Sarina's blade cleaved through the air with a desperate force, the ringing of steel cutting through the night. The demon shrieked, its black form twisting as her sword met its flesh. Dark mist hissed from the wound, filling the air with the sickly stench of sulfur. For a moment, Sarina thought she had won—the demon staggered back, its red eyes wide in shock.

But the victory was short-lived.

The creature snarled, its body rippling with malevolent energy. Its dark form twisted and grew, expanding as if drawing strength from the very shadows around them. Sarina's heart pounded in her chest. She couldn’t breathe—could barely keep her grip on the sword, but she forced herself to stay on her feet. Her side burned where the demon had struck her earlier, blood seeping from the wound and staining her clothes.

She was tired. So tired.

"Sarina!" Lira’s voice cut through the rising panic in her mind, bringing her back to the present. Sarina turned just in time to see Lira loose another arrow at the creature, but like before, the projectile passed through the demon’s body, dissipating into black smoke.

“We can’t keep this up!” Lira shouted, her voice tinged with frustration and fear.

She was right. The creature wasn’t just strong—it was relentless, and it seemed to be growing more powerful with every moment they fought. The air around them pulsed with malevolent energy, an oppressive force that weighed on Sarina’s chest and clouded her thoughts.

"We have to retreat!" Lira yelled, already moving back toward the tree line. "We’ll never—"

Before she could finish, the demon lunged, faster than either of them expected. It moved with an unnatural speed, its claws aimed directly at Sarina’s heart.

Instinctively, Sarina raised her sword to block the attack, but the force of the impact sent her crashing to the ground. Her vision blurred as she hit the earth, her breath knocked from her lungs. The demon towered over her, its red eyes burning with hatred, and its jagged maw opened in a snarl, ready to tear her apart.

And then, the voice returned.

Let me in, Sarina...

Azrathis.

The Demon Queen’s voice slithered into Sarina’s mind, smooth and cold, like a serpent coiling around her thoughts. Sarina gasped, her head spinning from the intrusion. She could feel Azrathis there, waiting just beneath the surface, watching, whispering.

You’re weak, the voice cooed, soft but insistent. You can’t defeat this creature on your own. But I can help you... I can give you the power you need. Just let me in.

Sarina’s pulse quickened. The temptation was unbearable. The demon loomed over her, claws raised to strike, and every instinct in her body screamed for her to fight, to survive. She wanted to scream, to push Azrathis away, but the words wouldn’t come.

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We could end this, Sarina, Azrathis whispered, her voice growing more seductive. We could end it now, together.

The demon’s claws were inches from her face, and Sarina knew she didn’t have time to hesitate. Gritting her teeth, she let down the walls in her mind, just for an instant, and in that moment, she felt Azrathis flood into her thoughts.

Power surged through Sarina’s body—dark, intoxicating power that burned through her veins like fire. It was overwhelming, terrifying, but at the same time, it felt... right. As if this was what she had been missing all along. Her sword, which had felt so heavy before, now crackled with energy, glowing with an ominous light.

The demon hesitated, its red eyes narrowing in suspicion as it sensed the change in Sarina. But it was too late.

With a cry that was both her own and not her own, Sarina swung her sword in a wide, deadly arc. The blade cleaved through the demon’s chest with ease, cutting through its shadowy form as if it were made of nothing but air. The creature let out a high-pitched, otherworldly scream, its body dissolving into black mist as it was torn apart by the force of the strike.

And then, there was silence.

The oppressive weight that had hung over the forest lifted, leaving only the cold night air and the distant rustling of leaves. Sarina stood in the aftermath, panting heavily, her sword still crackling with residual energy. The power that had surged through her moments ago was already fading, leaving her feeling empty, hollow.

See? Azrathis’s voice echoed in her mind, soft and triumphant. You needed me.

Sarina clenched her jaw, anger and shame twisting inside her. She had let Azrathis in. She had used the Demon Queen’s power, and even though it had saved her life, it felt like a betrayal—of herself, of everything she had fought for.

“Sarina!” Lira’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts. She turned to see the archer rushing toward her, her face pale with concern. “Are you okay? What... what was that?”

Sarina sheathed her sword, her hands trembling. She could feel the weight of Lira’s gaze, the questions that hung unspoken between them. But how could she explain? How could she tell Lira about the darkness inside her, about the voice that whispered to her in the night?

“I’m fine,” Sarina lied, her voice barely audible.

Lira didn’t look convinced, but she didn’t push the issue. Instead, she glanced at the spot where the demon had been, her expression troubled. “That... thing, it just dissolved. Like it was never really here.”

Sarina nodded, though her mind was elsewhere. The demon had been real enough, but it wasn’t the true threat. No, the real danger lay within her—within the connection she now shared with Azrathis.

You’ll need me again, Azrathis purred, her voice like silk in Sarina’s mind. And next time, you won’t be able to resist for long.

Sarina closed her eyes, willing the voice to be silent. But deep down, she knew Azrathis was right. The chains of the Demon Queen were tightening around her, and every time she used that power, those chains grew stronger.

She glanced at Lira, who was scanning the trees for any sign of more danger. If Lira knew the truth, if she knew how close Sarina had come to losing herself... she would never trust her again.

But Sarina had to keep fighting. She couldn’t give in, not yet. Not until they found the answers they needed.

“We should keep moving,” Sarina said, forcing herself to sound steady. “We’re not safe here.”

Lira hesitated for a moment, then nodded. Without another word, they began walking again, their footsteps barely audible on the forest floor.

As they moved through the trees, the weight of the night settled heavily on Sarina’s shoulders. The battle had been won, but the war inside her was just beginning. Azrathis’s whispers still echoed in her mind, a constant reminder of the power that lay just out of reach, waiting to be used.

Sarina knew she couldn’t fight this forever. But for now, all she could do was keep moving forward, one step at a time, deeper into the shadows.