The air was thick with the scent of ozone and the sharp tang of ice as Ava and I faced each other amidst the ruins of what was once a grand hall. Her transformation was complete, her horns now massive, twisted spires that scraped the ceiling, her aura so powerful it was almost visible a shimmering, pulsating force of sheer malevolence.
I stood before her, my body aching from the previous battles, my magic a dwindling flame against the darkness of her power. Yet, I refused to yield. With every fiber of my being screaming in protest, I raised my hands, summoning the last vestiges of my strength to form a shield of crackling purple energy.
"You had a human who is capable of increasing your magical power, and yet you didn't even know how to use her," Ava sneered, her voice a cold lash that stung more than the wounds I bore.
