The explosion first made itself known as light.
It appeared in the form of a brief white flash that seared itself into their irises before the sound even reached them.
Then the sound hit.
A mushroom cloud of smoke rose in the distance beyond the courtyard, climbing fast into the dark sky above the Undercity. An instant later, the force of the explosion slammed into them like a wall.
The Guidebot was thrown off its feet, crashing hard onto the stone ground.
The blast tore through every layer of shields Lukas and Melody had built around them, shredding the cursed energy apart in a heartbeat. The remaining force sent them staggering backwards.
Karrakas grabbed onto Lukas to keep from falling, while Lukas drove his sword into the ground to anchor himself. A few feet away, Melody did the same, stabbing her blade into the stone and gritting her teeth against the wind.
A second later, the force died down.
