Chapter 18

EIGHTEEN

Unknown

Blood flows through me, strengthening my powers, and yet, it’s not enough. I blame that on the experiments of my creators. Each test, each experiment was different. They were trying to make something. Something strong but controllable. They succeeded in one of those things. Those of us that lived were strong, but not controllable.

But Asha is stronger than I am.

Rage courses through me and trees explode at my sides as I race through them, letting my fingers stretch out to touch more and more trees to keep the fire burning and the death flowing. I can sense it in her. She feeds but doesn’t kill. She should be weak. Easy to break. So I must feed more, until I can defeat her silver light.

A shriek tears from my lips at the thought of the silver light. The pain it brought and the memories it unveiled. Before that light, I was only the magic. The darkness. Living and breathing to feed and grow in power. Thriving on the pain, misery, and death around me.

The light brought memories. Crisp ones. Red hair. An easy smile. Walking with his arm around a beautiful woman who loved only him. They planned to marry. He’d ordered a ring in her size. Something simple and elegant because he was not a rich man, just a man who was loved by many.

He had his mother. His sisters. The house was filled with love. He was not lonely and bitter, clinging to his jealousy and his longing. He was not an ugly thing with an ugly soul that everyone saw.

The shriek comes again, reminding me of a predator in pain. I do not like these memories, but at least they brought me purpose. I will kill the Blood Mages who hurt me, who made too many worthless creatures like me that are weaker than me. Creatures that haven’t even been given a chance to feed or use their magic, because they could not be controlled.

I was the first they tried to train like a dog. To use like a tool. I was the lesson that killed my masters and taught the living Blood Mages that they had failed. That we were not the dogs on leashes that they imagined we’d be.

The Blood Mages will die. Then everyone else. I will use the power I gain from their lives, their magic, to finally defeat Asha. Once she is gone, and the Blood Mages are gone, there will be no one who can stop me. No one strong enough.

I will rule. There will be death. There will be destruction. I will forget the house, the mom, the sisters, and the red-haired man. I will forget what it is to be weak, pathetic, and jealous. The silver light will be gone and vanished, and I will spread darkness that will grow until there is no more light.

Then I will be the darkness. It will be me. And the pain will finally end.

But first, one more stop. One more place to erase the pain and the memories.