CHAPTER 7 The Awakening

Silence.

Heavy.

Unnatural.

The forest didn't move.

The wind didn't breathe.

Even time—

Felt frozen.

The Aftermath

Ivan's body lay still.

Cold.

Unmoving.

Lifeless.

Elen held him in her arms, her fingers trembling against his chest, as if trying to force his heart to beat again.

"Ivan...?"

No response.

Her voice broke.

"Ivan... wake up..."

Nothing.

Her grip tightened.

"Please... don't do this..."

Her breathing became uneven.

Shallow.

Desperate.

"I can't... I can't lose you..."

Her voice faded into a whisper.

"You promised..."

The Demon Speaks

A slow clap echoed behind her.

Mocking.

Cold.

The demon smirked.

"How tragic."

He tilted his head, observing her like a broken toy.

"He didn't know his place."

Something inside her—

Cracked.

The Breaking Point

Her hands stopped shaking.

Her tears—

Froze.

The warmth in her eyes vanished.

Replaced by something else.

Something empty.

Something terrifying.

The air shifted.

Heavier.

Darker.

The demon's smile faded slightly.

"...What is this?"

The Awakening Begins

Elen's head lowered.

Her hair fell forward, shadowing her face.

Her voice came out—

Quiet.

Cold.

"...You..."

The ground trembled.

"...hurt him..."

The air vibrated.

"...You tried to take everything from me..."

The sky darkened.

The forest bent.

Reality—

Cracked.

BOOOOOOM!!!

A massive explosion of purple-black energy erupted from her body.

The ground shattered.

Trees disintegrated.

The wind screamed as if the world itself was being torn apart.

The demon was forced back—

Sliding across the ground.

His eyes widened.

"W-what... is this aura...?!"

Transformation

The energy swirled around her.

Violent.

Uncontrolled.

Beautiful.

Terrifying.

Ivan's body—

Lifted gently into the air.

Protected.

Untouched by the destruction.

Then—

The light faded.

And what remained—

Was not the same person.

Elen stood.

Transformed.

Her dress had shifted into something darker—elegant, flowing, etched with glowing runes that pulsed like a heartbeat.

Her hair moved like living shadow.

Her presence—

Overwhelming.

In her hand—

A colossal scythe formed from pure darkness.

Its blade curved like the end of a nightmare.

Her eyes—

Glowed.

Violet.

Deep.

Endless.

Alive with power.

Fear

The demon stepped back.

For the first time—

Fear appeared on his face.

"So this is her true form..." he whispered. "No wonder the higher demons want her..."

Before he could react—

She vanished.

Speed Beyond Perception

She reappeared behind him.

No sound.

No warning.

Only death.

SWOOOOSH!!!

Her scythe cut through the air.

The ground behind the demon—

Erased.

Completely.

Nothing remained.

The demon barely dodged.

His breath shook.

"If that hits me... even once..."

His voice trembled.

"I'll die..."

Judgment

Elen stepped forward.

Slowly.

Each step cracked the ground beneath her feet.

Her voice was no longer human.

It was—

Cold.

Final.

"You hurt him."

A step.

"You tried to take everything from me."

Another step.

Her grip tightened on the scythe.

"I will kill you."

The Beginning of Destruction

The demon moved first this time.

Not out of pride.

Out of fear.

He lunged forward—

Faster than before—

Striking for her heart.

CLANG!!!

She stopped his blade—

With one hand.

One.

Hand.

The demon's eyes widened in horror.

"...Impossible..."

Absolute Power

Elen raised her head.

Her eyes met his.

Empty.

Emotionless.

Dead.

"Is that all?"

Her voice was quiet.

But it crushed him.

She flicked her wrist—

CRACK!!!

The demon's weapon shattered into pieces.

Like glass.

His mind froze.

"What—"

Overwhelming Force

BOOOOOOM!!!

Her kick landed.

The impact launched him across the forest, tearing through trees like paper.

The ground split.

The air exploded.

The demon crashed violently, coughing blood.

"She's... stronger than any demon I've ever met..."

Before he could recover—

She was already there.

Standing in front of him.

Waiting.

The End Begins

"This is for hurting him."

The demon panicked.

He summoned countless shadow spears—

A storm of death—

Launched all at once.

Elen didn't move.

Not even slightly.

She spun her scythe once.

WHOOSH!!!

A vortex of purple energy erupted—

And erased everything.

Every spear.

Every attack.

Gone.

Like they never existed.

The demon trembled.

"She's a monster..."

The Final Words

She appeared behind him again.

Too fast.

Too absolute.

Her whisper reached his ear.

"Don't run."

He tried.

He failed.

Her blade moved.

A single swing—

And half his arm disappeared.

He screamed.

She grabbed his face—

And slammed him into the ground.

The earth shattered.

"This is for trying to take me from him."

She lifted him by the throat.

His body shook.

His voice broke.

"W-wait! If you kill me—higher demons will come! They'll hunt you! They'll—"

Her eyes didn't change.

"I don't care."

Her scythe glowed.

Brighter.

Darker.

Final.

Erasure

The demon screamed.

"NO—PLEASE—!!"

Elen whispered:

"...Die."

SHIIIIING.

Silence.

No body.

No blood.

No trace.

He was gone.

Erased.

Aftermath

The forest fell silent again.

Her scythe dissolved into light.

Her aura faded.

Her body trembled.

Her knees gave out.

She turned.

Slowly.

Toward him.

Ivan.

Still.

Unmoving.

Her world collapsed again.

She crawled toward him, her hands shaking as she pulled him into her arms.

"Ivan... please..."

Her voice broke completely.

"Don't leave me..."

Tears fell onto his cold skin.

"I can't live without you..."

Silence.

Only her sobs.

Only her pain.

Only her love.

Then—

A movement.

So small.

So faint.

His fingers—

Twitched.

Hope

Elen froze.

Her breath stopped.

Her eyes widened.

"Ivan...?"