Kimberly shoved with all her strength, breaking free. She moved to slice open his chest, but he stepped back, leaving a trail of shadows behind him. The shadows moved to smother her and she whirled Willow around in a circle to ward them away, flinging blue fire out.
“Time to die, Kimberly.” He stepped forward from the darkness and tried to stab her through the side. She ducked away, feeling the muscles in her legs cramp. He vanished again, leaving more smoke and shadows behind.
His laughter was all around her now.
Kimberly. Willow pulsed powerfully in her hand. The blue fire on the blade’s edge vanished as Kimberly held the blade up, ready to defend.
Her father appeared again, hurling toward her. His movements slowed to a crawl and he stopped in midair, no longer moving. His face was frozen in glee, all his teeth showing.
You cannot win without me.
“I know that! What do you think I’m doing?”
You must see.
Willow pulsed again and Nathan resumed his attack. She fell back, just narrowly avoiding his swing. Cursing, he swung again. This time when she dodged he grabbed her with his free hand and spun her around by her neck.
Laughing, he knocked away her feeble attempt at an attack with Willow. She kicked out and he held her away from his body with one powerful arm.
“You can’t win, Kimberly.” He shook her a few times, making her neck hurt. She gasped for air, clawing at his hand. Willow began pulsing harder and harder beneath her palm.
You must see!
“What are you talking about?” Whatever Willow was trying to say, Kimberly hoped she’d say it soon.
The pulsing came faster now, like a heartbeat. She tried to swing, but the blue flames wouldn’t come and the blade bounced harmlessly off of Nathan’s body.
Frustrated, she dropped Willow and fought with all her strength. Laughing, Nathan opened his mouth wide and leaned in close, as if to take a bite.
“I brought you into this world,” he whispered in her ear.
Kimberly narrowed her eyes and screamed. Raising her fist over her head, she hammered down onto his face. He flinched and she drove her hand forward, her fingers stretched out like claws.
Purple flames burst forth from her skin and burned away one of Nathan’s eyes as she sank it into his socket. He dropped her and stepped back, slashing his blade wildly. Kimberly was stunned. She held her hand out, her fingers ablaze in purple fire.
Now you see. That is your magic. It has always been your magic. Vines burst forth from Willow and grabbed hold of Kimberly, pulling the blade back into her hands.
This is my magic. The blade was consumed in a white maelstrom of energy, burning the darkness away. Kimberly squinted against the light, understanding coming to her.
The magic she had been wielding the whole time she was in Auviarra had been her own. The blue fire had been a warping of her magic as she had forced it onto Willow. It all came to her then. In the book, Elurra’s blade had burned white, like a star.
Had Trey known?
The time for reflection was past. Nathan was coming at her now, swinging his skeletal blade like a scythe. She brought Willow up, fighting the urge to bring back the blue flames. She caught the sword and drove it sideways and down into the earth. Willow’s tendrils wrapped around Nathan’s blade, unbidden by Kimberly, and held it in place as the white fire consumed it. The dark fire was quickly suppressed and both swords began to vibrate violently.
“You cannot win,” Nathan cried. He grunted, his damaged wings fluttering as he tried to free his sword.
“Father,” Kimberly said, narrowing her eyes. “Nobody cares what you think.”
She twisted Willow, hard. Nathan’s sword exploded, sending bony shards everywhere. They clung to Kimberly’s flesh like slugs and wiggled around on her skin. Melting away under Willow’s light, they pooled into dark smoke before drifting away.
Nathan glared at his daughter with his one remaining eye. He surrounded his claws in dark fire and screamed as he rushed forward.
Kimberly didn’t move. She raised Willow up and let Nathan do all the work. He sank onto her blade, his face contorting in pain as he fought to get closer. Willow’s tendrils blew outward, holding his fists at bay. He sneered and spat in her face, struggling to get closer and bite her with razor-sharp teeth.
It ends.
Kimberly felt Willow’s magic well up from deep in the hilt as the sword vibrated wildly. The white hot flames crackled as they began to consume Nathan Stone, pulling his flesh away in dark bits.
“No!” Nathan screamed in denial as he fought to break free. Willow held him tightly in place gradually pulling him into the fire and using his darkness as fuel. The magic fire burned higher, the heat intense enough that Nathan’s flesh bubbled and burst into pockets of fire.
“Yes!” Hate, rage, and anger consumed her now. Her fire joined with Willow’s, purple flames spiraling in circles around the white. Beneath her own skin, she felt something shift as she began to change.
Nathan Stone, Kimberly’s father, was gone. The flames had cauterized his existence, leaving behind nothing more than ash and smoke that reeked of decay. Kimberly was alone in the clearing, the quiet darkness of the forest sinking in around her like a heavy fog.
She sheathed Willow, the vines from her blade wrapping around her waist as the sheath grew from several wooden tendrils that spiraled down the edge. She took a deep breath as she stared at the dark stain on the forest floor.
It was over. He would never hurt her or anyone else ever again.
In the silence, she saw something white and shiny sticking out of the back of her hands. Lifting her arms in horror, she realized the bones of her hands had sprouted free of her flesh, forming macabre gauntlets.
She would have screamed, but the dark residents in the forest rushed at her, happy to devour the survivor. With a grim look, Kimberly drew Willow free and let the rage of her magic consume her.
Her mind struggled to grasp the things she saw. Some had teeth where others had beaks. Scaled, feathered, and sometimes skinless, the creatures assaulted her from every direction. Knocking a giant dragonfly with the head of an alligator from the sky, she was caught off guard when a giant centipede made of stone burrowed up from the ground beneath her, biting at her legs.
Fiery explosions rocked the forest as Kimberly sank further away from sanity, her father’s legacy taking hold. Where Willow’s fire missed, Kimberly’s fire didn’t. The purple flames burned hot, sending creatures away in a panic. Kimberly chased down her attackers and struck them dead without pity.
Hours passed. Kimberly felt exhaustion take hold as she ran through the Wizard’s Forest, seeking an exit. Her body had changed drastically now, changes her mind couldn’t fathom. She fell backward into a clearing, a large lump in her back causing her to roll wildly. The dark things that still hunted her lunged forward out of the woods. It was night now, not that it mattered. Kimberly’s vision was now crystal clear in the darkness.
Monsters advanced toward her and she crouched, waiting.
“Come on! Fight me!” It was hard to speak with so many teeth in her mouth.
Light glowed around her. The dark things stepped back. She turned, raising Willow in both hands. Standing in the center of the light was Elurra.
Kimberly ran at her, sword held high. Swinging down, she was surprised when soft, graceful hands caught Willow’s hilt.
“My granddaughter.” Elurra stood in front of a simple stone monument, her skin glowing like moonlight. “You poor thing.”
Stunned, Kimberly let go of Willow. Elurra took it from her and the sword’s tendrils clung to Elurra like an old friend.
“I’m sorry, child. Sorry for everything.” Elurra stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Kimberly.
The darkness inside shrank away in horror under those glowing limbs. Kimberly felt tears in her eyes and sorrow welled up in her chest. She cried like a little girl, her mind fractured.
“Your gr
andfather has told me so much about you. We are both so proud.”
Light flooded the clearing, driving the beasts further away. When the light faded, Kimberly realized she was somewhere else.
Willow’s Glade
Kimberly slumped to her knees, her muscles screaming in agony. She looked up to see Elurra smiling down at her.
“It’s going to be okay.” Elurra’s voice was soft and reassuring.
Leaves shifted. Kimberly turned and saw Willow standing beneath her giant tree. She smiled at Kimberly, her eyes shining with light. Multicolored fireflies glowed in the glade. The air smelled like flowers, freshly cut grass and rain.
“Finally, you are here.” Willow’s voice was little more than the wind rustling through the grass. Kimberly tried to stand, but fell to the ground. Her body twisted and bent in places it didn’t use to; her thinking mind could no longer control it. The macabre gauntlets of her hands extended all the way to her chest. Thorns adorned her neck and shoulders now, and her pants were all torn up from within. Her feet had burst free from her boots, revealing a pair of talons.
“I’m a monster.” Kimberly shifted her weight, pushing herself up. Her heart was starting to pound frantically, panic building in her chest.
“No, you are still Kimberly,” Elurra said.
“Look at me!” Kimberly held her hands up for Elurra. “I’ve changed!”
“Not on the inside,” Elurra countered. “The magic that took my son, it struggles to define who you are. It did so with Nathias, and it did so with your brothers. It granted them the power to achieve their dark desires. Kimberly, you don’t have those same desires. It feeds off of what little it can and tries to adapt.”
“What does this body get me, then?”
“Instead of desiring control, you wished for acceptance. You dreamt of love and happiness. Those were things the darkness could not understand.”
“It’s too late.” Kimberly put her hands in her lap. “I can’t make it go back.”
“I can,” Willow said. “There is a way to drive the darkness away forever.”
“It’s true,” Elurra added.
“The darkness, the curse that is in my blood… what is it?”
“It is a tiny piece of Chaos,” Willow said. “It survived the Great Creation of Auviarra, decaying away as millennia passed. Over the generations, it attempted to possess many, latching on to the magic in their bodies. It deliberately empowered them, seeking more powerful magic to subsist upon. The Black Knight defeated a swamp witch with that tiny morsel.” Willow shook her head. “It lived in the sword he carried, waiting for him to summon its power. It trapped him, preventing him from dismissing his Eternal Armor. For many years, he was a slave. When Elurra defeated him, it lived on in me.” Willow turned her face away. “I was too powerful to be controlled; it hid from me and waited for the birth of the child Nathias, a child born from magic. Even before he was born, the Chaos guided him, wanting him to become powerful.”
Elurra spoke. “After I died, Halston took Nathias to Earth. The Chaos struggled to survive in a world without magic.” Elurra sat on a stone. “What he didn’t know is that the darkness found a way to thrive. When Halston found out, he performed the ceremony on Nathias, which split him away from the Chaos.”
“Which is how the homunculus was created,” Kimberly said.
“Yes,” Elurra answered. “It feared Halston, knowing that he would sooner kill his own son than let it return. During the separation, the Chaos could not reproduce correctly. It was incredibly strong in your brothers. In you, it was next to nothing.” Elurra sighed. “Nathias could not be saved once he awakened. Your brothers couldn’t be saved either. You have just started to awaken, but the Chaos is weak. You are all that is left of it.”
“Please, I’ll do anything,” Kimberly begged.
“You must rid yourself of magic, Kimberly.” Elurra slid off the rock and held out her hand. “It cannot live without the magic.”
“It will have to live inside of me.” Willow held out her hand to Kimberly. “It is the only way to break the cycle.”
“I’ll do it.” Kimberly accepted Willow’s hand. Kimberly glanced at both women, noticing the lines of sadness on Elurra’s face.
“Hold out your hand,” Willow said. Kimberly obeyed, grimacing at the sight of her near-skeletal fingers unfolding. “This is the seed of a Blood Lotus. It is from a forgotten place, beyond Auviarra. The seed needs blood, magic, and moonlight to blossom.” The wind rustled the leaves and the sun faded from overhead, revealing a full moon. “I can provide the moonlight. You must provide the others.”
Kimberly nodded. Elurra held Willow’s blade out. Kimberly grabbed the tip with her free hand and pulled, feeling her palm open.
“Quickly, before it heals.” Willow said.
Kimberly put her hands together, sealing the seed within. She looked at the two spirits beside her and waited.
The burning started almost immediately. Kimberly sank to her knees and let out a gasp. It felt like she was holding fire.
An intense blast of heat forced her hands apart, releasing purple flames all along her arms. As the magic blew outward, it was suddenly pulled back in toward the flower. The roots had sunk deep into Kimberly’s flesh; the fire sank into her skin like water into soil.
She felt something deep inside begin to shift. Weariness began to sink in as her bones clicked and shifted back into place. Freshly healed wounds reopened as the magic bled dry from her.
“It has a choice now. Me or the flower,” Willow said, the light in her eyes blazing.
Kimberly gasped, feeling a sudden shift in power. It pulled free as the plant blossomed. The petals, of a rich crimson hue, pointed at the edges. As large as an apple, the flower smelled faintly of grapefruit.
The choice became clear. A dark cloud began to form at the base of Willow’s tree. It remained formless, but angry red eyes peered at them from within.
“It is trapped.” Willow looked at Elurra. Elurra nodded and held Willow out to Kimberly.
“Summon the white light. I am long dead, so cannot,” Elurra explained.
Kimberly stood up, the lotus in one hand and Willow in the other. She realized she was human again, as before her disastrous transformation. She raised Willow high in the air and felt no resistance in summoning the sword’s magic.
White light engulfed Willow’s blade. The dark thing let out a growl and began to expand. Willow stepped between Kimberly and the Chaos.
“You will not elude me. Not this time.” Willow stretched her hands out wide. Roots from the ground billowed upward, showering everyone in dirt. They wrapped around the darkness, compacting it into a ball. The roots expanded and broke apart, leaving a ten-foot sphere in the clearing.
The sword shook violently in Kimberly’s hand. She almost dropped it, but the tendrils snaked all along her wrist, locking the sword in place. The light burned even brighter and thunder filled Kimberly’s ears.
It’s better this way.
The dark thing roared and Willow blew apart, sending a powerful beam of light into the sky. The glade vanished. Kimberly and Elurra were back in the forest, Elurra’s tomb reflecting the moonlight.
Stunned, Kimberly looked at her outstretched hand. Willow was gone.
Blood Lotus
Dazed, Kimberly looked to her grandmother for guidance.
“It was a trap,” Elurra said. “Willow was as much a living creature as you or I. When I died, Willow was heartbroken. Determined not to see history repeat itself, she chose to save you by destroying herself.”
Kimberly looked at Elurra. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Your magic isn’t gone. It has simply drained into the lotus. Detach it and you will gain your magic back.” Elurra smirked. “If Chaos had known, it would have just stayed put.”
“You tricked it out of me?” Kimberly frowned. “Willow is gone forever?”
“She is.” Elurra walked over to her tomb. “And now, so am I. With the darkne
ss gone, my spirit will rest with my dear Halston. Farewell.” Elurra faded away.
Kimberly sat alone in the clearing with only her thoughts for companions. Her clothes were torn, leaving her skin exposed to the frigid night air. In the distance, she heard the Wizard’s Forest shift, waiting for her return.
She thought back over her whole time in Auviarra. She thought of her friends, and how far they had gotten her. She thought of the white-cloaks, and her father. She had been turned into a monster, was saved by her dead grandmother, and lost her magic sword in the process. And she was stuck in the middle of an enchanted forest that would try to kill her once she left.
“This is bullshit.” What was she supposed to do now?
The lotus glowed in her hand, possessed by an accumulation of Kimberly’s magic. In its light, she saw Willow’s tendrils were still wrapped around her wrist.
A thought dawned on her. It sounded crazy in her head, maybe even a little insane. If it didn’t work, she’d be the only one to know.
The Wizard’s Forest was a testing ground for magic users. It was a place of power, where anything could happen.
She bit a tendril free of her arm, dropping it on the ground. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out what was left of Helena’s brush. The head had been damaged during the fighting, leaving only the handle intact.
“Always carry silver,” she muttered, wrapping the tendril around the brush. Pinching the lotus flower at the base, she carefully pulled it free. The roots ran deep; she could see them dragging from beneath her skin.
Holding the plant up, she smeared her blood all over the tendril and the brush. Seeing her blood everywhere, she became lightheaded. She bit her tongue, trying hard to maintain focus.
“Wood, metal, magic.” She set the lotus down, tucking its roots into the bloodied tendril. Already, in the back of her mind, she could feel the small tickle of her magic returning. She dug deep in her body and generated a tiny purple flicker of fire in her hand. Even though the darkness was gone, it had left its mark. Like she cared.
She picked up the components, letting her magic wash over everything. She closed her eyes, envisioning how Willow acted, how Willow felt in her hands when she swung it, how Willow looked.