Elira shuddered, holding her staff. Tears ran down her face as she crept to her brother, laying her shining hands on his chest. But his ribs were broken, one lung collapsed. Her magic wouldn't save him.
No.
Not again.
Please, not again.
Her thoughts flashed to the night of flames and cries, the night beasts dragged off her parents, their friends, everything. She remembered her father's throat ripped open, her mother's frantic hug, her childhood friends' dead eyes. And now Kael was fading, his blood seeping into the earth.
Her hands trembled wildly, her magic unspooling into madness. "I can't lose him… I can't…"
The Demon Royal's darkness towered above her. His voice reeked of derision. "Heal him, little lamb. Prove yourself worthy."
Her tears seeped into Kael's lips. She bore down, crying out as her magic seethed within her, as if it would devour her alive. And then—something awakened.
No. Not awakened. Broke.
Light burst forth. Not the gentle healing glow of spells, but a searing brilliance that consumed the forest. Wings of gold energy spread from her back, their feathers glowing like holy flames. Holy power hummed in the air.
Elira's cry was one of shaking but unyielding ferocity. "Divine Heal!"
Light flooded Kael. Bones snapped into alignment. His lung that had been punctured healed. Blood turned to mist. His eyes flew open, gasping as life flooded him.
The same light enveloped the others. Thargrim's leg straightened, the bone reformed. Lyrielle's wrists healed, her breathing steadied. Rina's ribs aligned, her blood disappeared. Even Azrak's belly wound closed up, leaving just a small scar.
The forest glowed like daylight, the shadows banished.
The Demon Royal stiffened, his smile twisting into something pointed. "Oh… now this gets interesting."
Elira rose, her hands still radiating, her body shaking with fatigue. Her golden eyes blazed at the demon. "Leave my brother alone."
For the first time, he pulled out a weapon—a sword of black fire, taller than Kael was. He aimed it at her, laughter dancing in his eyes.
"You glow with light, little lamb. But a spark cannot drive away darkness."
The sword moved—then halted an inch from her throat.
He laughed, moving back. "Not today. You are not prepared. But soon… soon you will all know despair."
And with that, he melted into darkness, disappearing from view.
The light decayed. The woods were still once more.
Elira fainted, Kael grabbing her inches before she could crash to the ground. She wept against his chest, her wings shaking out. He embraced her tightly, his own frame shaking.
Rina knelt beside them, her hand over her chest, her voice raw. "We… we almost died…"
Lyrielle's eyes seethed with anger, but also with fear. "He toyed with us. Every step, every blow. he was playing games with us."
Thargrim struck the ground with his fist, anger and shame intertwined. "We're weak. Pathetic! We couldn't even scar him."
Azrak sat by himself, his gold eyes clouded. He said nothing. He didn't have to—the demon's words still lingered in his mind.
Half-blood.
Kael gazed at his splintered, shaken family. And then at his sister, who still glowed softly with divine light. "We lived because of you." His words trembled. "But we can't… we can't remain so weak."
They all knew the truth and didn't need to argue.
The demon had spared them alive. But not out of mercy. Out of tedium.
And the next time, there would be no mercy at all.