The Shadows Within

The knock had broken our sweet moment, bringing with it an unknown storm that had been brewing.

“M’lord, human emissaries are at the castle door,” Brielle announced, sounding colder than ever before, which dragged my gaze towards her.

Have you ever sounded like that?

A second later, my eyes darted towards the demon holding me when his aura erupted, thick enough to drip off and linger on anything it touched, including me. However, what left me stunned was his expression.

The most wicked grin rose on his lips as his eyes turned crimson, leaving none of the gentle blue I was used to. They shimmered brighter than a sun as he dragged his hand out of my shirt, breaking our sweet moment.

“And why should I care? Just kill them and be done with it.” His voice was devoid of anything but poison.

Not once since I arrived had he used that tone.

“M’lord, they bear the crest of the saint. So, that means they come from the royal city of Traedan and are part of the saint’s hunting party.” Brielle informed.

Instantly, that smirk on his lips grew more defined, tugging away from me.

“Finn?” I mumbled, feeling my heart drop.

However, my voice didn’t reach him; his mind filled with something else that wasn’t me.

“What? The fools traveled to the center of Fathal for me? With such an inexperienced pathetic saint?” he mocked them, releasing a broken chuckle soon after.

Goosebumps rose on my skin, and this was a side I hadn’t seen in Finn.

If… I hadn’t kissed you in that bathroom. Is this what you would’ve become?

“No, their saint isn’t here, my king, but they came to retrieve the human girl we have,” She-wolf said.

Her words caused something to snap at him, triggering him to clench his hands as his nails dug into his palm, dripping blood onto the stone floor. He was right when he said I had never made him rage.

Angry, yes, but this is something else.

“Hah?! I’ll soon roll over dead before I give Sylvia up!” He snarled in an inhuman voice.

His fangs were visible as the ends of his mouth widened, turning the handsome man I knew into a beast. Yet that didn’t scare me. Everything about him screamed agony, leaving me wanting to reach out to him, but my body wouldn’t move.

All I could do was clasp my hands onto my chest, trembling on the bed.

This Finn isn’t…

“I know, my liege. Sadly, I have other news, too.” Brielle paused, triggering the demon lord to slam his tail on the ground, leaving cracks in this path.

“Out with it.” He breathed as more blood droplets fell from his hands into the floor.

“Finn, he’s here for her,” Brielle growled, triggering the demon king to snarl a nasty roar before spreading his wings wide.

A laugh full of malevolence left his lips before the same smile from before rose again on his lips. “I see! Well, then, I guess I’ll go to kill them personally. The last time we met, that man got lucky. This time, I’ll end him without hesitation!”

His tail slammed against the floor again, triggering me to grab hold of Solas, who quickly comforted me. Finn’s feathers were puffed up and ready for battle as his tail ones fanned out, shimmering different shades of red.

Why… Wait no! You’re leaving! I can’t—

Shaking the shock away, I tried moving towards him before he could vanish like usual.

“Yes, M’lord.” Brielle retreated from the door.

However, before Finn followed her, I tugged on his cloak to get him to face me. The moment he did, I felt tiny in his gaze, turning my voice heavy, incapable of leaving me. Those eyes were full of agony, leaving me partially frozen where I was.

No! I can’t! Speak, Sylvia!

“P-P-Please, wait. T-They want me, right? S-So, let me help. Maybe I can make them back down.” I managed to stumble out.

Please… don’t leave like this. That hate… is it because of me? Or something else…

Closing his eyes, he shook his head before grabbing me by my wrist and tugging me up to him. Within those moments, he shifted back into the Finn I was used to before leaning into me. A kiss soon followed, prompting me to hum at how gentle it was.

I… don’t understand.

His aura slowly dimmed, but it never resided even as I gripped his cloak, tugging it closer to me. Opening my mouth, I let him in, allowing him to trace my features with his tongue. This caused my legs to become jelly-like, and I lost all the strength to stay up.

However, he didn’t let me fall, supporting me by my waist. Instead, he continued to caress my mouth, turning my mind into mush before letting me fall on the bed again. The rim of his iris was slowly turning blue again, struggling to keep his humanity, but it was slipping.

“Please, sweetheart, you must stay here no matter what you hear.” He warned, pulling away from me.

My lips burned, prompting me to touch them with my fingertips.

“But… Finn, I…” I mumbled, reaching for him again.

How can I let you be when you look like that?

“Stay and obey me. Today isn’t the day to defy me. Got it?” he sighed, turning back to me again.

His eyes were fridged, prompting me to wince, shaking my head.

“No, Finn…” I called out, clasping onto my sweater.

“Please, stay.” He breathed before disappearing.

I clasped onto my chest, gazing at the droplets of his blood on the floor.

There’s no way I can stay when you look like that!

Turning to Solas, I remembered what the demon lord once said. This little one could tell him where I was at all times. Yet I…

“Solas, you won’t rat me out, will you? I have to know!” I asked, frowning at the pup.

He tilted his head when I shifted my gaze towards the door. I had no fancy spells to hide or teleport, but I knew the castle's basic layout. A few floors above the castle door, there was a room where I could watch everything without anyone knowing.

I couldn’t stick to ignorance, even if it were easier on me, but after seeing Finn’s crazed look, I…

You hate all humans so much. Is that why you always look so emotionless to me? Are you hiding the fact you hate touching me? What happened to you? I need to know. Otherwise, how can I help you?

This demon helped me move forward daily, giving me more freedom to choose what I wanted. They even removed the bind on the windows, allowing me to open them. Nyla waited for me in the dining room in the early morning since I knew my way around the castle.

You'll come looking for me if I don’t show up eventually.

Sneaking my way around, I reached the room above the castle entrance, where a scene was about to be played. Luckily, their voices were loud enough to hear through the open window as Finn had just arrived to greet the rogue party.

I didn't know where he was before coming here, but the aura radiating from him wasn’t. It was darker than ever before, lingering in every step he took, yet none of them reacted because of it. Rizak arrived with him, too. There were a few others with them I had never seen before.

One man had brown hair with heterochromia eyes, making one red and the other blue with tanned skin. He also had a snake-like tail swaying around and goat horns coming out of his head. The other man had red eyes, black hair, and bat wings on his back with fair skin.

Unlike those two, the ten humans standing in the middle of a shimmering white circle, some were familiar while others weren’t.

That red hair… You’re… the one who defended me when I first came.

“My, my, dreadful king, first you make us wait, and you bring your generals for a friendly chat?” Soren asked, gripping a sword that hung by his belt.

Why are you here?

“Vabaru and Vorex came because they wanted to; I didn’t tell them anything. Though, if my memory works, in our last friendly chat, you ripped my heart out of me,” Finn answered, walking towards the party that faced them.

He did what?!

It caused me to hold on to my chest, wincing just with the simple thought.

How much did it hurt? Immortality… It is a curse in itself.

Yet I heard his heart beating not too long ago.

Finn… How painful is life for you? I can’t even begin to imagine.

The same blue-haired elf was beside Soren, holding a fancy staff with a green gem. Unlike when I first came, they were equipped for battle.

“Too bad I lack the power to kill you, or you’d be a corpse, and we’d be safe.” The red-haired man shrugged, not taking his eyes off the demon lord.

A sharp smirk rose on Finn’s lips as he reached towards the party, only to meet an invisible wall that the circle had provided. The moment his skin touched, it triggered him to retreat when it sizzled. His reaction caused the other knights to appear relieved by his temporary retreat.

“Hm… You have a nasty spell protecting you from the miasma and me. Did your pretty saint make it for you? I hear she’s quite the handful.” He scuffed, smashing his fist into the barrier, provoking cracks to appear within the walls and startling everyone within them.

Soren's eyes twitched, “That doesn’t matter to you, does it, beast? Now, I need to know what you’ve done with the girl. Is she a demon, or have you eaten her already?”

“Eh, I don’t think the spell will last long enough for you to find out,” Finn smirked, walking around the barrier, trailing his nail on the wall, producing a screech.

All the injuries he received healed in less than a second, making everyone within the barrier skittish to his approach. The only one unphased was the red-haired man who appeared to have a history with Finn.

“Talk, demon!” Soren huffed, narrowing his eyes and gripping onto his sword.

From where I was, I could see a faint glow from the humans' skin, alerting me that their sigils were active and ready for battle.

“Hah, if you must know, I fucked her brains out, successfully making her my pretty little slave.” The demon lord snickered, keeping up his pace.

Liar… You haven’t even touched me! You’ve been nothing but kind to me!

“You perversion of a beast.” Alena scoffed, gripping her staff tighter.

You’re wrong! Finn isn’t a beast! He hasn’t touched me, other than my lips, to keep me from transforming into a demon!

They still felt so warm from our previous interaction.

“Don’t entertain him. He’s lying,” Soren informed, eyes giving off a white hue.

His words made Finn snicker as his generals stood by the castle’s gate, unphased by what was happening.

“Oh, truth bearer, am I? How else is she still alive and not one of us?” Finn questioned, stopping by a point in the barrier before gazing upward.

Again, his aura erupted, while everyone around was none the wiser.

Am I the only one who can see it? Come to think of it, no one else has mentioned it. Not even Rizak… Is it a unique ability for a saint? Or…

It wasn’t like I had asked anyone about it, but Soren and the rest weren’t flinching. The party probably only saw the vibrant color of his wings, horns, and eyes.

“How about you tell me instead?” Soren sighed, following the demon lord with his amber eyes.

“Let me in, and I’ll tell you everything you want up close and personal, especially how her lips are the softest I’ve ever had.” Finn snickered, pressing his hand on a particular spot, which caused more cracks to appear.

It must’ve been excruciating to force his hand against the barrier, yet he didn’t flinch. Noticing the imperfections, more knights became alarmed, quivering where they stood.

“Disgusting, you take a girl from her world and then ravish her? That’s low even for you, beast.” Soren continued, trying to focus on the task.

This time, the demon had not lied in his words. Instead of arguing with the saint’s companion, the demon lord broke out on a slight chuckle.

“Oh? It seems your saint isn’t too experienced in doing these things.” He smirked, digging his nails into the barrier as his skin sizzled.

In an instant, panic ensued, triggering one soldier to rush towards Finn. The spear in his hands was shimmering white, reminding me of what Rizak said: blessed weapons could harm them.

Evelyn…

Seeing the armed knight made me want to scream where I stood, yet I held myself off, remembering that I was supposed to be in my room. Instead, someone else beat me to it.

“Stop!” Soren yelled, reaching for the startled knight, but it was too late.

The spear had found its mark, going through the barrier and into the demon lord’s shoulder, triggering him to erupt into a maniacal laugh. A second later, their protection shattered, exposing everyone within it.

Ah… You… allowed him to stab you.

A wicked smile rose on his lips, grabbing into the man who had impaled him before turning him into his body into a husk, close to a mummy that had been petrified, leaving all he faced stunned and pale.

“Now, little boy. You dare come into my home for a second time and demand answers. How about I repay you for everything your ancestors did to me?” Finn stepped inside the circle, shattering what was left of the barrier.

“The miasma!” a knight yelled, seeing it come in with the demon, who didn’t wait for them to compose themselves before gripping into another knight and juicing his head like a lime.

They kept their eyes on the demons as more red eyes appeared within the purple mist, and they all took out a bottle before chugging it.

“Alena! The portal!” Soren commanded, throwing the glass bottle to the side.

The blue-haired girl made signs with her hands, gathering ether around her body before slamming the staff on the ground, triggering the gem to give off a hue. Unlike demons, the mortals had to cast specific spells to teleport around.

Vortexes… Rizak called them.

“On it! Buy me some time!” the elf acknowledged, swinging her staff around and creating a faint blue maelstrom.

“We only have thirty minutes before we turn!” Soren declared, drawing his shimmering sword before facing the demon lord who lost his touch with humanity.

There wasn’t an ounce of the gentleness I had come to know. Blood dripped down his hands from the crushed skull before dropping the lifeless body on the floor. His wings spread widely as the lingering eyes in the purple mist appeared to watch instead of engage.

It was almost as if they dared not touch their lord's prey, but they were ready for any who warily ran away from him.

“I’ll do it in five!” she screamed, rolling to the side to avoid the black-haired man with red eyes.

A man with brown hair, blue eyes, and a large shield intercepted him before he could angle himself to launch at her again. “Vorex, you’re so eager. It’s so bad for a bloodsucker like you.”

A vampire?

“Oh? I love my women and haven’t had an elf in so long. So how about you move out of the way, meat shield?” The demon licked his lips, digging his claws into the metal.

“Ezekiel!” Alena shouted, gazing towards the man who had protected her.

“Concentrate!” he huffed, matching the vampire’s strength and forcing him away from her with a swift shove.

Catching himself before he rolled on the floor, Vorex gasped in pain when someone else appeared from thin air, jabbing a dagger in his abdomen. This one was another elf with green eyes and hair. His skin was tanned, though, much like Ezekiel's.

“Jasper, I’m so glad you always know when to pop in.” The big man smirked, getting ready to charge at the stumbling vampire.

“Stop being a headache and protect Alena!” The elf sighed before pulling away from the vampire, barely dodging a new contender in the fight.

The one with blue and red eyes used his snake-like tail to slam between them this time.

“Vorex, you’re getting sloppy.” He huffed at his struggling comrade, who pulled out the dagger and threw it to the side.

“I’m fine, thanks for asking Vabaru.” The vampire sighed, clutching his wound.

Around them, more demons surged, but instead of diving into them, a girl with black hair and blue eyes stood forward. Tapping the staff onto the ground, she created an elemental barrier, repelling the lesser demons away that were itching to come in once the generals had invaded the king’s playground.

“Shit! There are too many of them! I can’t keep this for much longer!” the girl warned, voice quivering.

“I’m almost there, Rose. Keep it up!” Alena informed them, triggering the maelstrom to become an unstable portal, giving off different vibrant hues, much like when I first arrived.

My eyes darted towards Finn when he clashed with Soren. Pulses of energy erupted from them, cracking the ground below them. Upon impact, the brave warrior’s sword shattered, showing the difference between the two.

Even blessed, it was nowhere near strong enough to purify the demon king. However, Finn missed the red-haired man by several lengths when he yanked away from his claws. The demon followed closely while a grey wolf launched at him behind Soren.

Brielle?! When did you…

I wasn’t the only one who saw her as Jasper diverted her attack with a well-placed arrow on her head. A sharp whine left her, triggering Solas to bolt away from me, yanking my sight from what was happening.

“Solas? What are you doing?” I whispered, but he ignored me.

Pushing himself onto two bookshelves, he opened a secret passageway into the unknown. Nyla had told me about them, but I never found any.

“Solas!” I called out into the darkness before seeing a shimmer of his white fur as he disappeared into the abyss.

Fuck!

Having little choice, I went after him, unaware of the horror that awaited me at the end of this path.