Karina sat on her throne when a shadow flickered at the edge of her vision. The room felt calm—too calm—and her skin tingled with unease. Something was coming, and it would arrive sooner than she expected.
The hall of Aurevion stretched before her, gold and jade catching the sunlight. Every detail pulled her back to memories of the place, to the gems lining the walls—each one standing as a measure of her worth.
Beside her, Inez sat silently. After years of fighting together, they shared a bond that rarely required words.
A faint movement caught Karina's eye, and the door slammed open.
A messenger stumbled into the hall, his clothes torn and tattered, ash smudging his face, terror etched into every line.
"My lord!" he shouted to Karina.
"What happened?" she asked.
He looked like he had just escaped a battlefield, chest heaving with ragged breaths. Clearly, he had been flying for a long time, utterly exhausted. He sighed, trying to steady himself.
"The demons… they've escaped. Demo is leading them," the messenger panted, gripping the pillars for support.
Karina felt a tightening in her chest. She had always known Demo would escape eventually, but not this soon. She stretched her hands behind her, and a sword materialized in her grip as if drawn from thin air.
Why now? She was still healing from past losses—still nursing wounds no one could see. Why would they choose this moment to strike?
She had spared him once, but not this time. She wouldn't let the ghosts of her past twist her emotions again.
He wasn't Davin anymore. He was Demo. He had betrayed them all, and betrayal deserved death.
She glanced at Inez. No words were spoken, yet everything that needed to be said passed silently between them, understood in a single shared look.
"Go and tell the other legions to prepare," Karina said, her heart racing, though her voice remained calm.
The messenger bowed, trembling with fear. He could hardly believe he had to fly through that battlefield again just to warn the other legions. May I be saved… he thought, and pushed off into the air, wings slicing through the smoky sky.
Karina's chest tightened. I can't lose anyone else. I failed before… but not this time. Not to him. Not today. Never.
Light shimmered around Karina as her armor crystallized into place. Behind her, the legions readied themselves—swords in hand, wings unfurled, every one poised for battle.
By the time Karina and her legions reached the battlefield, lives were already being lost. Guardians clashed with demons, smoke curling into the sky, wings beating and claws striking with deadly force.
"For Aurevion!" Karina shouted.
"For Aurevion!" her legions echoed, diving into the chaos with unwavering resolve.
Karina battled the demons with relentless precision. Her sword flashed through the air, clashing against claws and fangs, while her wings cut through the wind with perfect control. She had to fight. She had to find Demo—and end this.
All of it had started because of her. If she had begun it, then she would see it through to the end.
Karina's eyes swept across the battlefield—and then she saw him: Demo. He stood there, a wickedly charming smirk on his devilish, handsome face. Memories she had buried surged forward, unbidden, stirring a rush of anger and pain. She forced herself to push them aside. That was the past. He shouldn't be reminded, not now.
By the time she focused again, she was ready. Demons swarmed around her, in front, behind, all sides.
Inez joined her, moving as a single unit. Their swords clashed with deadly precision, wings sweeping enemies aside. Every motion was deliberate, confident. Inez covered her back as Karina struck forward, their teamwork seamless—like eyes in the front and back of one body, seeing everything, striking with perfect timing.
They fought for hours. Karina lunged again and again, trying to reach Demo, but he always seemed just out of reach. Her mind wavered, pulled by memories and anger.
"Pull yourself together, Karina!" Inez shouted.
Only Inez had the audacity to yell at her—the Lord of Radiance.
"I know you want Demo," Inez continued, "but do you want to die before you get to him? Focus. Now fight!"
Karina shook off the distraction and pressed on, but a demon caught her off guard, striking from behind. Inez reacted instantly, her wings sweeping Karina safely out of harm's way.
"Thank you," Karina panted, briefly glancing at her friend.
Inez only nodded, eyes sharp, and went back into the fray.
Then it happened—too fast, too sharp for anyone to react. Demo tore open a portal, leaping through it with swarms of demons. In an instant, Karina followed, propelled by instinct and determination. The portal snapped shut behind them, leaving the remaining demons and the legions frozen in stunned silence.
"Open another portal! Go after the Lord!" Inez shouted.
"We follow our Lord!" the legions echoed.
Some moved instantly, opening their own portals to pursue Demo, while others stayed behind to strike down the remaining demons in the heavenly realms, ensuring none would escape their wrath.
Karina landed in an unfamiliar place. Grass stretched in every direction, and the sky above looked foreign—different, somehow, from anything she had known. Slowly, realization struck: this was the human world.
A chill ran down her spine. Shadows twisted around her, deep and dark, pulsing with malevolent energy.
Before she could react further, demons leapt from the shadows, striking from all sides. She spun, parried, and countered, every movement precise and instinctive.
Inez wasn't here. She was alone.
She had to fight. She had to survive. She had to complete her mission.
Was that… Demo? Karina wondered as she fought, her eyes scanning the chaos.
Gradually, the swarm of demons began thinning. Where are they going? she thought, concern tightening her chest.
Up ahead, she spotted a small town nestled at the edge of the forest. Panic surged. No… I can't let them reach the humans. Her pulse quickened as she surged forward, cutting down every demon attempting to flee in that direction. Despite her speed and precision, a few demons managed to snatch one or two unfortunate humans before falling to her blade.
Smoke curled through the trees, drawing more curious humans closer. Why are they coming? Why can't they stay back? Karina muttered under her breath, frustration gnawing at her.
And Demo—where was he? She couldn't sense him anywhere. He had disappeared. But she couldn't chase him yet. The remaining demons demanded her attention, and she was alone. She didn't have the strength to fight them all and still catch him in time.
With one final swing, the last demon fell. Silence spread across the battlefield, broken only by the distant cries and the hiss of smoke curling through the forest.
Smoke hung thick in the air, curling around scorched trees as the last remnants of the demons turned to ashes. The fire crackled, leaving the forest scarred but silent.
An idea struck Karina. Humans couldn't know the truth—that demons had walked among them. If they did, panic would spread, and the chaos would only make it easier for the remaining demons to strike.
With a wave of her hand, she reached into their memories, carefully unraveling the events of the attack. When she was done, the humans remembered only a devastating forest fire. The loss of life remained tragic, but they saw no shadows, no claws, no demons—just the fire that had claimed them.
Exhausted, Karina sank beneath a massive tree. Her clothes were streaked with ash, blood trailing down her arms and legs. Her sword and armor had vanished, leaving her vulnerable yet unbowed.
Curious onlookers drifted past, drawn by the smoke and the aftermath of the fire. Some whispered about the people who had died; others simply stared at her, silently asking, Who is she? Why is she sitting there?
No one approached. No one asked if she was hurt, if she needed help. Humans—self-absorbed, unaware—didn't realize that she had fought and risked her life for them. Karina didn't dwell on it. Their ignorance didn't matter to her.
Her chest heaved with exhaustion, yet her mind remained razor-sharp. The hunt had only just begun.
Unseen, Demo lingered in the shadows, his eyes fixed on her. Calm, collected, and deadly—he waited. And somewhere deep inside, Karina knew: this encounter was far from over.