Miinhart Forest, Desmond, 10416 P.C.

Annabella stood in frozen silence, staring at the being before her in horror.

Velniasol.

It was tall, well over six feet, with skin as white as snow and hair like frost, tied back at the nape of its neck. Eyes pure black, blinking devilishly, two slits in the centre of the humanoid face for a nose, a lipless mouth bared to reveal pointed teeth. It wore a black cloak as if trying to mimic the grim reaper or a demon. Four black tentacles curled out of its back like snakes or the legs of a spider. It had appeared in an instant, holding the paperweight she had thrown as if it had been a toy building block thrown by an angry toddler.

"Well, well," it said — and it was actually a he. "Annabella Ezarah Raynia LaKline."

She fought her terror and swallowed back her panic. "Do you always needlessly address others by their full names?"

"I find it fitting, endowing terror upon my victims before I devour them in the name of death." A tentacle shot out, growing at an impossible speed and snatching her wrist as she reached for another paperweight.

She was no match for this creature. She knew it. If you can't outfight them or outrun them, you've gotta outwit them. "Velniasols don't eat Humans," she said, scanning the room for her sword. It was nowhere in sight.

"Most Humans don't know that."

She whipped out one of her smaller knives hidden in her belt and sliced the creature's tentacle clean in half. It gave a screech of pain, and she dashed forward in a futile attempt to plunge the knife in the Velniasol's heart. He blocked her with his other tentacles, throwing her across the room and slamming her into the cabin wall. She hit the floor, stunned, and before she could recover a tentacle wrapped around her waist, pinning her arms to her sides. He lifted her into the air as he approached, his teeth bared in a sneer once more.

"Pitiful Human," he chided as she struggled, swinging her legs in a useless attempt to kick him. "You have evaded us far too long. How does it feel to be betrayed?"

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She gasped for breath, finding Luke on the other side of the room watching her resolutely. He believed he had done good, that he had been right. "Luke," she pleaded, struggling to pull her arms free. "Luke, please! She's a liar! You can't make a deal with the devil!"

"It's for the best." He spoke like a broken record, stupidly repetitive. "I made a deal. We'll be safe."

"Indeed," the Velniasol mused.

"Stop it!" Annabella yelled, thrashing as hard as she could, trying to break free as anger raged within her. Todd and the entire compound were in danger, she didn't know where Stephanie was, and Luke had betrayed her over to this... this devil! "Luke, listen to me!"

He didn't. She knew he wouldn't.

"Stop struggling, Princess," the Velniasol ordered. "You're wasting your strength. Trust me, you'll need it."

She knew that and fell limp, breathing heavily. To her shock, the Velniasol pulled out a dagger and sliced his own tentacle, hissing as she fell to the ground with a grunt. Shaking his severed tentacle as one would a paper cut hand, he bent down and grabbed the back of her shirt, hauling her to her feet. The severed tentacle stayed firmly wrapped around her, serving as a rope to bind her. Keeping a firm grip on her, he hauled her toward the door, passing Luke as he did.

"Thank you for your service, Luke Thane Reiter. Her Ladyship will be in touch."

For the first time, Luke seemed to shake from the haze that had taken hold of him. "Wait... I'm not coming with you?"

"I have some errands to run, and I don't need the extra baggage. You may head to Zusia yourself, or you may wait for Her Ladyship's bidding. Good day." With that, the Velniasol pulled Annabella out of the cabin and into the sunshine. She stumbled past Luke on shaky legs, a prisoner now to this demonic creature, no options on escape, no words for the boy who had betrayed her.

"Wait, sir," Luke said quickly, disappearing behind the door and returning with Annabella's sword. "Her sword."

The demonic creature looked at the blade for a moment before accepting it with a pasty white hand and tucking it into his cloak. Annabella bit her tongue, staring at Luke, the betrayal slicing deep. He watched her too, still clutching that ball.

I love you, he mouthed.

Her vision blurred with tears. Slowly, she shook her head at him.

He was gone in a sudden, jolting blur of colour. She flew through the air at a speed unimaginable. The world was lost to her, leaving only the taste of blood.