The woman's grip tightened, her serpentine form constricting, crushing the air from Isla's lungs.
The obsidian shard embedded in her chest pulsed with dark energy, feeding the woman's power. Isla felt a searing pain, a burning sensation that spread through her veins, a corrupting influence that threatened to overwhelm her.
Kai, despite his injuries, charged forward, his sword a desperate flash of steel. The woman, with a flick of her wrist, sent a wave of dark energy crashing into him, sending him sprawling to the ground.
"Foolish mortal," she hissed, her eyes fixed on Isla. "You cannot defy me. The darkness is inevitable. Embrace it, and your suffering will end."
Isla, her vision blurring, her mind reeling, refused to yield. She focused on the amulet, its warmth a faint ember in the encroaching darkness. She whispered Elara's name, a desperate plea for strength.
A surge of energy, faint but defiant, pulsed from the amulet, pushing back the woman's corrupting influence.
The light within Isla flickered, a fragile flame against the overwhelming darkness. The battle for her soul was far from over.