Demon Lord

"Why are you here?"

"I could ask you the same thing…"

For some reason, a witty response leaves my lips. This is supposed to be a serious confrontation, but part of me still doesn't believe my eyes.

"Why are you wearing that? It suits you! Almost too well!"

Ailith doesn't say anything, just staring at me in horror from behind the half mask she wears.

"It's too dangerous over here! We need to head towards the shelter right now!"

"Stay back!"

The force of her shout nearly knocks me off my weary feet. Just the intonation created a shockwave capable of setting the nearby forest in motion. Birds still taking their chances have all fled the treetops.

"Sorry, Rado…"

She chokes those words out.

Ailith doesn't allow any tears to fall, but anybody could tell how difficult it is for her to raise her small hand towards my chest. I've seen the energy collecting at her palms once before. The last person to receive it didn't even leave behind a body to find.

"W-Wait!"

Wind blows past me and towards the mass of magic. In a few seconds, I'm to be obliterated and Ailith has no intent on allowing any other result.

Crumble

Before judgement can be delivered, the windmill behind Ailith loses hold of itself. Either from past trauma or because of the amassing energy, the structure prepares to topple atop the unaware girl.

"Ailith! Above you!"

"Huh?"

My warning is too late.

The stone top has already begun its descent and the masked girl is guaranteed to end up beneath it. At least, that's how it should have gone.

BOOM

Ailith raises her hand to the sky, meeting the falling stones. Her skin seems to touch the surface for a single instant before a beam of pure magic strikes the heavens.

"AH!"

The beam capable of disintegrating stone also sends me rolling down the hill. I was supposed to be sent to the afterlife by that attack, but fate insists on toying with me for longer.

When I finally come to a stop, it's at the hands of a building still barely standing. As much as I want to return to Ailith at the top, something else takes my attention.

"H-Help! Somebody!"

I've heard plenty of these screams today, but they continue to get my feet moving. The neighbouring house has a man bleeding from his arm, his family standing behind their brave protector. The one trying to kill them is an orcish creature with a massive axe of stone. It has a few steps to go before finishing them off.

"STOP!"

I throw my shoulder into the back of the demon, managing to only barely knock it off balance. My feet can't carry me any further, causing me to collapse at the creature's feet. It takes one look at me before readying its axe to put this old man to rest.

"Is this it…"

"RADO!"

A streak of light tears through the air itself. Following the trail is a blade of silver and a young man. He is covered in blood, which I can assume belongs to his enemies.

"L-Leon!?"

"HAH!"

The young hero strikes the demon with a large burst of energy, sending it to the ground unconscious.

"HAAAH!"

"Wait!"

I struggle to one knee and manage to hold Leon's shoulder before he can slay the beast. He looks back to me with surprise.

"What are you—"

"We don't have time!"

Using his shoulder to pull me up, I start moving him towards the terrified villagers. Once he's out of reach, I need to use the house as my crutch.

"Take these people to the mines up North! Everyone has fled there!"

"What will you do!?"

"I'll be right behind you, kid! So get going! Those people will need your protection!"

Leon hesitates for a moment, looking between me and the incapacitated demon a few steps away. In the end, he nods.

"Please hurry!"

"Don't worry, I don't plan on dying after coming this far!"

I watch as the group rushes into the distance with the young hero at the head. Seeing him come back to defend the village fills me with so much relief that I could just sleep right here. Perhaps there may be some hope for these kids after all.

"I guess I should go as well…"

I take one step forward. That is as far as I get before a terrible feeling hits me. I'm unable to react to the sound of kicked dirt and snarling coming from behind. With only enough time to turn my head halfway, I see the monstrous creatures on its feet with an axe descending towards my skull. I couldn't even close my eyes before the sharp edge reached me.

BOOM

I'm blown backwards, but not from the axe. Somehow, my head is still intact, albeit ringing from the explosion that occurred directly beside my face.

"Wha—!"

The surprise isn't from me, it's from the demon. Where his hands once held a deadly weapon, it now just has a long branch. The stone head of its axe has disappeared as if it never existed in the first place.

"Leave that man!"

It's a voice that I can't decide whether to find pleasant or scary. Long hair blows in the aftermath of her magic, dark violet eyes boring into the lesser demon. The sight of the small woman is enough to make the monster straighten its posture.

"We're leaving. Inform the others. Now!"

"Y-Yes, Ma'am!"

With a deep grumble, the lesser demon runs off into the smoking village. Ailith and I are now alone once again. Just like before, we aren't quite sure what to say to one another.

"Um…"

"I've spared you this once. Never show your face to me again, or I will kill you without fail."

She had intended for those words to be the last we would ever exchange. However, I could not let that be the case. Somewhere inside me refuses to let this be the last time.

"Wait!"

Ailith stops her retreat. She doesn't turn back, but continues to listen despite her better judgement.

"It'll take me a while to get back, but…"

I've lost track of how many times I've had to drag myself up. None of those other times feel as important as this final struggle. I need to make sure that she hears what I have to say.

"Drinks are on me! Same place! Same time! I want to see you there!"

I don't know what's going on in that pretty head of hers. It's difficult to discern with the Demon Lord's energy coating her entire form, but I can tell that my words reached Ailith. She wouldn't still be standing there if she paid them no mind.

"...Okay."

That one word is all I needed to hear before allowing the darkness to take me. All of my fatigue hits me and forces my body into a much needed slumber. Did she look back with concern at me collapsing on the spot?

I would like to hope that she did.