His body stiffened, and an unfamiliar weakness coursed through him. His chest heaved sharply as if his strength had been torn away.
His mana—half of it, gone in an instant, drained from his very core.
"What—what is this…?" he muttered in disbelief, his head snapping around wildly. "What's… happening to me?"
He felt hollow, unstable, his instincts screaming louder than ever, panic clawing at the edge of his mind.
And then—
Behind him, something began to stir.
A shadowy form rose from the dungeon floor, silent and deliberate.
Its shape twisted unnaturally, limbs stretching into a form both humanoid and monstrous. Its body was forged of purplish-black energy, darker than night, flickering with an eerie glow that radiated malice.
The demon's instincts shrieked, however, it was already too late.
Before he could even turn, or even raise his arms to defend himself—
SHLK!
