Lily dodged under the swinging blade, her body moving with the grace of a drunk dancer.

The air was thick with the musty scent of ancient stone, and the dimly lit chamber cast eerie shadows that danced in response to the flickering flames conjured by Korvax’s magic.

“Focus, Lily,” Korvax’s voice cut through her hazed thoughts.

Lily’s breath quickened as she parried a sword swing from a robed assailant while desperately trying to visualize the intricate spell she needed.

“You need to focus and use your magic the way I told you, or you will run out of mana too quickly. Unfocused magic takes a lot from you,” admonished Korvax, his sword clashing with an adversary’s.

“Right,” Lily thought. “If only it was that easy.”

Countering another strike with a defensive stance, her mind raced to recall the precise incantation Korvax had told her. The room seemed to shrink around her, and the echoes of their struggle intensified in the confined space.

“Use the words I taught you. Use the words. Remember, they were Ignis pila,” urged Korvax, his voice attempting to soothe her struggle. “Focus, you can do this.”

Blocking a furious onslaught of blows, Lily strained to follow the instructions. “See the image, hold the image. Release the image,” she whispered, a mantra against encroaching panic. “See the fireball. Hold the fireball. Release the fireball.”

“Ignis pila!” she screamed, beads of sweat forming on her forehead.

The raw magic surged through her, materializing into a massive fireball that blossomed in her outstretched hand. The room flickered with sudden illumination, casting elongated shadows that danced across the worn stones of the room they were currently in.

The fireball shot forth with a force that caught Lily off guard. It collided with the robed attacker in front of her, and the room filled with the acrid scent of burning flesh and fabric.

Lily stood stunned as the flames continued to grow, consuming the assailant in a fiery embrace.

Korvax and the remaining assailants stood frozen, mesmerized by the spectacle. The crackling flames painted a surreal tableau, casting an otherworldly light on the underground room.

“You Bitch!” screamed the new assailant as Lily barely dodged the oncoming sword swing at her throat. “Kill her before she can do that again.”

Lily danced away from the new assailant’s enraged strike. The fiery aftermath of her spell illuminated the room, casting twisted shadows that seemed to dance in rhythm with her tumultuous heartbeat. The assailant’s eyes flickered with a mix of fear and fury as he recoiled from the dying flames that covered what was left of his friend.

Lily lunged forward, her movements an intricate blend of calculated strikes and the desperate chaos of an untrained combatant.

The blade whistled through the air, meeting the assailant’s defences with a series of rapid, relentless attacks.

Blocking and dodging what strikes she could not counter. The sound of metal blade against metal blade echoing.

Lily’s mind remained steadfast on the incantation as she fought with her sword. “See the fireball, hold the fireball, release the fireball,” she repeated internally.

Her attempts at dual focus were over-ambitious, and her swordplay reflected the struggle badly — it became a mix of skill and desperation.

Korvax, having dispatched his foe, watched Lily with a keen eye. “Combine your magic with your physical prowess,” he shouted, his voice a steady anchor in the tumultuous struggle. “Let them complement each other!”

Swinging her sword in a wide arc, Lily created a barrier between her and the assailant. As she muttered the incantation under her breath, weaving the words into the rhythm of her swordplay.

“Ignis pila!” Lily exclaimed, her voice more determined this time.

A smaller, controlled fireball materialized in her free hand as her body struggled with the demand. The flames danced at her fingertips as Lily twirled her sword, with a final, slicing strike, she released the fireball.

The projectile shot towards the assailant. Smaller than her first attempt, burning blue instead of the orange the first one had been. A wave of heat rolled from the fireball.

The assailant, now faced with both blade and magic, faltered. The fireball collided with him, leaving behind a sizzling impact. He crumpled to the ground, dead. As the conjured flames consumed his body.

As Lily caught her breath, she felt Korvax’s lingering gaze as he approached her, a look of approval in his eyes.

“You did well that time. Much better control.” Said Korvax with a chuckle. “Though using both whilst fighting might be asking for trouble. He almost had you for a moment.”

Lily grunted in reply, her focus still sharp, though her body screamed for respite. Lily couldn’t help but wonder why Korvax’s laughter echoed so warmly in her mind.

The room, now illuminated by the fading embers of the conjured flames, revealed more of its ancient, crumbling features. The walls were engraved with forgotten symbols, the air carried the heavy scent of dust and decay along with the smells of burnt flesh. The flickering torches, conjured by Korvax’s magic, provided a dim illumination as Lily’s flames died out.

The room seemed to expand as Lily took a moment to survey her surroundings. A series of archways led away, their depths veiled in darkness. Fallen rubble littered the floor. A low, ominous hum reverberated through the underground expanse.

“What is that noise.” Asked Lily.

“That is most likely the necromancer and whatever ritual he is currently working on.” Sighed Korvax as his eyes narrowed, assessing the room. “We can’t linger here for long. It feels like something darker is coming. We are going to have to split up. I’ll take this path on the right; you go down the one on the left.” Pointing toward the dark arch on the left.

Lily nodded a little uncertainly, adjusting her grip on the sword. “Ok.”

“Lily. Remember what I taught you. You are stronger than you think.” Korvax clasped her shoulder for a moment, hesitation written across his face, before walking through the archway on the right.

Lily slowly ventured down the left arch hallway, the darkness seemed to swallow her with every step. The hallway ended shortly after it started and Lily found herself in a vast library.

Ancient tomes with worn leather covers lining the shelves. The air smelled of old parchment. Soft light came from crystals mounted around the room, casting shadows over the dusty volumes.

Her footsteps echoed softly as she moved among the towering bookshelves. Lily couldn’t resist but glance at a few books. Ancient languages and symbols adorned their pages, alien and incomprehensible.

Lost in the maze of books, Lily’s curiosity drew her deeper until the library gave way to a colossal ballroom.

The room was lit with a large round crystal in the chandelier as it swayed precariously from the ceiling, lightning strikes from the storm outside sent flashes of light through large, broken windows, revealing a room adorned with faded grandeur. Tattered curtains hung from the walls.

At the centre of the ballroom, Lily noticed a person she thought to be the necromancer, surrounded by four robed figures, chanting in a guttural language. Symbols glowed beneath their feet, forming a sinister pattern on the cracked floor.

Lily crouched behind a cracked pillar, observing as the ritual continued. The air thickened with a suffocating weight. Shadows danced, and the room seemed to pulse with a heartbeat.

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Just as Lily readied herself to intervene, the final words of the incantation echoed through the room. A surge of dark energy filled the space. Lily’s heart raced as she watched the ashes at the centre of the ritual swirl and slowly form a familiar shape.

Roaring, a colossal figure emerged—a giant undead, stitched together from various skeletal remains. Its hollow eye sockets glowed with an unholy light, and it let out a bone-chilling roar that reverberated through the ballroom.

Lily gripped her sword, she stepped out from behind the column, ready to face the abomination before her. The necromancer and his acolytes turned, their eyes locking onto her with a mixture of surprise and malevolence.

“A surprise, where did you come from little one.” The necromancer’s voice echoed through the grand ballroom.

“I came from the shadows,” Lily replied, her voice firm as she stepped forward, her eyes locked onto the towering undead creature.

The chandelier swayed above, casting flickering light over the scene. Lily’s breath quickened, but she refused to let fear paralyze her.

The necromancer grinned, his eyes gleaming with dark amusement. “Ah, an unexpected guest. No matter, you’ll make a fine addition to my army.”

Lily focused on the necromancer, blocking out the intimidating presence of the undead monstrosity. She took a defensive stance, her sword held before her. “I’m no one’s addition, and your army ends here.”

With a swift motion, the necromancer gestured to his acolytes. “Deal with her, and make it quick. We have greater plans to fulfill.”

The robed figures nodded, moving with an eerie synchronicity toward Lily. The first acolyte lunged forward, a wicked blade in hand.

Lily met the attack with a swift parry, the clash of metal resonating through the vast ballroom. Her movements, chaotic, mirrored the earlier duel with the robed assailants.

The necromancer turned as he continued his incantations, channelling power to control the undead giant. Slowly gaining speed, the giant approached Lily from behind, its skeletal hands reaching for her.

Lily dodged the relentless strikes of the acolytes, her sword almost as if moving on its own, noticed movement behind her, she turned her head and glimpsed the towering undead. Her eyes burned with determination.

“I need to stop the necromancer if I am going to stand a chance.” Muttered Lily to herself, as she pivoted around the closest acolyte, sword swinging wide.

“Focus, Lily!” Korvax’s voice echoed in her mind. The memory of his guidance fueled her resolve. Taking a step back, Lily created a brief opening for the acolytes to press their attack.

With a swift incantation, she summoned her fiery magic once again, weaving it into her swordplay.

“Ignis pila!”

The flames erupted, catching the acolytes off guard. Lily seized the opportunity, delivering precise strikes with each swing of her sword.

The acolytes dropped their attacks as their robes caught fire. Lily pressed her advantage, cutting down two of them quickly.

“Please. Master. help us.” Came a gravelly voice from one of the acolytes.

Lily fired another fireball, this time at the necromancer. His incantations wavered as he was forced to dodge the attack.

“Stop your whining and kill her.” shouted the necromancer as he fought to control the undead giant. “Quickly now.”

Ignoring the two acolytes as they desperately tried to put out their robes. Lily turned her attention toward the necromancer. Dropping low, She sprinted, closing the distance quickly. “Surrender. It’s over now.” Shouted Lily, her sword raised.

The necromancer, realizing the power shift, sneered. “You won’t escape this place alive. Mors surgit.”

Lily stumbled as she felt the magic roll through her, spreading outward in a black wave.

“What was that,” said Lily, running her hands over herself, checking to see if anything had changed.

“Stupid girl. That was me raising all of my minions. Now die.” Screamed the necromancer.

“Lily, thank the goddess you’re alright. You deal with the Giant. I’ll take care of the necromancer.” Came Korvax’s voice as he ran into the room. “You won’t be able to counter his magic yet.”

Just as Lily turned to answer Korvax, the necromancer, noticing Lily’s lack of attention, struck her with a powerful backhand blow. Lily bounced across the floor as pain overrun her senses. Black spots clouded her vision as she came to a stop.

“Lily!” Shouted Korvax. His voice carried both fear and rage. “I’ll kill you. You motherless charlatan of the undead, your grasp on necromancy is as feeble as your decaying minions and it will not be enough to save you from what I will do to you!”

“Ha.” Laughed the necromancer. “What can you hope to do to me demon scum. You demons boast about your might, but you’re nothing more than overgrown, overhyped pests.”

Korvax, in a surge of anger, hurled his sword at the necromancer while simultaneously channelling his demonic powers.

The blade soared through the air, a streak of silver in the dimly lit ballroom. Catching the necromancer off guard, he barely dodged the blade with a quick sidestep. Korvax smiled, his strike was not meant to be the end but a distraction.

Korvax unleashed a torrent of demonic energy as the necromancer dodged the sword. Dark, ethereal flames enveloped his form as he lunged at the sorcerer, his eyes ablaze with fury.

Lily’s senses slowly returned, the pain in her body brought her back to the present. Through the haze, Lily watched the confrontation unfold. The necromancer, now facing the wrath of an enraged demon, stumbled backward, his arrogance replaced by a flicker of genuine fear.

“You underestimate the fury of a demon, mortal,” growled Korvax, his voice resonating with power. He closed the distance with astonishing speed, his demonic aura intensifying.

Caught in the grip of fear, the necromancer attempted to counter with his magic, but Korvax was relentless. He summoned shadowy tendrils that snaked around the necromancer, restraining his movements.

“You. Will. Pay. For. Hurting. Her.” Shouted Korvax, each word laced with rage.

Lily struggled to her feet, the pain still throbbing through her body. She turned her attention to the towering undead creature that loomed nearby. The bodies of the last two acolytes lay dead at the monstrosity’s feet.

“Well at least I only have to deal with one problem now.” groaned Lily, stumbling on a crack running through the ballroom’s floor.

The necromancer, realizing the imminent threat from both sides, unleashed a desperate incantation. Dark energy pulsed through the room as he sought to regain control over the undead monstrosity.

“Korvax, I’ll deal with the giant!” Lily shouted, her voice cutting through his dark thoughts.

Korvax engrossed in his confrontation with the necromancer, nodded in acknowledgment without taking his eyes off his adversary.

“I need to learn from that.” thought Lily. “Never take my eyes off my opponent unless I know he is dead. Evan always kept on about it. I guess I understand now though.”

Lily staggered toward the towering undead. Her body screamed in protest. “I wonder if I can take control of it?” thought Lily. “What was the incantation again? Mors siget? Mors summit. “Think Lily think. Ha, I’ve got it.”

Gripping her sword tightly, she focused on the necromancer’s words, “Mors surgit,” and the dark energy that fueled the giant’s unnatural existence. She felt a strong resistance to what she was trying to do. Each second felt like she was trying to pull against a river.

“Shit, I can’t make it work.” Muttered Lily. “Back to plan A. Fire sword!”

Lily channelled her magic. “Ignis pila!” she shouted, the controlled flames swirling around her sword. Swinging with determination, she directed the fiery arc toward the undead creature.

The flames collided with the giant, engulfing it in a burst of intense heat. Lily, her gaze unwavering, continued her assault, each strike infused with both physical and magical powers.

As the flames consumed the undead creation, the necromancer’s control weakened. The giant thrashed in agony, its stitched-together form unravelling as the fire ate away at its skeletal structure.

Korvax, still locked in a struggle with the necromancer, pressed forward. The demonic flames intensified, overwhelming the sorcerer’s defences. The necromancer, now desperate, unleashed a final surge of dark energy.

The ballroom became a battlefield of magic and steel. Korvax poured everything he had left of his black fire against the necromancer. Korvax’s black flames overwhelmed the necromancer’s magic. The ballroom echoed as the necromancer screamed. The fire quickly consumed his body.

Lily swung her sword again and again. The last of the giant’s limbs fell, burning from her magic. Sweat ran down her face as she pushed with everything she had. She kept pushing the fire to burn more until she felt a hand on her shoulder.

Dropping to the ground. Her body was an ocean of pain as she readied to attack.

“Lily. Stop. It’s me.” Called Korvax. his hands raised, trying to show her he wasn’t a threat.

Dropping her sword. Lily collapsed. Korvax rushed to Lily’s side, concern etched on his face. He knelt beside her, his demonic aura fading away as he focused on her well-being.

“Lily, are you alright?” Korvax asked, his voice softer now, filled with genuine worry. She felt Korvax’s protective instincts kick in, his eyes betraying a depth of emotion that went beyond the usual mentor’s concern.

Lily winced, still catching her breath. “I’ve been better,” she groaned, a weak smile forming on her lips. “That backhand of his packed a punch.”

Korvax chuckled, a sound that surprised even Lily. “You handled yourself well back there. That giant won’t be troubling us anymore, and the necromancer won’t ever trouble anyone again.”

Lily tried to sit up, still feeling the lingering pain in her body. “What about you? Are you okay?”

Korvax nodded. “I’ve faced worse. That necromancer underestimated the power of a demon. He paid the price for it.”

As the adrenaline began to subside, Lily took in the aftermath of the battle. The once grand ballroom now bore the scars of their conflict. Broken windows, scorch marks, and the remnants of the undead giant were all that remained.

“What now?” Lily asked, her eyes scanning the room.

Korvax glanced around, his demonic gaze assessing their surroundings. “We need to make sure there are no lingering threats. This place reeks of dark magic, and we can’t afford to let any remnants of the necromancer’s work linger.”

Lily nodded, pushing through the pain as she got to her feet. “What about that spell he cast at the start? What about the other undead we saw on our way in?”

“We will burn everything. It’s the only way to be certain.” Replied Korvax.

Together, Lily and Korvax moved through the ballroom, checking for any signs of hidden dangers. The acrid scent of burnt flesh and the lingering magic in the air didn’t help make the task less unsettling.

As they reached the centre of the room, where the necromancer had met his fiery end, Lily’s eye caught a strange symbol. It was etched into the floor, still faintly glowing with residual magic.

“What’s this?” Lily asked, pointing to the symbol.

Korvax examined it, his expression darkening. “It’s a summoning rune. The necromancer was planning to bring something worse into this world. We can’t allow that to happen.”

Lily’s determination flared. “Then we stop it. Whatever it is, we face it together.”

Korvax nodded, a glint of pride in his eyes. “Together. We’ll cleanse this place.”