As the shadows part, strength can be found in discipline

[Chocoa]

The sound that echoed through the hallways was deafening to anyone in the citadel. The crack of an open hand against the soft flesh of Evangelina's face was painful, but the implications of such an assault carried an infinetly deeper cut then the physical impact.

"You have disgraced this coven for the last time. How DARE you betray your sisters and brothers by bringing these... these... cantrips into this great house!"

Evangelina search within herself to find the strength to talk about to the dark mistress of shadows, Meline. Meline looked upon the fallen priestess with contempt.

"Speak!" spat Meline.

"They are not cantrips, Meline. I never meant to insult you or the order of shadows. I only meant to further my knowledge of the other priestly orders." whispered Evangelina.

Meline chuckle a dark laugh. She began whispering and casting a spell. The sound of words from the demonic language used by the warlocks struck Evangelina, shadow magic, a magic she was once very familiar with. Evangelina struggled to silence Meline with a shadow counterspell but found she could no longer remember the proper words requicred for the incantation.

A blast of pain wracked Evangelina's mind and assaulted every nerve in her body. She fell to one knee attempting to recover but failing as she fell to the ground.

Meline laughed, "how pitiful, even a shadow priestess of 15 seasons could repel such an attack. Do you understand the price you've paid?!"

Evangelina stood up, as Meline began another incantation. This was no lesson, Evangelina's former mentor intended to cast a spell that would make Evangelina's undeath a permanent matter.

Meline began to channel a new spell, a single word of power that carried death. Evangelina jumped to her feet and a split second later had conjured a shield of energy which caught the word and reflected a portion of the power word to the speaker, causing a blast of darkness to strike Meline.

"I see it wasnt all spirit dances and wisps of light they taught you. No one leaves this coven. You have been entrusted with a great power, acquired through years of study and these secrets cannot leave this hall. You will die for your betrayal." Meline shouted.

Meline summoned a great bolt of mental energy. The great blue arc raced from her fingers towards Evangelina. Evangelina countered by channeling, through great discipline, a means of mitigating the deadly blue arc. Though the bolt scathed at her mind, Evangelina was able to suppress the pain. As the blue ray faded into the air, Evangelina jumped at Meline and delivered a solid right hook into Meline's nose, breaking it followed by a vicious uppercut.

Meline fell to the ground, knocked unconscious by the surprising physical assault.

Evangelina grabbed at her right hand and loudly exclaimed, "Aww... I don't know how Chocoa makes it look so easy."

She looked to the ground at the pile of robes and the developing pool of blood. So vulnerable, so easy to kill. Had the darkness of the shadows still held sway on her, Evangelina probably would have finished Meline off. However, the cloud of darkness had once and for all been broken. She discovered in her years of travel and study, a new way. The way of light. She felt satisfaction at her decision to spare Meline, to grant her leniency, though Evangelina had no doubt Meline would not be so kind and that she would pursue Evangelina till one of them were killed.

Evangelina looked at the great hall and the countless seasons she spent studying the shadows in the Citadel's library. She looked one last time at Meline. She turned to leave, but quickly reversed her step and delivered a brutal kick to Meline's midsection... perhaps the darkness was giving way to the light, but deep down the shadows still remained.

[Amahli]

((Absolutely loved it! More, more! ))