I gave into temptation and have produced another bonus chapter this week, haha. To be clear, this is a flashback chapter -a continuation of the prologue. Please enjoy ~

                    

Chapter 30 - Creative

(Thirteen Moons Ago...)

Thirteen moons ago, on an otherwise pretty night in Sybilius, things became hectic. The faint breeze amid the crisp air, the aroma of night-blooming flowers, and the song of the nightingale. All of it had been replaced by the heat of battle, drowned out by the hateful tension, the stench of blood, and the clash of weapons.

After a band of demonic beasts invaded the Aubade Palace to bring back a detained warrior, the sylphs pursued, leading to this fight where the forest met the grassland. Gradually, the sylph warriors retreated or gave into their injuries. Likewise, the demon king had already ordered his troops -including the wounded beta- to retreat. That left only two fighters on either side, seemingly matched in strength. One valiant sylph queen in silver and violet-tinted armor, and one elusive dark figure that struck from the shadows.

A shockwave had just driven the sylph's sword back; it flew out of her hands, landing with its blade stuck in the dirt. She, herself, almost doubled over, and the job was finished when the dark man slammed his knee into her gut. Even with armor on, it caused her pain.

Corelia rushed back, barely avoiding a fatal blow. When she saw an ominous white ring, piercing through the shadows where the man's eye should be, she struggled to hide her anxiety.

"Contain your evil!" She snapped. "Arrogant creature, just wait. Something big is coming; the stakes are going to shift, and if it's enough for me to feel, it's certainly enough for you."

"I wasn't going to deny that."

As a cloud moved away from the moon, the extra light partially illuminated the man's pale gold spear, while bringing more definition to his figure. The mysterious ring vanished, revealing his one visible eye's haunting deep blue hue.

"As a resident of lands far less oblivious than yours, I know chaos is lurking. However, as with the last several ages, I know the worst of it is right in front of me."

Through her fear and disdain, Corelia smirked. "I think we have very different ideas of what the 'worst' entails, demon king."

Leiytning sneered, "I just find it comical to believe you have an opinion on anything beyond that stream..."

He threw the spear at her, and Corelia narrowly dodged. With a crack of electricity from his hand, though, the spear shot back and knocked her down to one knee. Before a fatal hit could be made, she blocked the attack with her gauntlet, then rushed to retrieve her sword. Just in time to hold back another strike.

"You say you know something's wrong," Leiytning spat, "But the rest of us are the ones confronting the problem. You just keep cowering..." He knocked her back, then stepped away. "No different from any other point in our history; we face the threat, and if you decide to do anything, it just involves blaming us or seeking profit."

"We have no obligations to help you," Corelia argued. "I can admit to not knowing enough about these problems, and that's why I avoid them. It's too risky, especially with a mortal army. You know you would do things the exact same way if you were in this position."

Leiytning sighed, "I forgot how to laugh. You know everything when convenient, then feign ignorance when challenged on it. What an 'Aubade' way to go about things."

Corelia's eyes narrowed. "You know damn well that prior point was untrue, as well. I know Sybil stepped out of bounds at times, but we weren't hunting you. That was retaliation, because of the attackers your side did nothing to stop!"

Seeing the spear jerk, Corelia lashed her sword at him again. However, grabbing her wrist, Leiytning seamlessly flipped her onto the ground, Corelia having to roll aside before she was stabbed. When his weapon only hit the earth, Corelia tried another hit, but Leiytning unsheathed his dagger and lashed back, leaving a deep cut on her arm. Acting fast, Corelia knocked the dagger out of his hand, and with one careful shot -only a hair's width opening- she thrust the sword out. As it neared his remaining eye, he shot back like a black flash.

As things stalled again, Corelia was surprised to see the dagger was missing, but Leiytning held it up soon after.

"You lie about retaliation..."

He aimed the dagger's tip at one of the brutal scars on his neck. They resembled a pattern of puncture-like wounds, the skin around them darkened from past infection. For all the resentment she held for her old enemy, seeing them still left an unsavory taste in her mouth.

Leiytning continued, "You've already gone out of your way to make yourselves the problem. You, not just your predecessors. Too much of what you did would never be warranted. You're the first to act beneath people, or even beasts. Revenge is long overdue, and so is the need to get you out of the way. Permanently."

Corelia seemed troubled, looking away. "I won't be guilted by your venomous words. That's the only reason you're saying them. If I did try to do more; if I did try to help with any of these problems, past or present, you would still be critical. You would think I'm getting in the way and making the problem worse. You would blame me when nothing gets fixed. You see..."

Leiytning seemed irritated, while Corelia stepped closer with a taunting smirk.

"As much as you know me, I know you just as well. Now, mark my words; my only focus is on keeping this land safe."

Leiytning let out an unnerving chuckle. "Indeed, I know you well enough..."

He aimed his spear back toward the Blood Forest.

"Sybilius is not invincible; you can scatter as many troops as you like, tell so many lies that the people don't know left from right, but all you have defending it is a bunch of mortals. When you're inevitably hit next, and the death toll ticks too high for comfort, what will happen? You'll blame us somehow, just as you blame us for everything. 'A village burned down, must have been the wicked twins. A sylph acted disorderly, must have been the spirit-walker's manipulation. Kodin was found dead at the stream, must have been the bloodthirsty beta.'"

Corelia shot him a wary glare. "Don't bring that back."

"Shut up," Leiytning spat. "I dedicated half my damn life to reversing what was wrong with our tribe, but you and your precious maggots just never seem to have any fault. Fascinating how that works, isn't it?"

Corelia refused to dignify a response, clutching her sword tighter.

Leiytning flipped the spear in hand. "I've had enough of your pithy excuses for tonight. Likewise, I'm sure you've had enough of chasing my warriors around."

Corelia looked unamused. "I just wanted what he knows. He may be brutal, one step from being a total savage, but he is still keen. Besides, murderers are supposed to be locked up."

"Yet you once led entire legions of them," Leiytning taunted.

"Enough," Corelia spat, raising her sword. "I won't take disrespect from you."

Corelia charged and lashed out, and the shockwave as Leiytning blocked would be enough to stagger the average troop.

The battle was hard to watch, sometimes resembling a mere glint of light striking at a shadow. Even though Corelia had the strength of a beast, Leiytning was stronger, and even though Leiytning could disappear on a whim, Corelia was faster. A glimpse into the ages-old arms race of light against dark, mortal against demon.

As a gray cloud moved over the moon, the brutal parry was broken; Corelia ducked to avoid an attack, then rammed into him and knocked him back. As she shot behind him, she twisted his arm back, her sword aimed at his throat. However, Leiytning blocked the blade with his spear.

'CRACK!'

From that darkened cloud, a beacon of electricity shot down, throwing Corelia back. As sparks and bolts covered Leiytning's body and spear, causing his raven hair to turn a bit more spiky, he forced Corelia down with a punch; the force alone made her armor reverberate, and the electricity transferred into her armor to further stun her.

As Leiytning aimed the spear down at her, Corelia forced herself to move through the shock; she narrowly rolled out of the way, then lunged forward to grab her sword.

The sylph aimed high with a feint, and when Leiytning ducked to avoid it, she vaulted off of him, forcing him down in the process. As she landed, she lashed the sword down. Leiytning evaded the worst of it, despite the gash to his side.

However, with charged strength, the demon unleashed a rapid flurry of attacks that seemed to leave only a shadow of himself with each move. Corelia's pristine armor was starting to dent from the barrage, before Leiytning delivered a brutal hit that made her stagger and wheeze. Corelia swung at him, but Leiytning blocked. He swiped one leg with the spear, then kicked her hard in the side, launching her a fair distance.

Corelia braced to charge, but Leiytning already threw the weapon perfectly in front of her, forcing her to stop.

"'As much as you know me, I know you just as well,'" Leiytning taunted.

Corelia tore the spear out of the ground and threw it at him, but Leiytning just slid to the side a bit and caught the weapon. Exhausted, while Leiytning reflected utter nothingness, the sylph queen was clearly in trouble.

Suddenly, however, there was a glimmer of violet metal amid the shadows.

As if he sensed it, Leiytning shot back in time to avoid the blade of another sylph warrior. Right after, another one came charging across the field to join. Both newcomers wore heavy violet-tinted armor, with flowing white plumes coming off their helmets. They rendezvoused next to their queen and took on menacing battle stances.

"Even now, you have to hide behind others," Leiytning muttered.

Corelia shot him a glare. "I told you. I don't hide behind anyone, I'm standing right here with them."

With one nod from their queen, the two lieutenants charged into battle. The first one staggered from a hit with the spear, the other was kicked and launched back, and Leiytning still met an attack from Corelia; his counter left a slit across her cheek and nose, just narrowly missing her eyes.

As the second lieutenant attempted a hit, Leiytning effortlessly shoved him aside, sensing the first one ready to strike down from behind.

Before he could land a counter, though, someone else shoved the soldier aside and hacked into its arm. The lieutenant yelped, backing away as blood gushed from the wound.

Left in its place, there was a familiar demon with dark, desaturated green hair and seafoam eyes. Despite being roughed up with several minor wounds, he seemed as determined as ever, and was holding a sharp machete.

Leiytning seemed irritated. "Timbur, I told you to retreat."

"Sorry," Timbur replied. "But I'm not leaving you to deal with her and reinforcement!"

"Dammit, not him again," Corelia muttered. "Lieutenants, keep him back -detain him if you can. Leave Leiytning to me."

The two lieutenants recollected, then rushed toward Timbur with deadly intent. Meanwhile, Corelia charged right back to the demon leader.

However, things became tenser. Not only was Leiytning forced to fight a beastly opponent, but he also had to keep an eye on his stubborn little brother.

Thus far, Timbur was holding up well, which wasn't surprising. His wild, serpentine maneuvers allowed him to slip around the heavyset warriors with ease, and as he pressed on, his hits became stronger from the strategic use of momentum.

Soon, however, more reinforcement for the sylphs came. A unit of silver-clad warriors rushed in, blocking the forest; the only escape route for the demons.

"We need to end this," Corelia insisted. "Leiytning, step down."

Leiytning shot back, avoiding another lethal hit, but more warriors were closing in. One of the lieutenants was on the brink of getting Timbur pinned, which he was clearly enraged about.

"Spurci vermiculi," Timbur spat, kicking the lieutenant back. "Rot in hell, maggots!"

The lieutenant just came back with more force, locking him in a parry. Though not close to defeat, the window of escape was shrinking.

Corelia sighed, "Things will go much smoother if you submit now. If I detain your beta again, which seems likely, it'll be in your best interest to find bartering grounds."

Leiytning remained silent for a moment. Then, he sheathed his spear and looked away -much to the queen's shock.

"You're actually listening?"

"Just do your job," Leiytning muttered. "Get creative."

Corelia arched one brow. "Excuse me?"

Leiytning did not respond, and seemed unusually stiff.

Corelia sighed, "I'm going to hope this is not another episode. Aubades, act quickly. Detain them and be ready to-"

Suddenly, another shockwave burst out, knocking all the sylphs back.

Corelia bit her tongue, digging her feet into the earth to stay balanced. Despite their obscured faces, the remaining sylphs were clearly confused and anxious. The air felt thicker, a suffocating dread enveloping everyone like smoke.

Still frozen, Leiytning's eye turned pitch black, with only a thin, glowing white ring for an iris. The ends of his hair flared like black fire. His fangs grew larger with black ooze leaking between them, the corners of his mouth splitting through his cheeks, as his jaws formed a bestial, lipless, nightmarish maw. Black veins spread across his visible skin.

As his fingers twitched with unnerving stiffness, emitting nasty 'cracks' like broken bones, his claws unsheathed and became much larger, sharper, and black. The fingertips almost looked rotten.

Timbur looked uneasy, ears back. "Leiytning, no..."

Corelia clenched her fist to hide her shaking. "Don't do this. You're outnumbered, and it's not just you at stake."

As the ring of Leiytning's pitch-black eye landed on her, he broke from his paralysis and faced her. His body remained unnaturally stiff and twitchy, emitting skeletal 'cracks' and 'pops' with even the slightest movement. Even his voice became distorted.

"One maggot or twelve," he spat. "Either amount is easy to crush. And don't bother with another pathetic monologue, mortal bitch."

Corelia kept her sword up, ready to defend. Leiytning cracked his neck, his claws flexing menacingly.

Everything happened so fast that Corelia could hardly register what happened.

Three Aubade warriors swarmed Leiytning from behind, but he unsheathed his dagger; with speed even more shocking than before, he downed all three in one slash. The blade tore open all their necks, ripping through the armor in the way.

Another soldier tried to intervene, but Leiytning spat the black ooze at the slit in her helmet, instantly corroding the metal and making the soldier yelp with pain. The demon grabbed her wrist, and one sudden jerk forced her arm to snap, the bone jutting far out from under her gauntlet. As she wailed in agony, his claws sank into her throat and ripped out her flesh -exposing her spine, severed throat, and blood-spewing arteries before she collapsed.

As another group braced to charge, he dropped the hunk of flesh, then raised one hand as it became covered in black scales. The guards immediately stopped. They twitched and grunted in place until they finally collapsed, blood spewing from the eyes of their helmets. After that, the scales disappeared.

Panicked, Corelia called for the rest of her unit to stop. Leiytning was completely unfazed by the brutality. Despite his prominent uneasiness, Timbur lingered close, his blade at the ready.

"What are you doing, master?" He murmured to himself.

Leiytning flicked his split tongue. "Problem, brother?"

"Shut up," Timbur retorted. "You, don't talk to me."

For a moment, Leiytning -or what had become of him- angled his claws toward the beta, but a sudden twitch led to a state of rigid, trembling stillness.

"I'm working on it..." Leiytning suddenly gripped his head. "Shut up for two goddamn minutes!"

Corelia stepped back, keeping her sword up. Even though Timbur was afraid, he refused to step away, keeping his blade up as he saw some sylphs looking for an opportunity.

"Obnoxious, all of them...They never stop screaming..."

Regaining his focus, Leiytning's black-eyed glare shifted toward Corelia. As he chuckled, the sylph soldiers stepped back, sharing uneasy glances.

He mercilessly taunted, "Well? For someone so hellbent on helping your people, you suddenly look hesitant. Is this not what you wanted? Was your goal not to put these wrists in shackles? By all means..."

Sheathing the dagger, Leiytning bowed slightly and extended his wrists, fresh blood still dripping from his claws. His maw widened in an unnatural, fang-filled grin.

"Try it."

Corelia clenched her fists. "Look, you win; I know this weapon is too powerful for me to handle. Contain it now, and leave. We will not pursue."

"How sad..." Leiytning pulled his hands back. "Things were just getting interesting."

Corelia sheathed her greatsword. "We both know this is to be continued, don't we? Prepare yourself until the next round. Maybe then you won't have to rely on something so wicked to fight your battles. It's a bit demeaning to you, honestly."

"How predictable of mortal-kind. Quick to torment the runts..." Leiytning's claws ran under his pitch-black eye. "But none of you ever have the gall to face the relic of a true demon."