Mass Death

Should all other ways of dealing with the caster's foe fail, if the party is surrounded by enemies ready to strike them down, then - and only then - should Mass Death be used. Once cast, it leeches on the life force of the caster and their companions, to create a literal wave of death. The end result is as amazing as it is horrible. All the foes in sight are instantly slaughtered.

The huge dangers involved in this spell should be a warning, since it could easily cause the caster's death if already weakened!

Trivia

 * Balthan, in Lynn Abbey's Ultima Saga, illuminates scrolls for the wizard Felespar. The ones he was working on when Blackthorn kidnapped the councilman were Eighth Circle magic, including spells that can "slay a man wherever he stood".
 * In game mechanics, the spell reduces the hit points of the party members to a minimum, the screen turns red for 1-2 seconds, then all foes die. During these seconds, the party is therefore left almost defenseless.