The Demon and the Elf (Book 1)

Chapter Fifteen pt 4

In his frozen silhouette, his dull, bleak eyes, he passively submitted to the attack that was sure to destroy him. Time slowed enough that he thought he could almost see every detail of the incoming horror if he had chosen to pay enough attention.

However, when he should have felt impact, he did not.

Instead, a small ball dropped in front and blew up to form a muddy green gas in front and around the demon and the elf. Somehow, all the magic attacks disappeared into the fog without a single scratch on him. Soon, a few more explosions sounded along the field and a similar gas covered the air completely, surrounding everyone present.

A familiar shadow lunged in front like a nameless hero, barely visible among the green. With a dagger in one hand pointed outwards and four round explosives —one between each finger— in the other, the woman's voice yelled, "Take Eial and get out of here!"

"What are you—"

"NOW!"

Defiant, and desperate to show, the whites of his eyes clawed red. "I can—!"

"You can't!"

A stab. "How dare—!"

"Oh fucking hell!" The woman sliced at an incoming figure and threw down an explosive a few yards ahead. "This gas! Magic can't get through it! Everyone's magic here is suppressed for a while. You don't know hand to hand combat. You can't help here, so leave! Now!"

Disbelieving, Drokn tried to draw out magic on his palm that, formerly unaware to him, was trembling. And just as the demoness had said, nothing, not a sliver of magic was formed. Clenching his nails into his skin and his teeth bare, he swung around and dived to grab the elf, only then noticing the loose weighted-ness and the paleness of his skin.

And only then, did the crush of his pride ease.

Eyebrows creased and shaky, he hoisted up the elf and drew out his deep, crimson wings. Watching this through her peripheral, the demoness started to throw miniature bombs all over around the two and at random other directions. Clouds of white spread around. "Stay low where the fog is and then fly." she instructed, and continued to disable the incoming demons with slices from her dagger and shots of explosive pellets that oozed out a sticky substance at the wings of any visible demon above.

Reluctantly, he listened to her words, running away with the elf, the sparse grass below crushing at his heavy steps. Now and then, he tried to test his magic, but his palms were as barren as the fields he ran on. The white fog had been dense, but as his steps carried him further, he was able to see a few feet ahead, and then a couple yards ahead, and then finally it was a dusted clearness where both he could see outward and anyone outward could see him.

Still running, he scanned around, checking for other demons that may have followed him. When nothing but blankness caught his eye and no sounds spread around him, he brought up his wings, and with a jump, brought them down, launching himself and the elf upwards. Small pebbles on the ground danced in the force of the wind. He flew, just like he had when he fled the demon town.

A few hours into flight, with the weight of the elf secure in his arms, he found a place of land filled with tall trees, their leaves shadowing every inch of the ground below. He made his way down and past many brown trunks, snapping twigs, running as far from the edge as he could.

Damp woodiness touched his smell and the thick air made his already wet skin sob. Finally, when he thought he was far in deep enough, he found a tree to anchor near. Uncaring of the moistened roots and grass, he quickly positioned down, his legs sprawled out and his back scraping against the rough bark. Eial was leaned up against a shoulder with his legs across the demon's lap.

Drokn looked at the silvery eyelashes which somehow managed to maintain their shine. Then, he looked up at the wavering branches of the trees above, shifting right and left. The soundless tune of the faint wind crinkling through the leaves. The frantic heart from adrenaline. The touch of his elf against him. The hollowness of his chest.

And tears fell in silence.

The weight of a drop down for how frustratingly useless he was at the fight. The weight of a drop down for his unbearable inability to do nothing but run away. The weight of a drop down for his continuous neglect to pay attention to the elf's well being.

How does he treasure someone if he's never been treasured, himself? How was he supposed to attend to the elf, give care for the elf, when he was only taught to care for him alone? Harsh realities forced to face scraped his skin in contrast to the fictional protection he was surrounded by at the palace.

Shuffling movement beside, Drokn quickly looked down and cleared his throat. While turning to face up, Eial's eyelashes fluttered open, and his hand languidly caressed the fabric and creases over the demon's chest. Lifting the same arm, Eial cupped Drokn's cheek and softly thumbed away a stream of wetness. "Don't be scared," the light tone drifted in the air. "Are they gone?"

"T-they're gone," the demon stuttered before his voice blocked in his throat, a word away from a sob in the soft comfort.

Without a hint of doubt in his eyes and voice, Eial's lips curved into a smile and he patted Drokn's head. "My demon is so strong." Bringing his hand back down, he held onto the palm of his bond's hand that rested on his thighs. "Let's go back."

They vanished from the forest and reappeared in the familiar underground hut next to the cabin, safer from open view. Immediately, Eial passed out again and Drokn felt a tinge of fatigue. Laying Eial down on his bed, he took off his own cape and draped it over the elf, the length completely covering him. His legs pressed against the firm softness of the grass bed as he sat next to the small being.

"My demon is so strong," the elf had said. Drokn's mind remembered the strikes from the elf, the strategic fight from the demoness, his own magic dissipating against the other's. His amber eyes shadowed and he brought one of Eial's hands to his lips, a featherlight kiss on the backs of his fingers. "Your demon will be strong."