Page 10 of The Misfit Mage and His Devilish Desires

Corson held up his hands, summoning black flames between his palms.

Without an ounce of hesitation, I traced a protective sigil in the air with my fingertips. I poured mana into a written incantation, preparing to summon a barrier that’d absorb even the strongest Diabolic elements unleashed. Usually, their essence rained down with such tremendous superiority against magics, nature, and technology there was no way to compete. And while I didn’t have much control over the essence bound to my being, all the experience I had with Bez, plus my love for experiments, allowed me to find innovative new spellcasting combinations to redirect, deflect, or counter Diabolic abilities.

“What’s your damn problem?” Corson roared, loud and visceral, as he ground his teeth.

Between his fury and the flames he conjured falling to the floor, I panicked and stepped back. That was when I realized it didn’t matter how quickly my brain had reacted, how swiftly I’d channeled mana or written the incantation because my Diabolic essence had reacted faster. Pure instinct took over—which Bez would undoubtedly rub in my face—and my tail had sprung out, piercing through Corson’s wrists and nullifying the threat of his attack.

I gulped.

Not the entire threat. My anxiety surged as the black flames flickered and fluttered to the floor. They were Diabolic made, which potentially meant only a few embers were required to set the entire store ablaze.

“Not happening,” I muttered.

I didn’t even need to formulate a plan because the sharp tingle beneath my shoulder blades indicated the instinctual summoning of my black cherub-sized wings. Another Diabolic feature that moved of its own accord for my needs. Each flap carried a dark gust of smothering wind that devoured the oxygen and magic the flames Corson had manifested.

“This would be more helpful if it wasn’t so unintentional.” I huffed as my devil essence performed feats and techniques I couldn’t muster despite my best efforts.

“Are you seriously trying to fight me?”

“Are you seriously trying to challenge a devil?” I swallowed my trepidation, shifting my stance in the process and attempting to look badass.

But I scrunched my face, worrying the creak in my voice when I spoke hadn’t sold the confidence bit. I mean, he knew I wasn’t an actual devil, so what was stopping him from calling me out for the incompetent little mage who cried Diabolic.

“Fuck it, you wanna go, let’s go.” Corson gestured, arms wide, flames exploding from his palms. “Even if you get lucky and kill me again, at least I can tell Lilith what a fucking fool she was for—”

My tail zipped ahead and sliced off Corson’s left hand. As it fell to the floor, my essence devoured the fire and continued lunging toward the demon who’d dared to face a mage coursing with the power of a devil in his veins.

“I’m so sick of you.” Corson roared, unveiling six powder blue scaled wings. Each flap carried a subtle black gust. Hot, dry wind whirled until flickers of embers mixed and sparked and set the entire store on fire.

“Motherfucker!”

“As if I’d ever bed my shrew of a mother.”

Ignoring his nonsense, I focused on flames and traced a dozen different incantations meant to shield artifacts and suppress Diabolic elements. Instead, black lightning zapped and snapped from my fingertips. It zipped throughout the store like a thousand hungry serpents. Each bolt tackled fire, surged and coiled around the flames, and then consumed the demon’s magic in a way only a devil truly could.

“You made a seriously grave error attacking me.” I studied my essence circle and devoured Corson’s continued futile casting. I only wish I were more involved in my own defense. I muttered techniques my body adapted to instantly without my input and made a mental note to actively learn how to do that.

Corson ignored my mutterings and continued destroying my store in an attempt to strike me. This wasn’t gonna work. I couldn’t allow him to trash the Well of Wonders. And as the thought swirled in my mind, the devil essence lunged ahead, knocking the demon through the door and leading us into a battle outside.

Too bad none of it was my doing, my knowledge. Nope.

Seriously, even with the power belonging to me, I’d still somehow become a damsel forced to rely on my devilish abilities. They acted on instinct—instinct that merely required me to stare in awe. I didn’t have to participate a bit in my own survival.

I still had so much to learn, which, at the very least, I could study during this fight. If one could call it that.

4

Bez

I lunged from the Diabolic threads laced throughout the Oasis. When a demon or devil covered an area in their essence, it allowed them to control the territory in a subtle manner, establishing a foothold for their dominion. These invisible webs of essence weren’t mine, so much as Mora’s, but I darted inside them for the fast travel it offered, instantaneously returning to the Well of Wonders where Wally clashed outside with some blue-skinned demon whose heart I ripped out of his chest immediately upon my arrival.

“Son of a bitch,” the foul demon shouted. “Again? Is that your fucking go-to move? Taking hearts?”

“I am quite charming.” I grinned, then took a bite out of the still-beating organ.

It sparked a memory. I recognized this essence from when I first encountered the demon, devouring him alongside Mora. Back when that fool Eligos sought to slay me and use thetrace amounts of Beelzebub’s essence entwined with mine to challenge the devils in their own Hell domains.

“Fun.” I tightened my gaze, locking eyes with this audacious prick. “Guess I won’t have to share my snack this time.”

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