?


    The tworge des were pointed straight at the two warriors in challenge, while the heavy bronze sarcophagus was still resting atop the broad bones of the skeleton''s shoulders, exuding a heavy, unknown aura onto the interior of the hall.


    Jahi and Nirinia readied themselves as they watched the undead construct take a few steps forwards, its taloned feet digging into the stone brick beneath it as it approached the two warriors, who were inching back towards the door.


    The silver orbs that hovered inside its sockets red as its fanged jaw unhinged, emitting a deep screech that made us shudder as it ran the edges of its des together as well, trying to psyche us out from the battle before it even began.


    Reaching for the sarcophagus, the undead construct began to prepare its spells for battle as it stared down the two warriors challenging it, only to stagger to the side as arge chunk of ice mmed against its arms, hairline fractures spreading throughout the two right arms.


    It turned swiftly to re at me, its silver orbs shing with hate as it tilted its body away from me, protecting the sarcophagus and shing its sword at me, sending a crescent of mes towards the rafters that I was hiding in.


    I leapt back towards the window and slipped outside, avoiding the potent wave of fire that threatened to consume me and burn off my flesh despite the Ice Cloak wrapped around my body.


    With the undead construct now distracted, Jahi took that moment to send a barrage of golden discs towards the undead''s arms and torso, retaking its attention and leading it outside as she targeted the sarcophagus, the Demoness catching on quickly that the bronze coffin was the undead''s weakness - be it physical or mental.


    The two burst out into the courtyard and blocked the barrage of metal rods that flew their way, redirecting the sharpened metal from themselves and leading the undead construct out into the open.


    I grinned as I watched it wince at the sudden shift in environments, the cold air and snow beginning to affect it the moment it stepped outside; as such, the thing tried to turn back and reenter the hall for a better environment to fight in, only to stop as the bones constructing the walls of the hall shattered and copsed the gate down behind it, cutting off its escape from the growing blizzard.


    It''s canine skull turned to stare at me as it highlighted me as a priority target, only to stumble as more discs mmed into its side, while Nirinia collided with the constructs legs, sending it to the ground.


    Screeching in anger at the sudden attacks assailing it, the construct mmed its open fist on the ground and swept it towards the Djinn, pushing her back as it wed its way back to its feet, hefting the sarcophagus and retrieving its weapons, which it flourished as it turned back towards us.


    It''s bones were covered in a silver sheen as the runes on the sarcophagus flitted around to create a new spell, which it cast instantaneously as it red at all of us.


    The twin des rose as it dashed forwards, colliding against Jahi''s dual metal great sword and showering the blue skinned Demoness in sparks as it tried to work past her defenses, before pulling one of its swords free from their contest of strength and parrying Nirinia''s attack.


    As it fought the two warriors on the ground, the undead construct hoisted the sarcophagus and erected a shield of metal around its side as I shotnces of ice towards its head, trying to aid the two on the ground.


    While it crossed swords with Jahi and Nirinia, the undead construct nced at me and retaliated by sending a barrage of metal nails straight towards me, each of which thudded against the sheet of ice that I raised in front of me out of instinct.


    Each nail thunked against the ice and began to crack it, making me grunt as I poured more mana into the shield in front of me to keep myself safe from the rain of sharp metal nails that the undead construct continued to shoot at me.


    The sudden shift from offensive to defensive made each of us frown as we tried to push back, more mana flooding our bodies as we sent spells and shes towards the undead, only for it to block them and begin to counterattack, making efficient use of its four limbs.


    Thickening the sheet of ice in front of me, I allowed the front of my shield to shatter as the storm of nails continued to whisk towards me, the silver Ritual Circle aimed directly at me even though the undead had begun to cast a new spell.


    Growling softly in annoyance, I rolled away from my shield and sprinted towards the hall, throwing myself inside even as the nails began to track where I was going,pletely shattering the bones and stone that made up the structure of the fortress.


    I slipped inside the hall and crept around, watching as the undead was forced to keep track of where I was even as it fought against Jahi and Nirinia, giving them a few openings tond a few deep gashes on its arms.


    Red joined the silver sheen on its bones as it began to heat itself up to melt away the frost, and while not ideal since it meant my Domain wasn''t doing as much as I would hope, it meant that the undead construct needed to relinquish some of its mana to ward of the chill.


    Observing the undead from the ruins of the hall, I began to weave a new spell into existence as it was preupied with the two warriors, hoping that this spell could do the damage needed to turn the battle even more into our favor.


    More and more wounds began to pile up on its arms, forcing it to adopt a more defensive style as the tides shifted once more, but all it took right now was one slip up on our part to turn that tide back around.