The night went by uneventfully. I decided not to wake the others up after the first few hours. They had been through a worse experience from the sound of it and I felt great. I wasn’t sure I could sleep in here, anyway. Just looking at the stone beneath my feet made my back hurt. Instead, I decided to grind out my spell casting by casting all my light spells in the corner. Thankfully, Tenebris’ umbra abilities blocked out the light from my magic while not preventing me from casting. After a few hours, Tenebris and Sanaa got bored with the practice and busied themselves chasing each other through the air. When I ran out of MP, I would watch them and it was hard to reconcile them with the two massive dragons from the vision. I loved both of them, but they were small enough to sit on me comfortably. I wasn’t sure if that meant they would eventually grow into something that size or if they were different dragons altogether.

Once again, what I needed was information. How was I supposed to spend their points without knowing what they could be? I stopped at the thought. Why was I spending their points? “Tenebris, Sanaa, do you two want to spend your points? Or do you want me to do it?”

“I am fine with you spending the points. Worrying about something like that is beneath me.” Sanaa dismissed my concern and returned to flying. I watched the Dragonette with a mixture of amusement, irritation, and pride. She was a woman who knew what she wanted, so there was nothing more to discuss.

“I will let you know when I want you to purchase something. Or If I decide to spend the points myself. So far, I think you have made effective decisions. I have access to all of your spells, which are a suitable replacement for my powers for now.” Tenebris’ answer was much less “fun” but I couldn’t disagree with it. I hadn’t considered what he would want when I was spending his points. I would need to up his offensive powers soon. Regardless, there was nothing that I could do about it now.

When everyone was awake, I explained what I was told again, this time explaining what I suspected would happen once we went through the door. I was pretty sure we were going to fight a spell caster, which meant Zakia and Tyrus needed to close the gap as fast as possible. I was pretty sure that she would use umbra magic. The amount of darkness-related things we had come across further supported that point.

“So what you are saying is you want us to focus on tearing her down while you try to come up with a way to save her? It sounds simple enough, but if you can’t do it before she dies, you will fail the quest. Are you okay with that?” Tyrus asked while stretching.

“It doesn’t matter. I want to help her, but I am not willing to throw our lives away. We focus on dealing with the threat. After that, the cards will fall where they may.”

“It doesn’t look like we can retreat once the battle starts,” Zakia stated as she returned from testing her door for the third time. “You should pass out more of those potions. If we get separated during the battle, we might not be able to reach each other in time to share them.”

I nodded before summoning three potions each. Thankfully, a few of the vials had curved handles that they could use to connect them to their belts, but they couldn’t carry anymore without compromising their ability to fight. “If things go poorly—”

Before I could finish, Tyrus held up a hand and flashed me a grin. “It is bad luck to discuss possible defeat. We either succeed or we don’t.”

I chuckled and nodded. “Right, well, it’s time to get it done.” I stood up and nodded to Zakia and Tyrus, who took positions next to the door. Once we were ready, I summoned my staff from the ring and placed my palm against the door. I pushed open the door. The room we entered was massive. It was circular, with a series of stone pillars spread throughout. Five bodies were spread throughout the room, each one desiccated, as if someone had pulled out the moisture from them. It was a bit like looking at a bunch of mummies only without the wrappings. The corpses still held their weapons. Most of them were uninteresting, but the man lying at the base of a set of stairs held a still-shining blade. It was an ornate long sword with a golden eagle head on the hilt. I pulled my gaze from the sword and up the staircase, where I caught sight of the most terrifying thing I had seen since coming to this world.

A desiccated woman sat on a throne of corpses. Her eyes were hollow sockets with a black and purple pinpoint of light. She was wearing black tattered robes with a hood and dark red trim. On her right, she held a staff that looked like the spine of a creature. The sight made me want to puke. Without thinking about it, I cast lesser revelation, and all the color drained from my face.

Pact Bound Banshee-level 25

Class: Mage

A banshee is the dead spirit of witches who were killed with great regret. Their sorrow and hatred animate their soul and create this abomination of death and life.

“It's level 25,” I spoke quietly and tried to convince myself that what I was reading was real. My words caused both Tyrus and Zakia to hesitate. Their heads snapped back to me just as the Banshee raised her staff. Streaks of black and grey magic shot out and hit all the corpses. It wasn’t until the first body moved that I realized what I had done.

“Attack!” I screamed out as I started casting. All five corpses got to their feet and began to shamble toward us. Tenebris and Sanaa fell on top of them with their breath weapons. Blinding light and oppressive darkness exploded in the corners of my vision, but I ignored it all. I devoted my focus to completing my summon. An orb of radiant light sprang into existence. The orb shattered and in its place was a golden lion. I ordered the lion to meet the charge of the knight and its magic sword before surveying the battlefield. The Banshee seemed content not to join the battle as she sat on her throne. My familiars were dealing with their opponents. Tyrus and Zakia had taken one opponent each. I focused my gaze on the banshee.

Her eyes blazed for a moment and then she looked at me a new. She uncrossed her legs and stood up. “Who are you, young Suzerain?” Her voice made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. It was as if someone else was speaking through Banshee’s body. I took a step back before I could stop myself.

“I am Darterrius Solomon Maximilian, and these are my lands.” I projected as much authority into my voice as I could.

“I do not know that name, nor do you act like someone from the dominion. Bend a knee and surrender your place of power. There is no need for you to waste your life.” No sooner than the words left the creature’s mouth did a range boil up inside me. It replaced the fear that had been there with outrage. The time for words had passed. I brought my staff in front of me and began casting. Rays of light shot from my staff and out of the banshee. Each of the rays spread out and attacked from every direction. I wasn’t sure how I managed to manipulate each one so easily, but that didn’t matter. Even if she could block one or two, the other four would carve through her. The grin died on my lips as a black barrier sprung into existence. Each of the rays collided with the barrier, but barely left a mark.

“Very well. Your soul will give me what I want. It matters not to me.” The woman stood up, but it was all wrong. It was as if her body was being controlled by string. She opened her mouth and let out a wail that sent pure terror through me. My vision narrowed to a pinpoint and my heart felt like it was going to jump out of my chest. The banshee had grown to nearly twice its original size and grown four times as many arms. It slowly made its way down the stairs, each step snapping its bones. Every part of me wanted to run, wanted to be everywhere but here. The staff in my hands felt like it weighed a ton. I was just about to turn back when something snapped. A prompt leaped into view.

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

You have resisted the effect of "Lesser Banshee's Wail". Active effect: Terror II has ended.

I gasped and took a deep breath as the world brightened. The sound of battle hit me like a truck. I scrambled back to my feet as the banshee started casting. An orb of dark purple energy coalesced at the end of her staff. My eyes widened as I tried to beat her. My fingers moved through the air as her spell finished first. The orb shot at me like a bullet. A barrier of pyro magic shot up around me seconds before her spell arrived. Spiderweb-like cracks spread out from the impact point going all the way around. I checked the status of the barrier and it had lost more than half of its points from that one spell. I turned and saw Zakia and Tyrus finishing their opponents while Aurelion was struggling against his. A bolt of gold and white drew my attention behind the banshee.

Sanaa shot from the ceiling and toward the monster. She unleashed her breath weapon. The light slammed into the banshee’s barrier, creating a fresh wave of cracks. I waited, hoping that the dragonette‘s attack would be enough to break through. Instead, a spike of black magic shot out and through her body. A wave of pain shot through me and I screamed. I raised my staff and rushed forward, catching Sanaa in my arms. Another spear shot out, going through my side. Cold spread through me as I swung the staff with everything I had. It felt like I had just swung it into a stone wall. Pain shot through my arm and I dropped the staff. I spun with my momentum before retreating up the stairs. I eyed Sanaa’s stats it had reduced her health to one point. I opened her mouth and poured half a healing potion inside. I then placed her around my neck. I wanted to focus on her, but the battle raged beneath me.

The banshee had turned her attention to my lion, and he wasn’t doing well. His previous luster had dimmed, his back leg was pierced, and he could barely stand. I cursed and looked for my staff. When I found it, I wanted to scream. The banshee held it in her left hand. Black energy arced from it like lightning. I wasn’t sure how I knew it, but the staff was breaking. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. The staff was just an item, I could replace it. I looked around and found Tenebris and Tyrus finishing off their opponent, which left Zakia. I found her a second later when she sprung from behind a column. Her twin blades slammed into the black barrier, sending a burst of flame down the front. Even that wasn’t enough. It forced her back a step and prepared for another attack.

I gritted my teeth and began casting my next spell. The few seconds for the casting felt like an eternity and it blasted Zakia with a wave of darkness just as the red tear appeared in reality. The manic laughter of the magmite filled the cavern. I ordered it to join the battle while I prepared for my next attack. The undead knight just ran the Aurelion through while its claws removed the monster’s head. It hurt seeing the lion die before we had destroyed the shield, but there was nothing to be done. I began my next spell. The banshee turned toward me. Her head spun on its shoulders before the rest of the body followed. The sight was sickening, but I didn’t let it stop me. I formed a bolt of pyro magic in between both hands and unleashed it. The flames slammed into the barrier a second before Zakia’s swords and Tyrus’ claws. The combined attack caused a network of cracks to spread through the barrier.

What the fuck was the strength of her barrier? I was about to begin my next spell when Tenebris made his presence known. He flew straight at the banshee, claws raised like a hawk in the middle of the hunt. Instead of slamming into the barrier like I expected, he shot straight through it. My brain struggled to process what happened when I remembered the line in my barrier spell. “Umbra magic can pass through the umbra magic barrier!” I swore and ran down the stairs. “Tenebris, can you keep her from casting any new spells?”

“Yes, Master!” The sadistic glee in his voice was like music to my ears.

I rushed down to Zakia and Tyrus. “Take your potions. Tenebris is buying us some time, but we have to get through the barrier right now. We need to aim at the same point. We can still win this.”

Tyrus smiled and leaped back to his feet. “I will lead the charge. Just try not to set me on fire. I am not at all interested in burning more of my fur.” He then ran forward with claws raised. I nodded to Zakia, who chased after him. I started casting my next spell. I waited for both of their attacks to hit before unleashing a bolt of pure light magic. The spell slammed into the barrier and it broke! The barrier exploded into a shower of purple shards. A wave of pain shot through me as Tenebris shot away from the banshee. The undead monstrosity stepped into view a second later. She was missing an eye and half of her jaw was missing. I wasn’t sure if the damage represented an amount of health lost since it was undead, but I could tell that Tenebris had made it work.

Zakia and Tyrus immediately launched themselves at the banshee. Blade and claws dug into the undead’s flesh just as she unleashed another wail. This time sorrow slammed into me as if it was a physical thing. I gasped for air and did my best to resist the sadness. My vision narrowed and ordered the magmite to throw itself onto the banshee. The world around me turned into a barrage of people speaking. Each word felt like a knife in my heart. I dropped to my knees, begging for it to end. For the sorrow to just leave me alone. I closed my eyes, hoping that not being able to see would protect me.

“Fight!”

My eyes flew open as Sanaa unleashed a blast of light from my shoulders. I held one hand out and shakily unleashed a gout of flame while Zakia and Tyrus continued their attacks. I felt my MPs drain to zero just as the kill notification jumped into view.

You have been awarded 2,500 experience from defeating Pact-bound Banshee- level 25

I collapsed to my knees. The image on the right of my vision told me that this horrid sadness would end soon. I just had to endure till then. I watched the counter tick down until the effect ended. I slowly got back to my feet and scanned the room. Tenebris and Sanaa were perched on the broken piece of a column. I pulled the other half-potion out and gave it to Tenebris. I scanned Sanaa’s stats, and she was mostly back at full. I turned around as Zakia jogged over to me, the broken pieces of staff in her hands.

“She used it to bloke a couple of strikes.” She began.

I raised a hand to stop her. “No need to explain. Do you know if it can salvaged?” She shook her head. “Either way, we can bring it back with us. Maybe the pieces can be used for something later.” I grabbed them and placed them inside the ring. I was about to ask another question when Tyrus interrupted us.

“Ah, you might want to see this. I think it’s related to your quest.” I raised an eyebrow and made my way over. He was standing in front of the skull throne and pointing at what I thought was a stone right where the head would rest. When I peered a bit closer, I realized it was a fossilized heart. I gingerly reached forward and removed it from the seat. It felt weird holding it, but the prompts were what drew my eye.

You have found: Heart of the Banshee Details: You lack both the alchemy skill and the enchanting skill therefore you are unable to learn the properties of this item.

Herb Rarity: Ultra Rare

Herb Quality: Superb

Weight: 5lbs

You have found a cursed item. Would you like to use the power of your Place of Power to purify this item?

Yes/no?

I almost selected no out of caution. Part of me wanted to take it back and ask some people in Radiance what they could do with the item, but I quickly ignored that. One, this was certainly related to the option part of the quest. I mean, it was the creature’s heart, and I had to find a way to save her soul, so it was a no-brainer. I selected yes and felt a surge of power radiate from inside me. The heart pulsed in five different colors in sequence. First, it was the red of Pyro, then the brown of Geos, then the green of Spira, next came the gold of Lumos, and finally the bone grey of Mortos. All five of my magics poured into the heart. I waited to see what would happen next and, to my horror, my heart began to fall apart! Before I could do anything, it turned into ash in the palm of my hand. A new notification appeared at the bottom of my vision and was about to open it when Tyrus tapped me on the shoulder.

“You should look at that.”