Chapter 33

Steel met steel again. Both faces separated only by their swords, their gazes rested in the eyes of the other. Darian knew he was inferior to her in speed, but... He couldn't and wouldn't give up. All he ever wanted was his brother. He was the reason he was still alive, why he had never lost a fight and he was the meaning of his life. How could he look him in the eye if he was going to lose? He wouldn't even have to, he'd be dead, he thought, and a cynical smile spread across his face.

"I can't lose..." he choked out before lifting his leg to hit Raia in the ribs. He spun on his own axis and tried to land another hit, but when his foot touched her skin again, her left hand clasped his ankle. Her eyes flashed with amusement and Darian cried out in pain as a flame engulfed his foot.

"There's something attractive about fire, don't you think? It warms when it's cold, gives light when it's dark... And burns when touched.” Raia released him and the flames died out. "But I don't want to end it too soon. Give me some entertainment..."

Darian could only manage a growl. He tried to put weight on his leg, ignoring the pain. He was used to pain, it was a sign that you were still alive and not just an empty shell.

He saw her look and as before she only had mockery for him. Raia didn't have to say it, Darian read it in her eyes. Whenever they met, she saw him as nothing more than Devon's faithful lapdog. He felt the hate that flowed through his body and gave him new strength.

Furious, he ran towards her and one blow followed the next. He put all his remaining strength into the punches and raged like a berserker.

Liara looked at what was happening, stunned. What happened to Kyla? Where was she? Her friend didn't have white hair and would never treat anyone like that. She just couldn't believe what just happened. And yet she couldn't avert her gaze.

Raia dodged his punches with an ease that only enraged Darian. As his sword slashed past her toward the ground, he reached into the small pouch attached to his waistband with his free hand. He grinned as he felt the metal in his hand.

Raia kept her eyes on his blade and only realized at the last moment that something was wrong. Several needles came flying at her and since there was no way to avoid them, she raised her hand. Instantly, the metal stopped mid-air and fell to the ground, encased in ice crystals.

"You throw stones at dirty mutts," she explained, and a moment later flame erupted from her hand, engulfing his entire body.

Darian screamed. His sword landed on the floor with a loud clang and he writhed in pain.

He smelled his own flesh burning, felt his skin crack from the heat.

His legs buckled and he fell to his knees.

Raia was still standing in front of him and the fire was constantly pouring out of her body. She took a step towards him. "One burns rats."

Darian's screams still echoed in Liara's head. Even when they fell silent and he just collapsed gasping for air. She could only watch in shock. Paralyzed with fear, she wasn't even able to look away.

Raia lowered her hand and the flames died out.

"But you'd welcome a death like that, wouldn't you?" Her gaze rested on the charred flesh. Blisters had formed and burst. In some places small holes had formed from which smoke was rising. His hair was completely burned.

But he didn't feel anything anymore. His body had gone numb from the force of the pain. Darian struggled not to pass out.

"It was my 23rd birthday when an angry mob stormed into our farmhouse and snatched me from my parents. My mother had baked bread to celebrate the day. I remember like it was yesterday. The smell of fresh bread spread throughout the house. We were poor, but we had each other. We laughed a lot... until this moment. They called me a witch, demanded my death at the stake. My parents tried to protect me. Father died, they stabbed him with their pitchforks. They took my mother and me to the village square. Do you remember? We were called witches because we allegedly had dealings with demons. You claimed you saw it. By the time of the Inquisition, people were scared. They trusted neither their neighbors nor their own children. I had to watch them burn my mother alive, I heard their screams and as you turned to me I saw your smile. Shortly thereafter I too found myself on the pyre and it was you who lit it. I begged for mercy, but nothing helped. I saw your face through the flames until I passed out."

Raia looked at her palm in which a small flame had formed. "I woke up too late. I couldn't have healed my body anymore so I decided to die. I knew I would be reborn and surrendered to fate.”

Raia's hand closed in a fist, smothering the flame and faint smoke rose from it. "But you will never be born again. Your soul will disappear into nothing. Shrouded in darkness and lost in eternity. But before that happens, I'll take what matters most to you."

Raia turned away from him and while he tried to follow her with his eyes, she stepped towards Devon. As she stood in front of him, she gently put her hand on his face and pulled him towards her. As their lips touched, Darian opened his mouth in a silent scream.

Devon felt the warmth of her lips caressing his with an unaccustomed gentleness. Tenderly she nibbled on his bottom lip before her tongue begged for entrance. He willingly opened his mouth a little further. While their tongues touched tenderly, almost agonizingly slowly meeting, he turned his gaze to the remains of his brother. Raia smiled into the kiss.

When Darian caught his brother's gaze everything collapsed for him. He realized that it had been nothing more than a pawn to him. A tool that had done its job. Devon had never considered him a brother, just like Raia he thought of him as a loyal lapdog. The realization destroyed everything in him that was still there and Darian closed his eyes. This pain was greater than any torment he had had to endure before.

Raia slowly pulled away from Devon. Their eyes met and she recognized the desire in his eyes. Nevertheless, she turned back to Darian. Again she raised her hand in which a fireball formed. Her eyes began to turn a deeper red as she walked towards him again and stopped in front of him. She waited until Darian opened his eyes. Only then did the flames engulf the remains of his body and finally burn him. The last thing he saw was not Raia, but the demon he himself had been.