"Uh... who is the girl?" Amir said, pointing at the fourth person who treaded quietly behind them, her footsteps light and deliberate on the uneven path. The three ahead were babbling and chattering excitedly about their battle encounters, their voices echoing through the misty hills as the group hiked toward their destination—Darjeeling. It was a robust trek, winding through rugged terrain that Amir somehow knew by heart, his innate sense of direction guiding them like an invisible compass.
"My name is Nalia, fox demon and subordinate of Lilith," answered the fourth person calmly, her voice smooth as polished silk. The trio exchanged quick, wary glances, the air between them thickening with unspoken questions.
"So, were you sent here on protection duty?" Amir asked, his tone laced with a sharp edge of aggression, his jaw set firmly.
"Yes, and I am also to see that she carries out her task to the very end," Nalia replied, flashing a cheeky smile that crinkled the corners of her narrow eyes— a grin that grated on Amir like nails on stone.
"Well, you can tell Lilith to call you off. She doesn't need protection—she has me," Amir said, stopping dead in his tracks on the dusty trail. The others halted too, the sudden silence broken only by the distant call of a mountain bird. Aurora and Lisa clasped hands, watching the tension unfold like a storm gathering on the horizon.
"Please... you almost died in the train incident. If not for her—" Nalia nodded toward Aurora "—intervention, you could have been killed in battle," she said, her gaze locking onto Amir with a malicious glint, intentionally riling him up like poking a coiled serpent.
"Oh, so you're eavesdropping on our conversations now?" Amir shot back, his face flushing with anger, veins pulsing at his temples.
"You were just loud—I couldn't help but hear," Nalia retorted coolly, her tails swishing lazily behind her like teasing shadows.
"Tell your queen that Lisa wants you out."
"Sorry, can't do that. Save it for when we get to the mount." With that, she walked past him, her white gown brushing against his leg like a whisper of silk. But Amir wasn't done; his hand shot out, grabbing her arm and squeezing with bruising force, his fingers digging into her fair skin.
"How about we test that theory?" he said, intensifying his grip until his knuckles whitened. But she didn't budge or show even a flicker of distress—it was as if his strength was nothing more than a summer breeze against an ancient oak.
"What theory?" she asked, her voice dropping to a low, devious purr that sent a chill rippling down his spine. Her demonic powers began to flare up, a subtle crimson aura flickering around her like embers in the wind. It was intimidating, boring deep with a killing intent that made the air taste metallic.
"Should we stop them? It's getting out of hand," Aurora whispered to Lisa, her blue eyes wide with concern as she squeezed her sister's hand tighter.
Lisa shook her head in disagreement, a spark of curiosity lighting her features. "No, I'm sure they won't kill each other... let them have their fun," she said, her eyes fixed intently on the aggressors, the anticipation buzzing in her chest like static.
"Well, I just hope they don't kill each other," Aurora replied softly, raising her hand with a gentle flick. A faint glow emerged from her palm, spreading outward into a shimmering sphere of ethereal light that enveloped the group—a protective shield humming faintly, its edges rippling like water disturbed by a stone.
"Do you really think you're stronger?" Amir growled, gripping even tighter, but Nalia's sturdy arm remained unaffected, solid as carved marble beneath his palm.
"Why don't we find out?" she said, her lips curving into a predatory smile.
Amir grunted, his powers flaring and bursting out in a whirlwind of raw energy—gusts of wind howling around him like furious spirits, whipping up dust and loose pebbles from the sandy ground of this ghostly, fog-shrouded land. His muscles tensed, veins bulging as he channeled the fury into his limbs, the air crackling with the scent of ozone.
Nalia snapped her hand fan open with a sharp *flip!*, the silken strings and tiny bells glinting in the dim light. That was the last sound Amir registered before a colossal force slammed into him like an invisible wall—a roaring gale born from her fan, laced with the ethereal chime of her bells. It hurled him backward through the air, his body tumbling end over end, the world blurring into streaks of gray mist and blurred earth. He crashed into the sandy terrain with a bone-jarring *thud*, carving a deep hollow in the ground as dirt and stones exploded outward in a fan of debris. Pain bloomed across his back and shoulders, sharp and hot, like shards of glass embedding in his skin.
Groaning, Amir pushed himself up on shaking arms, spitting grit from his mouth. Then he heard it: faint chiming sounds traveling with the wind, approaching like a siren's call—delicate yet ominous, the bells tinkling in a rhythm that set his teeth on edge. He surged to his feet, adrenaline flooding his veins, and dashed straight for her in a blur of motion, summoning a heavy gust of wind to propel him forward. The air roared behind him, boosting his speed until he was a streak of fury closing the distance.
Nalia stood still, unmoved, her posture relaxed as if waiting for a leisurely chat. Amir's fist connected—or so he thought—his knuckles driving forward with all his might, a massive gust erupting from the impact like a thunderclap. The force rippled outward, bending nearby shrubs and sending a spray of sand skyward. He smiled fiercely, hoping that at least it had staggered her, convinced that no matter how strong she was, his strongest blow couldn't be shrugged off.
But boy, was he wrong. As the dust settled, a clearer view revealed the truth: she hadn't budged an inch from her original spot, unshaken and serene. His punch hadn't even grazed her—she had blocked it effortlessly with one open hand, her palm absorbing the blow like a sponge devouring water. Now, his arm trembled violently in her grasp, the excruciating pain shooting up his limb as she squeezed his fist in retaliation. It felt like iron vices crushing bone, every nerve screaming in protest, the sheer portion of her strength laid bare in that unyielding grip. Sweat beaded on his forehead, his breath hitching as he fought the urge to cry out.
Gritting his teeth, Amir refused to back down—the girls were watching, Lisa was watching. He twisted his body and flung his right leg upward in a desperate sweep, aiming for her midsection with a whip-like kick fueled by wind magic. But she anticipated it, her other hand snapping out to catch his ankle mid-air, her fingers clamping down with the same merciless precision. The world tilted as she yanked him off-balance, her muscles coiling like springs beneath her gown.
This time, he welcomed the impending toss—it meant a momentary release. And so Nalia obliged, swinging him like a ragdoll and flinging him across the rugged terrain. He sailed through the air again, the wind whistling past his ears, before slamming into the ground once more. He skidded several meters, carving furrows in the sand, rocks biting into his side and tearing at his clothes. Bruises bloomed instantly, dark and throbbing, as he rolled to a stop, gasping for breath amid the settling haze.
"Is that all you've got?" Nalia said, her voice carrying over the fading echoes of the chimes as she began to move toward him with deliberate, graceful steps. Three of her nine tails had unfurled now, spreading out like azure banners in the breeze, while the others remained tucked neatly against her back. They swayed hypnotically, each one shimmering with latent power.
"You should be proud—you made me spread three of my tails. You're in no doubt strong... but I am stronger. And there's a rule in the nether realm: the weak dies," she said, her tone a velvet blade, slicing through the air. The chimes of her bells grew louder now, building into a resonant hum that vibrated in his chest, each note laced with a promise of finality.
"That sound... she's going to kill him—do something!" Aurora heard the urgent command from her angelic companion, a celestial whisper in her mind. She stretched her hands forward immediately, and suddenly, thick vines erupted from the cracked earth like living serpents—emerald tendrils bursting forth with a crackle of soil and stone. They curled around Nalia in an instant, wrapping her arms, legs, and torso in unyielding coils, thorns glinting as they restrained her on the spot. The fox demon strained against them, her tails lashing futilely, but the holy magic held firm.
"Nalia, stop!" Lisa yelled, as Aurora dispelled the protective shield with a wave, allowing the group to move freely. In a flash, Lisa was beside Amir, kneeling in the dirt and feeling along his battered body—probing his limbs and neck with gentle, urgent hands. She gasped sharply; he was severely injured—a compound fracture splintering his leg at an unnatural angle, his fist a mangled ruin of swollen flesh and shattered bone, and his neck twisted perilously close to snapping. He teetered on the edge of death, his breaths shallow and ragged, blood trickling from a split lip.
But a simple wave of Aurora's hand changed everything. Golden light cascaded from her fingertips, warm and soothing like sunlight piercing clouds. It seeped into Amir's wounds, mending the breaks with audible *cracks* and *pops* as bones realigned and flesh knitted seamlessly. In no time, he was pushing himself up, whole and steady, the pain fading to a dull ache. Lisa heaved a deep sigh of relief, her shoulders slumping as she helped him to his feet.
"You really are strong," he said to Nalia, who stared back indifferently from her vine-wrapped prison. She couldn't dispel holy magic, no matter her power—light could not succumb to darkness, especially when that light belonged to a higher being. Her bells hung silent now, the chimes muted by the sacred bonds.
"You can join us. You're worthy of the job," he added, smirking through a wince, but Nalia rolled her eyes and sneered.
"Wasn't for you to decide anyway."
Amir chuckled, wiping dust from his face. "Who is restrained again?"
"You got lucky. Have it in mind that I won't hesitate to kill you next time," she said, her tone deadly serious, eyes narrowing to slits.
But Amir brushed it off with a wave. "Aurora will always be here to check you."
Nalia smiled then—a knowing, enigmatic curve of her lips that made Amir's brows furrow in suspicion. She knew something, and it hung in the air like unspoken thunder.
Instantly, Amir began to vibrate, his body shuddering as if struck by an unseen current. His eyes rolled back, whites flashing, and he collapsed to the ground in a heap, twitching faintly.
"What? Wasn't he okay a while ago?" Lisa panicked, dropping to her knees beside him, her hands hovering uncertainly over his chest.
"Leave him—he's having a revelation," Nalia said matter-of-factly, but Aurora moved her index finger with precise intent. Another vine sprouted up from the earth, thick and thorny, coiling around Nalia's mouth in an instant and gagging her mid-sentence.
It clicked for Lisa then—she had forgotten about Amir's clairvoyant abilities. This was her first time seeing it in action, the raw vulnerability of it etching worry lines on her face.
Aurora touched his shoulder gently, and immediately, he sprang back to reality, coughing aggressively as he gulped down air. His eyes darted wildly—first to Nalia, then to Aurora, and back again, haunted by whatever visions had gripped him.
"What did you see?" the sisters asked him in unison, leaning in close, their voices a blend of dread and urgency.
"Death," he said gloomily, his face paling as the word hung heavy in the misty air.