Chapter 32

"So, let's get things started," Justin declared with a sinister smile, watching as his shadow dissipated behind him. "Let's see if you can stop this." Out of nowhere, Thomas was sent hurtling across the arena.

"This is going to be easy," Justin remarked with a self-assured grin.

"That's what you think," Tierney retorted, raising her hand. Just before Justin's shadow could ensnare hers, Tierney's shadow vanished.

"What the fuck?" Justin exclaimed in confusion. "You don't have shadow powers."

"That is true," Tierney replied with a sly smile. "But I do have the power of fire." Justin observed the flames dancing on Tierney's unlifted hand.

"Clever trick," Justin acknowledged with a grin.

"That hurt like hell," Thomas groaned as he rose from the ground. "How the hell did he do that?"

"Justin has Shadow Magic," Dean explained, eyeing Thomas. "He can make his shadow do anything he wants."

"So, how do we stop someone's power?" Thomas asked, scanning the arena for Justin's shadow.

"There are three things that can stop his shadow," Tierney explained, lifting her hand with fire. "Fire is one."

"The other is Light Magic," Dean added, stepping closer to Tierney. "Unfortunately, none of us possess that power."

"So, what's the third one?" Thomas inquired, flames forming around his hands.

"That would be Dark Magic," Dean answered, exchanging a glance with Tierney.

"That's good," Thomas said, smiling. "You have dark magic."

"Yes and no," Dean responded as Tierney's fire intensified. "My magic is not working at this moment."

"Are you kidding me?" Thomas exclaimed, scanning the surroundings once again for Justin's shadow.

"So, we just have to use fire magic," Tierney suggested, her smile unwavering.

"I'd like to see you try," Justin challenged, shadows pouring out of his hands. The arena darkened, with the only illumination emanating from the flames in Thomas and Tierney's hands. The room plunged into darkness, and screams and shouts erupted from every corner.

"What the fuck is that?" Thomas exclaimed, lifting his flames to survey the dark.

"This is my true form of Shadow Magic," Justin declared with a sinister laugh, "Shadow Nightmare."

"Tierney, you need to use your Exploding Magic," Dean instructed, peering at Tierney amidst the darkness.

"I can't," Selena confessed, looking at Dean. "I can't control that spell."

"You have to," Dean insisted, worry evident in his tone. "It's the only way to stop his spell."

"I'll do it," Thomas volunteered, turning towards the direction where Tierney's flames were.

"Okay," Dean agreed with a smile. "Tierney, make a flame barrier." Tierney raised her hands, and flames began forming a barrier around Dean and herself. As the flames solidified, Thomas erupted into flames all over his body.

"Be careful, Thomas," Tierney cautioned, concern lacing her voice.

"It's okay, Tierney. He can do this," Dean reassured with a smile. "Tierney and Dean, prepare yourselves." Thomas's flaming body grew brighter.

"You think that's going to stop me?" Justin laughed. "Your flame explosion will do nothing."

"Who said it was a flame explosion?" Thomas retorted, a smile gracing his face. He let his flames burst. "Thomas, no!" Tierney cried as the flames erupted in every direction. Justin's Shadow Magic began to dissipate as Thomas's flames burst.

"How is this happening?" Justin demanded angrily. "What spell did he use?"

"Thomas! Thomas! Thomas!" Tierney yelled, tears streaming down her face. "Thomas! Thomas! Thomas!"

"He will be fine, Tierney," Dean reassured, holding her as she screamed her brother's name.

"No, he won't," Tierney insisted, hitting Dean in the chest. "He used the Devour Spell."

"What do you mean?" Dean asked, grabbing her arms to stop her from hitting him.

"The Devour Spell," Tierney explained, locking eyes with Dean. "It's a fire spell that takes the person's life for the power to vanquish any Dark Magic or Shadow Magic."

"So that's what he used," Justin muttered as the blast threw him against the wall.

"Only a few can use the spell," Tierney added, tears welling in her eyes.

When the flames dissipated around them, the flame barrier vanished around Dean and Tierney. "Thomas!" Tierney yelled, running to where Thomas had been when he cast the spell.

"Tierney, please be careful," Dean urged as he ran after her.

As Tierney and Dean sprinted toward Thomas, Justin struggled to get up from the ground where he had been thrown against the wall. "You fucking bastard," Justin muttered, blood falling from his head onto his face. "I'm going to teach you."

As Justin stood up, he began pouring shadows out of his hands. "Come out, my night creature!" he commanded with a smile. "Come out and serve your master."

When Tierney reached Thomas, she saw that he was turning into ash. "Thomas, why?" Tierney cried, tears streaming down her face. "You know that spell kills every user that employs it."

"It's okay, Tierney. I promise," Thomas reassured her between coughs.

"Tierney, we need to stop Justin," Dean insisted, grabbing Tierney by the arm.

"Tierney, let it all go," Thomas said, grabbing Tierney's hand as he coughed. "Tierney, please, come on."

Right as Dean pulled Tierney away, Thomas smiled and vanished into ash. "One down," Justin declared with a smile. "Two more to go."

As the arena filled with darkness again, the shadows started swirling into a massive ball in the air. "What's that?" Dean asked, looking up at the dark sphere.

"That, my Dean, is the night creature," Justin explained with a sinister laugh. "It will kill you both."

As Justin finished speaking, the dark sphere started making cracking sounds in the air. "Tierney, we need to be ready," Dean warned, looking at her.

"Dean, I would run," Tierney finally looked at him. Dean noticed that Tierney's eyes were no longer green; they were white with red around them.

"Tierney, what is happening to your eyes?" Dean asked, grabbing her and looking into her eyes.

"Dean, I'll tell you later. You need to run to the other side of the arena," Tierney said, pushing out of Dean's grip. "So please run."

As Tierney began to walk toward Justin, the dark sphere burst into pieces. "Yes, the night creature is here," Justin laughed. "Do my bidding."

Dean could see the creature in the sky flying. The night creature resembled a dragon but in shadow form, its eyes bright red like fresh blood, with black goo pouring out of its mouth. "This is Dread, the shadow dragon," Justin announced with a smile.

"Tierney, please be careful," Dean pleaded as he ran to the other side of the arena.

"You better be scared, Dean," Justin taunted. "Oh, look, your wife is being braver than you."

"I will kill you for what you have done," Tierney declared as her red hair started to turn silver.

"Oh, I'm scared," Justin mockingly responded in a girly voice. "What, you going to burn me?"

"No, I'm going to rip your soul out of you and put it in limbo," Tierney asserted with anger. "And you will live with the real demons that haunt you at night."

"We will see about that," Justin said with a smile.

Right as Justin finished speaking, Dread flew down toward Tierney with a shrieking shriek. As Dread attacked, an invisible barrier prevented its hits from landing. The barrier reflected each attack as Dread assaulted again with its black goo, which poured right around the protective shield.

"You can't attack me," Tierney said, lifting her hand. "Not when you are going to die."

Out of nowhere, Dread was sent flying backward into the wall, shattering into white smoke. "How?" Justin demanded angrily. "No one can kill my night creatures that quickly."

"Oh, Justin," Tierney said with a laugh, now only three feet away from him. "If only you knew." Justin could see now that Tierney's eyes were white with red around them.

"How can you have that power?" Justin asked, his face turning pale. "Only Victoria had that power."

"Oh, Justin, my boy," Tierney taunted with a laugh. "I'm my mother's daughter." When Tierney was right in front of Justin, she placed her hand directly into his chest and stopped his heart.