The finely honed blade of the iron dagger came within an inch of ripping Cobalt's neck clean open. He leaned his head back, teeth grit tightly as Elya swung her weapon with reckless abandon, her eyes widened with bloodlust. Hopping back on one foot, the Incubus ducked beneath another swing before skirting beneath the Fallen's wing and scrambling across the cold stone floor.
"Elya, please, calm down!" he cried, raising his hands protectively.
Flipping her dagger around, she twisted with unnatural grace and brought it down, slicing through a few strands of his hair as he recoiled.
"Calm? There is no world without you in which I am calm. You've been tainted, my love, and I must excise you...!"
"You need to stop!"
"Do not be afraid, my love. Death is but a great do-over!"
Spinning the blade with practiced grace, the Fallen pointed at her captives accusingly.
"I cannot forgive the actions of these wanton whores! Their filthy touch has ruined something sacred, and now I am forced to put you down. Don't you see, my love? Once Immoderata slits our throats, we will be reunited in eternity!" she cackled, diving for the Incubus.
This time, he couldn't get out of the way before the dagger keened through the stale air. The iron blade bit into Cobalt's cheek, causing him to cry out in pain as a light spray of blood splatter against the wall behind him. Her breathing heavy and erratic, Elya raised her knife to her lips and greedily lapped up his blood.
"Ichor of my beloved... so sweet... so fulfilling..." she gasped, smearing red all over her face.
With one hand pressed against his bleeding cheek, Cobalt winced and shuffled back along the ground, desperately searching for something to protect himself with. He dared not dream of fighting back; she was faster and stronger than him. Instead, he scrambled across the basement floor, trying to put as much distance between himself and the deranged Fallen as was possible. But Elya didn't seem bothered by his retreat.
"There's no escaping, my love! You should know this! Ocov et! Amra ilobaid!" she screeched, raising her arm.
Gusts of wing began to rapidly circulate around the Fallen's arm, willing her to plunge her hand into a cyclic vortex and rip a longbow out of thin air. It was large, comprised of glassy black obsidian. Producing a glinting arrow from a smaller tear in the air, Elya nocked it and took aim.
"Hush, and still your immaculate heart for me...!"
Letting go, the arrow launched forth from her Obsidian Bow, flying straight and true towards Cobalt. Screaming, he threw himself behind a pile of old school desks, flinching as the glassy arrow bit deep into the wood.
"Stay still, my love, I beg you! Menidutitrof ihim ad! Sutnev! Satsepmet!"
His heart lurched as he felt a pulse of magical energy suddenly wash across the basement. Slowly, gusts of ethereal wind began to blow, lightly at first, but quickly growing in strength. Soon, the howling gale was enough to pick the desks up and smash them against the wall, exposing the Incubus. Over by the support pillar, Karazelle and Jelli struggled against their bonds as the wind whipped away their choked screams, while Elya simply laughed as she paced across the cold floor. Desperate to defend himself, he grabbed an old chair just as the Fallen launched herself forward. It managed to keep her at bay, but she just tittered and wildly swung Immoderata this way and that, very nearly cutting his face clean open.
"All you must do for me is lie down and submit! I shall make it painless, my love, I promise!" she screeched, practically foaming at the mouth as the wind only grew more intense.
"Agh, get off me!" Cobalt cried, bracing his foot against the chair and shoving her off.
Scrambling away, the Incubus took a deep breath and tried to focus. The situation was dire, and despite his aversion to violence, there was no avoiding confrontation here. His students were in danger, and he needed to protect them, even if it meant going up against his old schoolmate. Steadying his feet, Cobalt raised a hand and began to summon his Leather Whip.
"Ocov et! Amra- KUH?!"
Elya seemed to flash right before his eyes, her dirty coat billowing behind her like a cloak. With a single, decisive strike, she punched him right in the throat, nearly crushing his windpipe and cutting the incantation off short. Spluttering and coughing, he collapsed onto his back, unable to speak or catch his breath. Before him, Elya sighed and held her blade up to the harsh light of the floodlamps.
"Such a shame that it must end like this, my love... But worry not... I shall always watch over over you... in the next life...!"
Panic. One of the most simple, raw emotions there was. A feeling of dread and desperation so powerful that it could drive a normally-reasonable man to do the unthinkable. Such as grab the leg of a broken schooldesk and attempt to fight his attacker off with it.
Cobalt's flimsy attack didn't do much, but one of the bent nails of the old wooden leg rake across the side of Elya's face, drawing blood. It was a light scratch at best, but it was enough to freeze her in place. At once, the magical winds died down, leaving the basement steeped in an unearthly silence. Slowly, the Fallen tenderly pressed a finger to her wound, eyes narrowing at the sight of her own blood.
"You... wounded me...?" she breathed, her voice barely more than a hushed whisper.
He dropped the desk leg with a clatter, shocked at his own actions.
"E- Elya! I- I am so sorry...!" he gasped, reaching out.
The Fallen shied away from his touch, instead stumbling back as the blood dripped down her ashen cheek. Teeth bared, she tossed her dagger aside and turned her gaze to the floor.
"T- Tatum..." she breathed, her voice wavering.
The air began to circulate around her body, growing faster as the Fallen's breathing grew more erratic. Elya suddenly gaze deep into Cobalt's eyes, her pupils like tiny pinpricks.
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"TATUM SIROPROC! AMULP, MUIMEARP!"
She spread her wings in an explosive fashion, in more ways than one. Heralded by a shockwave of wind, the grey feathers loosened themselves from Elya's body and launched themselves in all directions, like knives of stony cartilage. The initial blast knocked Cobalt onto his back, sparing him from being cut to ribbons, but she suddenly pounced upon his chest pinning him in place with bony knees.
"I LOVE YOU! I LOVE YOU! I LOVE YOU, YOU BASTARD!" Elya screamed over and over, firmly wrapping her fingers around the Incubus' throat.
Try as he might to struggle, her grip was simply too tight. Choking and splutters, Cobalt grabbed at her face and tugged at her hands, his vision going blurry as stars danced at the edge of his vision. Warm droplets splashed against his cheeks, dully alerting him to the tears his attacker was shedding.
"You should have kept your promise, my love... you should have kept your promise..."
Everything was going dark. His chest fit to burst, Cobalt's flailing died down as the strength eked out of his body. He couldn't fight anymore. She was too overpowering.
He just wished he could have done something more.
For his students...
And for her...
------
Cobalt gasped for breath as cold water was splashed all over his face, shocking the poor Incubus awake. He bolted up, smashing his forehead into the nose of the demon watching over him. Crying out with shock, he rubbed his eyes to see none other than Jelli sitting by his side, tearfully rubbing her button nose.
"J- Jelli, I'm so sorry!" the Incubus gasped, prompting her to shake her head.
"N- No, it's okay... sorry for, um... soaking you... K- Karazelle said it might wake you up, and we had no water to hand, and because I'm, um... a- a Glutton, and I can... you know... sorry..." she rambled, gesticulating wildly.
Giving her shaky word of thanks, the Incubus rubbed his eyes and blearily took in his surroundings. He was still in the basement, that much was obvious. All around him, Elya's feathers lay lodged in the stonework, but before he could get himself worked up about his student's safety, Karazelle stepped into view, setting his mind at rest.
"Been one Hell of an evening, sugar. Good thing crazy eyes over here wasn't too careful with her spells," the Succubus sighed, pointing at the support pillar.
Following her finger, he saw that yet more of the Fallen's bladelike feathers had pierced the stone. Shreds of torn duct-tape lay scattered about on the floor beneath it.
"Was a cinch to free myself once she cut through the tape for me. After that, just had to knock her out before she, uh... y'know... killed you," Karazelle continued, dropping the table leg she was holding.
"How long was I out?" Cobalt asked, unsteadily getting to his feet as his head throbbed.
She leaned out to help him, smiling as she grasped his shoulders. As he pulled away, Karazelle's touch lingered.
"Just a few minutes. Gotta say, never thought I'd be thanking my teacher for saving my life. At least not in the first week," she laughed.
"If anything, you saved mine..."
"Oh, don't be so modest, sugar! You were plenty gallant!"
"R- Right..."
Turning around, he saw Izzbelle standing in the centre of the chamber, arms folded with an irritated look on her face. Beneath her, Elya sat slumped on the floor; awake, but motionless.
"Suyas has been none too pleased about this whole thing. Or maybe she's just pissed she was unconcious the entire time" Karazelle remarked with a yawn.
"I can hear you, bitch!" the Oni retorted.
Jelli piped up nervously.
"L- Let's not fight! P- Please...?"
Izzbelle bared her teeth, but said nothing more. Motioning for his students to stay back, Cobalt hunkered down and crept over to Elya. She didn't even twitch.
"Elya? Are you alright?" he asked tentatively.
She didn't reply. Instead, the Fallen grabbed the frayed edges of her coat and pulled them tight around herself in a surprising display of modesty. If anything, she was acting strange now. Quiet and shy, like how she was before she...
Cobalt frowned. He couldn't quite remember what he was trying to think of.
He heard her sniffle.
"Wh- What's going to happen now...?" Elya breathed, her voice strangely quiet and shaky.
He glanced back at Karazelle, half-expecting her to provide him with an answer. After all, she had been remaining remarkably calm, even after being kidnapped and almost killed. But now, the Succubus simply gave him an encouraging smile, before turning to comfort Jelli, who was already in the middle of getting herself overly flustered.
Swallowing hard, he offered the Fallen a hand.
"Hey, hey, hey! What the fuck do you think you're doin', dumbass?!" Izzbelle suddenly roared, balling her fists.
Elya flinched at her words and shuffled behind Cobalt, placing him between her and the furious Oni.
"Izzbelle, I understand that you're angry, but please; step back. Elya has always been... sensitive," Cobalt stated, raising a hand.
"Sensitive?! That ain't sensitivity! She's fuckin' insa-!"
"Izzbelle, that's enough!"
His voice echoed throughout the basement. A brief flash of anger had sparked within the Incubus, but he did not intend to be so loud. Izzbelle stood shocked, granting Cobalt a moment to speak.
"She's not... look, Elya doesn't mean... she wasn't always like that. It's just that..."
The Incubus trailed off as his gaze settled upon the dull black dagger lying forgotten upon the stone tiles. It had been years since he had last set eyes upon it, and yet it still terrified him. Immoderata... He could barely remember it. How strange that it still had such an effect upon him.
"Elya, look at me."
Tentatively, she glanced up at his face. Her eyes, once a turbulent purple, were now... green?
But... weren't they always...?
Clearing his throat, Cobalt shook his head. Never mind that; he had to take advantage of her placidity while he still could.
"Listen, just go. There's no point in causing a fuss, especially not so early in the year. I won't bring this up with the Headmistress, so please just... go," he sighed, running a hand through his hair.
She nodded slowly, like she barely even heard the question. Elya stood up and began to stagger towards the stairs, giving Izzbelle a wide berth as she did so. However, upon placing her foot upon the first step, she cried out in pain and grabbed her head. A few moments of shuddering passed, before she whipped around and launched herself back towards Cobalt. Before he could react, the Fallen flew by and plucked her dagger off the floor, before flipping around and kicking off the far wall. Sailing over their heads, she landed back in front of the stairs and gave them all a violet glare.
"Perhaps I let my emotions get the better of me. But know that I shan't give up on you, my love..." she rasped, before fleeing the basement.
With a sigh, Cobalt wiped his brow and collapsed against the wall, utterly drained of all energy. Jelli rushed to his side, but he weakly waved her off.
"You three should head home. For what it's worth, I'm sorry on Elya's behalf," he said, massaging his temples.
Jelli began a stuttering objection, but Karazelle silenced her with a warm smile. Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, the Succubus gave Cobalt a nod.
"Alright sugar, you just catch your breath. I'll bring Jelli back; just don't stay here too long, okay?" she advised, playfully tugging the Glutton's braids.
He nodded affirmatively and waved them off, exhaling through his teeth as he allowed his aching body to settle. It was only after a few moments of respiteful silence that a cough alerted him to the Oni still standing in his midst.
"Oh, Izzbelle. Y- You should probably go, too," he stated, struggling to get to his feet.
She clucked her tongue disapprovingly and rolled her eyes.
"So that's it, then? We just gonna move past this like it ain't ever happened?" she grumbled, folding her bare arms.
Laughing weakly, her teacher just shrugged.
"I- I guess. Call it a favour? For me?"
"Tch. Fine. Don't act surprised when I cash in on mine, though. Fuckin' dumbass..."
He sighed.
"Izzbelle... For what it's worth, I'm sorry for dragging you into this mess."
The Oni froze up. He wanted to ask her what was wrong, but Cobalt wasn't given a change. Swiftly and mercilessly, Izzbelle slugged him in the stomach with such force that he was damn near launched accross the basement, slamming painfully against the far wall and landing atop Elya's makeshift mattress bed.
"Don't you dare fuckin' say that to me! DON'T YOU EVER SAY THAT SHIT TO ME!" Izzbelle screamed, before turning on her heel and marching off furiously.
Gasping for breath, he could only moan in pain as he rolled onto the cool stone floor.
Just when he thought he was getting somewhere with her...