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I dart my gaze around the clearing, searching for any clue as to what to use my powers on. I reach to my center, sweeping up some of the pool of energy, just waiting to be focused.
Trees stand at my back, but I don’t trust the eerie silence that settles around me. My ears prick at a noise in the distance. I make out a few birds chirping a cheery tune, the only sound cutting through the crisp cool fall air.
My hand itches to run over my bare arms, my skin raising into gooseflesh at the chill breeze that sweeps through the clearing. But I fight the urge, taking a defensive stance instead. I need to be ready for whenever the first task strikes.
I jerk in surprise as a black cloud forms a few feet before me, but push down the fear that spikes in my veins as the figure emerges.
The creature’s fire-red skin comes into focus first, his elongated arms stretching down beside him, his hands tipped in dangerously sharp claws that gleam in the few stray rays of sun flashing through the trees.
His grey eyes blink into focus, narrowing in on me. The color of his irises shifts as though mimicking a storm cloud drifting through the sky.
My mind struggles to put the details into order, knowing Kyros and I have covered demons extensively in our lessons. There are a few with skin the same shade of red, I just need to work out which one stands before me.
I use my power to produce a sword, as Adrian taught me. I shift the hilt in my palm, feeling the balance of the blade. Not too heavy, the blade fast and sharp, well equipped for my speed.
Lifting my sword to the ready, I pause, waiting for the demon to make the first move. Not wanting to lunge forward too soon while still unsure of the creature’s powers.
He flashes me a wicked smile, sensing my hesitation. Good, let him think my pause is due to fear, let him underestimate me.
A stream of water flows around me, and I blink in surprise at its sudden emergence before it flies up to my face, attempting to smother me. I throw up a quick barrier, barely flinging the power into place before the wave crashes into it, splashing off the invisible surface with a crack.
I hadn’t been aware of the exact speed of the stream and fear tightens my chest as realization hits me. If that water had made contact, it would have done some severe damage. My heart pounds wildly in time with the adrenaline in my veins.
My fingers tighten on the hilt, and my mind whirrs, searching for my next move. The demon attempts another attack, and I push more power into the barrier, feeling the force of the wave pushing against it, growing in intensity.
I need to make a move, and fast, this creature’s power seems to be growing with every second that ticks by. I run through my memory, searching for information on this demon, hoping my lessons will have some sort of answer on how to defeat him, fire red, and water powers …
The name clicks into place, an ignis demon. How could I not have remembered the name, the name, and red skin, a polar opposite to his powers, yet they signify his weakness. Fire.
I pull on my power while still keeping my shields in place, not allowing him to surprise me while I draw on my fire. I sling the barrier around my back and up my one arm, so the power slips around my form, and use it as one would a shield in battle, leaving an opening for fire to shoot forth with my other hand.
With that, I wrap the shield around me, lunging forward to close the distance between us. He must be surprised by my lack of fear because his attack is delayed for a moment, but a violent gush of water slamming up against the barrier. But I brace myself for it, planting my feet firmly on the ground until the onslaught finally ceases.
I use that time to make my first strike and widen the shield. Flames burst forth from my palm, shooting straight for the ignis demon’s torso.
Flames lick up his skin, engulfing him almost immediately as the power makes contact. His grotesque mouth opens in a silent scream, his sharp teeth gnashing at thin air as his body crumples beneath him. I pull my shield tightly around me, preparing for one last attack, but just as I solidify them, his body disintegrates into a pile of ashes. The grey soot billows up around me, floating through the air.
This is just a projection Liv, it’s not real, besides the force of that water could have killed me. Even if he was real, I would have been put in the situation of kill or be killed.
I cautiously step forward, keeping my barrier up and around me, knowing that can’t be the only task I’ll face today, otherwise the projection would have ceased. I eye the path warily, knowing there must be some reason for its existence, otherwise the crystal would have just shown a clearing.
I take another step forward, checking my surroundings as my pace slowly increases. Not wanting to be caught off guard, I look around, constantly keeping my head on a swivel.
The path narrows, the trees growing closer and closer together. The leaves weave together in a canopy overhead, making the space beneath it even darker. A shiver runs up my spine as I take the first step under the canopy, the cool air chilling my bare skin in the absence of a fight. My chest tightens in anticipation as sounds of wings flapping wildly hits my ears, only now registering the absence of their constant chirps.
A rough tendril crawls up my ankle, leaving pricking in its wake. My leg kicks out involuntarily attempting to shake off whatever creepy-crawly is curling up against my skin.
The rough slide continues its way up my leg. A thick green vine is climbing its way up my calf. With my attention on my one leg, I don’t notice the vines curling around my other ankle until I feel the telltale press of the rough plant slithering against my skin.
Fuck. What the hell kind of power do I use against this? The vines slide up further around my thighs, tightening around them like a vise. I hiss out a pained breath at the pressure, fighting the urge to drop to the ground, not wanting any other vines to climb up the rest of my body with the easy access. My limbs tingle with the lack of blood flow. Chills creep up my skin—not from the wind this time. I’ve got to figure this out now, my stomach twisting at the thought of what may happen if they creep any further.
I swallow down the bile rising in my throat, tamping down the fear that threatens to overwhelm me. Focusing on the pool of power, I run over the vines in much the same way Kyros taught me to probe with my senses for healing. My eyes close as I search for which power to use. I expect to find some power niggling in my mind, a trick from the council to out another facet of my power, instead, I feel the familiar thrum of illusion. The energy feels the exact same as the barrier wrapped around me.
My eyes blink open as realization hits me, the vines are an illusion, and belatedly register that’s the only way they could’ve made it through my invisible shield. The power of the vines called to the barrier, tricking it into letting them pass.
I reach out with my energy, wrestling for control over the illusion, and pour my power into it, my vast energy overwhelming the feeble power pushed into the illusion, allowing me to gain control over it almost immediately. I will the vines to stop their assent, and their curling movement up my hips stops abruptly. Easing their grip around my legs, I breathe a sigh of relief, the blood rushing through them regularly once more.
Urging the vines to fade away, I slowly release the power from them once I’m sure they’re under my control. The dark green fades from my skin in a sheen of gold, the pressure replaced by the cool whistling breeze whipping against the bare skin of my legs. I’m deeply regretting my decision to come clad in shorts and a T-shirt now.
