Page 204 of Barbi and the Villain

My eyes flare in panic. Good Lord, they must be in such distress to behave like this that it breaks my heart.

I need to end this quickly.

Extending my arms to my side, I focus on my energy, morphing it into two boomerangs.

Another loud noise breaks my concentration as the creature dashes toward me.

It’s over eight feet tall, and every time it steps onto the ground, a quake ensues. His steps are powerful and merciless.

Seeing as how the creature is following me, I run farther away from the lighthouse, using one boomerang to probe at its dark surface. But my boomerang doesn’t even make contact with the creature. As it flies toward it, it seemingly melts into its dark body. At the same time, a sickening sensation overtakes me. The creature swallows my energy. Despite not hurting me physically, a stain forms in my soul—similar to what had happened when I’d confronted Baine’s demon.

I bite my lip in uncertainty. If I can’t strike the creature, then what can I do?

My eyes move across the field, and I spot the soldiers’ formation. They are still chanting together. Above the triangle, the dark surface from which the creature had been born is continuously shifting and morphing. There are waves on its surface as they channel more energy and infuse it into the creature.

If I can’t cause any damage to the creature, then maybe hitting the formation might help.

As I run from the creature, I take a deep breath, willing my powers to obey me for once. Using the boomerang I have left, I throw it toward the creature. But instead of willing my weapon to hit it, I command it to circle him.

The creature might be huge, but it’s quite slow.

As the boomerang flies around its frame, it struggles to catch it in his humongous hands. I maintain my focus, willing the boomerang to do a few spins around the creature and distract it long enough so I can plan my attack on the soldiers.

Just as the creature reaches for the boomerang again, seemingly capturing it in its dark fist, my weapon dips low, barely escaping the creature’s grasp. My eyes are on the boomerang as I use my hands to dictate its next movements. Flying low around the creature, I command it to slip between its legs and head for the soldiers at maximum speed.

By the time the creature tries to grab the boomerang again, it’s already on its way to the formation.

This is it.

I inhale deeply, keeping my focus sharp.

The boomerang flies with increased speed, aiming straight for the head of the triangular formation.

The soldiers recognize the incoming attack, but as the creature turns around to protect them, it’s too late. The boomerang hits the first man, cutting through his flesh until his torso becomes separated from his lower body.

“Yes,” I whisper. “Go on.”

It doesn’t stop at the first man. It flies farther within the formation, injuring a few more. Unfortunately, the momentum dies, and before the creature can swallow my energy up, I absorb it back into my shield.

The formation wobbles as the soldiers hurry to resume a triangular shape without the man who died. The injured ones are still alive, the wounds minor. Yet there is one sign that tells me to continue.

As soon as the formation shrinks, the creature does too. It becomes smaller by almost a head.

My eyes widen, and hope blossoms in my chest.

It will be impossible to deal with the creature directly, so I will have to attack the soldiers instead. But now that they’ve seen my strategy, they command their creature to stick by their side to protect them. Instead of taking the offensive, now the creature is on the defensive. And with it eating up my energy every time it swallows it up, I can’t afford to waste my attacks.

The chants of the formation change, and the creature places its hands together, weaving some of its darkness into a ball of energy that it shoots my way. Different from the first time, though, this one chases me around, hitting my shield time and time again until cracks appear over the surface.

What…

My eyes widen in shock, and one second of inattention is enough to give the creature an advantage. I’m flung backward, and as I land on the ground, my shield shatters around me. Shards of pinkish colored glass are strewn all around me, a physical manifestation of my weakness.

Bringing my hand to my nose, I wipe away drops of blood that drip down my mouth and chin.

I’m breathing hard.

My body hurts, both from the impact and from the energy I used up.

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