Remuria awoke with cold shivers running down her back. What was that? She thought to herself, trying to recall the dream she just had. Rhea is alive. That thought echoed in Remuria’s mind. She couldn’t bring herself to believe it, it was nearly inconceivable to think that the princess somehow still walked amongst the living. A small corner of Remuria’s heart rejoiced at the faint chance that her beloved remains still. Yet, her heart sank when she recalled what Rhea told her, that she needed to stop the princess from killing her of all people. Why would you try to kill me, Rhea? Remuria pondered.

The head butler stood up from Rhea’s bed and adjusted her clothes. She took deep breaths at a steady pace: one, two, one, two. Remuria had many questions, and her current mortal form would not be able to answer them. With a breath, a familiar cloud of black smoke consumed Remuria’s form. When the smoke dissipated, Remuria had reverted to her true form: that of a demon. It was a form which she seldom revealed, for she still recalled the memories of her youth. How other children would mock her for her horns, how adults would hide their children’s eyes from gazing at her wings, and how the elders would step on her tail. Her true form certainly did have an aura of malevolence to it, yet, it also gave Remuria access to the full extent of her latent magical abilities, ones that she needs to use urgently.

In her true form, magic felt as if it were second nature. Where aspiring mages would normally spend years studying magic at an institution, Remuria’s knowledge of the arcane arts was innate. She merely needed to listen to whispers of ghosts long past, echoes of mages who had been condemned to the underworld. Their desperate wails for escape were a great source for profane words of power and forbidden secrets. Remuria then only needed to replicate what she heard, combining it with the massive wellspring of arcane energy within her.

Remuria closed her eyes and was about to prepare a spell, before she heard a loud Thud coming from above. As her concentration broke, she felt goosebumps emerge all over her fair skin. An eerie sense of dread wormed its way into her mind. Whatever creature or entity that made the noise, it was malevolent. The princess’s bedroom was located on the highest floor of the castle. So the creature must have somehow made its way to the roof.

As Remuria stepped out onto the balcony, she was greeted by a chilling gust of night wind. The darkness felt ominous, as if it was anticipating that blood would be spilled. She peered down below, scanning the area to ensure no one was nearby. Thankfully, it was almost midnight and most people in the castle were likely asleep at this hour.

Once she believed that nobody could see her, Remuria spread her wings and soared into the night sky. It had been a long time since she felt the air on her wings. The sight of her imposing silhouette would have intimidated anyone who happened to witness it. However, at the moment she took off, all Remuria could think of was how cold it was, almost causing her to sneeze.

Undeterred, Remurira ascended higher into the sky, just barely piercing the clouds above. She squinted her eyes and carefully surveyed the rooftop of the castle, searching for signs of the intruder. After spotting a solitary, cloaked figure standing on the roof, Remuria readied herself for a confrontation. With a whispered incantation of Ave Ixhana, she summoned a shadowy sword out of thin air. The blade was crafted from arcane energy with a dark onyx hilt. The ethereal gray blade seemed to shimmer in the moonlight. Remuria named it Oros, after a gigantic mythical serpent with an insatiable appetite, said to have devoured entire continents.

With Oros in hand, Remuria descended to the rooftop like a falcon, her boots stomping down with a loud Thud. Her gaze then turned to the mysterious intruder in front of her. She couldn’t believe what she saw.

As Remuria gazed at the crawling figure before her, she felt her heart sink: it was a twisted, distorted version of Princess Rhea. The creature's feral movements were more animalistic than human, as it slinked on all fours, its knuckles bent, and its talons retracted menacingly behind its arms. Thick, bloodied toenails protruded from its feet, like that of a savage beast. The creature's scowl exposed razor-sharp fangs, and its very presence evoked dread. It was then that Remuria realized that this monstrous figure was none other than the infamous Night Terror that had been rumored among the castle staff.

You were right all along, Rhea. I must stop you, Remuria thought with conviction, steeling herself for the task ahead. She understood that before she could bring the Princess back, she needed to first subdue the monster that stood before her. With Oros at the ready, she steeled herself for the confrontation, fully aware that it would be a complex affair. Her objective was not to kill the Night Terror, but to subdue it: a challenging feat, considering the beast had no such reservations.

The Night Terror circled Remuria like a seasoned predator, stalking her with an unsettling intensity. Its watchful eyes bore into her, searching for an opening to strike. Yet, Remuria refused to give out an opening. She held her ground, keeping a close eye on the beast's every move, patiently waiting for her chance to strike. The two remained locked in a tense standoff for several long minutes, neither side daring to make a move.

Yet, it was Remuria who first broke the stalemate, unfurling her wings further and rattling her tail, seeking to provoke the beast into making a move. The display seemed to have shaken the Night Terror’s confidence somewhat. It hesitated, crawling back slightly and moving at a slower pace. Yet, even as the beast retreated, its gaze remained fixed on Remuria, unblinking. As the beast prepared to make its move, Remuria saw her opening and seized it. Like lightning, she dashed towards the creature, firmly gripping the hilt of Oros.

A loud Clang echoed throughout the night sky the Night Terror parried Oros with both of its massive claws. Remuria couldn't believe her eyes, her sword had always been able to cut through the toughest materials like a hot knife through butter, but this creature was able to not only withstand her strike, but also counter it with ease. Her mind raced, trying to comprehend what had just happened. How was it possible for a creature to be so powerful? As Remuria was momentarily lost in thought, the beast capitalized on her distraction and leaped away, landing a few paces away from her with a resounding Thud.

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As the Night Terror continued to prowl, Remuria remained vigilant, focusing her senses to detect the slightest movement. Suddenly, the Night Terror leapt at her with incredible speed, its massive talons glinting in the moonlight. Remuria met the beast’s attack head-on, her sword flashing as she parried the beast’s deadly claws.

The grueling battle between Remuria and the Night Terror raged on for what seemed like an eternity, each blow matched by fierce retaliation. Remuria observed that the beast appeared to not tire in the slightest, as if it was energized by the pale light of the crescent moon above. With her stamina quickly waning, Remuria knew that she needed to finish the fight as fast as possible. Summoning all the strength she had left, she seized a moment when the Night Terror was off-balance and thrust Oros at its flank. Her blade found its mark, burrowing deep into the beast's flesh and pinning it to the ground.

The beast squirmed in pain and thrashed about. Remuria, unable to bear seeing the creature any longer, closed her eyes and chanted Novoas Sorash summoning steel chains which wrapped around the beast: restraining it. Now was her chance, to be rid of the beast and bring Rhea back. With a heavy sigh, Remuria reached deep inside the recesses of her mind, focusing on the source of her arcane energy.

In an instant, the world around Remuria crumbled away, leaving her suspended in a realm of pure darkness, almost completely alone save for the imposing figure standing in front of her. Vhael, the fallen god, towered over Remuria at over thrice the height of a normal human, draped in a cloak of flickering black flames that licked the surrounding darkness like starving hounds. The skull of a dragon obscured his face, a symbol of his dominion over the underworld, and his six pale arms were adorned with profane runes and glyphs, a sign of his mastery over the arcane. Two pairs of black feathered wings sprouted from his back, seemingly large enough that they could swallow entire armies whole.

Remuria greeted Vhael with a deep bow, as she did so, she noticed how the fallen god’s presence seemed to consume everything around her. The air was heavy with an oppressive stillness, and a chill ran down her spine as she met his skull-like gaze.

“Welcome back, daughter. It has been some time,” he spoke in a deep, ominous voice that echoed through the darkness.

“Indeed it has, father,” Remuria replied, her voice steady but her heart pounding in her chest.

“Have you finally decided to join me in the underworld and leave that silly castle where you work as a servant?” Vhael's words were sharp, his tone disdainful.

“I have not, father. It's rather the opposite. I need your help to bring the princess back.”

Vhael's response was immediate. “It disheartens me that you'd rather serve a princess than take your rightful birthright as ruler of the underworld.”

Remuria stood her ground. “With all due respect, father, you are still available to watch over the nether realm. Besides, you know that I feel strongly about Rhea. Your words cannot convince me to abandon her.”

Vhael's dragon-skull visage showed no emotion, but she could sense his displeasure. “That much is unfortunately true.”

Vhael let out a deep sigh, his piercing gaze fixed on Remuria. "So, what have you come to ask of me?" he asked, his voice laced with a hint of annoyance.

"Rhea, can you cure her of whatever curse she is under?" Remuria asked, her heart racing with anticipation.

"That will be difficult," Vhael replied, his arms crossed in front of him.

"Even for you, father?"

"Make no mistake, daughter. The princess is not one of us. Her mortal body was still adjusting to my blessings. Her 'death' triggered her powers so that they ran amok."

"And you cannot restore her?"

"It would be a difficult ordeal which will require-"

Remuria looked up at Vhael with a pleading expression, her voice cracking with emotion as she interrupted him. "Please?" she begged.

Vhael's response was stern, his tone unbending. "It will take more than that to convince me," he stated, his dragon skull visage giving away nothing.

Frustration etched across Remuria's face, and she adopted a more threatening tone. "If you don’t bring Rhea back, I’ll never visit you again," she warned.

Vhael's head jerked back, the bony plates of his skull scraping together. "Alright, I understand," he finally relented, his voice tinged with surprise. "What I said earlier was merely in jest."

"You'd do well to not jest about Rhea, father."

"You really do take after your mother at times," Vhael remarked, a hint of fondness in his voice.

Remuria couldn't help but smile at her father's words. "Is that a compliment or an insult?"

"Take it as a compliment, it brings back memories of a better time for me," Vhael replied, cupping Remuria's cheek with one of his six pale hands.

Remuria stood still, "I'm sorry for speaking so harshly, father, you know how much Rhea means to me."

"I am aware," Vhael said, his gaze softening. "One day you'll see things my way and stay by my side in the underworld, daughter."

"Perhaps, but not today."

As Remuria emerged from the abyss, the world came rushing back to her in a sudden burst. Her mind struggled to reorient itself as she gasped for air, her body feeling as if it had been plunged into ice-cold water. Her attention quickly shifted to the disheveled form cradled in her arms, and she looked down at Rhea with a mixture of worry and relief.

As Remuria cradled the princess in her arms, she felt a wave of relief wash over her. The once terrifying Night Terror was now replaced by a delicate figure, so different from the monster she had fought just moments ago. Rhea's talons and toenails had receded, leaving behind slender fingers and delicate feet. The princess looked so peaceful, her features now soft and gentle.

Yet, the blessings of Vhael still left its mark on the princess. Her skin was still an ashen pale, her eyes an unnatural scarlet, her fangs still remained larger than would be normal, and her ears seemed sharper and more elongated than before: a seemingly recent development. But for now, Remuria was just happy that the person she loved most was brought back from the brink.