The demon crouches over me, staring into my eyes as if it’s searching for something. It lowers its face to mine and runs the end of its beak along my cheek. Panicking, I thrash under it.
Its clawed hands press against my chest, crushing me. Madly, I slap the ground in a desperate attempt to find the dagger. Just inches away from my face, the demon opens its beak and lets out an ear-piercing screech.
The dagger is too far away. I can’t get to it in time, and if I don’t do something now, the bird-demon is going to kill me. Inhaling deep once again, I summon something from deep inside me, causing embers to spark around my fingers. Finding a strength deep inside me, I will the dagger to slide across the dry earth and into my hand. Thrusting my hand up, I plunge the dagger into the demon’s neck.
“Ignis!” I shout, and feel the dagger heating up.
With a scream, smoke starts to billow out of its eyes, choking me. I grip the dagger harder, twisting the blade, fire burning so hot around my hands it’s blue. Flames swallow the demon, and I can feel their heat, yet it doesn’t burn me.
Fire circles around the bird-demon, encasing it in flames. With one final harrowing cry, the demon collapses into a pile of charred skin and bone. I scramble up, brushing demon ashes off of my clothes.
Killing the demon gives me a rush, and I want to do it again. The demon I’d first set on fire is back on its feet now and coming at me fast. I throw my hand in front of me, and a thin wall of fire appears before me. The thing pushes against it, unable to break through. I hold my ground, keeping my hand outstretched.
I turn my head, frantically looking for Ethan. He’s several feet away, fighting off another demon. It swipes its razor-sharp claws at Ethan’s face. He leans back, out of its reach, and counters with a strike of his own. His fist collides with the side of the demon’s face, and the demon stumbles back.
“Ethan!” I yell, holding up the enchanted dagger. He quickly glances up and extends his hand. I toss it to him and turn back to the demon in front of me, which sidesteps back several feet after getting burned from the flames erupting from the dry earth in front of me. I look back just in time to see Ethan ram the dagger into the demon’s chest. Thinking it’s going to be paralyzed in pain and then go up in flames, he turns to me.
“Anor—” he starts. But then the demon in front of him screams and, with the dagger still in its chest, launches itself on Ethan. Ethan puts both hands on the dagger, sending the blade in even deeper and twisting it at the same time.
Nothing happens.
Taking advantage of his shock, the creature steps back, and the bloody dagger clatters to the ground. It thrashes its talons across Ethan’s chest, tearing through his shirt and skin. It claws at him again, this time ripping open a gash on his bicep.
“No!” I scream, anger boiling inside of me. Without thinking about what I’m doing, I throw my hands out again, fire burning hot around my fingers. The demon looks at me and hisses, recoiling from the flames. My heart lurches in my chest, and I watch in slow motion as Ethan falls to his knees, clutching his bleeding chest.
“Ignis!” I scream, and the fire burns brighter, flames licking against my face. I thrust my hands out in the direction of the bird-demon, and the fire leaves my fingers. The next thing I know, fire surrounds the thing, and it screams right before it collapses into a pile of ash.
I clench my fists, putting out the fire I’m holding. Adrenaline surges through me, and Aunt Estelle’s voice echoes in my head.
Very good, Anora.
Blinking, I tear myself away from my memories and run to Ethan.
“Oh my god.” I put my hands onto his chest, trying to stop the bleeding.
“It’s okay,” he tells me, struggling to sit up. One hand goes to mine, and he looks down at himself. “I’ve had worse.”
“We need to…to…fuck. What’s closer? Your house or the barn?”
“Horse barn,” he replies, and lets me help him to his feet. I thought the wound on his chest was the biggest concern, but blood is dripping down his bicep at a worrisome rate.
“Don’t move,” I tell him as I carefully pull down his flannel button-up so I can look at the cuts on his arm. As a vet tech that assists in surgery on a weekly basis, I’m no stranger to blood and gore. It doesn’t bother me, and my ability to deal with what others deem as “gross” has always been a source of pride. But this…right now…I don’t know if I can handle it.