A more devastating horror carves through me as I realize what Vogel has done. Yvan can’t cast fire and free himself with his hands fisted so tightly.

The Prophecy has come.

Vogel’s triumph surges through me with heart-shattering force as explosions break out over Voloi, Vogel’s hatred for Yvan’s wings reaching a fever pitch as the sadistic words are forced from my mouth.

“I rip these wings from your body, Foul Beast, in the name of the Ancient One on High!”

A strangled scream rips through me as my Shadow branches punch through Yvan’s wings. His eyes blow wide-open and he arches his back in agony, my heart torn from me by the sight. I lose all emotional control, a shattering rage blasting white against my vision.

LET HIM GO! I rail against Vogel, violently straining against his hold. I’ll KILL you!

His will clamps down on mine, his writhing Shadow enlarging within me as he forces me to read his full horrific intent. He’s going to force me to rip Yvan’s wings off. He’s going to compel me to impale hundreds upon hundreds of Noi’khin with Shadow branches. And he’s going to let the silver-fire moons fall and scorch through the entirety of Voloi, turning it into a fiery terror for everyone trapped there as he renders it to ash.

Then he’s going to unleash the much larger nightmare army he’s assembled in the Vo Mountains and send it out over the entire East and Central Desert, taking the rest of Erthia for the Magedom.

An annihilating panic tears through my core. I strain against Vogel’s hold, struggling to regain control of my wand hand, desperate to turn the wand on myself and strike myself off the face of Erthia before I can commit mass murder.

Before I can kill everyone and everything that I love.

Vogel’s will clamps down tighter around my consciousness, his hold on me intensifying. I meet Yvan’s agonized stare, his image blurring as I slip toward the Shadow abyss and Vogel’s will begins to crush my mind, my focus beginning to waveringly collapse.

Yvan narrows his gaze at me with dangerous intensity, his molten heat igniting on the air. His muscles tighten, wrists and body straining against his branch bonds with such force blood starts to flow from the wounds.

And then his blood catches fire, igniting the branches restraining his hands.