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  "I will not die at the hands of Heaven's agents," she said. "I am Lilith, Mother of all Demons. Now perish from existence and nourish my children."

  Her darkness pulled them close to her and she began eating the angels. There was a scream of pure primal ecstasy and she morphed again. A pair of enormous wings spread from behind her. They were angelic in shape but colored an ashen black. Instead of the majestic, pristine wingspan, hers were mangled and misshapen.

  The rest of her body resumed a humanoid shape with dark colored scales covering every inch of her skin. Bony spikes and quills jutted out from her as well as her wings.

  "Die."

  Lilith's quills shot out towards Gil and I as we just stood there, still in shock that she could just eat up two angels.

  Gil's reaction was much quicker than mine.

  "No!" she yelled. Her small frame was soon in front of me and I felt her magic take effect.

  And I could swear that for the briefest of seconds she was surrounded by white light and smoke.

  Her wind spell deflected most of the spikes, but some still made it through. I pushed Gil out of the way and felt two of them pierce my side and leg.

  Lilith yelled and turned to face the ceiling. Her wings morphed again and this time claws grew from them. She ripped the roof open, exposing the evening sky above, and with a powerful flap of her wings she escaped through the hole she had just made.

  "I'm going after her," Gil said as she ran towards the stairs.

  "No, Gil. Wait for me." I took one step and fell down. My leg had gone numb. Those spikes must have had some kind of poison in them.

  "I'm not going to let her escape, Erik. You get yourself healed and then come back me up. I'll keep her occupied until then," she replied without stopping. She disappeared soon after and I was left there with a numbing sensation. I gritted my teeth, grabbed the first quill and pulled.

  Chapter 22

  I cringed against the pain as I wrenched those quills out of my leg. Shadows coagulated around the wounds and soon I was able to walk straight again. My strength soon returned and I chased after Gil.

  My sister can be so stubborn at times.

  She was the brains and I the brawn—that's been our dynamic ever since we were kids. She wasn't one to lose her cool and chase after her hunt. Whoever pressured her into capturing Lilith must have gotten deep inside her head.

  And that was definitely not a good thing.

  The door was open and soon I was standing on the large open plain of the metal decks. Just as I made it through the door, I saw Gil's petite figure shoot straight into the wall. There was a sickening crunch as her head smacked against the metal and she crumpled down, unconscious.

  Lilith screamed from the other side of the deck.

  She was about five feet off the ground and spread out ten feet wide like a grotesque canvas. There was an arm in one place, then a few feet away was her ankle, then her head, and tail and torso and wings were all spread out in different places.

  The air around Lilith's limbs swirled and I immediately recognized my sister's space distortion spell. Lilith wasn't directly damaged. The space she occupied was divided into little chunks and jumbled up at random.

  In short, the bitch wasn't going anywhere.

  I knelt by my sister and felt a tingle of magic. White fog gently emanated from around her. It swirled around my black shadows like a Yin-Yang symbol. The resulting static created a small shock that prickled my skin.

  I filed the event away and made a mental note to ask my sister what was going on with her later. But for now, I focused on bringing her back to the real world.

  I reached inside her pocket, pulled out an old silk handkerchief and tied it around her head. That stopped the small trickle of blood and I felt her stir.

  "Please be gentler with my head," she said groggily. Her hand reached up and she frowned at me.

  "You ruined my favorite handkerchief," she said waving it in front of my face.

  "You sent a thug after me and had my office demolished," I replied matter-of-factly as I helped her up.

  She smiled. "Bill me."

  "I intend to."

  Lilith screamed again. I felt her power rage against the spell binding her and inch by inch she began to break free. The distorted space began shrinking and shrinking, until she was starting to come together again.

  Gil grunted in effort as she grabbed the air in front of her and twisted. The space distortion spell twisted into a shredding vortex. The Sin looked like she was being sucked in a garbage disposal unit.

  Only a bit was left.

  Just a little more, I thought.

  Then Gil suddenly buckled, her energy gone. Lilith was released and she burst into a flock of swirling bats that clustered into each other. And after some flapping, there she stood, hunched over and looking like she'd been run over by a truck.

  "She can use Life magic," Gil wheezed. "It's her original power, Erik. Not the Sin's." She managed to sit up. "I need to come up with a plan. Could you keep her occupied and listen at the same time?"

  I nodded and spun Djinn around my finger. I'd never tried anything like this before but it was like I already knew the limits of these new powers, even though this was the first time I was using them.

  Shadows surrounded the glowing blue sword as it spun using the ring as its axis. My magic increased its speed until the short sword spun so fast that it emitted a faint buzzing noise. I flicked the weapon at Lilith and a tendril of darkness connected the spinning buzz saw that Djinn had become to my hand, giving me complete control over my weapon.

  The sword zigzagged through the demon, shredding off entire limbs but flying away before Lilith could swat it and knock it astray. Instead all she could do was stumble, scream, and burn through her biological resources.

  "Lilith was originally capable of Life magic," Gil said. "The Sin is just a mantle of power, a boost."

  "Meaning?" I kept my focus on Djinn, controlling it through the tendril of darkness.

  "Meaning she could create life, but not like this," Gil explained. "This morphing must be the Sin's power. That's what’s driving her to feed off people."

  "I need a way to kill her, Gil," I responded irritably.

  "But something's wrong here," she continued, completely ignoring me. "After the angels damaged her, she can't fully control her transformations."

  Her words brought back to mind the visions I had when Lilith was disguising herself as Rose. I remembered being mentally connected to Lilith—the original version, not the Sin of Lust—and her eagerness to show her new powers. Her need to be noticed again, to be recognized and worshipped like the old days.

  But the fact that she could still hold onto those feelings meant that the Sin hadn't completely taken hold of her. Which meant…

  "She defected from the rest of the Sins," I said. Of course. That right there was a piece of valuable information that had completely escaped me, but now made perfect sense. "Her power is still incomplete."

  Gil nodded at me, clearly on the same train of thought. "If that's the case then the Sin itself is no longer under her control and it'll turn on her."

  "English, Gil," I said.

  "She'll go back to her original self," my sister explained. "A monster-spewing mess. Except this time, they are all still contained inside of her. Push her far enough and she literally won't be able to hold herself together."

  "Interesting," I said.

  Now, that was something I could use.

  I willed Djinn back to me and pulled on the tendril. The sword flew back into my waiting hand, and as my fingers wrapped around the hilt the blade exploded in azure light.

  "I'm not sure that destroying her would be the best of ideas," Gil said. "I would much rather capture her."

  There it was, the Warlock instinct: capture and experiment on.

  Until a traitor comes along and releases her again, just like they did with the rest of the Zoo.

  No. Hell no. Lilith had to die. Period. />
  I pointed the sword at the Sin.

  "No way, Gil," I said. "She's getting destroyed."

  "I don't think-” she began.

  "Enough with the thinking," I yelled. "There's the enemy and our job is to take her down before she kills us all."

  Gil lowered her eyes.

  "You can't contain her," I said a little gentler. "No one can."

  My sister may be stubborn but she can see reason. Slowly, she nodded.

  "I can manage one more spell," she said. Her expression hardened. Whatever indecision was going on inside her head had been settled and she was back to her ruthless self.

  "Any ideas?" I asked.

  She smiled. I hadn't seen that smile in quite a while. That devious grin could only mean she was finally ready to play the ace up her sleeve.

  "Magnet," she said.

  Magnet was a combination spell we used back in the day when we were still kids. It was Gil's invention, a spell designed to capture the enemy in space time barrier. That was just part one.

  Part two was me coming in with an attack from the outside. The barrier attracted the offensive spell like a magnet—hence the name—and magnified it tenfold.

  The last time we had used this particular combination was when we were still teens, still learning the ropes of magic. There was very little power behind our magic back then, barely enough to take down mid-sized monsters.

  Now, with both Djinn and my shadows, I shuddered to think what ten times my regular power could generate.

  Ah, well. I guess there's only one way to find out.

  I nodded at Gil and returned her grin. Let's see Lilith walk out of this one.

  Chapter 23

  When Gil said she could do one more spell, she meant she could cast her magic but would faint immediately afterwards.

  I should have known. My sister and I were both stubborn and headstrong.

  I could see sweat glistening on her face as she summoned the very last reserves of her power.

  There was no motion, no yell or chant or magic word. My sister's power was in her mind. She knew every spell and counter spell in the books and exactly when to use them. Her brain could spin circles around Einstein's and leave him wanting more.

  Only problem was that she lacked the raw power to perform most of those spells. So, instead of crushing the enemy like I do, she used magic in such a way so as to rely on her concentration rather than brute force.

  The air around Lilith distorted. Her limbs were pressed into her main body. It was like she had the most powerful magnet on her chest and everything was being driven inside. She struggled and thrashed wildly. Anything that grew from her body, Gil immediately crushed back down. And for a while it seemed like my sister was winning.

  But she was only human and the spell took extraordinary concentration on her part. She had to immediately analyze whatever grew out of Lilith and apply the correct amount of pressure on it without sacrificing power from other areas. She had a mind like a computer, able to do three high concentration things at once.

  Meanwhile, I quit playing Solitaire on my computer when the cards move too fast.

  She gave one final push and I actually heard Lilith's internal organs rupture.

  Remind me never to mess with my sister—she can literally fuck you up with her mind.

  Gil fell down, completely spent. Shadow tendrils reached out from my body and gently caught her, easing her onto the ground. She had done her part and now it was my turn.

  But first I had to make sure she was safe.

  I knelt down and pulled her sleeve up. There, on her forearm, was an intricate tattoo: a summoning sigil. I reached behind her ear, where a small cut was oozing droplets of blood, and smeared some blood on the tattoo.

  I felt the air shift and Mephisto emerged. He took one look at Lilith and then at me, and a glare appeared on his face.

  "Where the hell were you?" I growled. If he had been there for my sister like he was supposed to be, then she might not have had to push herself so much. Not even my familiar, despite all of his crap, would just abandon me. Gil could have died, just because this guy didn't do his freaking job.

  Mephisto's thin eyebrows arched up. "That is between me and Master Gil," he shot back curtly.

  You know how some guys make you want to hit them repeatedly? This guy was one of them. But I didn't have time to fool around. Gil had to be far away from here before I finished off Lilith.

  "Take your master and leave here," I ordered.

  He remained standing there, with his arms folded.

  "Master Erik." He spat my name out like a bad taste. "I do not take orders from you."

  There was a burning sensation in my stomach, like someone poured acid down there. At the same time, I felt Lilith's struggling. Gil's magic was only temporary and the Sin was breaking it down.

  I had to act fast, and the last thing I needed was this guy's bullshit.

  You remember when I said stress, fear and anger can kick your magic up a notch? Well, I was bathing in those feelings and it now started to show.

  I felt my shadows flare and something deep inside me clicked. All that untapped potential was released and my entire body tingled. Bones cracked as they shifted. I didn't see the magic penetrate and enhance every bone, muscle and fibre of my body but I felt it.

  I straightened myself and was suddenly head to head with Mephisto's six feet.

  I cast one look down at my own body. My clothes dissolved and it was like someone had drenched me in black paint. I was covered in darkness from head to toe and became a physical manifestation of my hidden powers.

  I had become Dark Erik.

  Every bone ached. My fingers lengthened, bones breaking past the skin and hardening into claws. The same thing happened to my elbows, shoulders, knees and ankles. Bone grew past the skin and formed small bumps and spikes around the joints. I reached behind me and felt each one of my vertebrae protruding.

  Something pressed against my lips. I prodded around my mouth with my tongue and felt a row of sharp fangs in place of my usual teeth.

  I caught a glance of myself on a polished piece of metal. The color of my eyes caught my attention; my red eyes.

  Darkness flared around me like a robe and as I exhaled, steam came out of my mouth.

  And best of all, Mephisto recoiled backwards in terror.

  "Dog!" I snapped. My voice had become more glottal and feral. I pointed one clawed finger at him. "I am Erik Ashendale, heir to the Ashendale Power and Title. I am a descendant of the first Warlocks."

  I had never uttered that before. I guess that was my subconscious finally vocalizing when I always wanted to say to this jackass. Maybe this was me finally accepting who I was and saying it out loud was a way of setting it in stone.

  I glared at the demon and smirked. I raised my fist and heard knuckles cracking.

  "Don't fuck with me," I said.

  Then, Mephisto did the one thing I least expected him to do: he bowed.

  "As you wish," he replied. The look on his face suggested he might hurl at any moment.

  The demon scooped up my sister and stood in front of a portal. Before he stepped through, he turned around. "Congratulations on discovering your roots, Master Erik," he muttered.

  There we go again with the cryptic crap.

  "Is there something you want to say?" I snapped.

  "Nothing you will not understand with a little self-discovery," he said.

  I did not like the look in his eyes. He always wore that look when he taught us magic as kids—like he knew something we didn't. Like he was just wanted to toy with us, waiting for just the right time to screw us over.

  Before I could say anything else, he disappeared. Which was probably a good thing, since Lilith was about to break free.

  "You!" she screamed, clawing at me with something that resembled a mangled hand. "I recognize that power. You and him are the same. Did he give you his power?"

  Was everyone here aware of what was going on except
me? "What the hell are you talking about, you crazy bitch?"

  "He. The one that matters, the only one that ever mattered. The first and last," she raved, maniacally jerking her head about. "No, no it can't be. It’s a similar power but not the same. But you and I are the same, Warlock. We have the power to shape the world as we see fit. Join me, Warlock."

  Seriously? After all she did she expected me to just team up with her? She must really be cracked.

  "Don't you wanna see my resume first?" I replied as I picked up Djinn. The blade glowed intensely as shadows encased it.

  "What?" She was just about to break free. "Speak clearly, Warlock. Will you join me?"

  I let out a bark of laughter. Djinn's blade engorged disproportionately and the tip embedded itself in the metallic deck. The azure energy blade had widened to about my width.

  Even if I were evil, I doubt I'd join her. I mean, she doesn't get any of my jokes—it just wouldn't work out in the end.

  "First off, I am not Warlock," I replied. "The name is Erik."

  My body shifted into a battle stance and held Djinn's blade at my side, ready for a strike.

  "And as for your offer," I growled, “here's my answer."

  My magic flared and I poured it all into the sword. Layer upon layer of energy and shadows piled around the blade until it was twice my size, and still growing. Shadows and dark red pigmentation mixed with the raging blue light of the sword. The metal of the deck sizzled and paint evaporated.

  And I still kept pouring in more magic.

  Djinn could take all of that power. This sword was a family heirloom from my deceased mother's side. It was thousands of years old and made of magic that was long lost.

  But now it was my channel, and was as much a part of me as my magic.

  My new powers extended to the area around me, affecting not just space but also time. I saw Lilith's mouth stop mid-sentence. She was probably going to spout more bullshit.

  The waves halted mid-crash as if someone had hit the pause button on the universe and it froze.

  All except me.

  I kept charging Djinn until it reached a critical point. That's when I heard myself exhale and time flowed normally again. Lilith said something but I couldn't hear her over the loud pitch of Djinn and all that power inside of it.