Chapter 622: Sunpurge
Time slipped from my grip, and I screamed as the world of agony returned. The last few tendrils of life magic soothed the scorching fire of sun magic, but they quickly extinguished. Luke’s curse burrowed deeper into my soul, reaching for the very depths and heart of my strength.
A powerful heat swelled within my soul, causing an unpleasant tingle to sweep through my chest. Golden light radiated outward, clashing with the white and violet in a shower of sparks. The pain began to lessen, but the fire within grew stronger. I started to squirm, moaning in discomfort, as Adaptive Resistance and the curse attacked each other, stealing mana and strength from the other. The cycle intensified, neither gaining an advantage, and sweat beaded on my forehead. My breath came in short, shallow gasps, and my tail lashed through Fable’s fur.
A searing pain erupted on my thigh just beneath my skirt, overwhelming the sting of the sunlight on my skin. Moving instinctively, I pressed my hand to the spot and then screamed, jerking away. Waves of fire thrummed through my body, the familiar agony of sunpurge.
I screamed again as more glowing spots blossomed across my body. The scars began to spread, consuming inch after inch of pale, flawless skin. I flared Adaptive Resistance, but it refused to answer. Its new form was crude and inefficient, and no matter how desperately I willed it, the ability remained restricted in my soul, unable to protect my body.
The pain continued for an eternity, slowly intensifying until black nothingness crept into my mind. Panic surged in my chest, chest constricting my lungs. Tears streamed down my cheek, refracting the light of the eighth-circle spells and blurring my eyes.
Gradually, the light faded, but it wasn’t until the curse retreated that I collapsed limply on Fable’s back. My entire body trembled uncontrollably, and almost a third of my exposed skin was covered by sunpurge. The pain bludgeoned my mind, distracting my thoughts and blinding my senses.
One thought rose above the jumbled mess, and blinking away tears, I raised my head. Luke!
The storm of light and curses left a massive, charred circle several hundred feet across. Lord Evlon painted on one side, surrounded by a thin mist of violet shadows. They tangled across his soul, forcing him to utilize most of his remaining strength to keep them at bay.
Across from him, in the space I’d been standing just moments before, was Luke. He knelt on one knee, cloak flapping in the breeze of the clash. His eyes were closed, face scrunched in a grimace, and his tail drooped on the ground. Curling ribbons of sunlight arced across his body like electricity, leaving black scorch marks on his skin and clothes. He shuddered violently and collapsed to the ground.
"Luke!" I cried, coughing as my voice scratched in my throat.
Fable, scorched black and struggling with the curse, managed to get me to his side before lying down. The curse had penetrated his soul deeply, requiring all of his focus to purge.