An Embrace Eternal

With a speed and grace divine, Orthael spun to receive the blow to his shield. His foe held close, as if embracing a lover, hissing wildly.

The shadow was humanoid like its puppets, for it too had once been a man. It was a flickering silhouette of a thing, all abstract shapes and sharp angles. The paladin continued his spin, throwing the pair apart, but they sprang at each other again a moment later.

Two swipes from Judgement, the flaming blade almost guiding itself. The shadow slashed again, a blow that left scratches on his golden shield. Orthael smashed it with the pommel and shouted a shorter spell, barely a syllable, that punched the Greater Dead down in a shower of white sparks.

It raised its head and feinted right, slashing across. The paladin ducked, feeling an impact rake him across the shoulders, and drove the Judgement of the All-Consumer up as far as it would go.

Fire blazed. Shadows died. Orthael strode on contemptuously.

"Return to whence you came, fiend."