The world beyond the camp seemed to breathe with an eerie silence as Sarina led her rebels through the twisted, rocky landscape under the dim light of dusk. The mountains loomed ahead like jagged sentinels, casting long shadows that stretched like claws over the rebel forces. There was an unnatural stillness in the air, the kind that made the hairs on the back of Sarina’s neck prickle with unease.

Azrathis’s voice, for now, was quiet. Too quiet. Sarina could feel the demon queen lurking in the recesses of her mind, ever-present, watching her every move. The sensation was suffocating, like a predator stalking its prey, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. But Sarina forced herself to focus on the task at hand. She had to lead her people—those who still believed in her—through this treacherous terrain, past the demon patrols, and toward their next objective.

"Stay close," she whispered to Lira, who walked silently by her side, though their earlier conversation still hung like a cloud between them. Lira had said nothing since Sarina had snapped at her, but Sarina could feel the weight of her unspoken words. There was tension in every step they took together, a chasm of mistrust that Sarina had unintentionally deepened.

Lira’s eyes flicked to Sarina, unreadable in the fading light. "I’m always close, Sarina. But that’s not the problem, is it?"

Sarina swallowed, the chains tightening ever so slightly in response. "We can talk about this later," she replied, her voice low and firm. "Right now, we need to focus."

"Right," Lira muttered, though the hurt in her tone was impossible to miss.

Ahead of them, Torrin, the scout, signaled with a raised hand, halting the group. He crouched low by a ridge of boulders, motioning for Sarina and Lira to join him. As they approached, Torrin pointed down into a narrow valley where demon patrols—large, hulking figures with glowing red eyes—moved in tight formation, their armor gleaming dully in the dying light.

"Patrol’s heavier than we expected," Torrin whispered, his voice barely audible. "There’s no way we can sneak through without being spotted."

Sarina cursed under her breath, her mind racing. The original plan had been to move through the valley under the cover of dusk, but with the demon patrols so thick, they were as good as cornered. She needed to think of another way, fast. The lives of her people depended on it.

"Can we go around?" Lira asked, scanning the landscape. "There might be a pass higher up."

"That’ll take us too close to the ridge," Torrin replied. "We’d be out in the open."

"We can’t risk a fight here," Sarina said, though part of her—Azrathis’s part—whispered that she should lead her forces directly into battle. She felt the demon queen’s bloodlust tugging at her, urging her to spill the blood of her enemies. But Sarina wasn’t ready to give in to that pull. Not yet.

"I know," Torrin said, his voice tight with frustration. "But we’re running out of options. They’ll spot us if we move now."

Sarina’s jaw clenched. The chains in her mind were pulling her in two directions—one path that led her to safety, and another, darker path that led to inevitable destruction. Azrathis’s whispers were growing louder, her influence more insistent.

Lead them into battle. Let them fall. Their deaths will only make me stronger. You know you cannot escape me forever.

Sarina shut her eyes, willing the demon queen’s voice to fade. But it didn’t. Instead, the whispers grew more intimate, more familiar, weaving themselves into her own thoughts until it became difficult to tell where Azrathis ended, and she began.

"Captain," Lira’s voice snapped her back to the present. "We need to make a decision. Now."

Sarina opened her eyes, her mind torn between conflicting desires. She could hear her rebels shifting uneasily behind her, waiting for her orders. Every moment of hesitation felt like a betrayal.

Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

"I…" Sarina began, her voice faltering. She could feel Azrathis tugging on the chains, pushing her toward the reckless choice, the one that would lead to bloodshed and ruin. Her heart raced as she fought against the compulsion, struggling to hold onto the last shreds of her autonomy.

Then, just as her resolve began to waver, she saw it again—a flicker of light, faint and distant, but unmistakable. It pulsed in her mind like a heartbeat, the same light that had saved her from striking Lira in the night. The chains around her mind loosened, just for a moment.

"Hold on," Sarina said, her voice steadying as she stepped back from the edge of giving in. "We’ll find another way. Torrin, take a team and scout the pass. We’ll need to move quickly and stay low, but we can make it around the patrols without being seen."

Torrin gave her a sharp nod and signaled a few other scouts to follow him. As they moved toward the ridge, Sarina exhaled, her chest tight with the strain of fighting against Azrathis’s influence.

Lira, still by her side, watched her with narrowed eyes. "You were about to do something reckless back there," she said, her tone accusatory but not unkind. "What changed your mind?"

Sarina hesitated, her mind racing for an explanation. She couldn’t tell Lira the truth, not with Azrathis still so close, still watching. But she couldn’t lie either. Not to her. Not anymore.

"I…" Sarina started, her voice faltering. "I’m not sure. But there’s something happening to me. Something I can’t explain."

Lira’s expression softened, though her eyes were still filled with concern. "Sarina, whatever this is, you don’t have to go through it alone. You’ve always carried the weight of this rebellion, but you don’t have to carry it all by yourself."

Sarina looked away, her heart heavy with guilt. "It’s not that simple."

"It never is," Lira said, placing a hand on Sarina’s arm. "But we’re in this together, remember?"

Sarina didn’t respond. The weight of her secret—the chains that bound her—felt too heavy to share, even with Lira. But the flicker of light in her mind gave her a small measure of comfort, reminding her that there was still a part of her that was free. For now.

----------------------------------------

Hours passed, and the rebel forces began their slow, careful ascent up the rocky ridge. The scouts had returned with word that the pass was narrow but clear, offering a potential way around the patrols. Sarina led the way, her senses on high alert, every sound and shadow seeming more menacing than usual.

The climb was steep, and the air grew colder as they ascended. Sarina could hear the labored breathing of her comrades behind her, but they pressed on, determined to reach the other side of the valley before nightfall.

As they reached the top of the pass, Sarina allowed herself a brief moment of relief. They were almost through—just a little further, and they would be past the demon patrols, safe for now.

But then, as if summoned by her momentary lapse in vigilance, the ground beneath her feet trembled.

Sarina’s heart leaped into her throat as she felt the vibrations growing stronger, the rocks around them shifting and groaning. She spun around, her eyes scanning the ridge for the source of the disturbance.

And then she saw it—a massive, hulking figure emerging from the shadows, its red eyes glowing like embers in the darkness. It was one of the demons, far larger than any they had faced before, its body covered in thick, black armor that shimmered in the fading light.

Sarina’s breath caught in her throat as the demon’s eyes locked onto hers. She could feel Azrathis’s presence surge within her, the demon queen’s power swelling in response to the danger.

Fight, Azrathis hissed, her voice filled with malice. Let the blood flow. Give in to me.

The chains around Sarina’s mind tightened, but this time, the flicker of light remained. It was small, barely more than a spark, but it was there—keeping her from falling completely under Azrathis’s control.

"Get back!" Sarina shouted, drawing her sword as the demon charged forward, its massive form shaking the ground with each step.

The rebels scrambled to defend themselves, weapons drawn as the demon barreled toward them. But Sarina knew that they were no match for this creature. It was too powerful, too fast.

"Sarina!" Lira’s voice called out, but Sarina couldn’t respond. The chains were tightening, pulling her deeper into Azrathis’s grasp. She could feel the demon queen’s hunger for blood, for death, and it was becoming harder to resist.

But the light… it was still there. She just had to hold on a little longer.

With a surge of willpower, Sarina forced herself to move, darting forward to intercept the demon before it could reach her comrades. Her sword clashed against its armor, the impact jarring her arm, but she held firm.

"Get to cover!" she shouted, her voice strained as she fought to keep the demon at bay. "Now!"

The rebels hesitated for a moment, but then Lira took charge, barking orders to the others and leading them toward a nearby outcropping for shelter.

Sarina gritted her teeth as the demon swung a massive fist toward her, narrowly dodging the blow. She could feel Azrathis’s influence growing stronger with each passing second, but she refused to give in. Not yet.

She would fight. For her people. For herself.

And maybe, just maybe, she could find a way to break free of the chains that bound her.