The lich had once been a relentless force, its regeneration seemingly endless as long as it remained within the boundaries of the ancient temple that housed it. The sacred energy of that place had acted as its lifeblood, enabling the skeletal creature to recover from wounds that kept destroying its skeleton.
But now it was far from the temple's hallowed ground, and the reservoir from its core had dried up.
Baines now stood calmly before it, one hand buried deep in the lich's cracked skull. His expression was unreadable, but his silence spoke volumes. He could feel the last of the creature's life essence ebbing away. A simple twist, a bit of pressure, and he could have ended it all.
But he didn't.
Instead of ripping the corrupted eye from its socket, he chose something else entirely.
Shaaaaaa…
Like a waterfall flowing in reverse, his heart core split opened.
