The Soul Keeper

It was almost as if Aelith anticipated our arrival. The field of battle had been prepared, all obstacles and distraction removed.

The once flourishing, beautiful garden of the Gallagher Mansion was no more. It had been reduced to a field of dry, dead grass, with the Pillar at its farthest end. By the towering golden structure stood several cloaked figures. And before it, hundreds of soldiers, if not more. 

"They knew." Inspector John whispered as our feet touched the ground. I nodded as I looked upon the Ereth forces waiting for us. 

"You are not welcome here!" Aelith's voice sounded. It echoed in the air, repeating itself over and over again, slowly fading with each echo. "Return to your world, darkspawn!" 

"Only once you leave this world!" The Lord's bellowing voice rose. "Return to where you came from, Lightbringers! You have no place in this world, nor in ours."

"They seem strong." Inspector John spoke in a low voice as the Demon Lord stepped forward. I nodded. "They are – we stand no chance unless we destroy that pillar." I nodded towards the Divine Pillar. "Stay in the back, with Delthur. I can't protect you."

The inspector gulped, then nodded and approached Delthur. The demon glanced at me, then nodded, indicating he would keep the middle-aged man safe.

"This world is now mine!" Aelith shouted. Only now did I finally see her. She was floating high up in the air, right in front of the Divine Pillar. Shrouded by its golden light, she opened her arms wide. "I will not be defeated once more, not by your filthy hands, nor by the hands of an exile and a traitor!" Her gaze focused on Mother and Fetheion. "You will die today, all of you!"

Fetheion gritted his teeth as his odd weapon appeared in his hands. Mother, on the other hand, didn't seem to care about the Divine Matriarch's words at all. Her carefree and relaxed expression didn't change at all. 

"Do you hear me, sister?" Aelith shouted. My eyes shot open. "Wait… sister?" I mumbled as I glanced at Mother and Fetheion. Mother grinned and winked at me, she was almost having fun. "Why do I even question?" I mumbled as I shook my head. Then, I raised my hand and stepped forward. 

A scythe, black as the night with a crystalline blade, formed from seemingly nothingness in my hands. I said nothing as I continued walking forward. I walked past Vixia and Fetheion, then the Demon Lord. 

Once I arrived at the centre of the battlefield, I looked up at Aelith. Without even a moment of hesitation, I struck the lower end of the shaft of my scythe into the ground. "Now!" I hissed as I poured my mana into the cool black metal of my weapon.

A mist – dark as night and cold as death spread from the ground where I struck my scythe. And at the same time, the demon forces behind me leapt high up into the air, stretching their wings wide.

Vixia remained on the ground, along with the Demon Lord and my family members.

"Ready?" I heard Mother ask uncle Eion. He shook his head. "No, wait for a chance first." He stepped forward and stood by my side just as the Ereth also leapt up to meet the Demons. 

"And it begins." The Demon Lord spoke as the battle in the skies began.

We ignored the soldiers. Whether they won or lost was of little concern to the two commanders – the two incredibly powerful being who lead each army.

Aelith slowly descended to the ground and stood at the foot of the stairs leading up to the Divine Pillar. The Demon Lord brushed past me and stood right across of her.

Then, the ground shook. The cloaked figures still standing by the Divine Pillar stepped forward. They each raised their hands, and spears made of light formed in the air. They remained hanging in the air for a split second, then with a swift motion, the figures threw the spears at us.

Not a single one of them was aimed at the Demon Lord. The spears rained down upon Fetheion and Mother. Fetheion's power formed a shield in the air, protecting them from the deadly rain. Vixia disappeared through a rift and reappeared high up in the air. 

Delthur had already pulled Inspector John out of harms way, they waited in the back, somewhere safe.

I didn't bother wasting my mana to protect myself – instead, I grabbed my scythe and dashed ahead. We would never win a fight of attrition, we needed to clash with the Ereth head on.

I ran forward as spears of light and thunder struck the ground around me. The smell of charred earth reached my nostrils as I powered through, swallowing whatever hesitation and fear I had. 

"Stop him!" Aelith's voice sounded. Somehow, despite not being particularly loud, it drowned out all other sounds for a short moment. "Do not let him near the Pillar." I feared she would attack me, but she didn't. Her gaze was focused on the Demon Lord, her expression filled with anger and disgust. 

I grimaced – I was the smaller threat. Someone her lackeys could take on and defeat. Or so she thought. My lips curled upwards with a wicked smile as I dashed through the raining spears of golden light and thunder.

Aelith stood right before the Divine Pillar, and a bright golden light enveloped her. The Demon Lord was enveloped in darkness no less powerful than her light. For a split second, time seemed to freeze. Then, the two massive powers clashed. Invisible to the eye, they began their own fight.

And at that moment, I reached the cloaked figures. The Inquisitors who were deemed worthy of protecting the Pillar.

They chanted their spells, created their shields, and rained death upon us all.

Yet, when I finally reached them, I could smell their fear behind those masks of theirs. With a wicked smile still lingering on my lips, I swung my scythe, leaving behind a trail of black and purple flames. 

The sound of metal hitting crystal echoed as a tall Ereth appeared before me. He raised his chin with pride, and with a swing of his metal spear, deflected my attack. 

"We will not let you!"