See How She Awakens (The Chronicles of Izzy #4)(40)

“What do you mean?” Brutus, the dense moron, shouted.

“This body can be used to fulfill your plan,” the darkness replied. “Where other Seers have failed, this one will not. Her soul is strong; it will withstand the change.”

They would sacrifice me, change me into one of those creatures. I would be trapped inside, unable to stop myself from acting. Panic surged forth, allowing me to gain some ground against the darkness. I had to fight. Maybe I’d been led into this trap, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t do something about it. The cost of my failure was too high. It wasn’t a price I was willing to pay.

Don’t fight me, you will not win, the darkness echoed.

Calming myself, I sought the place where I ended and the darkness began.

One word played over and over again in my mind. Love.

Love couldn’t save me. I remembered love; I still felt love, yet the darkness still remained in control. Love wasn’t enough. Not the memory of it, not the reality of those I loved waiting to come through, none of it mattered. Sonneillon’s grasp was too strong. Love was not enough.

“Prove yourself.” Damali’s even voice caught our attention. Strange that I could feel both the darkness’s reaction and mine simultaneously.

“You dare test me, Seer?” The darkness roared, red flames flickered across my arms as the fury rose.

“If you are, as you say, true darkness, this will just be a demonstration of your power. Surely you wouldn’t deny us this?” I had to give her props, she sure knew her way around psychos.

“I accept,” the darkness replied, the flames receding.

“Eric, be a dear and grab one of the remaining Seers.” Damali flicked her hand in the air as if she’d asked him to grab a cup of tea instead of a living being.

Moments ticked by as we waited. I pulled at the darkness, struggling to find a foothold, to no avail. The darkness pushed back. The endless game of tug of war raged on as everyone else stood unaware.

Screams echoed through the hall as the Seer was brought to the office. Eric entered, pulling a Seer by the hair behind him. As they entered the room, he tossed her to the ground at my feet. Her eyes looked up into mine.

“Please have mercy upon me,” she begged. I knew this Seer. She’d been here when I had taken control. She looked at me as if I were her salvation, but I was just the opposite.

“Mercy?” the darkness laughed, causing her to curl in on herself. “What is this creature doing here? What sort of test do you propose?”

“You say you are darkness. If that is true, then you have the ability to spread that darkness to those around you.” Damali strode forward, staring into my eyes. “Anoint her in darkness.”

“NO! Please no!” the Seer begged.

My hand shook. I couldn’t let this happen. This Seer would just be the first. If I allowed this to happen, everything would change. I’d lose myself forever.

“You will do this.” Damali’s voice reminded me of the vision. This was the moment. I wouldn’t let this Seer die because of me.

The fire began to build inside of me as I expanded outward. I would protect her, this poor woman that had been caught in the middle of a battle she never should’ve been a part of. The heavens had abandoned her, the Council had been tainted, and the world spun on, ignorant of what was coming its way. In this moment, I was all that stood between her and the fall of darkness.

The fire grew, the blue flames expanding outward. The darkness slipped.

“NO!” the darkness wailed, my head thrown back in agony as I ripped myself apart, letting the fire consume every bit of me. I’d felt this once before. The battle played out in my mind anew. The demon had ripped the man I loved to shreds. He wouldn’t harm another soul. Never again.

Time stopped around me. Dust motes froze in their airy dance as time coalesced. An audible snap sounded as the darkness lost control.

“Run!” I shouted to the Seer at my feet. “Run, and don’t look back.” Reflected in her eyes I could see I was no longer even remotely human. I stood, a pillar of flame, my eyes glowed white, no pupil to be seen. Aberto’s markings stood out in the flames a dark pulsing blue. All that remained of my humanity was gone. She froze for a moment before racing to the door.

Eric moved to stop her, only to be met with resistance. Somehow, he’d been frozen in place. I wondered if those that had come with me were there helping. Confusion was quickly replaced by rage as he fought against the invisible force holding him in place.

“Abomination. I should’ve known it was a lie,” Damali spat.

“It was no lie.” My voice sounded strange, a distant whisper. “I am the darkness.” The darkness roiled within me, begging to be let loose, but it would never have control again. It was locked away deep within me, a steel trap with no opening.

“You are no darkness!” Brutus shouted.

“Aren’t I?” I tilted my head, looking at him. If this had been a year ago, I would’ve had mercy on them. I would’ve exiled them, sent them away. Now, I knew the truth. The only thing standing between total darkness and the future of humanity was us. The heavens fought their own battles. They’d set us up with impossible rules, rules which kept us from ever truly ridding the world of darkness. An eternal game of chess being played out with generation after generation of Seers and Guardians.