The Soul Keeper

I was the only one who realised how badly we'd screwed up.

The large, oval room was mostly empty save for the lonely tomb across the door. Delthur stood before it, his expression showing what I assumed was surprise and anger.

My scythe materialised in my hand as I stopped mid-step. "Stand back, Asher." While he was quite powerful, he was still a sorcerer. In close combat, he couldn't do much against someone as powerful as Delthur.

"Who is that?" Lucius whispered as Delthur unsheathed his sword. His eyes let out a purple glow as his power spread through the room.

"Why are you of all people here?" He asked, his voice filled with wrath and hatred. 

"I could ask you the same," I replied as I stepped forward. "Isn't this place a bit too close to Baile Chailce?"

"Kai?" Asher whispered. Lucius drew a sharp breath. I saw his posture change at the edge of my vision.

"You don't get to ask me anything!" Delthur shouted. He raised his sword. My heartbeat quickened.

"Kai, how-" Lucius began to speak, but I didn't have time to listen to him. I dashed forward at the same time as the demon before me. Our weapons clashed as a loud clang echoed in the room. 

"Leave this place!" The demon hissed as our weapons locked. Then, he pushed me back with all his might. I struggled to keep my balance as he raised his sword over his left shoulder again. The massive sword reflected the light of Asher's illuminating spell.

Retreating or dodging wasn't an option – I had to block him. I couldn't let him get any closer to Asher and the Lucius.

"You killed two of our kind!" He shouted as his blade came down on the shaft of my scythe. My muscles burned with pain, but I somehow stood my ground. 

"What did you expect me to do?" My eyes let out a purple glow. Flames danced on my skin as he once again pushed me back. "Just let them kill me?" 

He didn't answer. Instead, purple flames burst out of him. As they spread through the room, threatening to consume all of us, I released my own flames. I couldn't let him hurt Asher or Lucius.

"You don't stand a chance." I said as my wings formed on my back. He stepped back, his face twisted with anger and hatred. 

"I will not let you defile this place!" He shouted. We met at the centre once again, purple and crimson flames whirling around us as our weapons clashed over and over again. I heard Asher and Lucius shout something, but I couldn't hear them over the roaring flames. 

Delthur's each swing threatened to kill me while I could only lay a scratch on him. His flames threatened to quench mine.

"What the hell did you do?" I shouted as his next strike nearly brought me to my knees. How had his strength – both physical and magical – increased so quickly within a couple of seconds? Moments ago, he wasn't nearly as strong.

"I will make you pay for what you've done!" He shouted. That's when I noticed it. The purple glow in his flames, the unusually bright glow in his eyes… That's when I sensed the magic flowing into him through the veins spreading from the core we'd found earlier. 

I tightened my grasp around the shaft of my scythe, then glanced at Asher and Lucius. Asher had created a barrier around them and now he was focused on another spell. Lucius seemed frozen with shock – he stood there motionless. Wide eyed and pale faced, he was clearly not fit to fight.

I had to deal with this on my own. I blocked his next strike with the blade of my scythe and let the massive sword slide down along the blade as I stepped aside. As soon as he lifted his blade, I swung my scythe, threatening to chop off his legs. Forced to lower his guard, he backed off maybe half a step. 

At the same time, Asher's spell leapt towards him. Delthur grunted and let the bolts of lightning strike his blade. These couple of seconds were my chance. I leapt back and swung my scythe at the floor. 

Fallen Grace and Death's Scythe enhanced my abilities and power as the pale crystalline blade of my scythe cut through the stone slabs on the floor and severed the veins of magic feeding Delthur.

The demon suddenly drew a sharp breath. He struggled to remain standing for a moment as his flames subsided and the unusual glow in his eyes faded. 

Once again, we were on even ground. Or perhaps I should say, I had the advantage. Maybe for the first time ever.

"I should have killed you that night!" Delthur hissed, holding his sword defensively. His eyes darted between me and Asher. "Then you wouldn't have killed those two."

"Why didn't you?" I asked. I couldn't help it – I needed answers. I knew that this was probably a trap. He was probably stalling for time but… I needed to know.

I flinched as he laughed. Asher's expression twisted with worry. "What's going on?" He whispered. I shrugged. Had Delthur finally lost his mind?

"I remember how weak and scared you were!" He said after his laughter subsided. "You were at our mercy back then!" He raised his hand. I immediately tightened my grasp on the shaft of my scythe. What was he doing? "Yet," He continued. "Lady Vixia didn't let me do what I should have done." His expression darkened. "She wished for you to see for yourself – yet all that happened is that you became the pet of Aelith!" His words turned to a shout as he spoke.

"See what?" I shouted. "All I see around me is death! Do you think I wanted to kill those two?" My voice cracked. "I was trying to get away from there! You people are the ones who never leave me alone!" 

"Kai!" Asher warned me. I took a deep breath and forced myself to calm down. "Anyways," I said after a moment. "Why are you here?" 

He chuckled. "Like I'd tell you!" He readied his sword. "I will take you down with me." 

Asher shouted something as purple flames roared around us. I felt the blonde sorcerer's barrier form around me. At the same time, the demon dashed forward again. I rolled under the massive sword he swung and quickly rose to my feet behind him. My scythe found its way to his left arm, leaving a deep and painful cut behind. His blood wet the ground as he turned towards me with a terrifying shout.

I blocked his next few attacks, then as soon as I caught an opening, I went on the offensive. I spun my scythe around, alternating between hitting with the end of its shaft and trying to cut with its blade. Once again, I suffered from lack of training with this type of weapon. If I were half as adept at using this as I was in using the sword, Delthur would have stood no chance at all.

Small scratches and cuts appeared on his arms as I didn't give him a chance to regain his composure. 

"Kai, to your left!" Asher shouted. I stepped in that direction as a bolt of lightning passed through where I was standing mere seconds ago. If I hadn't listened to Asher, I would have been hit by that spell for sure. 

Delthur grumbled as the lightning hit him in the shoulder. He stumbled back until he leaned on the tomb. "You-" A coughing fit stopped him. He wiped some blood off his mouth as he glared at Asher. 

"Don't look at him like that, this is no different that what you and Vixia had me go through." Yet despite my words, I got no satisfaction from defeating him. All this just felt so out of place. Why was he here? Why wasn't Vixia with him? Was this a trap?

He glared at me but didn't say anything as another coughing fit shook his body. I glanced at Asher and Lucius. Asher was still standing way at the entrance, along with the young swordsman. Lucius still seemed to be out of it. Even Asher still looked pale. Was it the shock of finally seeing a demon?

"What happens now?" Asher asked, noticing my glance. I shrugged. I had no idea. The smart thing would be to kill Delthur, the even smarter thing would be to question him.

"Delthur," I said, taking a step towards him. "Who was that man? The one who came into the room just before I escaped?"

The demon chuckled. "Don't you remember?" He said as his bloody lips formed a wicked smile. "You're pathetic." 

My expression darkened. I was sick of these riddles and unanswered questions. I was sick of constantly being in the dark.

"Tell me who he was!" I shouted. I put the sharp crystalline blade of my scythe against the demon's throat. "Now-"

A scream echoed in my mind. An unusual wind stirred our hair and clothes. Delthur's eyes widened as he looked behind me.

"Sister…?"