Chapter Fifty-three: Scorching Shade

Many of the ladies gasped when the sunlight disappeared. The sky grew dark with thunderclouds, and violet lightning shot across it. Everyone stared at the deteriorating sky.

"Take shelter! Follow Mil!" Jopp declared as she led them into the Penny Lee Fort. "Chichi! Thorn! Tell your damn dragons to the watch the western boundary. Shadow riders to the east!"

"What's going on?" I asked. The pain of the lashes still lingered, but it wasn't as strong as before. I stayed on my feet with a cane, but I could feel my chest tightening.

"Tark, get inside!" Jopp ordered.

I furrowed my brows as I thought Jopp was going to fight whatever it was alone. I didn't want to burden him, and yet, my body shook with exhaustion.

"I'm not letting you fight alone!" I contested.

"Tark! You damn idiot!" Jopp growled. "Get inside!" He cast a barrier that shimmered green, while Thorn made a blue barrier. Chichi joined them with a yellow barrier, while Sketta's was red. Mil added hers last, a violet barrier. Despite their efforts, a single energy pulse from the shadow in the sky dissipated their barriers. A second pulse decimated the forest and crushed the fort and its surrounding buildings. My heart burned with rage as I stared at the destruction. Jopp was wincing in pain. His forest and our people were in danger of being destroyed.

I clenched my fists and glared at the shadowy figure taking shape in the sky. Swirls of shadows encircled the creature in the center. I never thought the world would come to this, but the crimson moon shimmered like a drop of fresh blood. I bit my finger, and my blood was black as a demon's. With everyone's life at stake, I had to do something. I hadn't accepted the darkness lurking within me. I realized it was a part of me, now. Chichi's words about eating my adversary felt like it was inevitable.

The creature emerged from the shadow portal, its leathery wings flapping in the sky, blotting out the crimson moon. Tornadoes erupted from its howls that chilled the air. Sharp ice crystals pummeled the land, gouging deep holes in the fields. I closed my eyes as I sensed its life core, pulsing in its muscular chest. It hissed as it honed its focus on me, baring long fangs. Its bloodshot eyes turned to slits like a cat locking onto its prey.

Jopp attacked its limbs with golden vines that shocked it, but the creature seemed immune. It ripped the vines into pieces before roaring at us.

Rif attacked it with the Dozen, but the spells bounced off.

I had to do this for them. It was the only way.

"Keep it busy," I told them. "We can do this."

Jopp seemed unsure as I flew towards the creature, out of its sight.

Chichi was the first to lead the charge. She slashed her greatsword at it with Thorn's wind spells that kept her feet in the air. Golir yelled as he rode on a trekker's back. The mace whipped towards the shadow creature. Sketta followed suit with her shortswords. Mayzel and Noforl used their feathered wings and distracted the shadow creature. Its leathery wings almost knocked them out of the sky. As I approached from behind, Jopp's golden vines wrapped around its head, sealing its mouth shut. More vines snagged its limbs, and the weapons barely scathed its wispy flesh. I grasped onto its neck and felt its powerful energy surge through me. A vicious growl erupted from my throat, an inhuman urge to consume it filled my thoughts. My chest burned as the bark opened to reveal my hungry heart. The creature's neck cracked beneath me, and its black blood spurted from the ruptured flesh, covering my body with its cold essence. My body felt alive, as if I had succeeded in an ancient hunt that saved countless lives. The more I absorbed, the more I craved this creature's fearful power. Once its body vanished beneath me, I floated and bathed in the warm sunlight.

"Tark!" Jopp called. "Get down from there, will you?!"

I opened my eyes and noticed Mayzel and Noforl were hovering before me.

Mayzel gulped before she spoke. "Tark, how did you . . . ?"

Noforl grinned as he held my shoulder. "That was amazing, Tark!"

"He just absorbed a master of the shadow plane like it was breakfast," Mayzel blurted. "Tark, what are you?"

"I'm less hungry," I replied.

Noforl roared with laughter. "That's our Tark!"

His laughter brought a much needed smile to my face.

When we landed, Jopp didn't seem happy at all. The red swirls on his arms had grown larger, and green blood dripped to the ground from his hands.

"Jopp, you don't look good," I told him. "Are you all right?"

"She didn't make it, Tark."

The words hit me hard. "Who?" Chichi and Sketta were nearby. It couldn't be them.

"Mil's gone," Jopp uttered. His dark eyes seemed lost as he crashed to his knees.

I had brought Gabby back to life, why not Mil? I rushed to the fort, pushing past the women until I reached her.

She wasn't breathing, and her body was battered from the attack. I held her close as I healed her wounds and pressed my forehead to hers.

"Mil?" I asked. "Are you still in there?"

Gabby had been easy to revive, for she was a part of Noforl's demonic essence that had joined me. Mil didn't have any such connection, but she was a part of Jopp's essence. I ran with Mil in my arms to where Jopp was grieving, but he didn't believe she could be saved. I rested Mil beside him and punched his jaw to get him angry.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" he blasted.

"Listen to her!" I shouted. "She isn't completely gone! She has a chance! Stop thinking of Alaris! This is Mil! Golir and Rif's-"

Rif seemed heartbroken as he held Mil in his arms. Golir didn't approach, but his eyes were livid.

"Can you hear her, Rif? Golir?" I queried.

Rif sniffled as he wiped his tears, and he shook his head. Golir gulped and shook his head as well.

Jopp worked his jaw as we stood there, unable to find Mil to bring her back.