That wicked tail hung in the air, a frozen moment falling towards Philippa’s unfortunate demise. Divina felt true hopelessness. She realized she was faced with absolute truth. She knew couldn't win alone. Akkoni wasn't here and she was way out of her depth. There was nothing left to do. There was nowhere to go. It was over. She let go of all the tension. She released all of the control she was clutching onto. 

She wasn't dead yet. The hideous fingers of the dead mass reminded her of that fact. She twisted and flailed. Pain flared through her body and forced her to stop the struggle. In that moment of despair she could do nothing but whisper a small, quiet prayer. She found the words and filled them with her anger and rage and desperation. 

Through the pain and fear she uttered two simple words. “Save her.”

The words were barely a murmur but they were filled with more passion than any sermon or diatribe she had ever declared to deaf ears. The shimmering syllables ventured out into the darkness and silence and the quiet power they carried seemed to fill that great hall. Without decorum those simple words joined the ranks and chorus of believers. They swelled with the energies of faith and hope that lingered in the structure's very walls. They were made whole by those who had worshiped in that sacred sanctuary for countless generations past. The words were brought to life, mixing with the echoes of the ancient liturgy that now, unhindered, burst forth from the lips of the terrified girl who lay on the ruined altar of stone and sanctum.

The witch girl sang; her pact was broken. She was no longer bound to the demon’s will. And in the light of the actions of the Paladin, she truly believed. She held, for the first time in her life, a true conviction of faith. There was no denying Audrashni's dedication found in every word the Paladin had told her, and she sang the final words of that old religious melody as loud as her ragged, horse voice would let her.

“-May I serve you in all that I do.”

She uttered the final line of the hymn and the sky above the town of Orholt tore open with a heavenly chorus, as tendrils of hot, white lightning descended from the gathering storm clouds and onto that desecrated shrine.

White lightning pierced a hole in the temple's roof, tearing the beams apart, as it struck the girl square in the chest. Her back arched as raw celestial power wrought in elemental fury, found a worthy vessel at last. The energy coursed through the girl, burning away the demon’s descending tail with blazing power and majesty leaving nothing but a seared stump and a greasy, bubbling, blackened stain sizzling on the floor.

Divina felt pain race through her body as the undead thralls carried out their task and began pulling frantically at her right arm. She felt her flesh begin to tear under the pressure, as she gasped with hideous agony, losing what little consciousness she had left.

The demon let out a disturbing screech as it retreated away from that font of holy power. Askathstral burst down the aisle, taking all its determination to retain its now heavily damaged physical form. It knocked the undead minions sprawling into the defiled rows of seating as it uncoiled its grotesque wingspan. In the darkness the figure of Askathstral awkwardly took to the air vanishing through the broken doors of the arched entrance and out into the darkness beyond. Without the demons will to sustain the necromancy that gripped the animated forms of the villagers began to unravel.

Those that held Divina were engulfed in fire by wild bolts of energy that were now emanating from Philippa. The young girl had become the celestial embodiment of the storm goddesses power. The thralls still continued struggling and clawing to carry out Askathstral’s final commandment despite their failing muscles and disintegrating flesh.

“Enough!” Words cascaded from the mouth of the goddesses chosen prophet, causing the very bones of the corpses to melt in the wake of their power.

That divine potential spiraled throughout the sanctuary and in the centre of the divine maelstrom stood the girl. Now no longer a witch bound to serve the demon, but a vessel of the goddess of Storms. She radiantly pulsed as she moved, waves of explosive energy, thunder and lightning, crashed through the room setting the rotten, wooden husk of the temple aflame and bringing light into the unholy darkness.

The goddess in temporary flesh approached Divina, her unconscious servant, and spoke to her. “Child of the Storm, get up. Danger is still at hand. You can still save this child today.”

The power of divine words caused the Paladin's eyes snapped open with excitement and she sat up hoping to catch just a glimpse of the majesty of Audrashni. Instead a dazed and confused Philippa stood over Divina. With disappointment the holy warrior gripped the girl’s shoulders and stared, looking for her chance to see for herself. The holy tempest, that several seconds ago had encompassed the girl completely, appeared to have washed some of the blood and grime from her face and hair. She searched for a sign but there was barely anything left of the event. For a moment Divina was sure that she saw the remnants of the shining face of the goddess gently reflected in the young girl’s own. And then there was nothing. 

The two looked at each other, not really sure of what had happened, or where the demon, Askathstral, had gone. The wordless moment was broken as a flaming beam of lumber crashed down upon the defiled altar, breaking its stone surface in two. Divina looked around at the destruction. and shook herself from her stupor. Mental alarm bells rang and adrenaline flowed through her veins, as she saw that the sanctuary had become filled with smoke and flame. The blaze grew quickly, consuming everything.

“I think this place is about to come down.” Divina said, filling her voice with what little authority she could muster. “Maybe we should leave?”

Philippa nodded in agreement and tried to help the Paladin up from the pile of dead flesh. Wincing, Divina cradled her broken arm and the two of them limped away from the uncontrolled blaze, and back into the darkened town square.