As the night wore on, the temperature around the village suddenly plummeted, despite the roaring fires.
A strange, oppressive silence fell over the square.
The crackle of the flames seemed to dull, turning a dark, unnatural shade of violet.
Yennifer peeked through the gap in the stone.
Standing in the center of the burning village square, surrounded by the corpses of her neighbors and the kneeling, blood-stained battle knights, was a massive, monstrous silhouette.
It towered over nine feet tall, its form wrapped in a thick, rolling fog of deep purple magic.
The entity did not speak with words, but a deep, vibrating hum resonated in Yennifer's chest, making her throw her hands over her ears as her vision blurred from the pressure.
The knights bowed their iron helmets to the dirt in reverence before the creature.
Then, off in the distance, a silver horn blew.
"The Church paladins!"
A knight shouted from the perimeter.
"The Holy Order has broken through the ridge pass!"
