Darian hesitated. "We'll need a powerful binding spell. Something stronger than the original seal. And for that…"
Jack groaned. "Let me guess. More magical artifacts, more danger, more near-death experiences?"
Darian managed a weak smile. "You're catching on."
Jack shook his head as they ducked into an alley, trying to catch their breath. "Fine. Let's find what we need. But next time," he said, pointing a finger at Darian, "you're the one touching the cursed artifacts."
Darian laughed nervously. "Deal."
The sound of the Revenant's footsteps thundered in the distance, shaking the very foundations of the town. Jack and Darian exchanged a glance, both knowing the battle was far from over.
"Let's move," Darian said, gripping his staff tightly.
With renewed determination, the two plunged back into the night, their only hope lying in the unknown.
Jack and Darian weaved through the labyrinthine streets of the town, their breaths coming in sharp gasps. The Revenant's presence loomed behind them, its guttural laughter rumbling like distant thunder. The townsfolk, who had only moments before begun cautiously venturing out, were now scattering in panic, shouting and crying as their homes trembled under the weight of the creature's power.
"We can't keep running!" Jack panted, gripping his side. "Where do we even start looking for this binding spell?"
Darian, clutching his staff, glanced around wildly, his mind racing. "The archives," he said finally. "There's a magical compendium stored in the library beneath the magistrate's hall. If we're lucky, it'll have the incantation we need."
"Lucky," Jack echoed bitterly. "That's one thing we haven't been tonight."
The ground trembled again as the Revenant moved closer, its massive form blotting out the stars. Jack caught a glimpse of its molten eyes peering down the street, scanning for them like a predator hunting its prey.
"Move!" Darian shouted, grabbing Jack's arm and pulling him down a narrow side street just as a dark tendril lashed out, obliterating the wall behind them. Stone and debris rained down, the air thick with dust and the acrid scent of magic.
The two burst into the main square, where the grand magistrate's hall stood. Its ornate columns and high arching windows gleamed faintly in the moonlight, a stark contrast to the chaos surrounding it.
"There!" Darian pointed to a smaller side entrance. "The library's through there."
Jack pushed forward, his legs screaming in protest. "Tell me this magical book of yours doesn't also come with curses or shadow monsters."
"It shouldn't," Darian said, though his voice wavered with uncertainty. "But considering our luck so far, I wouldn't rule it out."
They reached the side door, and Darian muttered a quick incantation, his staff glowing briefly as the lock clicked open. The two slipped inside, slamming the heavy wooden door behind them. For a moment, the thick stone walls muffled the sounds of destruction outside, and Jack allowed himself a brief, shaky breath.
"Where's this compendium?" Jack asked, his voice echoing in the dimly lit corridor.
"Downstairs," Darian said, already moving toward a spiral staircase. "It's in the restricted vault. Come on."
Jack followed, the adrenaline coursing through his veins dulling the ache in his muscles. The staircase spiraled deep into the earth, the air growing colder with each step. When they reached the bottom, they found themselves in a vast underground chamber lined with shelves that stretched into the shadows. Ancient tomes and scrolls filled every inch of space, their spines marked with glyphs that glowed faintly in the dark.
Darian made a beeline for the center of the room, where a stone pedestal stood surrounded by protective wards etched into the floor. On the pedestal rested a thick, leather-bound book, its cover embossed with a symbol Jack didn't recognize—a circle intersected by jagged lines.
"That's it?" Jack asked, eyeing the book warily. "Doesn't look very user-friendly."
"It's the Codex Arcanum," Darian said, his voice reverent. "If there's a spell to bind the Revenant, it'll be in here."
He reached out carefully, whispering another incantation to deactivate the wards. The glyphs on the floor flickered and dimmed, and Darian lifted the book with both hands. He placed it on a nearby table, flipping through the brittle pages with practiced ease.
"Hurry up," Jack urged, pacing nervously. "That thing isn't going to wait forever."
"I'm looking!" Darian snapped, his eyes scanning the densely packed text. "Binding spells, binding spells… Ah! Here we go."
He stopped on a page filled with intricate diagrams and lines of ancient script. "This is it," he said. "The Seal of Lumis. It's a powerful binding spell, but it requires three components: a pure light source, a vessel to anchor the Revenant, and a personal connection to the one performing the ritual."
"Pure light source?" Jack asked. "What, like a lantern?"
Darian shook his head. "No, it has to be a magical light, something imbued with divine energy. My staff should work."
"And the vessel?"
Darian hesitated. "It needs to be something untainted, something capable of holding the Revenant's essence without breaking. A flawless crystal or—"
"Or what?" Jack demanded.
Darian's expression darkened. "Or a living soul."
Jack froze. "You mean one of us."
"It's the last resort," Darian said quickly. "But let's not think about that just yet. We'll find a vessel."
"Right," Jack said, though his stomach churned at the thought. "And the personal connection?"
Darian grimaced. "That's the tricky part. It means one of us has to face the Revenant directly, establish a link to its essence during the ritual. It's incredibly dangerous."
Jack let out a bitter laugh. "Dangerous? That's been the theme of the night."
A thunderous crash above them made the chamber quake. Dust and debris rained down as the Revenant's voice boomed through the hall. "You cannot hide forever, mortals. The darkness knows no bounds."
Darian slammed the book shut. "We've got what we need. Let's move."
The two raced back up the staircase, emerging into a scene of utter devastation. The Revenant had torn through the upper levels of the magistrate's hall, its massive form nearly filling the square outside. Townsfolk screamed and fled in every direction, their cries swallowed by the creature's bellowing laughter.
"Where do we find a vessel?" Jack shouted over the chaos.
Darian scanned the square, his eyes landing on a shattered jewelry shop nearby. "There!" he said, pointing. "A crystal from the shop might work."
"You owe me an explanation if I get cursed," Jack muttered as they sprinted toward the shop. Inside, the shelves were in shambles, but among the wreckage, Jack spotted a large, flawless crystal resting in a display case. He grabbed it, the cool surface gleaming faintly even in the dim light.
"This better be good enough!" Jack said, handing it to Darian.
"It'll have to be," Darian replied. He took the crystal and pressed it to his staff, whispering another incantation. The crystal glowed brightly, pulsing in rhythm with the staff's light.
The Revenant turned toward them, its molten eyes narrowing. "You dare defy me?"
"No defying," Jack muttered. "Just improvising."
Darian thrust the staff into the ground, the crystal perched atop it. "Jack," he said urgently, "I need you to distract it while I prepare the spell."
Jack's eyes widened. "Distract it? How exactly do I distract a giant shadow monster?"
"Figure it out!" Darian snapped. "I need time."
Muttering curses under his breath, Jack grabbed a broken piece of wood from the wreckage and set it alight using the lantern. Waving the makeshift torch, he charged toward the Revenant, shouting at the top of his lungs. "Hey, over here, you oversized puff of smoke!"
The Revenant turned its full attention to Jack, growling in anger. It lashed out with a massive tendril, which Jack narrowly dodged, the force of the blow shattering the cobblestones where he'd been standing.
"Anytime now, Darian!" Jack yelled, his heart pounding.
Darian chanted steadily, the light from his staff intensifying. The crystal began to hum, a high-pitched sound that resonated through the square. The Revenant roared, its form flickering as if sensing the imminent threat.
"Jack!" Darian called. "Bring it closer!"
Jack gulped but did as he was told, darting toward the glowing staff with the Revenant in pursuit. As he passed the circle of light, Darian shouted the final words of the incantation.
A blinding beam of light shot from the staff, striking the Revenant square in the chest. The creature let out an ear-splitting scream as its form was pulled into the crystal, its massive body shrinking and twisting into the small, gleaming vessel.
When the light faded, the Revenant was gone. Only the crystal remained, glowing faintly in Darian's trembling hands.
Jack collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily. "Tell me that's it."
Darian nodded, his face pale. "For now."
Jack groaned. "I need a drink."