The ice caverns loomed ahead, a labyrinth of twisting tunnels and jagged spires of frozen stone. As the battle with the shades intensified, James could feel the cold sinking deeper into his bones. Each swing of his sword met the intangible darkness of the creatures, their forms dissipating into plumes of shadow only to reappear moments later. It was as if they weren't truly here, phantoms sent to delay them while something far worse awaited deeper inside.
"Yori!" James shouted over the din of battle. "We need a way to seal these things!"
Yori, her staff glowing with an eerie blue light, slashed through two more shades with a quick flick of her wrist, sending arcs of magical energy through the air. She spun to face James, her eyes narrow with concentration. "I'm working on it! These aren't ordinary shades, they're feeding on the dark magic that's thick in this place."
