Lady Aviva suddenly appeared in front of me, gold eyes shining brightly while Beatrice stood at my side, her own silver-blue iris' shining dangerously bright. Their sudden defence put me on edge and I felt my claws and fangs slide out while my own eyes brightened and I pulled in the dark mana around me to use either to attack or defend. Enrique appeared beside the Master with blood dripping from his crushed nose and a bruise was appearing along his jaw.

"Now now, no need for the sudden defensiveness." The Master drawled not looking away from me as he started to smile. "Though I am surprised by the two of you defending her, you should all know that I'm going to kill her by either going through or around you."

"She's my Mate, of course I'm going to defend her." Beatrice spat at him but I could both hear and feel her fear.

"She's family, which means a lot more than you do." Lady Aviva stated coolly though I knew she had to be nervous as well.

The Master rolled his eyes. "How sweet, but stupid. Now you're all going to die and won't be able to witness the human's oppression and the Celestial's destruction in the mortal realm."

"We won't let you touch her, Viktor." In shattering black light Qoy appeared on my other side.

The Master's, Viktor's, eyes widened at the sight of his brother. "Well well, if it isn't little baby Vaughn. I didn't think you'd find a master worthy enough to control you, and it ended up being this girl... I feel sorry for you."

"I don't care what you say Viktor. Vaden is my chosen master and she has been everything and more that I wanted in one." Qoy, Vaughn, spat back at his brother.

"I'm disappointed little brother, but I should've expected that." Viktor snarled back. "You were always the incapable one."

The doors slammed open and hundreds of demons swarmed inside. "Just give up now and save us all the trouble." Viktor sighed almost like he was already bored.

"Like I'm going to give up without a fight." I snarled lowly before pouncing past lady Aviva to slam my fist into the side of Viktor's face sending backwards into the stairs. My attack announced the start of the fight. Enrique attacked lady Aviva while Beatrice turned to take on the swarm of demons.

Anon! I shouted down our link while Viktor stood up rubbing his jaw that didn't even have a mark in it. There was no reply though.

"Is that all you've got?" He asked looking down at me.

I pulled Rhoa az from its sheath and summoned Artemis and all the beasts inside the blade including Sylvia. I sent all the beasts besides for Sylvia, Artemis and Narga to help fight the demons.

"Two Vojjor Vishaferat? (Gods Weapon?)" Viktor asked. "Now that is impressive, yet it'll be all a waist in the end when I kill you."

In a swirl of dark mana a plain looking sword appeared in his hand while I brandished my hunting knife. A hand on my shoulder made me look to find Vaughn staring ahead at his brother. "Let's do this together." He stated before fading into shattering black light, changing back into his sword form which I caught.

I set my glare onto Viktor while black fog rose up from the ground around me. My vision turned red as my fangs lengthened to their longest form along with my claws, while I pulled in as much dark mana as possible from around me and mixed it with my pure mana making it, in turn, stronger. A hard bone like material as black as pitch crawled over my hands and seeped into my veins turning my skin black and hard till half way up my forearms. Silver chains marked with countless ruins came out of the hilt of my sword and knife to wrap around my wrists.

I felt both Vaughn and Artemis inside me feeding me their power, knowledge and strength.

"I will not die so easily, Viktor." I growled at him as my clothes shredded and formed a cloudy black cloak around me.

Viktor grinned showing off lengthening canines and held up his sword, pointing the tip at me. "I'm going to enjoy stripping you of your blood, child."

I closed my eyes and placed the tip of my sword to the ground. "Memziri silak Idrik rhoa assolat, Khal Zhavorsa. (I call forth the Master's beast to command, King of Dragons.)"

It was silent before a shattering cry made the walls shake and the rhythmic thumping of large wings could be heard even through the thick walls of the castle. I opened my eyes and smirked.

"No. No that's not possible! You do not have the power to command a dragon let alone him!" Viktor screeched his calm façade finally cracking to show true disbelief.

The fighting behind us even stopped but that only allowed the terribly roar of the ceiling being ripped off that much louder. A defending scream made every bone in my body rattle as the massive head of Khal Zhavorsa dipped down into the large throne room smoke rising from scaly nostrils that a whole man could probably fit through.

"I see." He hissed as black and red eyes stared down at me. "You survived and have become even stronger than before. Though I can already tell that you will not be surviving this fight, young one."

"I know." I agreed looking back up at him easily. "But I will not die without a fight."

He hissed lowly while a tongue slithered out of his mouth flicking black flames through the air nonchalantly. "Good. As I said when we last parted. I will help you. An army of demons are already on their way, so I'll take care of them."

"Thank you, Khal Zhavorsa." I said sincerely to the massive beast before it left.

"What is it?" Viktor asked all of a sudden, once again calm. "What is it about you that even a beast I can't even control is so willing to fight for you? I've been trying for years to get that stubborn creature on my side."

I smirked lightly. "What? Are you jealous?"

He snarled at me. "Tch, let's just get this over with."

With that he vanished. I panicked for only a second before my instincts cut in and I spun to block a swing when he reappeared beside me. Sylvia went to strike his back but was pushed away by an invisible force.

I gritted my teeth together from the force of his sword on mine, but quickly turned and pushed that weight to the side while I tried to elbow him in his side, only for me to get punched in the side of the head by his free hand.

I stumbled lightly before regaining myself to jump away from another attack. I grunted and felt sweat pour through my skin making my cloak stick to me as I fought off, dodged and blocked Viktor's incredibly heavy swings. I cried out in pain when the flat of his blade unexpectedly crushed against my left shoulder, making a crunching sound come from the bones, making me drop my hunting knife as I stumbled away.

I growled in anger and pain while the black bone substance, the same as what covered my hands, started covering my sore shoulder to halfway down my torso, covering my left breast and rising up my neck till just under my jaw. I didn't know what this stuff was, but even though it was stiff and hard, some how it still flexed and bent with my every move like it was a part of my skin. I wasn't complaining about it though, especially when my left hand would have been severed by Viktor's blade if the bone-like substance hadn't blocked it, not even a scratch showed where it had been hit.

Since the knife was connected by a chain to me I easily swung it back up into my grip and brandished it once again, a dull ache in my wrist.

Viktor looked surprised that I still had my hand as I once again stumbled away but he quickly started his attack again keeping me on the defensive keeping me feeling like I was some new born pup as I stumbled about.

It annoyed me to no end. What was happening? Why couldn't I gather myself and fight back? Come on damn it, fight!

I let out a roar that no human throat could replicate and crushed my sword against Viktor's. With renewed speed and strength I started pushing Viktor back, though a slight smile never left his face.

I went to go for a vertical slice downward and as he rose his arm to block I struck my foot into his stomach sending in backwards much to my great pleasure. He was anything but done, but I still enjoyed the sight of him going down even if it was only for a second.

I think we were both surprised when we came back together again and were evenly matched. Parring, blocking, counter attacking, dodging, striking. We danced until a collective blow of our blades made a small explosion push us apart. I was panting as I held on tightly to my sword and knife. My cloak was ripped and shredded while small patches of the black bone-like stuff covered where I was scratched, bruised and previously bleeding. It made me relieved to see that Viktor also had scratches, bruises and that his own clothing was becoming ruined.

"Well now, this is unexpected." Viktor drawled, not out of breath at all like I was. "To think you'd last this long even though I haven't been fighting seriously... Lets see what happens when I do become a little serious."

He chuckled lowly while black fog rose from around his feet much like what hung around me, though his was darker and it made me shiver with a sudden cold feeling.

A body came crashing between us and I was surprised by the sight of a hole punched Enrique, bleeding and battered as he tried to get back up.

"I'm disappointed Enrique, I thought you were better than this." I was shocked by the sight of lady Aviva. Her dress was gone replaced by black leggings, boots that went up to her knees, a black corset with red trimmings hugged her torso showing off her slim waist while her long black hair slid down her back in cool, midnight liquid. A slim back metal rapier sword riddled with ruins and a gold hilt and guard. I was shocked by the sight of her gold eyes turned red, only flecks of gold remained of their true colour.

Enrique spat out blood on the ground while he stood, picking up his own sword. "Shut up! You foul, traitorous whore!" He screeched while running at her.

To say I was impressed would be an understatement as I watched lady Aviva take on Enrique with such ease that she looked like she was only playing swords with a little boy. I wanted to cheer happily when with a flick of her wrist and the snap of her leg, a deep, branding slice slid through the clothes and skin covering his chest before he was kicked away by her booted foot.

"Pathetic." Viktor grumbled boredly to himself obviously not caring that his devout underling was getting his ass handed to him by a woman two hundred years his junior.

"Maybe you should stop watching your show and start looking around you!" I watched scared as Sylvia appeared behind Viktor with her two swords ready to slice up his back.

"Sylvia!" I shouted in horror when without moving a tendril of black fog from around Viktor, blocked her swords and another sent her flying away. That was when Narga appeared leaping at his side ready to bury his fangs in Viktor's torso, but instead received the flesh of Viktor's forearm when he held it up to block.

"You two shouldn't be getting into fights you can't win." Viktor growled a strange black glow coming from his eyes as he looked at the beast crushing his arm in his maw.

Two blades protruded from Viktor's stomach when a battered Sylvia reappeared stabbing Viktor through the back from bellow. "Maybe you shouldn't look down on us." She hissed back though easily half her face was black and swollen.

Viktor chuckled, unbothered by his new piercings, and lifted the giant cat attached to his arm with ease before flinging him away into a nearby pillar. I grit my teeth together as Narga let out a pained roar from the contact as he slumped to the ground only struggling lightly to get back up.

I flashed to him and placed my black hand to the top of his furry head. "That's enough." I whispered to him before taking his soul back into my hunting knife to join Artemis.

Just before Viktor, who held Sylvia up by her throat in front of him, swords still in his stomach, could slide his own sword through her chest she disappeared when I called her soul back. She fought the whole way, but I wasn't having it.

"Well that's too bad." Viktor sighed obviously displeased with not being able to kill her.

"Sorry, but I've already seen her die once by my own hands, I don't want to have to see it again." I apologised without meaning it.

The sudden feel of a powerful death in the dark mana of the throne room had us turning to find Enrique's head rolling away from his body with lady Aviva standing above it, blood dripping from her sword a calm expression on her face.

A strange feeling grew within me and the images of my dead and dying parents took me back to the cabin in the forest. Enrique's dark shadow in the room faded, the blood disappeared and my parents stood up looking perfectly fine.

"We love you Vaden, forever and always." My father whispered while my mother touched my cheek tenderly before a light engulfed them and I was back in the throne room a light and fuzzy feeling that only laying with Beatrice has given me up until now.

I looked up into lady Aviva's, back to molten gold eyes, tears brimming in my own. "Thank you." I whispered but I knew she heard me when she smiled back at me.

"And there goes a perfect little toy." Viktor sighed shaking his head in disappointment ruining the moment.

"I hope you don't need a moment to morn," I drawled feeling more at ease than I've felt since I stepped foot on Enrique's land all those years ago. I flashed to Viktor's side moving faster than I have ever before. I placed my sword to Viktor's throat. "Because I don't intend to give you one."

Viktor chuckled and in moments we were flashing around the room, dodging fallen demon corpses, scattered fighting and debris. I caught a glimpse of Beatrice twirling around a partisan spear with a black blade and mana ruins along the pole taking down demon after demon with ease. It made me both proud and afraid, I've been sleeping with a very efficient fighter without really knowing how good she really was.

But soon enough all my concentration was on Viktor. A fist slammed into the side of my head but I quickly came back up with a kick to his chin as I flipped backwards. Touching ground again, I shot forward bringing up my knife and sword. Blocking his sword with my knife I attacked with my sword only to receive his heel in the soft skin of my stomach between two patches of black bone.

I gasped as I shot back into a pillar, slumped to the ground and vomited. The tang of blood on my tongue mixed with acid had my head reeling and my eyes fuzzy so that I wasn't able to see Viktor approach until it was too late.

I cried put in pain as the feeling of warm steel slid through my right shoulder making my arm go limp and my sword hang from its chain around my wrist. I tried to defend myself with my knife but my hand was quickly squashed by his foot and another blade slid through my unprotected armpit efficiently making both my arms useless.

I groaned from the pain but it made me able focus on Viktor's smug face in front of my own. Though I was pleased to see a sheen of sweat on his face along with still healing bruises and scratches. I held in a shout as his fist sunk into the unprotected parts of my stomach and face a few times before he stopped and stepped away slightly shaking out his hands.

"That black stuff is quite impressive. It can withstand even direct blows from me. I've never seen it before so I'm impressed, can you tell me how you got it and what it is?" Viktor asked casually like it was any other day.

I spat out blood as it gurgled up my throat and pooled in my mouth. "I don't know what it is." I grumbled, my head throbbing.

"Oh, well I guess I'll have to figure it out when I gain all of your power." He shrugged easily.

I growled lowly but couldn't move. I was in immense pain and my arms have become numb. Is this really how I'm going to die?

"I thought I was going to be disappointed at the start, but I'm highly impressed by the fight you put up against me until now. I'm saddened that it can't continue, but... stuff happens." Viktor shrugged while in front of me looking too at ease. He then held up his hand in front of him with his palm facing the now darker sky showing that it was night.

The liquefied dark mana squirmed from the bowls under the pillars and made its way to him and pooled into his open palm where it then formed a tight ball that hovered over it. "You ready to die and be the start of my rein over the realms, Pure Child?" He chuckled.

I didn't answer resigned to my fate as I sat there, my arms hanging uselessly by my sides and constant pain wracking my body. Viktor twisted his hand down, the ball staying where it was, the pulled it back before flicking the ball with a single finger sending it shooting towards me.

I waited for the black ball of bound dark mana to hit me, but it didn't. What hit me instead was someone and they fell back into my lap after getting in the way of the attack. In the corner of my eye I saw a spear fall to the ground.

I stared... and stared... and stared before I could comprehend who was in my lap with her life blood flowing out of a through-and-through wound in her chest. The shock made it possible for me to move through the pain wracking my body.

Who...?

I moved so that I was cradling her head and I looked down into her amazing eyes that were rapidly fading along with her life blood that was spilling over me. She was soft, warm. I felt safe holding her in my arms, like my cursed world would be okay as long as I could touch, feel, have her in my arms at all times. Her black hair was silky and wavy. Sweat made it slightly sticky, making her fringe stay against her forehead even as I unconsciously swiped my fingers across it.

I touched her so lighting, terrified that she was going to disappear before my eyes. I ran my fingers over her forehead, down the side of her face. My thumb ran over her soft eyebrows before I swiped it against her pale cheeks, feeling the gorgeous smooth skin memorising the feel until I'll remember it perfectly even a million years in the future.

As my right hand explored her face, engraving her devastatingly stunning features into my mind, my left stroked and ran through her gorgeous hair also remembering the texture for forever.

"Anha... athzhilar..... yer......" Her jagged breathing stopped and the light in her eyes faded with the three words in the entire ancient language spoken only between two lifelong lovers. She was gone.

"I-I-I'm so-so sorry-y Va-Vaden..." Sniffles came from in front of me. I looked up to see the child soul of Beatrice standing in front of me sobbing uncontrollably. "Y-you have to live... You-u have to find us, save us... Y-You can't die here-re. I'm so sorry Vaden." She then disappeared leaving me staring at the black, cloudless sky. Light shattered the sky like lighting but I didn't care and looked back down at the body in my arms.

No tears stung my eyes.

My throat stayed wet like always.

My heart didn't beat unnaturally.

My mind took in everything and understood it perfectly.

.

..

...

My mate is dead.

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