The tranquil air of the sanctuary suddenly turned ice-cold. The waterfall of liquid light, which had been flowing peacefully, began to turn a murky, obsidian black. Huli's fur stood on end, and she let out a low, guttural growl that Dua had never heard before.
"He found us, " Zian whispered, his hand instinctively going to she sleek silver blade strapped to his belt.
From the center of the blackened pond, a figure began to rise. It wasn't man, but a towering mass of shifting shadows, wearing a mask of white bone. This was the master of Shadows, the one who had been hunting the Golden key for a millennium.
"The Gatekeeper and the little Fox.... hiding a thief in a garden, "the master's voice was a chorus of a thousand whispers, vibrating through Dua's very bones.
" I am no thief! "Dua shouted, stepping forward.
The Golden key in her hand began to pulse with a frantic, warning heat.
The master of shadows laughed, a sound like grinding stones. With a flick of his wrist, a wave of darkness surged toward them. Zian jumped in front of Dua, his silver blade glowing as he sliced through the shadow-wave, but the force of it sent him skidding back across the stone floor.
*Dua, the ligy! Now! " Huli screamed, jumping into the air, her three tails glowing like beacons.
Dua felt a surge of pure adrenaline. She didn't try to "force" the magic this time; she simply let her fear and her will to protect Zian and huli take over. She pointed the Golden key at the towering shadow and let out a scream. A pillar of blinding, solar- gold light erupted from the key, clashing with the Master's darkness.
The impact shook the entire cavern. Rocky began to fall from the ceiling. For a moment, the darkness retreated, and the master of Shadows hissed in pain. But Dua felt her energy draining fast. Her vision blurred, and her knees buckled.
" Not bad for a shopkeeper, " the master sneered, recovering quick. "But your light is a candle against my storm. "