Darby nodded. After that, he and Riordan continued to wait for Dillon to finish up his conversation with Xavier, but he grew bored soon enough. He was about to walk closer to the door when he smelled something like sulfur. The odor was so overwhelming, it felt as if it burned through his nose and lungs within seconds. He covered his nose with his right palm in a hurry. Then an enormous fire seemed to explode through the front door, and Darby shouted in pain as it felt like he was being scorched through all of his skin and bones. He detected his magic coursing through him as it worked to heal him at a rapid pace, but it appeared to be less effective for some unfathomable reason.

Some of the neighbors were coming out from their houses to look at the commotion. Darby knew the supernatural world would be exposed after this, but he couldn't care less. He was more concerned about Riordan and Dillon. He sought them out immediately. Dillon and Xavier were currently blocking the massive fire with their magic, but Riordan was lying face down on the ground approximately half a foot away from Darby. He wasn't moving at all, and Darby began to panic. He couldn't lose Riordan. That would kill him. He got up, ignoring the fact that he still hurt all over, and rushed toward Riordan. He genuflected to his knees and shook Riordan's body over and over again while screaming his soul mate's name. Riordan didn't respond at all.

In the next instant, Darby snapped. His vision turned red, and his canines and claws lengthened rapidly. He started to breathe harshly as the fury mounted deep within him. He yearned to sink his claws and canines deep into whoever was responsible for injuring Riordan, but he had no idea who that might be. Then, all of a sudden, a fiery figure strolled out from within the burning house. It was a man with three horns on the top of his head. Darby had no clue who that might be, but it didn't matter. He was going to teach the man a lesson. He dashed forward and jumped high into the air, ignoring Dillon's and Xavier's frantic warning sound from somewhere below him. He performed a couple of somersaults and landed right in front of the fiery figure. He slashed at the man with all of his might, but the stranger simply laughed at him. He grew angrier, and he pierced through the man's chest with all ten of his claws before ripping the stranger apart.

He was surprised when there was no blood at all. He narrowed his gaze and glanced all around him. He couldn't smell anything except for the high concentration of sulfur in the air. He was also unable to hear anything other than the crackling of the flames and the sound of his own heartbeats. He figured out there must be magic involved. It was something powerful that weakened his supernatural senses. His posture was tense as he looked everywhere around him. For the next several seconds, there was nothing. He was about to make his way toward Dillon and Xavier when he saw them pointing in his direction. He knew there must be someone or something behind him. He swiveled around in a hurry. It was the same fiery man. Darby was going to attack the unknown man. He knew he had to move fast. Unfortunately, the stranger managed to get him first. He clutched at his chest and shouted in pain as the fire hit him and began to consume him. His own magic fought hard to save him from somewhere deep within, but he grew dizzy as he toppled backward and landed hard on the ground. He couldn't breathe. His lungs felt as if they were being burned from the inside out. Even his heart was gradually weakening. His eyesight became blurry. Mere seconds later, the darkness overtook him, and he succumbed to it.