The summoner's breathing was ragged, his broken staff still clutched in his hand. The air was thick with the scent of burnt magic, while my shadows coiled tightly around the guards like chains, holding them in place. Their eyes were wild, darting between me and their summoner—as if waiting for some kind of miracle to get them out of this mess. I tightened my grip on the summoner's collar, lifting him slightly off the ground, feeling the tension in his body as he struggled to breathe.
"Who's behind this?" I asked, my voice dangerously low. I wasn't in the mood for patience. The shadows tightened around the others, eliciting muffled gasps, their panic evident and growing.
