4 Where is your dedication (3)?

His sword wielded forward, Randall pointed towards the skeleton.

"Foul demon, we have come to slay you and free this land from your dark grasp. We will wipe you from the surface of this world and return life to all."

Emblazoned by the power running through his veins, Randall didn't wait for a reply.

"Attack!"

With a twang Sara shot arrow after arrow as they hurtled and whistled through the air, drawing patterns and hiding in the paths of one another to confuse her opponents sight. Gran melded into the shadows as Mave, Borth and Randall charged forth as a trio with their weapons held high. Their voices loud as they let out shouts of power.

"For the Goddess!!"

A shimmering barrier conjured by Luhra encapsulated them as they drew close to the skeleton, already divine light was enshrouding them, offering protections as they drew closer to the evil before them.

All the while the skeleton's only response was to move his tapping finger up to the bridge of his nose, rubbing it ever so slightly, a movement that none of them caught.

Within the space of a breath their combined strikes landed, issuing a cloud of dust and debris as the throne was shattered.

"HAH. Skeleton weak like child."

"May the light purge this foul existence."

"Luhra we did it!"

Looking towards Luhra, Eva jumped into her and embraced her, not noticing the sweat that continually dropped from her brow, that had already drenched her figure.

"Luhra..Luh…"

"Foolish."

With a word the dust around the skeleton was scattered, revealing a shocking scene to the party.

His bones were pristine and powerful, their strikes had done nothing save clear them of the dust that had accumulated over the years and shattered the throne behind.

With a roar Borth swung his axe again, not fearing the foe that had borne the brunt of all their empowered blows like it was nothing.

"Skeleton act. It weak now. I will sma…"

Not even finishing his sentence Borth's axe froze in mid-air, as if stuck in time, before flying across the hall and embedding itself into the wall with a mighty crash.

"BORTH!"

Issuing a cry Randall looked to his right, expecting to see Borth shaking off the blow like he always did, but instead he saw the afterimage of a ghostly hand, one that had patted the air where his friend once was.

Where Borth once stood was now a cloud of red mist that rained over the hall, extending backwards as it sprayed and sputtered onto the flames.

"Is this it?"

Staggering back, everyone readied themselves as the skeleton's deep voice filled the hall, causing them to shake and feel weak.

"Is this all that is sent against me? A pack of children. Useless adventurers granted power that is not theirs. Do they forget who I am!"

Argh!

With a mad cry Mave charged forward, ignoring Randall's shout from behind.

"Mave. Wait."

"How dare you kill Borth! I'll Kill you!"

With a screech Mave swung her sword forward, only to stop and dive to the side as three arrows flashing with light flew from behind her, striking the skeleton's eye sockets and expulsing light in a large radius as Randall called out.

"GRAN DO IT NOW!"

As the light faded Randall gripped his sword tightly whilst Sara breathed heavily in the background, struggling to regain her energy as Geth and Eva aided her with spells and prayers.

"...Gran?"

Standing up once more Mave watched as the light faded, had their cooperative attack worked? Where was Gran?

"Skulking in the shadows when you serve a goddess who grants you light. Foolish."

With a clatter a pair of daggers fell in front of the skeleton, above him was mottled shaded depths, no light to banish the darkness, but the skeleton's words had sealed Gran's fate.

"What manner of evil are you?"

Taken aback Randall didn't know what to do, for years they had accomplished tasks for their goddess without failure or fear as no one had died, but now that was beginning to change, already they had lost two of their party.

"I am as evil as the one who would ask me that question."

"No! I refuse to believe your lies! I am a vessel of the Goddess of Virtue. Please oh Goddess grant me your power!"

Striking a pose Randall cast his sword high into the sky and closed his eyes as he waited for his goddess to hear his call, to grant him the power to defeat this skeleton.

"Please everyone buy me time to unleash a strike that will kill this dark creature."

"For the Goddess!"

With a shout Mave charged forward as Sara began to fire arrows from behind once more. Withdrawing a mace from his side Geth turned to his side, "Eva you take charge of buffing Randall and the others, I'll distract this skeleton as well."

Nodding her head Eva turned to Luhra who stood dazed, staring at the skeleton as her eyes glimmered with an arcane glow, mystified by what she saw. In her eyes the hall was gone, her allies were gone, all that remained was the skeleton that slowly morphed into the image of a young man, wielding a single sword against a sky that collapsed downwards, pushed by an array of armies above.

"Luhra?"

Shaking Luhra slightly Eva got no response, only the skeleton watched on with interest even as arrows clattered off his frame and Mave grew closer.

"The eyes of a seer that only peer into the past. How memorable."

"DIE DEMON."

Swinging her sword down with all of her strength Mave was stunned as the Skeleton deftly caught an arrow flying towards him as her world suddenly grew dark.

"Nooooooo."

Watching in the distance Sara cried out as she saw the skeleton easily drive the arrow through Mave's skull before she could register the attack, shattering her head with the sheer force of the blow.

Shooting like mad Sara emptied her quiver as she began to load her bow with magic only to be stunned as a mace collided into her ribs. Geth had struck her side causing Sara to spew blood and hunch over as she deftly rolled to the side.

"Geth?"

Spitting out the question Sara was greeted with a mace that fractured her jaw and split her mouth open as Geth stood there with vacant eyes as a shadow flew in and out of his body, ripping holes and tearing flesh as it flew.

Killing Geth slowly as it controlled his body.

Shaking in fear Eva fell at Luhra's feet as she madly grasped at Luhra's legs, "Luhra please we need you! Do something, cast a spell! Anything!"

Roused from her vision and still confused Luhra began to cast a spell she had cast many times, a fireball compressed and formed by her own magic. In front of Luhra a spark of fire emerged as it began to swirl and grow, issuing waves of blistering heat as Luhra continued to chant, Eva now hiding behind Luhra as she shook in fear.

"FIRE BALL."

With a cast Luhra sent the fireball careening through the hall, expecting it to hit the skeleton only to freeze in fear as she saw a familiar figure dive in front.

The shadow controlling Geth fled just in time for Geth to regain clarity of his thoughts and actions.

Just in time for him to scream aloud as the fire consumed him.

"GETH NO! What are you doing!"

With a grunt Luhra faced a backlash of magical currents as she un-did her fireball but not before it had already reduced Geth to nothing but slag on the floor.

"FOR VIRTUE! FOR THE GODDESS!"

Unaware of his companion's demise around him all Randall saw was a clear path of light in his eyes, one granted to him by his goddess that led straight to the skeleton sat upon a broken throne.

ARGH! With a charge Randall struck as holy light filled the hall, filling Eva and Luhra with hope.

Hope that this nightmare would end and the skeleton would die.

Their only response was a deep dark voice that spoke amidst the light.

"Is this all your dedication is worth? The death of a shadow long since reduced to naught but shade."