The creature was unlike anything Mallory had ever seen. It was shapeless, a writhing, shifting mass of shadows, towering over them. Its form constantly morphed, flickering between clawed limbs, skeletal wings, fanged maws—as if it couldn't decide what it wanted to be.
But its eyes—
Its eyes were ancient.
Cold. Endless.
The moment it turned its gaze upon them, Mallory felt something pulling at her mind—trying to erase her.
She moved.
With a burst of golden light, the Blade of Heroes cut through the air, its power clashing against the creature's darkness. The impact sent shockwaves through the cathedral, cracking the marble floor.
The others sprang into action.
Quinn vanished in a blur of motion, his daggers slashing through the tendrils of shadow. Alex drew his sword, his silver aura flaring, striking with brutal precision.
Elara's hands burned with arcane fire, launching blazing torrents into the creature's writhing form.