Chapter 80: Friends or Foes

The flames of war consumed everything I held dear with every second I lingered.

"Sylvia!" Nyla yelled, making me turn just in time to see Vabaru's tail slam beside me.

A sharp growl came from him when I stood my ground against him. If it was to scare me off or he missed because of his injuries, I didn't know, but I knew I couldn't leave him with that spear stuck in him.

This was the first time I had seen him in this form, and I had a debt to pay back from when he saved me. His tail was snake-like with green scales, while he had a lion's body with brown fur, a canine's head, and black bird's limbs for legs. On his back, he had dark feathered wings, too.

One of them was stuck on him, as the spear had gone right through it and partly into his back.

"It's okay. I won't hurt you." I slowly reached my unarmed hand towards him.

"Sylvia, don't!" The little goblin ran towards me, only to stop when I didn't face her.

No, my eyes were glued to the injured beast before me. He was one of Finn's loyal generals, which meant he couldn't fall. We needed him to keep the rest in line when all this was done. Everyone else was a wildcard, but this demon wasn't.

"I'll tear into you!" He launched at me, only to hit the same barrier Ageth had.

"Please, I just want to help you." I stepped forward, letting the barrier shatter, triggering the beast to shake his head.

"You… You're… No, all humans are the enemy!" He snarled, swiping his tail towards me.

Ah… so you do recognize me to a point. What makes you… different?

Solas quickly picked me up on his back, dodging the blow that took part of the wall with it.

Landing safely away from him, I gripped onto Solas's fur. "I'm not one of them! I'm one of you! Your king's future wife! Your future queen!"

"Lier!" he denied, opening his mouth.

A second later, a green beam of energy launched from it. Solas was quick on his feet again, yet he barely dodged it this time. The beam went through the castle's walls, destroying everything within its path.

Crap! At this pace, you're going to destroy our home before the humans do! I worked hard on it!

"Solas, can you remove the spear?" I asked, trying to keep my head in one place.

However, it was hard. Luckily, the beam appeared to have harmed Vabaru, who seemed dazed. Perhaps the spear on his wing was draining his energy faster than it should've, much like the barrier did before it fell.

"No, the holy energy coming from it'll repel me." He lowered his ears, noticing something other than the yellow glow.

Vabaru shook his head, trying to get a grip. Taking the chance, he appeared to have a moment of weakness. I got off Solas and walked towards him.

"God damn it! You're a huge, weird, stupid dog! I'm just trying to help you!" I instigated.

"Silence!" he hissed, mindlessly running towards me again.

I sighed, turning my blade to the dull side as he launched at me. Without hesitation, I swung my sword, hitting him on his temple, much like a bat to the head.

"You brought this on yourself!" I snapped as his body rippled with my same light.

The blow stunned the chimera, which slammed into the wall. Without wasting a second, I launched Solas into the air, reaching for the spear as I yanked it out with the weight of my fall. Not that I ever hit the ground. The pup was quick to soften my drop with his body.

"Fuck!" Vabaru howled, feeling his wing tear with the removal of the blessed weapon.

I had wanted to do it without damaging him more, but he wasn't the most cooperative individual in the castle. He struggled to get a grip when I stood up from Solas and walked over to him as his body shifted back into a humanoid form.

"Does that feel better?" I asked.

"Why?" he mumbled, gripping his shoulder as his crimson eyes struggled to focus on me.

Grabbing onto his chin, I forced the demon to face me head-on.

"Take a good look at me, and don't mistake me again for the enemy." I huffed.

My touch caused a silvery light to radiate from him, turning his crimson eyes back into his beautiful heterochronic eyes.

"With this, consider us even for saving me last time." I smiled, realizing what had happened.

"Sylvia…" His voice was softer than I expected as his eyes slumped toward the ground.

Everything about this man screamed defeat, from his tone to his posture.

The injury on his back was still present, streaming blood as veiny, yellowish lines eroded the surrounding flesh.

Is that the purification spell?

"Oh! Yes! Yes! Sylvia! You brought him back!" Nyla clapped her hands behind me.

Ah… last time with Finn, it was no accident. My light is guiding their way back.

However, there was no time to reflect. It wasn't long until humans ran into our group, armed to the teeth.

"The dark saint! Kill her!" One soldier screamed.

Before I could move, Vabaru was the one who would meet them first. He always preferred his claws and fangs to anything else. The suddenness of meeting with one of the dreadful generals stunned one of the soldiers where he stood.

Without noticing, the one charging at us was ripped to shreds by the demon's claws while the other fell to his knees. Attacking a girl they knew little about differed from meeting with one of Finn's inner circles.

It was probably why Soren's party was trying to keep them in check, which meant he was the hero fighting the demon king.

"Go do what you were heading to do, my lady. It won't be long before I fall to curse again." Soft pants left Vabaru, who radiated a powerful red aura from his body.

Besides him he dropped the body of the unsuspecting soldier. Shaking my head, I turned towards the staircase.

"I'll find a way to save you all. I promise!" I declared, rushing forward.

There wasn't a moment to waste.

If Vabaru had almost been taken down, the others must have been in similar conditions! I have to hurry!

I nearly tripped down the stairs, only to be stopped by Solas catching me. However, that didn't slow our pace. Finally, on the ground floor, we darted down the hall to see Gael dispatching someone from the dining room.

His eyes followed my movements. "Sylvia?! Where are you going?! You aren't supposed to be here!"

"Sorry!" I managed to work out as the pup jumped by him with me on his back.

At that exact moment, more humans broke through one of the windows nearby, allowing us to escape the incubus that surely would've stopped us. Much like Nyla and Rizak, he appeared unaffected by the curse's influence.

Their hatred still bound them, yet somehow, their humanity appeared to hold itself together. Nyla was left behind with Gael when more humans showed up by breaking through the window. Their sudden intrusion allowed us to be free of prying eyes.

That owl is another one I can't run into, or else…

All the intruders were searching for the curse's source—the only way to kill every demon once and for all or at least rob them of their immortality.

No one knows what will happen once the crystal is gone.

In short, our goals were in alignment but for different reasons.

The reason why they can't reach it before I do!

Getting to the doors where the crystal was held, it was eerily empty. However, the magic that locked the doors was Finn's work. The red aura radiating from them was more robust than any spell I had experienced from him.

The room I was in was probably covered in the same thick energy. However, I could exit it as it was meant to keep others out. This time, though, I was on the other side of the barrier. The demon king didn't want anyone to get in through, including myself.

I never listen to you, Finn. I'm sorry, but if you want me to be your wife, you must get used to that. Now… How do I…

Luckily, thanks to the demon king's words, these doors weren't the only way in. The castle was full of hidden passageways. Serah had guided me once through Solas, leaving me hoping she'd do the same.

Getting off the pup, I walked over to the enormous doors that used to let dragons into the crown room. Closing my eyes, I hovered my hand over the door, knowing that if I tampered with it, Finn would indeed find me.

With everything that's going on, you will probably think of my intentions in a twisted manner. I have to avoid you at all costs. Serah…

Clasping my hands together, I tried to focus on reaching out to her as she had done before; however, before I could even gather the thought, I felt a presence near me. Turning around, I saw a vortex open, and my eyes widened upon seeing two humans who stepped out of it.

"Evelyn," I breathed, clenching my fists.

If you're here, a scout spotted this door and reported back. Damn it… I'm…

My sister was nothing like I remembered her to be. She was dressed in gold and white, wearing a crown of royalty. A yellow shine radiated from her body as tiny white wings sprouted from her back.

Xavier's upgrade is more substantial than Serena let on.

She had an air of transcendence.

The god's chosen... While I...

A man with deep purple eyes came out with her, revealing not Soren but the crown prince from Traedan. I had only seen him in Rizak's painting when he taught me about the monarchs who rule over human lands.

That deep black hair and purple eyes are undeniable; you're Prince Jullian.

Soren was probably keeping Finn busy.

The perfect bait for the demon king, but… with this spell, you'll…

That man was hard to read, but the humans' decision to send their priestess and prince into the fray meant they were desperate, too.

This is their final stance. I can't waver. Not now or ever.

Gripping my blade, I readied myself for anything that came my way. The moment her eyes spotted me by the door, her lips curled upward as she guided her hand up to them before giggling.

"Oh? It's surprising seeing you alive in this mayhem. Then again, roaches really are hard to kill." Her words were cold as ice.

There was no lost love between me and her. Our separation solidified it.

Sometimes, blood is just that and nothing else. No, my real family is…

"Don't take another step. I don't want to hurt you." I announced, gripping the blade tighter.

Solas snarled, taking a defensive stance next to me.

"Is that the other saint?" The prince asked, studying me.

We had never met since he had been on a diplomatic mission to a region within Traedan, yet his gaze reminded me of those who used to ignore me.

"My love, don't worry. From our reports, she can't harm anything. She's a failure." Eve snickered, grabbing onto the prince.

Love? Are they together, and why is she calling me a failure? Did Soren not tell her… Why? Forget it, focus…

"Sister, you surely cycle through men like there's no tomorrow. Hope your fiancé knows he's one of many." I raised my eyebrows as Solas bumped me, triggering me to shift my stance as a beam of light shot past me, hitting the wall behind me.

Her action caused me to narrow my eyes, making sure not to take them off her.

You…

"It's time you pay for your crime against our father and everything you've done to harm this world." She announced, waving her hand and summoning light orbs around her.

Crap… This isn't…

I wasn't the hero in this story who would save the world. No, I was the villain who would change it to suit my new family's needs, and I wasn't going to back down, not even for the sister who had also found her way to survive in this world after I took everything from her.