As part of the action used to cast this spell, you must make a melee attack with a weapon against one creature within the spell's range, otherwise the spell fails. On a hit, the target suffers the attack's normal effects, and it becomes marked by radiant energy, until the start of your next turn. If the target attacks the caster while they are marked, it immediately takes 1d8 radiant damage, and the spell ends.

This spell's damage increases when you reach higher levels. At 5th level, the melee attack deals an extra 1d8 radiant damage to the target, and the damage the target takes attacking the caster increases to 2d8. Both damage rolls increase by 1d8 at 11th level and 17th level.