The spatial barrier that separated their battle from the main conflict shimmered like heat waves, but within its boundaries, a confrontation that had been years in the making finally reached its inevitable conclusion.
Evelyn Alaric stood at the center of a garden of nightmares, black roses blooming around her in patterns that hurt to observe directly. Each flower carried nine-circle magical construction, petals edged with corruption that sought to drain life from anything they touched. As a low Radiant-rank mage, she possessed power that transcended normal human limitations, but it was the twisted maternal obsession in her eyes that made her truly dangerous.
"My beautiful daughter," she said, her voice carrying harmonics that made the air itself seem heavy with possessive hunger. "Look how strong you've become. I taught you well."
