Page 121 of Live Like Legends

He threw his hand out, black and red magic shaped like a web shot out. I glanced over my shoulder to see it slam right into Nick, sending him backwards. Natalia rubbed the back of her neck as she ran past me to aid him.

The feeling of so much light mixed with my freed shadows feltgood. It felt like so much power that I didn’t know what to do with. Dimitri tried to get up to his feet, but I stopped him, raising my knee swiftly and connecting it under his chin. He went flying backwards with a grunt. I didn’t notice how dirty and ripped my dress was when I ran up to him, placing my foot at his chest. I let my own shadows grow from the ground and wrap around his wrists and throat. They shined with light as the other half of my power threatened to burn him like nothing he’d ever felt.

“I think you‘ve always underestimated me,” I said, moving my hand towards the shadow demons and guards, letting shadows of my own form into fighters just like them. They grabbed them and began tearing through their chests, slaughtering them. The sky crackled with lightning but the only storm that was brewing was the one inside of myself.

I straddled Dimitri, letting my eyes go black and light simmer at my fingertips. “You think I’m soweaknow?” I grazed my hand up his chest and felt the way his heart thumped.

Light struck down from the sky and singed a tree. Another hit the ground, burning through a patch of grass. Shadows whirled around the tree branches and the winds felt rough, pieces of the broken benches being thrown around.

“Am I everything you everimagined, Dimitri?” I let a maniacal smile form on my face and I let my mix of powers form in my hand before I slammed my fist into his arm, right at his shoulder. His face was back to his normal look, giving me the chance to see how his lips pressed together as if he was holding in a scream. I pulled my arm back to see his arm severed from his body. “Have you hadenough?” I asked, not waiting for an answer. I pressed my hand to his throat and squeezed so hard, I swore I heard something crack and it made my chest swell with pride.

Light started to come down harder, almost like a rain shower. The shadow demons that I had created started to morph and contort into things from nightmares.

“Dani!” I heard Elise. “Dani, stop whatever it is you’re doing!” I hissed at her complaints, seeing that my shadows were charging at her. They were charging atallof them.

They could handle themselves. I had something to do at the moment and he deserved all my attention. That was what he always wanted, wasn’t it?

Zane’s booming voice sounded around me. “Maurice, use your power!” The large Enchanter hustled over to Beetee, tenderly turning her body over.

It was like I could feel Maurice hesitate before he considered blasting his high executive magic at me. The magic came my way, but I quickly constructed a shield over myself. It was housed in my own magic of light and dark. The way the two worked together and fashioned themselves as one was astonishing. There was rumbling on the other side and I felt like something was banging against it.

Axel kept ramming himself into my shield over and over, clawing at the darkened dome I was settled in. He opened his mouth to let fire erupt over my shield, but to no avail. My shadow demons came to subdue him but he wouldn’t relent. I saw Enchanter magic try to push through, a cascade of colorful sparks trying to penetrate.

I focused back on Dimitri, pressing my fingers into his chest. He winced but let out a half-hearted chuckle. “Even without me, you are going to destroy everything. You are a beautiful monster.”

I reared my head back, while I let my fingers burn into his chest, digging inside. He opened his mouth to scream but my shadows snaked around and flew down his throat, choking him.I missed the ease of removing souls like I used to, but this would do. Blood spurted from his chest as I dug deeper.

I leaned in, whispering, “I want to know if you have a heart after all.”

The inside of his chest felt warm as I searched around. The beating organ felt foreign in my hands, since I had always assumed Dimitri was damn near hollow on the inside. I pulled it out, letting my shadows flow deeper into his throat and watched as his eyes rolled back into his head. I let light move out of my other hand into the open space in his chest, burning him.

I held his heart out in front of me and his words wrapped around me like a vice.

You are a beautiful monster

I blinked, pushing away from his body.

I remembered back to what Daya had said when this whole thing had all started.

The energy in the hybrids was always fighting with itself, never knowing which one was more in charge, so when it was time for their powers to release, it could be a massacre.

I wasn't fighting with myself, Iknewwhat I was. I understood my balance of power. Light showers hit my shield and I heard the grunts and huffs of fighting on the outside.

I shook my head, holding Dimitri’s heart tight in my grip. Nick’s voice fought its way to the forefront of my mind.

You aren’t the villain in this story, remember that.

My own thoughts fought against it.

I couldn’t even be my own hero, Nick!

I don’t want to be weak; I can’t. That’s not who I am!

I held my chest, dropping Dimitri’s heart. Nick’s voice forced its way in one more time.

Oh, baby, you are something to be afraid of. You are something to admire.

I shuddered feeling all the power I’d let loose reel itself back in. The shield I’d conjured disappeared and I saw what losing myself to so much power had done. I motioned towards my raging shadow demons and they dissolved as if they were never there in the first place. I could be something to be afraid of but I didn’t have to ruin the realm around me to do it.

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