On the run from former allies, can Sindara survive their attacks? A short story written by Zam user Poldaran.

The ground shook as the two humans among her enemies completed the spell they had been casting, releasing a powerful doomguard into the world. "You cannot command me!" he roared. Unfortunately, he was right. They had not properly etched the protective spells into the ground before the summoning, so they were unable to control him. He made short work of them before turning on Sindara.

"Well that's just wonderful," she said to no one in particular. She quickly assessed the situation. There was no time to work on a spell to control the rampaging demon, not with the remaining four foes attacking her, at least. No, this was going to the have to be done the hard way. "We all have our inner demons!" she growled, growing annoyed.

Shadows enveloped the warlock, warping her form and sending writhing pain coursing through her body. When the shadows faded, she had grown several feet taller, her teeth grew into fangs, her fingers and nails had lengthened into claws and great black wings had grown out of her back. Wisps of shadow still fluttered around the horns that had grown from her head. "Impressive!" the doomguard commented.

"Let's just get this over with," Sindara responded, leaping at her foe. He caught her hands and the two were locked in a struggle for dominance. Each flared out their wings in hopes of unbalancing their foe. In the end, while she was powerful, he was physically stronger. The doomguard lifted her off the ground and hurled her through the air to slam into a tree twenty yards away. The impact splintered the tree and tore it up from its roots, toppling it onto a frightened squirrel that had tried to flee the fighting.

The demon approached the warlock's limp body and laughed in triumph. "After I kill you, I will raze this city. Kil'jaeden will reward me for my victory today!"

With blinding speed, Sindara leaped to her feet and reached out , grasping the demon's head with her clawed right hand. "The only reward you've earned today is death," she said softly. "Tell your master that if he ever comes back to this place, he will regret it." With that, she unleashed a shadowbolt at point blank range into the doomguard's face, causing his head to explode in a spray of gore the consistency of chunky salsa. Her power expended, her body began to revert to its normal form.

"It seems you've worn yourself out," the gnomish warlock she had taunted called out. "You'll die just as he did."