Dire Destiny of Ours by John Corwin Page B

karate-chopped the arm of the closest one. His sword clattered on the floor. I caught an attack from the neighboring soldier on a horn. My tail lashed out and gripped the disarmed soldier. I flung him hard at the magic channelers.
    Using my superior height, I planted a huge demon foot in the chest of one seraph and kicked him hard enough to send him slamming into the window. I jumped back as two swords clashed where I'd stood. I gripped the soldier's wrists. Squeezed hard. Bones cracked and the seraphs cried out in pain. With a flick of my wrists, I sent them tumbling backward.
    The bulk of soldiers were still picking themselves up off the floor, or trying to flank me, so I spun to the window. Murk flowed through my veins. I drew upon Brilliance and sent it coursing into my hand. Like a dog sensing raw meat, my inner demon surged as I channeled destructive power.
    Gritting my pointy teeth, I pushed back as my infernal side vied for control of my body. I'd learned before that channeling Brilliance while manifested in demon form was dangerous. Unfortunately, I couldn't spare the time to cage the demon. Plus, having the extra strength was absolutely necessary right now.
    I wove Murk and Brilliance into a gray beam, which I shot against the glass. The material shimmered as it resisted. Cracks sprouted like weeds in the material. Everything had taken only seconds, but my senses told me my time had run out.
    Using my tail, I catapulted myself to the side just as a wave of Murk swept my former position and shattered the window. Brilliance flooded into me. My right hand flew up of its own accord and swept a searing beam of destruction across the front line of soldiers. They screamed in agony as white-hot destruction carved their bodies into ash.
    Kill them all!
    I clenched my teeth and struggled to bring my arm back under control, but my inner demon fought back. The world seemed to recede as my consciousness was pushed toward the back of my mind. I watched in horror as my own hand mowed down more soldiers.
    No, I can't let this happen!
    With a burst of will, I shoved back hard against my demon side. For an instant, I held control over my body. It was all I needed. I cut myself off from Brilliance. The moment I did, my demon side lost its grip on my mind. I shoved it back into its cage and felt my body shrinking back to normal.
    I threw up a shield of Murk to block further attacks, but as I looked around the room, I realized that wouldn't be necessary. Three lone soldiers remained. One screamed as he stared in horror at the charred remains of his arm. The other two huddled on the floor, eyes wide with terror.
    "Oh my god." I released the shield and walked forward.
    "Please, spare me!" one of the soldiers said in a trembling voice.
    The other soldier held his hands up in surrender. "You are truly a god."
    I was too preoccupied looking at the carnage to say anything else. Uoriss lay on her back in a pool of crimson. Thala lay next to her, a stream of her own blood mingling with Uoriss's. Terror filled her hazel eyes.
    She hissed, struggling for breath. "Help…" She coughed blood.
    I knelt next to her. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen." I looked at the soldiers. "Call a healer! Do it now!"
    Thala gripped my hand. "Not you…" her voice trailed away, her eyes went dull and cold.
    "T-they are all dead," said a familiar voice. Cephus rose from behind the conference table. He looked at me. "Was this your plan all along? Draw us all into this room and murder us?" He backed away, but with the levitator shafts sealed, there was nowhere to go.
    I held out my hands, palms facing him. "I swear I didn't mean for any of this to happen. Why did they attack me?"
    He looked at the remaining soldiers. "Who called you up here?"
    "We received an emergency signal from Minister Uoriss," the soldier said.
    The other soldier looked up. "My signal came from Minister Thala."
    The third soldier with the burnt arm had thankfully passed out.
    "You