A Devil’s Welcome

‘Huh? This feels familiar.’

An endless abyss of eternal shadows enveloped all around Estra like ethereal ink. She bathed in its presence, the sticky viscous fluid that blinded her in eternal darkness. A suffocating and lonely existence.

Estra held in her hands a flickering bright light whose warmth no longer cut through the blackened sea. She closed her eyes as shadowy tentacles wrapped around her body dragging her deeper into the void below.

‘I won’t let your light snuff out. Not again!’

***

Estra floated in the sky with giant obsidian bladed wings that stretched across. Her eyes of golden purity now tainted with hues of red as she gazed upon the city with a face of pure disgust.

‘I promised you that I would be stronger! I promised you that I AM!’

“Oh foolish mongrel humans, heroes of shining brilliance I ask you thee. Revel in thys last breath for you have been judged!”

Edman looked upwards to see black wings that covered the setting sun coating the city in an aura of terror.

“I am ready, foul beast!”

Estra clapped her hands together three times as she spoke with fangs out grinning in ecstasy.

“Cycle 3! Malevolent Gambit!”

Her bladed wings shook rapidly, clashing violently with each feather causing a litany of sparks to fly out as her wings rapidly expanded outwards in size. A massive black wings loomed over the city below, silencing all sunlight below.

She clapped her hands together an additional two times.

“Cycle 5!. Object complete! Restriction lifted!”

A shadowy crimson corruption had spread all over her body and face with glowing red eyes that knew only rage. Her wings were also filled with the same rot and in the end thousand of red eyes emerged from its shadowy surface.

All eyes turned simultaneously towards the city below. Estra looked down with a smile full of glee.

“Be judged, Mongrels!”

Estra cupped her arms together as a black hole emerged within. She then proceeded to spread her arm outwards with a face full of unbridled happiness, a disgusting laugh full of vitriol and sheer manic.

The tiny black hole grew in size morphing and folding in on itself. It was forcibly inverted into a red glowing orb of black razer like talons that adorned it like a porcupine.

“Command. Target. H.E.R.O.S!”

*Swissshh*

The black spines raced down striking the convoy below. No casualties insured with the damage only lessened by Edman who swung his blade around like a massive shield. He blocked most of the shadowy attacks.

“Too easy!”

Edman dodged one spine attack and used the impact to climb on top. He ran towards Estra dodging each attack and using them as a makeshift platform.

Estra chuckled.

“Huh cute. NOW HOW WILL YOU DEAL WITH THIS!! ARRRGGHHHHH!!!”

Estra flew down as she grabbed him by the throat.

“ARgGhHh!”

She made sure to put her face close to his as she mocked him.

“Oh come on! We’re only getting started! AHAHAHAHAHHA!!!!”

Estra threw Edman into several buildings and then flew over to catch him by the throat before he could even land. She made sure to rub his body through the ground before throwing him through several more buildings.

Edman tumbled through the air as he readjusts, opening his lance to hook against a building. He had caught himself but before he could retaliate Estra appeared in front of him with a maniacal smile.

“You're, Mad woman!”

“More than you think! Mongrel!”

Estra’s bladed wings smacked Edman into the sky above with his weapon falling from his hands. She then flew over his body with red eyes that pierced down towards him.

Her feet touched his battered armour as she rapidly descended towards the ground.

*BWOOOM*

A heavy shockwave burst out scattering all glass and debris all over. Her feet stood firmly on his chest as he coughed up blood.

*Cough*

“The hell are you? You are no mere demon!”

Estra raised her claws as her shadowy wings flew down onto her arm. Giant black claws opened ready to strike.

“Do it! Get it over with devil!”

“ESTRRRAAAAA!!!!”

Lim yelled out battered with torn clothes dirtied from dust and bodies scratched from glass debris.

“ENOUGH!”

Estra turned around yelling back at Lim.

“HE KILLED YOU! DON’T YOU EVEN FEEL A THING! HOW COULD I LET A PERSON LIKE THIS LIVE?”

“I too want him dead Estra, with every fibre of my being I want to ring his neck and do to him what he did to me but I then realised something. The past political intrigue of elvish and human conflict that caused my death doesn't matter anymore. I DON’T CARE! I only care about you and the future we hold! NOT THE PAST!”

“I…I… Damn it all Lyse! Why can’t I say no to you!”

Lim leapt towards Estra to give her a long hug.

“I know that you are hurting for me, but it’s okay. I’m okay.”

***

Estra had felt lighter as the viscous arms that held her down in eternal darkness had finally been lifted. The light that she held in her hands grew brighter as it cut through the blackened sea. She opened her eyes to see not an empty void but the apple tree from her childhood.

She kissed the orb of light and grinned at the calm soothing sight of the tree swaying in the winds.

‘I realized now what I am after.’

Lim walked out from behind the tree and smiled back at her.

‘I was foolish not to realise it. It was so simple.’

***

The shadowy crimson aura slowly subsided from her body as her golden eyes returned. Her bladed wings vanished as nightfell with moonlight gracing the city below.

“Let's go home, Lim.”