Page 42 of Crossing Between
I pushed my magic forward with a single thought:Free them.
Free them.
Free them.
The power rushed through me like a tidal wave, magnificent and terrifying all at once. My skin tingled as if thousands of electric currents were dancing across it, and my hairfloated around my face, suspended in an invisible energy field. The sensation was unlike anything I'd ever experienced. It was raw, primal magic coursing through every cell, making me feel both invincible and frighteningly vulnerable. Colors intensified around me; the mundane office transformed into a kaleidoscope of vivid hues I'd never noticed before. Even the air tasted different, as if it was metallic and charged, like the atmosphere before a lightning strike.
I could feel each soul below us pulsing like distant stars, each one unique and precious despite the corruption that gripped them. Time seemed to slow as the magic expanded within me, filling spaces I hadn't known existed in my being. It was exhilarating and utterly terrifying to hold such power in my trembling hands.
This was the magic that Quilith said I could reach once I just let go and embraced it.
The space between my fingers glowed with a soft blue light that grew brighter with each passing second. I felt it pour out of me in a torrent, directed at the masses of infected below, stretching from my core outward like tendrils of light seeking out darkness.
Tendrils of golden light extended from my fingertips, reaching through the glass as if it weren't there, snaking down toward the street below. My heart pounded in my chest, and sweat beaded on my forehead as I focused every ounce of my concentration on what I was trying to accomplish.
I could feel them now. Dozens of souls, trapped and suffering, being used like batteries to power the Essencefeaster's puppets. The sensation was overwhelming, like suddenly hearing a hundred voices screaming all at once. My knees buckled, but Kenji's strong arm wrapped around my waist,holding me up.
"I've got you," his voice grounding me in the moment. "You've got this, Zoey."
With his support, I pushed harder, reaching for those trapped souls with everything I had. I had to hurry before the Essencefeaster sensed me.
Too late.
I was too late. He sensed me almost immediately but this time I was ready.
I wasn't ready for the assault that crashed into my mind. It felt like a battering ram made of ice and razor blades, slicing through my consciousness with surgical precision. The Essencefeaster's presence was unmistakable. It was ancient, hungry, and utterly malevolent.
Little Soulbinder, finally, we meet properly. I've been so looking forward to this. Your dragon friend isn't here to protect you this time.
His voice slithered through my mind like oil on water, coating every thought with darkness. I gritted my teeth and focused, constructing mental walls brick by imaginary brick. It was instinctual.
"Get. Out. Of. My. Head." I snarled through clenched teeth, forcing each word out as I strengthened my defenses.
Kenji's strong arms wrapped around my waist from behind, holding me steady. His chest pressed against my back, warm and solid.
"I've got you," his breath hot against my ear. "Do what you need to do."
Such a precious pet you have,the Essencefeaster taunted.I wonder what his soul would taste like. Oni souls are quite the delicacy.
I ignored the taunt, focusing instead on the infected people below. From our vantage point, they looked like mindless puppets, their movements jerky anduncoordinated. The sickly green threads of the Essencefeaster's magic wrapped around their souls like parasitic vines, choking out their humanity.
They're mine now, little girl. Just as you will be.
"Shut up," I hissed, extending my awareness outward.
I could see them. Hundreds of glowing threads connecting the possessed civilians to their master. The Essencefeaster's magic was like a web, with him at the center, pulling strings and feeding off their essence. This was what we'd been hunting for weeks.
I focused my power, visualizing a pair of golden scissors in my mind's eye. One by one, I began to snip the threads.
NO!The demon's voice rose to a shriek in my head.STOP THAT!
His rage slammed into me like a physical blow. My knees buckled, but Kenji held me upright, his grip tightening.
"Zoey? What's happening?" Kenji's voice seemed distant, underwater.
"He's fighting back," I managed to gasp. "But I can do this."
I pushed harder, channeling more of my power into the task. Each severed connection felt like cutting through a steel cable with paper scissors, requiring immense concentration and strength. Sweat poured down my face as I worked, my entire body trembled with effort.
