The training grounds were quiet, the aftermath of yesterday's anomaly still lingering in the air. I walked alone, practicing subtle energy flows to maintain my control, when the air shifted.
A whisper. Soft, almost imperceptible, threading itself through my mind.
"Power… freedom… embrace it…"
I froze. The voice was not external. It didn't come from sound or air. It burrowed into my thoughts, familiar and alien all at once.
Half-demon.
The awareness prickled along my spine. It wasn't just a demon—it was probing, feeding on the darker edges of my nature. A lower-level general, likely the one behind the ward anomaly, testing limits, seeing how far it could twist me.
"Leave me," I muttered under my breath, trying to push the whisper away.
But the voice persisted. "You are more than this fragile restraint… More than Selene's pawn… More than your angel half allows. Take what is yours. The Council fears you. They deny you. They cannot guide you."
I clenched my fists, silver energy flickering faintly around my hands. The pull was intoxicating, a subtle warmth, a surge of raw power I knew I shouldn't touch. It was seductive, promising strength and freedom.
Mira appeared suddenly, her staff glowing, eyes sharp. "Haru!" Her voice cut through the whispers. "Resist it! Do not let it feed on your fear or doubt!"
The voice recoiled slightly, hissing like steam escaping from a cracked cauldron.
I drew a deep breath, centering myself, forcing the half-demon inside me to retreat, at least for now. Control… balance… restraint.
The shadows in my mind shrank under the weight of my focus. The demon's influence wasn't gone—it was clever, patient, persistent—but I had survived the first wave.
"You… have potential," the voice murmured, fading into a low, threatening echo. "But we will meet again."
Mira hovered close, her glow stabilizing my trembling energy. "That was no ordinary probe. They were testing your half-demon side… seeing if you'd falter."
I nodded, still catching my breath. "I… I held it back. But it wanted me to act—recklessly."
"Exactly," Mira said softly. "And next time, it will try something more… direct. That's why you must learn to control both halves of yourself. Angel and demon. Light and shadow. Only balance can keep you safe."
I looked toward the horizon, the sun glinting off the floating towers. Half angel. Half demon. Dangerous. Unstable.
And now… hunted, tested, and drawn into the shadows in ways I hadn't fully anticipated.
The demon had touched me—but I had not yielded.
Not yet.