeah," she said, confused.

"I'm doing that. Only bigger."

The demon squalled again and drove itself into the air with its powerful toad-legs, hurtling toward me, sailing through the air with a frightening and unnatural grace.

I focused what little I had left of my will on the staff, and the clouds and raging power above.

"Ventas!" I shouted, "Ventas fulmino!"

At my will, a spark leapt up from the tip of my staff toward the clouds above. It touched the rolling, restless belly of the storm.

Hell roared down in response.

Lightning, white-hot fury, with a torrent of wind and rain, all fell upon me, centered around the staff. I felt the power hit the end of the soaking wet wood with a jolt like a sledgehammer.

It coursed down the staff and into my hand, making my muscles convulse, bowing my naked body with the strain.