Mary's heart pounded in her chest, her breath shallow as the surge of power coursed through her. It felt like every nerve in her body was on fire, her senses heightening, the world around her slowing to a crawl. The energy, wild and untamed, erupted from her without warning, a torrent of magic that vibrated through the very air. Her hands tingled with the intensity of it, the sensation almost painful, but she refused to let it go. She couldn't afford to.
In that moment, she felt something inside her shift. The power, no longer a foreign force that she couldn't control, began to become a part of her. A weapon at her disposal. A dangerous, uncontrollable weapon.
Dante, caught off guard by her sudden display of power, staggered back as the air around him seemed to warp, crackling with raw energy. His eyes, usually so cold and calculating, widened in disbelief.
"Impossible…" he muttered, his voice laced with a mixture of awe and frustration.
Lela, momentarily distracted by the unfolding spectacle, glanced over at Mary, her sword still raised in defense. "Mary… what are you doing?"
Mary didn't answer. Her focus was solely on the power inside her, swirling and spiraling with a life of its own. The air around her shimmered, bending and distorting, as if the very fabric of reality was starting to fray under the pressure of her energy. The ground beneath her feet rumbled, small cracks forming in the dirt as if the earth itself was reacting to her outburst.
Dante snarled, his composure quickly returning. "You think you can control it? You're nothing but a pawn in this game, Mary. You're playing with forces far beyond your understanding."
Mary's lips curled into a smile, dark and fierce. "Maybe. But I'm not going down without a fight."
With a final, defiant gesture, she extended her hand toward him, the energy around her coiling into a destructive wave. The air seemed to vibrate with a hum, and then—like a strike of lightning—it shot toward Dante with blinding speed.
For a moment, time seemed to stretch, the world holding its breath. Dante's eyes flickered, and for the first time, he didn't react with his usual cold precision. He raised his hand in a desperate attempt to deflect the incoming blast, but it was too late.
The surge of power collided with him, and the force of it knocked him off his feet. The ground shook violently, sending tremors through the clearing. The air was filled with a deafening crack, as if the very atmosphere had split apart. Mary's energy, raw and uncontrolled, surged through the clearing, the force of it splintering trees and sending debris flying in every direction.
Dante's body was thrown backward, crashing into a large rock with a sickening thud. For a moment, there was silence.
Mary's breathing came in ragged gasps as she stumbled, the aftershock of releasing such raw energy overwhelming her. Her knees buckled beneath her, and she almost fell, her hand reaching out to steady herself against the ground. The power inside her was like a raging storm, and she had barely held it together long enough to aim it.
Lela was by her side in an instant, her face a mask of concern. "Mary, you need to control it! You're not ready for this much power!"
Mary shook her head, her eyes wide and unfocused as she tried to steady herself. She could feel the magic within her, still wild, still dangerous, but it had subsided for the moment. "I—I didn't mean to…"
Before she could finish her sentence, a low growl rumbled through the clearing. It was a sound that made her blood run cold, the very air seeming to freeze in place.
Lela's hand shot out to grab Mary's arm, pulling her to her feet. "Get ready. He's not down yet."
Mary turned toward the source of the growl, her heart racing as she saw Dante slowly rising from the rubble. His clothes were singed, his body battered from the force of her attack, but his expression was one of pure, unrelenting fury. The once-calm vampire now radiated an aura of dark power, his eyes glowing with an unnatural intensity.
"You shouldn't have done that, Mary," Dante said, his voice dripping with malice. "You think you can defeat me? You're just a child playing with fire."
Lela stepped in front of Mary, sword at the ready, her stance firm. "You're wrong. She's not a child. And she's not going to be your pawn."
Dante's lips curled into a wicked smile, his eyes never leaving Mary. "We'll see about that."
In a flash, he was upon them. With inhuman speed, he lunged at Lela, his body a blur as he brought his fist crashing down toward her. But Lela was ready. She sidestepped with a fluid motion, her sword flashing in a deadly arc. The blade collided with Dante's arm with a sharp, metallic ring, sending sparks flying.
Dante hissed in pain, but he didn't back down. Instead, he spun, his own hand glowing with dark energy, and with a wave, sent a blast of power toward Lela. The air crackled with the force of it, and Lela barely had time to block, her sword shimmering as she deflected the attack. The ground beneath her feet cracked, the earth breaking apart with the intensity of their clash.
Mary's hands shook at her sides, her mind racing. She had to do something. She couldn't just stand by and let Lela fight alone, especially not against someone like Dante. But the power inside her—how could she control it? How could she keep it from destroying everything around her?
A sudden thought hit her like a lightning bolt, and before she could think too much about it, she reached deep within herself, summoning the power again. This time, however, instead of unleashing it in a destructive burst, she focused on it, tried to guide it.
The energy swirled around her, and this time, it responded to her commands. Her hands glowed with a pale, silvery light, and she held them out in front of her, trying to shape the magic into something manageable. It was difficult, her head swimming with the effort, but she could feel the energy pulsing through her fingertips, alive and vibrant.
With a deep breath, she sent the magic forward—directing it toward Dante.
The vampire turned just in time to see the light coming for him, but he wasn't quick enough. The power hit him like a tidal wave, sending him crashing back again, his body hitting the ground with a sickening thud.
This time, he didn't move.
Mary's breath hitched in her chest as she watched, her heart pounding. Had she—had she done it? Was he finally defeated?
But before she could even let out a sigh of relief, a figure stepped from the shadows.
And this time, Mary felt a presence far darker than anything she had faced before. The figure's eyes glowed with an unnatural fire, and as it moved closer, a chill ran down her spine.