Braving the Elements (Darkness #2)(40)

I struggled to sit, puffing through burnt lungs to do it. “That was a helluva punch with magic.” I wheezed at a pacing, billowing-caped moron. “You have to show me how you did it one of these days.”

He faced me, those pale eyes looking like a blue shirt after it had been bleached. “It takes much more power than a feeble, human red.” His smile turned predatory. “But I will give you another demonstration after the Dulcha has had its feed.”

“Oh good; how exciting.”

*****

Stefan stood, bewildered, in the middle of a battle, in the middle of one room of three. He should be standing next to Sasha. He felt like he stood next to Sasha. Yet, each of the three rooms was largely bare, holding nothing more than seats and tables.

If he couldn’t feel Sasha, he would’ve thought he’d landed in a trap.

“What next, boss, no one is here!” Charles yelled, twirling between a one-armed man and a Dulcha with curved magical horns spraying something similar to acid. The beast took down as many of its own men as his. Maybe more so.

“She should be here,” Stefan shouted, stepping toward an oncoming man with a glowing purple sword. Stefan met the man’s sword with his own, snapping it in two, then stabbing the body attached to it. “C’mon love, give me a sign.”

*****

The shape blurred as it approached, my brain attempting to blackout in an attempt to escape any more pain. I felt Stefan on top of me, which must mean I was below level. Hence, the cape crusader’s assurance he wouldn’t find us. So, basically, I had to blow shit up to make some noise.

Luckily, that was one of my specialties. Unluckily, I couldn’t reach my damn magic.

A spiked demon came into view. Cross a porcupine with a bull, and you might have it. Worse, glowing red eyes and steam or smoke from its nostrils. The stupid thing was packing power.

My chest warmed as it neared—that special magic elixir these things had, calling to me as usual, but unable to fully affect me with the magic block. It hesitated near my head, turning back to, apparently, its master, the White Mage.

“You make those things, then, huh?” I asked casually, not wanting to hear the answer, but needing to if I ever wanted to beat this clown.

He preened. “Very few in the world can. I’ve mastered the art.”

“Well, whoop-de-doo.”

Getting the nod, the spiky creature approached me, glowing eyes staring down. “Join me,” it rasped.

“Don’t want to,” I muttered back, preparing for something awful, though I wasn’t sure what.

“What did you say?” the White Mage asked, cocking his head and clutching the corner of his cape.

I didn’t get a chance to answer. The block ripped away, the creatures mind trying to attach to mine at the same minute.

This was my chance. I sucked in with all my ability, the sweet rush of pure magic filling me to the brim. The warning spikes prickled my skin just as the demon tried to grasp ahold of my lifeblood.

Usually, I’d settle for red power level, like this cursed monster, just to keep things in check. I couldn’t do that now and live. I had to rise above the White Mage in power, because he could beat the hell out of me in actual knowledge.

My palm struck out, the spell to encase the monster in a protective box in my mind. I’d always blown things up when I did this; I figured I’d continue on that road now. A dose of pure black shot out of my palm, eating the dim light as it coalesced around the demon, encasing the monster like it was supposed to.

Except I’d been trying to blow it up.

“Damn it!” I yelled. “Now it works? What the hell?”

“Not possible,” Trek breathed.

“It is true, then—I hadn’t been sure,” Andris murmured.

My lower cheeks tingled.

I dove to the side, narrowly missing Andris’s grab, willing strength into my shaking body.

Let’s try that again.

Using red this time, I did the same spell; only this time, got the desired result. Not only that, but it fed off the magic already there like kerosene.

BOOM!

Small cracks worked through the ceiling. A huge hole developed in the ground.

“It’s not possible!” Trek screamed.

“Myth my ass, you egotistical jerk!” I yelled back, rolling against the wall and feeling for earth and fire. Letting loose some previously failed attempts at charms and spells, I blasted red in every direction, feeling out the earth in the land around the basement we occupied. Sure enough, five plants burst through the walls, huge and angry, cement and wood crumbling inward. Vines and giant green leaves, clutching like hands with no fingers, reached.

“What the—“ Andris cut off, wide eyed at the monstrous plants.

Every eye in that room, that wasn’t occupied with a green thing, turned to me. Yup, the freak had arrived, and even though she didn’t have a clue as to what she was doing, she still managed to blow shit up!

“I’ve got more!” I yelled, summoning back the black. Mayhem was the name of the game until Stefan could get in here and figure a way out.

I threw my palm out, aiming at two men running at me with swords, and tried to fling them backwards. Instead, they gagged, waving their arms in front of their faces like it smelled bad, but kept coming.

“Damn it!” I said again. Why were the spells working now when before they always went haywire?