Souls Entwined ~ A Millennium story

Souls Entwined

A hooved leg coated with black fur stopped the rolling head. "You're late."

Th'Erzagar sneered at the sight of Adeyemi, the former Elfu leader. The alabaster-skinned demon stood tall, large horns curling around their face, their long black hair in small braids that draped over the horns in a decorative fashion.

Before Th'Erzagar's wing could strike again, Adeyemi swiftly moved behind her, raised their quarterstaff and brought it down on Th'Erzagar's back, causing the crystal wings to tremble and shatter into a thousand pieces. Th'Erzagar screamed in agony and fell to the floor.

"Don't bother getting up," Adeyemi said as they brought the bottom of the staff down onto Th'Erzagar's back.

Something sharp pierced her skin just above where her wings would originate, and another yelp of pain escaped her lips. Focusing all her energy, she emitted a wave of psionic energy, but it fizzled and died not even an inch away from her.

"What?" Shocked, she looked up, her gaze meeting Agni's defeated one.

Agni created a telepathic link. "You knew it was a trap," he told her. "Did you really come here just to die with me? No, to have your soul shattered with mine?"

Th'Erzagar smiled sourly. "Actually, I came to save you and die trying if I had to."

Adeyemi removed their staff and observed the weakened demon. "No wonder the Guvri were so quick to let their leader fall—you're pathetic. Giving up everything for—" They knocked away Th'Erzagar's hand and gave another blow to her back, slamming her down to the ground again. "Don't be rude." They shifted their gaze to Agni, and he immediately averted his eyes.

"Stay down," he told Th'Erzagar via the link. "Mazi foresaw your coming, and Yi-Una helped enable our demise. They created two crystals especially for us... One is in my back, blocking my powers, and the other is now in yours. I'm amazed we can still communicate."

"Why do you still call Adeyemi Mazi? No parent would—" Th'Erzagar grunted as Adeyemi placed a hoof on her wound.

"Today is a dark day," Adeyemi addressed the masses of demons that surrounded the plaza. "It's with great sadness that I must wither the soul of my very own scion."

"You mustn't do any—" Th'Erzagar tried to interrupt, but Adeyemi ground their hoof down harder.

"While I expect nothing better from the Guvri, Elfu should know better." They glared down at Agni, but he was still averting his gaze. "A demon's soul is the most precious thing there is along with the power it brings. A Millennium soul is the most powerful. It is sacred." They looked at Th'Erzagar. "The Guvri defile it by forcing it to shatter. Your existence is a stain upon this world." They stomped her back again and kept their hoof in place, not allowing her to get away.

Th'Erzagar groaned. "You know nothing about sacred," she grunted.

This seemed to get Adeyemi's attention. "You dare counter me?"

"If you truly believed our souls to be sacred you wouldn't wither them away. You wouldn't take our ability to procreate or to spawn with a strong soul. What you plan to do is—" She gritted her teeth to suppress another groan of pain, Adeyemi's hoof grinding down on the wound in her back.

"You wanting to mix your soul with my scion's is worse than having it withered away. At least that way, it can mix with other decent souls and spawn proper demons who have their priorities straight. If you want to be together so badly, I'll let you—but with withered souls. You can enjoy your remaining short lives together." They sneered. "Consider it my blessing."