The water trickling down the stairs was getting worse, starting to form a stream into the rest of the tunnels, forcing people to splash through it to move. More concerningly, whenever it brushed against one of the sealed doors, there was an acrid stench, the water bubbling and seething. Semari poked her finger into it, without ill effect, but from the expression she made when she licked her finger, it didn’t taste good, although at least it didn’t kill or corrupt her.

Parth was still near the entrance, although now stood on a narrow lip of stone, barely above the water. ‘Can you check above us, see what’s happening?’

She nodded, her form wavering and turning translucent. She started floating upwards, fading through the ceiling. While she was gone, Stathis examined the water – it was tinted dark, filled with dust, rubble and other signs of destruction. Whatever the witch was doing, she hadn’t collapsed the castle just yet, but was doing a lot of damage above them.

Janaxia and Semari appeared from down the hallway – Semari looking entirely too relaxed, Janaxia having made some concessions to the seriousness of the situation, with less makeup and jewellery than usual, her clothing all dark, although still tight and well-cut. Her lash was a vibrant red, matching the glow of the gems. She was stood atop the dark platform from the lectern-chamber, stooping to avoid bumping her head, as Semari pushed it along. She gave it another shove, sending Janaxia shifting forward, coming to a stop slightly outside of convenient conversational range, forcing Stathis to step forward herself.

‘Any idea what that thing is?’ Looking up at Janaxia to talk to her was an odd sensation. ‘Is it going to be dangerous?’

Semari gave it another push, sending the disc gently scudding forward. Stathis caught it, the thing seeming to have no weight, as Janaxia spoke. ‘I do not believe so. It appears to be a magical construct like Mavrosa, but far simpler, without any guiding intelligence.’

‘Could you get Hakara to check it? Just in case.’

Janaxia gave her a frosty look. ‘I am quite sure that it is entirely safe. Are you doubting my knowledge?’

“Yes” would have been the obvious answer, but it really wasn’t worth upsetting Janaxia right now. ‘Well, if you’re sure. Can it be used as a shield? That would help.’

Semari shook her head. ‘Nah. Got, like, some anti-movement stuff on it, can’t be made to move fast. See?’ She shoved it as hard as she could, Janaxia drifting down the hallway at a sedate pace. ‘And you can’t tip the damn thing either.’ Stathis shoved it downwards – the thing didn’t pitch or tilt at all, simply descending slightly.

‘Well, it might be useful for something. Just don’t block anything with it.’

There was a loud, snapping crack, and suddenly Stathis was only aware of pain and fire, arcing through her feet, bursting in her chest. She felt herself be grabbed, pulled backwards out of the water. She blinked a haze from her eyes, seeing Semari somehow holding herself up on the wall, off the ground. The water beneath her sparked with lightning, another bolt sparking through it from above. Shouts of panic came from behind them. ‘Shit.’ Stathis raised her voice, shouting as loud as she could. ‘Everyone! Get away from the water!’

‘This is rather problematic.’ Janaxia gave Stathis a hand, the two of them now pressed together on the platform. ‘She appears to have the upper hand, in a quite unsurmountable fashion.’

‘Not if we go rip her damn arms off! As long as we can get up the stairs first.’

‘See, it’s not just me! So, we going to go attack her then?’ Semari pushed off the corner she was wedged into, landing on the disc as well. It was cramped with two; with three it was a crush, although with the lightning sparking beneath them, the alternatives were worse.

‘Hakara, can you enchant Semari with lighting resistance?’

It took a moment for Hakara to appear, managing to stay out of the water. ‘I’ll have to touch her.’

Without saying anything, Semari leapt away, Stathis and Janaxia swaying awkwardly, trying to keep their balance, bumping against each other, as Hakara cast her spell. ‘We’re going up to try and deal with this. If the lightning stops for long enough, then follow us and lend support.’

As Semari glowed with the protection taking effect, Hakara nodded. ‘Very well. Be careful. I will find Master Gervint as well, he may be able to create a dimension that can hold and stop the flow of water for some time.’

‘Good plan. Janaxia, you ready for this? I guess your lack of metal armour is helpful for once.’

‘Well, it is nice to be praised for my foresight. Although I do hope that Semari and yourself will be leading the charge? It is scarcely a role I am suited for.’

‘Don’t worry, we’ll go first. You just try and keep her off-balance, keep hitting her with your bolts.’

‘Very well. I’m glad to see that someone has a plan.’

‘And when this is over, you’re going to tell me what you’ve been pissy about.’ Janaxia’s hair dimmed. ‘Whatever it is, just tell me, it’ll be easier than sulking by yourself. Anyway, Semari, you ready?’

She was limned with a pale blue glow, pulsing in terms with her breathing, a glyph glowing in time on Hakara’s hand. ‘Let’s go kick witch butt!’ She jumped out, avoiding the water and somehow finding purchase along the wall, scuttling along like a spider, as the water flared again. Stathis braced herself, waiting until there was a shock through the water, then charging forward, wincing in anticipation of pain.

The next shock came when she was partway up, slamming into her legs. She managed to keep her balance, falling against the wall, healing herself just a touch and then charging again. Outside of the ancient tunnels, the water was deeper, pooling in the pitted and damaged floor. Stathis hauled herself up onto a stone shelf, just as another bolt arced through the water.

As the ground quaked and rumbled again, Stathis headed for the exit, glad that a hole had been blasted through the wall, meaning she didn’t have to risk getting lost. Rain was still pouring down, ankle-deep in places, slowing her down as had to splash through it.

A crack of thunder echoed around the walls of the keep, deafening Stathis, a shockwave of air almost knocking her off her feet. She pushed her way through the water, stepping outside, beneath a funeral-grey sky. The witch hovered in the air, buoyed up by swirling gusts of wind, her body crackling with lightning. The marks on her face now seemed an even deeper black, and there was blood oozing down her side, so someone had managed to hit her before. Semari was leaping off a wall, trying to attack the witch from above. She clapped her hands, another blast of thunder sounding out with enough force to throw Semari backwards.

Stathis looked around, charging and attacking a peryton before it could take to the air, cleaving through its neck, as it squealed and died. The courtyard was drenched and soaked, the wagons blasted apart, few places out of the reach of the water and, more dangerously, the lightning. Arrows streaked down from a tower, Parth probably having found a safe place to snipe from. Lightning sparked towards the arrows before they hit, throwing them off target and going wide.

Janaxia came up behind Stathis, looking worn out from running through the water. Her reaction was immediate, eldritch bolts hurtling through the air. One impacted the witch, knocking her back in the air. A bolt of lightning hammered from the sky as retaliation, into the water, Stathis and Janaxia unable to dodge. Stathis forced herself to stay standing, pushing through the pain, attacking a harpy as it started to sing. Janaxia sank backwards, but kept slinging bolts, despite the damage she’d just taken.

Stathis blocked a magical blast with her shield, as Semari jumped up the walls again, trying to reach the witch and grab her. The witch began to fly upwards, winds strengthening and pushing everything else away. Semari twisted and flapped, managing to grab hold of a wall and propel herself upwards. An arrow penetrated through the witch’s lightning and drew blood, as Semari hurtled towards her, ready to kick. They collided in mid-air, a blinding white flash, ending with Semari hurtling back away from the witch, energy snapping around her as she fell.

The witch landed on top of a tower, power flaring, red-tinged lightning snarling around her. The clouds changed, taking on a green tinge. The rain started to fall harder, starting to burn Stathis’ exposed skin, the walls hissing as acid rained down. Behind her, Janaxia groaned in pain. Sthatis raised her shield, trying to protect her eyes from the acid falling from the sky.

Then an even greater corona of power erupted, and the ground shook again. There was an answering rumble from below, the ground now shifting in a sustained quake, rents and fissures opening up. Stathis stepped backwards, water suddenly vanishing, slurped into a hole that gaped open. She stumbled, ground slippery and uneven, brushing against Janaxia. Then the world went black, Stathis falling backwards.