Page 101 of What Beats Within the Tunnels

Father’s cold cackle chills me to the bone. “Your naivety is astonishing. The power coursing through your veins doesn’t desire balance. It craves supremacy. The sooner you come to terms with that, the stronger you’ll be.”

I shake my head.

“You’re mistaken. There’s undeniable strength in kindness and doing what’s right,” I say, holding my ground.

“And where has all your righteousness led you?” he retorts, venom in his voice. “Looked down upon by your own mother, tormented by your stepbrother, manipulated by the two men who profess to love you, and defiled through unspeakable acts that Lycan subjected you to. All the kindness in the world hasn’t spared you from these fates. Even now as you lie here, you still want to do the right thing. Pixie, give in to your dark side and you’ll feel so much better.”

I pull myself together, finally able to sit up and press my back against the wall, wiping away my tears defiantly. “Those are tragedies, indescribable pains that no one should bear. But, Father, those trials didn’t weaken me. They molded me, made me stronger. Today, I stand before you as a woman not willing to be controlled by the shadows,” I declare.

He chuckles, a mocking tone in his laughter. “After all you’ve endured, you believe you’re formidable? Such innocence.” And without warning, I lash out at him, throwing my fire in his face.

“Using my own essence against me? Naive. Only the darkness that dwells within you can challenge me,” he taunts.

A forceful wave of his magic collides with me, feeling as if every cell inside is aflame. The burning sensation radiates, settling deep within, causing me to convulse in pain.

Gasping for breath, I claw at the wall, using the protruding branches to pull myself upright. “You’re going to regret that.” My voice takes on a tone I wasn’t expecting as I speak. Without warning, another surge of his magic slams into me. I can’t dodge in time, and the impact sends me crashing back to the ground, blood filling my mouth. Every part of me feels ablaze from the inside.

“Unleash your shadows and fight me, if it will make you feel better,” he taunts, looming above. As he forcefully presses his boot into my back, every breath becomes a painful effort. Desperation fuels my attempts to wriggle free, but he’s always been the most powerful force in my life, and now is no different.

“Stop...please,” I rasp, tasting blood and bile. The dark, thick liquid already staining the floor mixes with the fresh blood spewing from my mouth.

“Begging? Not the response I expected. Fight me, Pixie,” he growls, driving his heel deeper. An agonizing jolt runs through me, amplifying the sensation of my skin tearing open under the force of his magic.

As he raises his foot, preparing to crush me once more, desperation pushes me to the brink. I surrender to the shadows lurking beneath my skin, the ones I’ve been fighting to suppress. The darkness surges forth with a force unlike any other, catapulting him violently against the wall. A wave of exhilaration washes over me, the power of the night coursing through my very being.

The sensation is intoxicating, a blend of terror and exhilaration, and I never want to be rid of it. As I glance downward, shadowy tendrils wrap around me, acting as an armor against the world.

“There she is,” he comments, advancing toward me. But I don’t retreat. The fear that once controlled me is now replaced by a newfound strength.

“Fuck you,” I retort, standing tall, our eyes locked in defiance.

“Such spirit suits you far more than kindness.” He smirks, but it doesn’t bother me.

With the dark magic enveloping me, I feel transformed. It’s as if I’m still me but free from the shackles of regret and remorse. Empowerment courses through me, and visions of retribution for those who wronged me dance tantalizingly in my mind. This newfound drive delights me. With the shadows at the helm, who could possibly challenge me? There’s a shift in my gaze, one of pure abandon, as I truly surrender.

His voice is laced with a sinister glee. “Off to Eguina with you now, to let your shadows wreak havoc. I must leave, but rest assured, our paths will cross again, dear daughter.” As he begins to summon the power of the wind, without a second thought, I lunge at him. The moment before he channels, I clutch onto him, ensuring he doesn’t escape without me in tow.

The impact jars me as we crash onto the solid terrain, but instinct drives me upright in an instant. And while we both spring to our feet, my agility gives me the edge. Shadows erupt from my core, slithering out like dark serpents to ensnare him. They wind around his limbs, tugging them wide and leaving him vulnerable. I slide my sword from its sheath, and a twisted satisfaction surges within me at the fleeting flash of alarm in his eyes, taking in the sword’s impressive span and ominous sheen.

“You’ve wrought devastation,” I hiss, the timbre of my voice a chilling fusion of my own and something more sinister. “A swift end by my magic won’t suffice. You should feel every ounce of pain you’ve inflicted.” I prepare to strike, savoring the moment, but he somehow wrenches free, countering with a blade of his own.

His smirk returns. “You seem to forget. Your darkness courses through me as well. You won’t defeat me easily.” With a mocking flourish, he adds, “But please entertain me with your attempt at swordsmanship.”

He thrusts at me, the air singing with the speed of his swing. But I’m quicker, swerving away as the blade slices mere inches from my face.

The ground beneath us is hard-packed dirt, and above the skeletal remains of trees loom, their gnarled branches creating a canopy against the stormy sky. Thunder growls, each rumble resonating deep within me, echoing the chaos of our confrontation. In the gloom, my eyes catch the silhouette of the gates he mentioned. Even bathed in darkness, they’re unmistakably intertwined with familiar, branch-like tendrils, reminiscent of the tunnel. What significance could this hold? My thoughts scatter as a swift move from him sends me crashing to the ground, jolting me back to the immediacy of our fight.

He sweeps his arm forward, and a force akin to a gravitational pull seizes me, suspending me midair. He’s lucky my magic is still recuperating, otherwise I’d obliterate him on the spot. I can sense my magic’s strength returning incrementally, and it’s a ticking clock before my darkness takes over.

Reaching out with my shadows, I latch onto the trees, dragging myself back to solid ground. Euric makes a hasty retreat downhill, evidently aiming for the gates. I can’t let him reach them.

Before I can intercept him, Nyx and Colton emerge from the tree line, positioning themselves as barriers between Euric and the gates. The bond between Colton and me must’ve guided them to our location.

“I’ve killed you once, and it seems I’ll have to do so again,” Nyx declares, lunging at my father.

Euric evades Nyx’s magic with ease. “Your victory was only possible because I permitted it,” he says. An aura of dark energy swirls around him, becoming more pronounced and potent. “Your two misfits won’t be enough to stop me.”

Colton steps forward, his eyes glowing with determination. “It doesn’t matter how powerful you’ve become. We’ll stand together, always.” He raises his hand, conjuring a barrier of ethereal energy that shields them from Euric’s next onslaught.