They landed in a tangle of limbs as talons slashed the air where they'd been standing. Azelon found himself protectively covering both men, his tail whipping out to knock away a creature that dove too close.
"The ceiling," Jamie grunted beneath him. "I need to fix it."
Understanding immediately, Azelon rolled off them. "Cover him," he ordered Corin, then launched a devastating wave of ice shards upward, temporarily scattering the swarm.
Jamie pressed both of his palms to the floor, eyes closed in concentration.
The ceiling rippled, then transformed. The broken sections mended themselves, then reshaped itself into a network of crystalline spikes. Three of the winged creatures impaled themselves, their bodies disintegrating into oily smoke.
"It's working," Corin said, his voice tight but hopeful.
Then the floor heaved beneath them.
The tunneling wyrm had returned.
And the entire store shuddered as it broke through the foundation once again.
"We can't fight on all fronts," Azelon shouted.
"Maybe we can drive them away," Jamie suggested, eyes suddenly bright with inspiration. "Corin, could you projectenough fear to overwhelm them, make them think the store is too dangerous to approach?"
"I'd need to drop the barrier," Corin warned.
"Just for a moment. Azelon and I can handle whatever gets through." Jamie looked to Azelon for confirmation.
Azelon nodded, though unease prickled along his spine. Corin's control was tenuous at best, and deliberately unleashing his projection was dangerous.
Azelon knew that better than anyone.
This human was taking the risk too lightly.
But they were running out of options.
"Do it," he said.
Jamie moved to the corner where two walls met, pressing his palms against both surfaces to maximize his connection with the building. "On my mark, drop the barrier and project everything you've got. Make them afraid to approach."
Corin licked his lips nervously. "I've never deliberately projected that much before."
"I'll help you contain it afterward," Azelon promised.
Something flickered in Corin's eyes—uncertain hope, perhaps, or memory. He nodded.
"Now!" Jamie commanded.
Corin dropped the emotional barrier and drew a deep breath. The void feeders immediately pressed forward, shattering windows as they forced their way inside. The winged creaturesdove between the ceiling spikes. The wyrm surged upward, breaking through the floor in multiple places.
And then Corin released his projection.
It wasn't the controlled, focused energy of before.
This was raw, primal emotion—fear amplified by desperation, by the need to protect. It exploded outward in a visible wave of crimson and gold, saturating the air with such intensity that even Azelon staggered back.
The effect on the creatures was immediate. The void feeders convulsed, their bodies distorting as they tried to retreat.
The winged swarm scattered, shrieking in confusion.
The wyrm thrashed, its massive head swinging blindly.
