A Drop Of Haunted Blood [REMOVING FOR PUBLICATION DEC 1] [WATTYS WINNTER 2023]

Chapter Thirty-Three: Inner Demons

The lawn was a mess. Bodies were scattered across the grass. Most weren't human, but there were a few here and there wore Guardian suits. Felix wondered how many were with the Last Army and how many were on their side.

The carpet dropped a few feet. Felix's stomach lurched.

"I'm running out of—" Arisa started.

They hit the ground. Felix bounced off the rug and rolled across the grass. Even after he stopped moving, the world continued to spin. He forced himself up and immediately regretted it. He nearly threw up.

Mason was back on his feet. "Where is everyone else?"

Felix followed the sound of distant shouting to the tree line. Flashes of color cut through the darkness.

Ernest flew out of the window they'd shattered and landed on the grass in front of them. The right lens of his glasses was even more fractured now, on the verge of shattering.

Mason pointed the Ironwood Wand at Ernest. "One more step and I'll blow your limbs off."

"You can't do that." Ernest held up his hands. "You can't bluff with me. I know everything there is to know about the wand."

Mason's eyes narrowed.

"Wait, why can't you blow his limbs off?" Arisa asked as she stood. "That sounds like a great idea."

"In theory, I could," Mason said. "But he and I can sense that the wand's energy is starting to split within it. It's been used a lot already, and it's still overcoming the nullification spell. If I tried something like that, it would probably backfire." He glared at Ernest. "He used up most of its power."

"The wand has to recharge?" Felix asked.

"Essentially." Mason chuckled. "No matter. I am a demon after all, right?" He tossed the wand toward Felix, and Felix barely caught it.

A circle of hellfire sprang up around Abernathy.

"What's your plan?" Ernest asked. "You can keep me here as long as you can, but either you'll run out of steam and the fire will die, or it will get out of control and hurt your friends."

"I just need to hold you until backup arrives." Mason looked to Arisa and Felix. "Could one of you get to the battle and find someone who can help us?"

"No, that won't be necessary. You forget who I am." Ernest blasted the fire in front of him with his air. That side of the circle flickered but held itself together. Ernest gritted his teeth and tried a stronger blast. More cracks ran through his glasses.

Mason charged forward through the fire, claws emerging. He grabbed Ernest and lifted him into the air.

The scar across Mason's forehead was...opening. Something black shone underneath, reflecting the light of the hellfire.

"My parents spent their lives protecting the wand from people like you!" Mason shouted.

"And now what?" Ernest asked. "You've got me. You've got the wand back. What are you going to do now? Your parents are dead, and you've been cursed to the life of a demon."

The fire burned brighter around him and Mason. Still, Ernest persisted. "You haven't even begun to grasp the hell you've made for yourself."

Demons erupted from the tree line. No, not just demons. The grass rippled as three wraiths took shape in the air.

The battle was here.

"Aren't demons supposed to be rare?" Felix asked, his shoulders sagging.

Arisa looked ready to sink into the ground beneath her. "Yes. Yes they are."