Demon Wars [FINISHED]

Chapter 44

"The first step is to locate the monster-guards."

The plan from yesterday, Hunter and Vanessa's voices, they wouldn't exit Ailith's head.

"Then we have our own guards tailing them. They'll send word back to Ailith, who'll quietly smite them down with her powers."

Now Ailith stood under a small shower-head in a stone bathroom. She and Hunter were guests in the underground Rebel Army headquarters. In the past decade, it had been fit with plumbing and lighting.

"Step three is to take them out at any provided opportunity, hopefully before the King gets on the stage."

With the small bar of fresh-smelling soap, she rubbed away at all the grit and grime from days spent outside.

"Because we want to take him out as soon as possible, and we can assume that he'll have more of his creatures at the ready for emergency. If we take out half before the initial battle, we'll gain an advantage."

The water was freezing cold and awfully limited. The harsh fluorescent
light that illuminated the entire underground network had given her headaches as well as the telepathy practice from last night.

"The fourth step will be to kill the King when he steps onto the stage. Hunter will battle him, creating a distracting drama. We'll have half a dozen snipers on the ready to kill him."

The dread that had welled in Ailth's stomach for weeks had grown into a constant stomach ache.

After her anxiety attack the previous night, she had settled into her old thick and thorny mental armour. She now acted tough and untouchable in front of everyone, except Hunter and Vanessa, just like she had throughout high school.

Ailith turned the tap off and dried herself off with a worn towel.

She stood in front of the long and jagged mirror.

Thin white scars made from whips were scattered over her body. There was a disgusting purple scar over her abdomen from when a creature's hand went straight through her stomach. There were claw-shaped scars on her left bicep from the battle with Lucifer, and other small marks.

Three months ago, the only scars Ailith had were lightning-shaped stretch marks from when she had been a fat child, and the faintest, almost invisible, scar of heart surgery when she had been born.

She shook her head. Her eyes fell on the black t-shirt and shorts Vanessa had provided. Ailth refused to wear them because of growing body-hair, until Vanessa had also offered a razor.

It's dumb, Ailith thought as she pulled the shirt over her head. That before I go into battle, I'm worried about arm and leg hair.

She tugged the shorts on, glad of the lack of hair. The clothes were slightly big, as it had been for Vanessa's large boobs and impeccably toned ass.

Ailith felt only the slightest twinge of jealousy as she emerged from the bathroom. She felt glad to have a female friend again.

She ran her hands through her wet hair, which she was glad to find untangled. It had started to grow again, so the strawberry-blonde tickled her neck. Brown had begun to appear in the roots again.

Ailith wanted to curl up onto the slight, yet comfortable, mattress.

But she pulled her combat boots on. She had promised training with Hunter and Vanessa.

***

"Focus and hit the target, Ailith!" the note of frustration was evident in Hunter's voice.