an illusion of mind

The demon walked forward each step resounding through the quiet training grounds as everything stood still even the air.

The demon's movements were calm collected while she stepped closer to the frozen in place group.

"which one of you killed that useless brute of mine?" The demon asked it's voice low and threatening.

Nobody could even move a muscle to answer, "That little freak costed me quite a hefty price to create you see, it was one of my best creations, it could regenerate from a single drop of blood though it would take time, what it was truly lacking in was offense..." The demon said as she walked past Amanda walking around and in between the others.

"Allow me to introduce myself..." The demon trailed off, "... I am the third demon general of the demon army Zella the blood fiend..." She said as she leaned closer to Arron's face narrowing her eyes on him before she pulled away.

"Anyways, as for the little incident from before about you killing my little pet, I should just kill one of you as pay back, but then again, I'm the one attacking this school I should have expected there to be casualties from both sides..." Zella rubbed her chin seemingly in deep thought.

Adam's mind raced, Demon general? they already have an army?!

"So in the end I feel forgiving today, I might forgive you all for killing my little pet..." Zella said as she leaned closer looking deep into Regina's eyes, "Maybe I will take an arm or a leg from one of you..." Zella said as she pulled away putting a finger on her lips.

Everyone tensed at her words, Zella paused and looked out at the destruction that was caused by Arron's previous ultimate attack, the attack created a giant hole in the wall that allowed for sight of the sun.

The demon general's eyes widened as she looked out of the sun only to notice the presence of a woman, she had long silky smooth golden hair along with bronze golden eyes, out of her back protruded wings which held flaming red and orange feathers in them, the woman held a spear made entirely out of golden condensed flames that looked tame at first glance but the more one looked into them the more they seemed to consume their surroundings.

Zella's eyes widened when suddenly a flaming ball of flames came flying at her, she erected a shield of blood which stopped the fireball in it's tracks, the fireball did evaporate the blood.

"What's this? Who's that?!" Zella asked glaring back at the students still under her aura.

"..." No one replied, Zella gritted her teeth in anger, "Answer me!" Her glare intensified as she increased her aura.

"I-it's the principal!" Amanda managed to spit out through her teeth.

"... So that's the famed Reyna Stella huh..." She showcased her sharp teeth turning back to the figure which was flying at high speeds towards them. The woman still held a stoic expression, never faltering with each flap of her flaming wings.

"Face me! Demon killer!" Zella screamed out as she jumped off the ground breaking it and leaving rubble behind her feet, Zella's eyes were angered looking at Reyna. She had completely forgotten about the students which had killed one of her best test subjects...

Reyna's expression twitched for a second before turning back to the same stoic expression. She held up her flaming golden spear as Zella approached at rapid speeds, her hands encased in her own blood making the rough shape of three fingered claws, Zella had sprouted new wings made up completely out of blood, her mouth had unhinged to an inhuman size letting her long slithery tongue out veins with black blood appeared around her wide lips, a red tail thin tail waved around behind her as her demonic origins were finally put to show.

She slashed forward and Reyna met her attack with her flaming spear blocking it, she was not saved from the impact though as she was sent flying far away from the training grounds.

Zella followed right after letting out a loud high pitched roar as she flew through the air at high speeds following after Reyna.

Arron and the others fell to the floor as they were finally spared from the pressure of that demon, "What the hell was that!?" Suzi yelled out panting heavily.

"It's a fucking demon general is what it is! didn't you hear her?!" Adam yelled out at her, "This is bad... This is really bad holy shit..." Adam said as the realization finally came to him.

"Do you realize what this means?!" Adam yelled as he stood up sweat dripping down his chin, "Do you understand the implications of this?!" Adam said to the others his voice quietening down slightly realizing he was yelling before.

"Yes, we do Adam, it means the demon king is back." Regina said simply.

"How are you so calm about this?!" Suzi turned to her in exasperation.

"So what, he's back what's the big deal, it's not like we'll have to deal with it no? that's the prophesized hero's job." Regina rolled her eyes.

"Well... Yeah! but the hero was still not found yet! and even more so his companions were not even described at all we just know that they exist!" Amanda yelled at her.

Regina rolled her eyes again. The prophecy stated that once the demon king comes back, a hero would rise against him to kill him and finish him off once and for all, however in that prophecy it was stated that there would be companions that are crucial to the prophecy, companions that would aid in the final battle against the demon king.

"It's pretty obvious if the hero is gonna have companions they would be with him when he's found." Regina said staring at Amanda with a bored expression, she was also on the ground but her state wasn't as bad as the others.

"Listen to me-"

"Guys! this isn't the time for a prophecy debate!" Adam interrupted them, as he pointed at Arron, "Look at him." They all turned to see Arron looking down at the floor his eyes shadowed over.

"... Is he okay?" Suzi asked raising an eyebrow.

"I couldn't save them..." Arron muttered under his breath remembering the faces of his classmates way back in the classroom when the shadeskins had attacked, he could not help Barry, he could not help any of his other classmates that were killed when Evan ordered for a spread out... He felt weak.

"Let em be~ he's just sulking~" Regina giggled softly, earning her a half glare from Amanda which caused her to shrink back.

"Hey are you oka-" they were suddenly interrupted by a huge explosion as all heads turned towards the new hole created in the walls surrounding the training grounds, from it rushed several humans , Amanda recognized some of them being her brother and some other students from prism.

"We made it to the training grounds! there are some students here!" A student yelled out as they all ran towards the group, "Hey! it's the princess!" another female student remarked as the joined with the group but the demons chasing them were relentless.

"What's up with you all?" Evan said as he stopped in his tracks finally arriving next to the group of familiar people, his sister and some of his acquaintances, he looked over them raising an eyebrow, he looked over them noting their exhausted states, his eyes lingered on Regina who seemed to be doing better than some of the others gazing at her in a questioning gaze.

Regina just shrugged giving him a small smile.

"Well any-" He was interrupted by another explosion and the hole that they made into the wall got even wider as demons rushed inside, "Oh, they found us." Evan's eyes narrowed in a frown.

"Aw man... We just met a demon general now this?" Suzi got up stretching her muscles and panting slightly as she recovered her stamina, "We can't ever catch a break can we?" she took a fighting stance as the demons approached.

Just when the group of students was about to get ready for battle a gigantic pink sword appeared in the air swinging wildly kicking up dust and blood as it cleaved through and smashed several demons cutting their worthless existence short.

Evelyn stood panting with an outstretched glowing hand forward, she was no doubt one of the strongest first years in the entire academy.

"Nice~" Regina jumped up chuckling at the spectacle of Evelyn killing the demons.

"... Maybe we don't have to do anything at all." Evan lowered his weapon as all the incoming demons were met with the blade of the giant pink sword cleaving through their heads and smashing them to the ground crushing their bones. It didn't take long for the last of the demons to fall down to the ground cut in half crudely by the giant sword.

Evelyn fell down on a piece of debris panting heavily dismissing the giant sword she had created, she spoke no words which earned her some looks from her classmates and other students, the show she had put on was definitely intriguing and it showed the power of the royal class.

Evan decided not to bother her and just sat down on a piece of debris as well sitting close to his sister without noticing.

"It looks like we didn't really have to do anything." Evan said looking around at the others, the group split up into people that knew each other which meant Evan joined the previous group which held Regina, Adam, Arron and the others was the on he joined.

"Oh~ nothing much~ it's just Adam and Amanda leading a damn near immortal demon to us!" Suzi spoke in a fake sweet tone and quickly changed it up into an angered tone gesturing exasperatedly at Amanda and Adam.

"... Did you really do that?" Evan asked turning to his sister who just crossed her arms in annoyance, "What the hell was I supposed to do? I had no clue you guys were hiding here!" Amanda gestured around her.

"Language Amanda don't speak in such ways, you're supposed to be an example." Evan said looking own at his sister which was leaning on the piece of debris he was sitting on. Amanda turned her head and looked up at him strangely.

"... When did you ever care?" Amanda asked pouting and crossing her arms.

"..." Evan couldn't answer so he just turned away a little embarrassed that he lost himself and acted like his former self.

Regina tilted her head smiling at the interaction between the two, They've been talking a lot more than usual. She smiled even more at the prospect, ever since the kidnapping incident of Amanda, Evan and her had been talking far more casually than in the beginning of the year, Amanda had started acting more casual around him than her former hostile self, they could now hold normal conversations.

However they often found themselves in awkward situations like these when Evan tried to school Amanda about what to do, Amanda would often dismiss him like this which would turn the moment even more awkward. Regina's smile faltered and her expression turned cold, Not like it's any of my business... I'll be leaving soon enough...

"More importantly, we met a fucking demon general can you believe that?!" Suzi made the mistake of yelling out loud which earned her a few glares and reprimands from both Amanda and Evan, they seemed to both know the gravity of the situation, Evan had an idea that the demon army was already established considering the way he had found the shadeskins so cooperative back then at that cave when his sister was kidnapped, he made it a point to return with a trusted few powerful knights with him from the empire but strangely they found nothing, the shadeskins must have already escaped.

"Are you trying to cause mass panic?" Evan glared down at her while Amanda nodded, "I have to agree with my brother Suzi, that was reckless of you, we're not the only students here, we should keep this down to as many individuals as possible." Amanda said leaning back against the piece of debris with Evan sitting over her on top of the piece of debris, both their golden eyes serious and locked on Suzi.

Suzi shrank down as she looked down in embarrassment, "sorry..." She said her voice low and soft.

Arron jumped up, "I've made up my mind!" His sudden declaration startled all of them and they gave him strange looks.

"What the hell are you suddenly talking about?" Adam looked at him strangely.

"I made up my mind!" He said a look of determination plastered on his face, Regina raised an eyebrow, "About what?" she asked tilting her head a wide smile on her face.

"I'm going to join the front lines after graduating." Arron announced to his friends.

Everyone's eyes widened except for Regina's she only raised an eyebrow her smile growing, It's going just as she said~ Also she said she would visit but she hasn't done so or looks like she would any time soon... she put a hand on her chin before shrugging Who cares~ it's best to not have her over here that would be an absolute nightmare! Regina shivered from the thought of having that monster anywhere near the vicinity of the academy.

"What?! are you insane?!" Amanda yelled at him, as she leaned forward her hands slamming into the ground in exasperation.

"I've made up my mind and it will not change, I saw what these demons could do to innocent people... I've seen the pained faces of their victims and I can't allow any more of that to happen!" He said as he clenched his fist.

The front lines were the most dangerous place in an all out war if that were to ever break out, but it was also the best place to kill your enemies because it would be where you have most contact with them, from Evan's perspective the relations between the Varcan empire and the Stellar empire were already going bad and there were rumours of a cult spreading it's vines deep in the base of the Varcan empire, Evan could see an all out war breaking out between human empires and demons.

"Let him do it if that's what he wants to do." Evan shrugged, he was not particularly close with any of the students but he did know them enough where if one of them died he would feel slight shock.

"W-What?! You can't be serious?! He's going to get himself killed!" Amanda gestured at him looking up at her brother.

"Why do you care so much anyways? Just let him go, you saw what he could do he killed mister brute demon." Regina said from the side hiding a small scowl on her face, Is this princess going to ruin my progress? I kind of regret showing Evan the way to her cage so soon, maybe I should have let her starve some more.

Amanda paused and turned to Regina she opened her mouth to talk but Regina had a point, Arron did have the qualities to fight in the front lines and not die, he had that weird energy that felt close to mana but not quite it, Amanda turned to him worry still evident in her face, she still didn't want him to go...

He looked back at her his gaze determined and this caused her to relent as she couldn't bother to argue any longer with him, she knew he was strong headed and wouldn't relent so soon...