Suddenly its long tongue drew back in, and the demon turned its muzzle with eyes blazing like dazzling lanterns toward the place where the Cursed was hiding behind the ancient columns. It had sensed him.
A terrifying roar rang out. In two leaps the monster was behind the column and lunged at the Cursed. He was already holding his sword and was evading the creature's rapid attacks with quick rolls. Several times he inflicted dreadful wounds, but they closed on the monster's body as if they had never existed.
The Cursed dashed into the garden toward where the portal stood. The monster charged after him, knocking down stone columns and garden trees along the way. The Cursed leapt through the portal and found himself in the protective darkness of the castle on the hill. Right after him, the Lady was hurled out of the portal. She struck the stone wall with her body and fell to the floor. The Cursed turned, thinking it was over and that she might be dead after such an impact and fall. But the Lady of the Castle slowly rose into the air, her body frozen upright. Her eyes were still closed. Blood streamed down her pale forehead, flooding her face and turning it into a dreadful mask of death. The wind blew again—this time more piercing. The Lady's black hair flew out to the sides like living snakes.
She raised her hand and hurled a bolt of lightning. A bright flash pierced the darkness and sent up a column of flame and smoke where the Cursed had just been.
He ran further down the castle corridors. The Lady flew after him like a grim phantom.
He was running down the corridor while deadly lightning bolts were striking at his back. He was dodging to the sides, hiding behind the columns.
Once she reached him with her dreadful white hands with long black nails, lifted him into the air, and was smashing him against the walls with terrifying, frenzied force. Stones and plaster were raining down. The Lady was snarling, baring her long sharp teeth. Her eyes were closed. She bent down and began devouring the blood from the Cursed's neck.
Then he seized her by the hair, yanked her back, and in turn began devouring her blood — dreadful, dark, magical. He felt the ancient magic of cursed cities flowing within it. The Lady of the Castle weakened for a moment.
Thus he tore himself free from her deadly embrace.
He ran again into the darkness of the corridors with servants standing motionless like statues.
In the great hall with the dark crystal, she caught up with him again. He froze, unable to believe what he saw. The dark crystal had grown larger than it had been before the passage through the portal.
The Lady of the Castle seized him. Lifted him into the air. Her grim, blood-smeared face drew close to his. Her eyes were closed.
"That's it. Now you're dead," she said.
Her fanged mouth opened wide.
The words of summoning slipped from his lips automatically. Like a spell:
"Night Huntress, come."
The Lady of the Castle froze. Terror crossed her face. In the vast dark hall, dreadful gray figures appeared.
An iron spiked axe came down onto the dark crystal, shattering it to pieces. A dreadful shriek tore through the room, as if the destroyed crystal had been alive and was dying like a living creature. Its cry merged with the screams of the flying vampire. Then it fell silent, and she, crashing against the walls, vanished somewhere in the darkness of the distant chambers.
One gray figure with a bow stepped after her, but another figure placed a hand on her shoulder, stopping her. It was the familiar Night Huntress.
"Don't, brother. Without the crystal's power, she'll die very soon on her own."
Then she turned to the Cursed.
"Thank you for calling me. Without your invitation we could not enter the castle. Now we finish the demon."
They were walking along the half-ruined corridor.
"You've probably already realized that no ordinary weapon can kill the demon," the Huntress said. "Only the arrows of the people of the Ancient Forest can deal it mortal wounds."
They passed through the portal.
A long trail of black blood stretched through the garden, leading all the way to the castle.
"When the crystal was destroyed, the demon lost its influence in our world and suffered a grievous wound," explained the Huntress.
They entered the castle. In the great hall, on the carpet soaked with black blood, lay the black monster. At the sight of its enemies, it sprang to its feet.
The seven Night Hunters nocked arrows into their bows and loosed them at the demon. Again. And again. And again.
The creature was destroyed.
"It's time for us to return. This place will perish soon."
They passed through the portal, which closed behind them.