I raced out of the cavern to a scene of carnage and chaos. Aeranessa lay near the mouth of the tunnel, her blonde hair smoldering, her neck badly burned. Dirk, Flint, Selima and Marvin were spread across the plateau, surrounding one of the largest demons I’d ever seen.

Arkboss stood easily two hands taller than a tall man, and had broad shoulders and thickly muscled limbs. His skin, a mottled green and brown mixture of hide and scales, glowed with a red arcane energy that matched his wide, glaring eyes. His jagged ears quivered as he turned about, watching in every direction at once. His aura pulsated and grew almost overwhelmingly bright.

“Watch out,” gasped Nessa from where she lay by the cave.

“Get down!” I shouted, and tackled Marvin, the closest person to me.

Arkboss’ arms extended and two fiery lances jetted forth. They swept sideways as he turned, one passing overtop of Marv and me and carving a slice out of the stone wall. Selima dodged nimbly under the other, and the Salvic brothers conjured shields of ice on their forearms as it approached them. The shields sizzled and began a slow melt, but protected the compact men, who advanced toward the demon with swords at the ready.

The fire lance vanished, and Arkboss’ aura shifted from red to black, forming flames of shadow that leaped from his shoulders. I flinched away from the heat as I stood up, as did Marv, covering his ruddy face. Dirk and Flint ducked behind their shields, but those shields melted rapidly in face of the extreme temperatures. The black flame aura forged itself into a greatsword which the demon grasped in both hands and swung.

Thwish!

There was a sickening sizzle as Dirk’s head left his body. Flint bellowed and threw himself forward, but the simple steel of his sword glanced off the demon’s scales, and his closeness to that black shimmering aura caused blistering burns to form on his hands and face. Screaming as his flesh boiled, Flint staggered away from the cackling demon.

Marvin caught the Salvic man before he could stagger blindly off the plateau and pushed him to the ground next to Nessa. From her angle across the mountaintop, Selima let her throwing knives fly. Arkboss’ aura changed again, becoming purple this time, and flaming tentacles knocked the knives out of the air effortlessly. It provided a distraction, though.

I gripped the crystal sword in both hands and focused as best I could despite the chaos.

“Long,” I whispered, “join me now. I need you!”

The spirit of the dragon appeared at my side, a translucent green apparition with wings and horns. Following my will, she floated down between Nessa and Flint, one wing resting on each of them. Their wounds healed slowly as Long’s power flowed into them.

“I’ve got them,” I hissed at Marv, staring across the plateau, “help Selima!” The Fallieni woman had run out of knives, and faced the tall demon single handed, her spear thrusting at his chest and face repeatedly. Arkboss seemed to be toying with her, using his tentacles of purple fire to parry each attack. The ginger giant let out a roar and raced to her aid. Between them they battled the demon, their feet splashing in the blood that had spilled from Dirk’s corpse.