Page 22 of Taming Darkness

I shake my head, reminding myself there is something more important to focus on, and quickly put on my bra. Then, I reach for my shirt, about to pull it over my black bra before looking at the fabric.

Once again, before the thought registers, my body reacts as my wings shoot out strong. The power behind the sudden action is great, sending nearly every object close by flying to the sides.

I gasp in amazement. My wings feel heavy and look hard as steel. However, they are no longer the same either, something has changed. I’ve changed. We all have.

Ryze caws, and the sound makes me twist, dropping the shirt as my eyes zero in on the open window. I don’t have to think or voice my intentions when my wings close around me. My body bolts forward on instinct as I torpedo out of the window right before the wings open.

The feeling is indescribable. My wings are strong and powerful, effortlessly hovering my body in the air.

Spark screeches high above me before shooting down in my direction. I glance over my shoulder just when Ryze zips out of the window from which I just came flying out of.

My wings beat a few powerful flaps, thrusting me higher when Spark's massive body swoops beneath me and up. My legs open as I drop onto his back. I don’t have to think or plan anything. Spark is connected to me, he knows me, and his power perfectly complements mine. There is no better and trustworthy ally than him.

“Take me to them,” I tell Spark, brushing my fingers through his feathers. Feeling him under my weight, under my palms, calms me. Just a little, but for a moment, I feel a suspended sense of peace, as if everything will be alright.

The loud, deafening screech that leaves Spark shatters my short, momentary trance. My Phoenixes mimic the same call as my army heads for the city.

As I watch my Phoenixes fly ahead, one thing becomes abundantly clear. We are a force to be reckoned with and tonight there will be a reckoning. The power hunters are about to see true power.

Chapter11

~Tobias~

The crater in the middle of the city is huge. It looks like a giant sinkhole that has swallowed a sizable chunk of the street. It is filled with rubble and debris. I can see the remains of buildings and busted cars scattered around and in the crater. It's clear that whoever caused it is incredibly powerful. Backing up, I run toward it and jump. Sailing through the air, my eyes glued to the power hunter's closest. I land heavily on the other side in a crouched position, and I must say that is definitely the furthest I have jumped. My weight leaves an imprint of my shoes on the dirt.

After hitting the ground, I get to my feet. It is carnage everywhere, magic flying past and blasting buildings, destroying anything it touches. Darius is fighting for his life as they move in closer, trying to drain him of his magic. A few of the hunters glance away from him, noticing me coming up behind them. The rest of them don’t pay me any attention, as if I am no threat. However, eventually two of them turn in my direction, and instantly notice me, they run at me, hurling lightning balls as they do. Ducking, they hit the crater, and I snarl. My body burns with a surge of energy. I focus on the power hunters. My mind is clear and focused. Raising my hands, my magic runs from my chest and along my arms. This sends a wave of fire toward them, distracting them away from Darius and giving him a chance to recover and recoup.

What they don’t know is that the way they scoff at me only lights up the fire inside me more. Their indifference adds fuel to my anger, setting off a violent inferno of flames, ready to break free and turn everything into ashes.

They are underestimating me, and I won’t let that pass unpunished. I would be damned if I ever allowed those fools to believe they were better than me, that I was no match for them. They are mistaken.

The power hunter on my left points at me, and a spiral of fire shoots out of their outstretched hands. They can’t believe I didn’t see this coming.

Although many might get scared by the sudden attack, it is nothing compared to the fire that rages through me. There's no way I am willing to let this happen their way.

All of them were going to be stopped. One by one, until there were no more power hunters left.

They have no idea what’s coming for them. In the process of initiating war, they don't realize that their egos had already dug their graves for themselves long before they decided to start it.

The power hunters might have had the advantage of the masses, but they forgot a very vital detail—Darius wasn’t trapped here with them. It is the other way around; they are trapped here with Darius. The shield they have placed around the city will prove to be their downfall. Only fools lock themselves in a cage with a predator.

They had the misfortune of being inside with Darius. He is about to rip them apart one by one. And judging by the crazed frenzied madness I feel writhing through him, he intends to do just that.

In an ambush across the crater, Kalen quickly puts up a shield as I dodge a fireball from my left side. Worry eats me, but I'm soon distracted when I am attacked. I have to trust he'll be okay.

Flames suddenly engulf me, and I look down at my burning shirt and then at the hunter that caused them. He then blasts me again. “This was one of my only unstained shirts, you fucker!” I snarl at him. As my flames surge out, the hunter's weaker ones are absorbed. “Like this,” I instruct, holding my hand out in mockery of their attack.

My flames pour out and cover the hunter, bathing him in a blanket of raging fire from which he can’t escape. The hunter screams in agony as the fire envelops him, his body writhing and contorting in pain. His skin blisters and chars as the fire consumes him, and his clothes quickly catch alight and turn to ash in seconds.

He desperately attempts to extinguish the flames, flailing his arms and rolling on the ground, but his efforts are futile. Within minutes, all that remains is a charred corpse smoldering in the flames.

I pry my eyes away from the hunter and glance over my shoulder to check on Kalen. However, he flashes out of my view as he tries to find another way across.

Another group of hunters approaches me, but the flames aren’t the only thing they are bringing this time. Tendrils of lightning flit through the group, and cold, heartless eyes glitter at me from more than one face.

I suppose the rest of them finally noticed me and decided to bring in the big guns. And to think all it took was to burn one of their friends.

While the hunters approach me at a slow but threatening pace, I quickly scan my surroundings to assess the threat.

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