The first rays of pale light pierced the thick canopy of the forest, but it was not dawn that arrived—it was the unnatural glow of celestial descent. Aria's eyes snapped open, heart hammering, as the ground trembled beneath her knees. Malakai's shadowed wings flared instinctively, spreading wide to encompass her in darkness, his body tense like a coiled blade ready to strike. The air vibrated with power, sharp and cutting, like the edge of a sword scraping stone.
"They've come," Malakai murmured, voice low and dangerous. His crimson eyes scanned the mist, sharp as knives, catching every movement in the undergrowth. Shadows pulsed along his wings, reacting to something approaching faster than sound.
"Celestial hunters. And not just one."
Aria's pulse raced. She had faced hunters before, had felt shadows twist and strike, had even seen the power of dark forces—but nothing prepared her for this. Golden light tore through the mist in streaks, illuminating the forest in a surreal, blinding glow. Figures descended like meteors, their wings wide, sharp, each feather a shard of pure light. Every movement was deliberate, terrifyingly beautiful, and lethal.
"They… they're angels," she whispered, the word tasting wrong on her tongue. "Real angels."
"Yes," Malakai growled, tension coiling in his shoulders. "Celestials are not here to negotiate. They are here to claim you—or destroy you."
Aria swallowed, crimson fire flaring in her veins instinctively. "Claim me? Why me?"
"Because," Malakai said, shadowed wings curling protectively, "you are marked. And your blood… it carries power older than even the eldest demons or the strongest celestial lords. Both sides will fight to possess it. You are the key to something far beyond either realm."
Her stomach churned. She had known her awakening was unique, powerful—but a key? Something that could tip the balance of realms? Fear clawed through her chest, but beneath it, a new sensation emerged: thrill, fire, defiance.
The first celestial hunter touched the forest floor, silent, like light bending into flesh. Golden eyes burned into Aria's, and she felt it—a pull at the base of her skull, a whisper in her blood that made her knees tremble.
"Do not resist," one said, voice melodic but terrifying, echoing in the mind.
"The blood calls to us. You are ours by right of legacy."
Aria's hands flared, crimson energy exploding like wildfire. "I am not yours!" she shouted, her voice stronger than she expected. Power coiled around her, reacting to her fear, her anger, and something far more primal—desire. The bond with Malakai pulsed against her chest, feeding her strength, lending fire to her veins.
"You are mine," Malakai growled, stepping fully in front of her, wings spreading wide. Shadows ripped through the mist, forming jagged blades and barriers, ready to strike. "No celestial, no hunter, no ancient power will touch you while I breathe."
The celestial hunters paused, their golden feathers shimmering with cold light, analyzing, assessing. Then one moved forward, elegant, deliberate, sword in hand made of pure radiant light.
"You belong to the bloodline," it said, voice musical and terrifying at the same time.
"The child of the mark will decide the fate of all realms. You will come with us."
Aria felt her crimson energy spike, coiling around her arms, her chest, her legs. The pull of the mark inside her—the ancient presence that had already whispered to her—suddenly roared with awareness. Her power reacted to their presence, uncontrolled, chaotic, and brilliant. Shadows clashed with light as Malakai's wings flared outward, blocking, deflecting, shielding her.
The first strike came before she could even think—a blinding arc of celestial light, slicing toward her like a blade of sun. Malakai intercepted it, his shadows shredding against the light, sparks of energy hissing as darkness met divinity. But the sheer force pushed him back several steps, and Aria's heart nearly stopped.
"We can't hold them forever!" Malakai shouted, crimson eyes burning brighter, veins flaring. "You must fight, Aria! Your awakening—use it now!"
Her hands shook, body trembling, but something deep inside her ignited. Fear, rage, longing, desire—all intertwined into a raw, searing power she had barely begun to understand. She lifted her hands, crimson fire coiling outward, striking the nearest hunter. The light of her energy met the celestial sword, clashing in a dazzling explosion that shook the forest. The hunter staggered but did not fall.
"They're stronger than anything I've faced," she hissed, voice tight with exertion. "Malakai… I…"
"I know," he said, moving closer, shadow wings brushing hers, intertwining. "But your power is unique. It's… unstable, yes—but that instability is also your weapon. Let it flow through you. Let it burn through them."
The hunters advanced, several more touching down around them, golden light burning through the mist. Aria felt the bond with Malakai pulsing, every heartbeat, every breath amplifying her fire. Her fear twisted into determination. She could feel the presence of the mark, ancient, golden, whispering: Choose your destiny. Choose power. Choose your fire.
Aria's body responded instinctively. Crimson energy flared along her limbs, coiling into spear-like projections, striking the hunters. Their light met her fire, arcs of brilliance against waves of darkness. Sparks showered the clearing, illuminating every face—hers, Malakai's, theirs—flickering with tension, fear, and defiance.
Then, through the chaos, a new presence arrived—slender, regal, and terrifyingly calm. His wings spanned impossibly wide, black as midnight, tipped with flickers of molten gold. Eyes like liquid starlight fixed on Aria, and she froze.
"Who…" she whispered, voice catching. "Who is that?"
Malakai's expression darkened, something rare and dangerous curling in the shadows of his eyes. "He is… one of the demon princes," he muttered, almost under his breath. "A rival… and a threat even to me. If he touches you—"
"You cannot stop me," the prince said, voice smooth, cold, melodic. His shadow and light mingled unnaturally, dancing around him like a living aura. "Child of the mark… your destiny is mine to reveal. Do you not feel it? Your blood answers me."
Aria's knees weakened. The mark inside her screamed with recognition, pulsing in sync with this prince's presence. Her chest ached with longing and terror. She could feel Malakai tense, wings spreading wider, shadows bristling violently.
"Step back," Malakai warned. "Do not—"
But the prince ignored him, moving closer, each step slow, deliberate, like a predator circling prey. "Do you remember nothing?" he whispered, eyes glowing brighter. "The legacy you were born to, the power that flows through you… it is mine to awaken."
Aria's hands flared, crimson energy lashing outward, wild and untamed, seeking to repel him. Malakai interposed himself, but the prince's gaze met hers—and the world seemed to twist. Her blood pulsed like wildfire, shadows and fire and hunger colliding in a dizzying storm inside her.
"You are mine," the prince whispered, voice intimate and terrifying. "And soon… you will remember who you were meant to be."
A chill ran down her spine, mingled with something she could not name—thrill, longing, and fear wrapped together. Her body responded to the pull of the mark, her power flaring even as she struggled against it.
Malakai's hands gripped her shoulders, shadows pressing into hers, whispering: You are mine. You are mine. You are mine.
The celestial hunters hesitated, sensing the shift, their golden swords poised but unsure against the surge of crimson and shadow energy. The demon prince smiled, a slow, cruel curl of his lips, and the air vibrated with a promise: revelation, power, betrayal.
Aria's head spun. Her heart screamed, her power roared, and the first true taste of choice weighed on her like the heaviest stone:
The demon who bled for her… or the ancient prince who claimed her before she could remember herself?
Her hands glowed brighter. Her chest heaved. The forest trembled, the celestial light flickered, and shadows danced in anticipation.
The first strike would decide everything.