Failure

There was a frozen moment. He reached out to touch her still face. His hand left a smear of blood.

Nadir stepped back, his blade dripping crimson. “Try it again!” he shouted. He no longer looked so confident.

“Yes,” the man whispered, but not to Nadir. He stood and looked around them at the shadows. There was nothing there. “I release you,” the man said. “God have mercy on me, I don't care any more.”

The shadows boiled, shifted. The guards behind Nadir cried out.

“God have mercy on us all...”

The darkness leapt forward.