Chapter 29

The hellhound closed the distance between us, its massive paws thudding against the stone floor of the Archive. Saliva dripped from its jagged fangs, and its eyes glowed with a hungry light. The air around us seemed to grow hotter, oppressive with the stench of sulfur and burning flesh.

Justice unleashed his sword, the rasp of metal against the scabbard ringing out in the sudden stillness. His body was tense, coiled like a snake ready to strike.

I knew even Justice's skill and strength would be no match for the hellhound's savage power. We needed another way out, and fast.

I clutched his arm, my fingers digging into his skin. "No," I told him, my voice tight with urgency. "I can get us out of here. Grab Garrick."

Justice glanced at me, doubt and fear warring in his eyes.

"Trust me," I whispered, briefly holding his gaze before my attention snapped back to the hellhound, to the imminent death bearing down on us.

Justice moved swiftly, snagging Garrick from the chair and hauling him to his feet. Garrick's eyes flew open, his face paling to a sickly gray as he took in the sight of the hellhound.

My heart hammered, and my blood roared in my ears. I gripped the mirror tightly, feeling its power thrumming through my veins. As I raised it, turning its gleaming surface toward the wall, I sent a silent, desperate prayer to whatever forces had guided me in the realm beyond.

Please, let this work.

A blinding white light erupted from the mirror, engulfing us in its radiance. It felt warm, tingling against my skin as it formed a bubble around us, a shimmering shield of pure energy.

The hellhound leaped, its jaws snapping mere inches from my face. I felt the heat of its breath, the brush of its fur against the luminous barrier.

It was too late. With a flash and a whoosh, the bubble contracted around us, then exploded outwards, catapulting us from the Archive and into the cool, blessed air of the outside world.

We landed in a tangled heap on the grass, gasping and shaking. The mirror was still clutched in my hand, its surface now cool and quiescent.

I looked up at the edifice of the Archive of Shadows. Its dark windows stared down at us like accusing eyes. Somewhere inside, the hellhound still prowled, robbed of its prey.

For now, we were safe. The mirror had saved us like the voice had promised.

I turned to Justice and Garrick. We had escaped, but I knew this was only the beginning.

The Demons of Pride were still out there waiting for us. It was up to me, with the power of the mirror and the strength of my companions, to face them and banish them back to hell.

I thought the Grimoire would be waiting for us, but the creature was gone.

Then, a loud, angry growl echoed inside the library, drawing closer.

I aimed the mirror at the veil, my heart pounding with anticipation. As the seconds ticked by and nothing happened, a cold, sinking feeling settled in my gut. The veil remained stubbornly closed, a mocking barrier between us and safety.

"Untie me, you fools, so I can open the portal," Garrick yelled.

Behind us, the pounding footsteps grew louder, closer. There was no doubt in my mind the hellhound had escaped the library and was barreling toward us with all the fury of the underworld.

I whirled toward Justice, my voice cracking like a whip in the tense air. "Untie him before the hellhound reaches us!"

Justice flinched at my tone. I thought he might argue, might refuse to free the man who had caused us so much turmoil. Then, with a low grumble, he knelt and began working at Garrick's bindings.

Garrick rubbed his chafed wrists, a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes. He raised his palm, his lips moving in a silent incantation as a dark, monstrous shape rounded the corner of the library, hurtling toward us with terrifying speed.

I swallowed hard. We were out of time, out of options. I raised the mirror once more, facing it toward the hellhound, praying whatever power it held would be enough.

The beast yelped as if struck by an invisible force. At the same moment, the veil shimmered and parted, revealing a swirling portal of mist and shadow.

"Go!" I screamed, grabbing Justice's hand and pulling him toward the opening. Garrick was beside us, pale but determined.

We stumbled through the veil, the chill of the mist biting at our skin. Yet as the portal closed behind us, we found ourselves surrounded not by safety but by a ring of snarling, snapping wolves, their eyes glowing with a feral, malevolent light.

The air was thick with the stench of their fur and the coppery tang of blood. I felt their hot breath on my face, heard the click of their teeth as they circled us, waiting for the command to attack.

Then, with a shiver of dark energy, Maci materialized before us. She wore a gown of deepest black, her hair cascading over her shoulders like a river of midnight. With a wave of her finger and a cruel, mocking smile, she purred, "You didn't think it would be that easy, did you?"

My heart sank. We had come so far, fought so hard, only to be confronted with yet another deadly obstacle.

But as I caught the determination and courage etched on Justice's and Garrick's faces, I knew we couldn't give up. We had the mirror. We had each other. Somehow, we would find a way through this nightmare.

I squared my shoulders, facing Maci with a defiance I hardly felt. "We're not afraid of you," I lied, my voice ringing with a bravado I wished I truly possessed. "We will defeat you and the Demons of Pride. We won't stop until we've broken the Grimoire's curse."

Maci's laughter was like the tinkling of shattered glass. "Oh, my dear Sawyer," she drawled. "You have no idea what you're up against. But by all means, try. I do love a good show."

With that, she snapped her fingers, and the wolves advanced, their jaws slavering, their eyes fixed on our throats.

We immediately turned our backs to each other, forming a tight circle of defense. I readied the mirror, aiming into the shadowy depths of the woods. One by one, wolves emerged from the trees, their fur matted and their eyes eerily luminous with a malevolent green sheen. They moved with a predatory grace, muscles rippling beneath their ragged pelts.

At the lead was the largest black wolf I had ever seen, her form nearly twice the size of her companions. Her fur was a deep, glossy ebony marred by a series of jagged scars that raked across her flank, a testament to the battles she had fought and survived. She pulled back her lower lip, revealing sharp, blood-stained teeth.

Her eyes made my heart stutter. Beneath the sickly green glow, I saw a flicker of something achingly familiar. A warmth, a fierceness, a stubborn determination.

Somehow, deep in my soul, I knew it was Maggie.

The realization hit me like a physical blow. Maggie now stood before us as a monstrous beast, her humanity buried beneath layers of dark magic. The friend we had fought so hard to save had become a weapon turned against us.

I swallowed hard, my grip tightening on the mirror's handle. We had one chance to save her, to save all of us. With a shaking hand, I raised the mirror, holding it aloft like a beacon in the darkness.

The effect was instantaneous. The wolves howled in agony, a sound that seemed to rend the air. They thrashed and rolled on the ground, their bodies contorting. Dark shadows poured from their eyes and mouths, swirling into the air with shrieks of rage before sinking into the earth and vanishing.

Amid the chaos, the huge black wolf began to change. Her form shimmered and blurred, fur receding and limbs elongating until Maggie lay before us, naked and shivering on the ground.

Garrick was at her side in an instant, scooping her into his arms with a tenderness that belied his usual gruff demeanor. His eyes shone with unshed tears as he cradled her close, whispering words of comfort and love into her hair.

Maggie looked up at him, her face pale and drawn but alight with joy. She reached a trembling hand to touch his cheek as if hardly daring to believe he was real.

"You'll pay for that, Sawyer," Maci cried. Her eyes flashed, her lips curling back in a snarl that was far from human. Her body rippled and changed, her skin darkening and hardening into gleaming obsidian scales.

She threw her head back, a guttural roar tearing from her throat as her form expanded, growing larger and more monstrous with each passing second. Her gown shredded like tissue paper, falling away in tattered strips as her body reformed itself into a creature of nightmare.

Massive wings unfurled from her back, their leathery membranes stretching wide to block out the sky. Wicked talons tore at the earth, each claw as long and sharp as a sword. A sinuous tail whipped behind her, tipped with a venomous barb.

Her head was the most terrifying. Gone was any trace of the beautiful, enigmatic woman she had appeared to be. In her place was a dragon's visage, all jagged horns and razor-sharp teeth. Her eyes burned with an infernal fire, twin pits of brimstone and rage that seared my soul.

I stumbled back, my heart pounding a frantic rhythm. I had faced many horrors in my time as a hunter, but never anything like this. Maci's transformation was a twisted perversion of nature, a mockery of all that was right and good in the world.

She snapped her jaws at me, a vicious, predatory motion that sprayed saliva and brimstone. I felt the heat of her breath, smelled the reek of sulfur and decay that rolled off her in waves.

Behind me, I heard Justice and Garrick's shouts of alarm, the scrape of metal as they drew their weapons. I knew swords would be little use against a creature of such immense power and malice.

Our only hope was the mirror. I gripped it tightly, feeling its cool surface warm beneath my touch as if responding to my desperation. I poured all my focus, all my will, into that single object, praying its magic would be enough to stop the monster Maci had become.

The dragon reared back, her wings beating the air until gale-force winds swirled around us. Her jaws gaped wide, a hellish red glow building at the back of her throat as she prepared to unleash a torrent of flame.

I thrust the mirror forward, angling it to catch the light. For a heart-stopping moment, nothing happened. The dragon's fire continued to build, the heat of it scorching my face and making my eyes water.

Then, as I thought all was lost, the mirror glowed. A pure, brilliant light radiated from its surface, growing brighter and more intense with each passing second. The light seemed to pierce the heart of darkness, to banish all shadows and illuminate the truth.

The dragon recoiled, a screech of pain and fury tearing from her throat. The fire in her jaws sputtered and died. She thrashed and writhed, her wings flailing as she tried to escape the searing brightness.

Yet there was no escape. The light expanded, engulfing the dragon in a cocoon of shimmering brilliance. Maci's form twisted and distorted within it, her draconic features melting like wax before a flame.

Then, with a final, agonized roar, the dragon vanished. In her place was a swirl of shadow and mist, a formless darkness that shuddered and writhed.

I kept the mirror trained on that darkness, pouring every ounce of my strength and will into its power. The energy flowed through me, a searing, purifying force that burned away doubt and fear.

"Back to the hell that spawned you," I gritted out, my voice raw with effort. "You have no power here. Not anymore."

With a final, despairing wail, the shadow dissipated, scattered to the winds like smoke. In its wake was a stillness, a silence that felt almost holy in its purity.

I lowered the mirror, my arms shaking with exhaustion. I felt drained, hollowed out by the immensity of the power I had channeled. Beneath that fatigue was a sense of triumph, of righteous victory against the forces of darkness.

I turned to face Justice, Garrick, and Maggie, seeing the awe and respect in their eyes. We had faced the Demons of Pride and emerged victorious, thanks to the power of the mirror and the strength of our bond.

"Time to go home," I panted.

I held the mirror toward the angel that pointed at the veil. A portal opened, revealing a glimpse of Edinburgh's familiar streets and the towering spires of McDuff Manor. There, charging toward us with sword raised high, was Damon, his face a mask of determination.

After all we'd endured, the sight of home, of family, was almost too much to bear. Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, and a lump rose in my throat.

I swallowed it down, squaring my shoulders as I faced the portal. We had won this battle, but the war was far from over.

With Maggie restored to us and the power of the mirror at our command, we were one step closer to breaking the Grimoire's curse and vanquishing the demons once and for all.

I glanced at my team. Justice, fierce and loyal. Garrick, cradling Maggie with a love that defied all odds. Damon, racing to our aid with unwavering courage.

Together, we would face whatever trials lay ahead. Together, we would triumph.

As we savored this moment, I knew our battle was far from over. The Grimoire's curse still held sway, and there were more demons to face, more trials to overcome.

For now, we could rest, secure in the knowledge that we had struck a blow for the light.