Chapter 2: Spell book

The sound of the rain and thunder created an eerie, muffled atmosphere, making it feel like we were the only two people in the world. I tried to move quietly, but the creaking of the old wooden floorboards beneath my feet seemed like a loud betrayal. Rowan's footsteps stopped right outside the kitchen door, and I knew he was waiting, listening, and watching. The air was thick with tension, and I could feel his malevolent presence, even in the darkness.

I have no intention of stabbing him but then if he comes closer I will. "Don't come closer" I warned, the lightning was the only thing that made me see him. He still kept on moving closer.

"Don't come closer, Rowan!" I warned, my voice firm but trembling with fear. The only light came from the flashes of lightning, which illuminated his face in eerie, flickering glimpses. His eyes seemed to gleam with a sinister intensity, and his smile was a cold, calculated smirk.

But he didn't listen. He kept advancing, his footsteps slow and deliberate, like a predator stalking its prey. I could feel my heart racing, my breath catching in my throat. I gripped the knife tightly, my hand shaking with fear and adrenaline.

The lightning flashed again, and I saw him take another step closer. His face was inches from mine, his hot breath on my skin. I could feel his eyes on me, boring into my soul. I raised the knife, its point trembling with my hand.

"Stop, Rowan!" I screamed, my voice hoarse with fear. "Don't make me do it!"

But he just kept coming, his eyes never leaving mine. I could see the hunger in them, the desire to dominate and control. And I knew I had to defend myself, no matter what it took.

"Don't come closer, Rowan!" I warned, my voice firm and loud above the thunder. "I mean it!"

Just as he was about to reach me, a loud crack of lightning illuminated the room, and I saw my chance. I kicked him between his legs, I made a run for the door, the knife still clutched in my hand. I heard Rowan's angry roar behind me, but I didn't look back. I kept running until I reached the front door, flung it open, and dashed out into the stormy night.

The rain pounded against me like a thousand tiny drumbeats, and the wind howled through the streets like a chorus of lost souls. But I didn't care. I kept running, my feet pounding the wet cobblestones, until I reached the safety of the nearby woods.

Only then did I dare to look back, and I saw Rowan standing in the doorway, his face twisted with anger and frustration. I knew I had to get as far away from him as possible, and fast. I took a deep breath and plunged into the darkness of the woods, the knife still clutched in my hand, ready to face whatever lay ahead.

I ran as fast as I could, my feet pounding against the damp earth, until I was sure I had left Rowan and the house far behind. I finally stopped to catch my breath, hiding behind a thick tree trunk to observe my surroundings. The darkness seemed to press in on me, but I was determined to escape.

Just as I was about to move forward, I heard the clashing of swords. The sound sent a shiver down my spine, but I couldn't help being drawn to it. I moved cautiously towards the noise, my knife at the ready.

As I approached, I saw two figures floating in mid-air, their swords flashing in the dim light. They were fighting with grace and precision that seemed almost otherworldly. I watched, transfixed, as they clashed and parried, their movements swift and deadly.

One of them was a woman with long, flowing hair and a white dress that seemed to glow in the darkness. Her sword was slender and elegant, and she wielded it with a precision that left me breathless.

The other was a man with broad shoulders and a sword that seemed to absorb the light around it. His movements were powerful and fierce, and I could sense a raw energy emanating from him.

I watched, mesmerized, as they fought on, their swords clashing in a blur of motion. Who were they, and what was the purpose of this strange and beautiful combat? And why did I feel an inexplicable connection to them, as if their fight was somehow tied to my own fate

As I watched, the man delivered a final, decisive blow, and the woman's sword flew out of her hand. She let out a soft cry, and her body began to fade away, like mist in the sun. I felt a pang of shock and sadness, wondering who she was and why she had been fighting.

But before I could process what I had just seen, the man turned to face me. His eyes locked onto mine, and I felt a jolt of electricity run through my body. His gaze was piercing, as if he could see right through me.

For a moment, we just stared at each other, the only sound of the heavy breathing of the man and the distant thunder of the storm. I felt like I was trapped in his eyes, unable to look away.

Then, he spoke in a low, raspy voice, "You shouldn't be here, Astrid."

My heart skipped a beat. How did he know my name? And what did he mean by "here"? Is this place, this strange and eerie world, or something else entirely?

I tried to speak, but my voice caught in my throat. The man took a step closer, his eyes never leaving mine, and I felt a surge of fear mixed with a thrill of excitement. What did he want from me? And what would happen next?

Suddenly, a strange sensation coursed through my body, like a bolt of lightning had struck me. I felt a searing pain in my head, and everything went white. I tried to cry out, but my voice was silenced by the intensity of the shock.

As quickly as it had started, the pain stopped, and I felt myself falling, falling, falling into darkness. I tried to reach out, to grab onto something, anything, but my arms felt heavy and unresponsive.

And then, nothing. Blackness. Silence. I was gone.

Kael's POV:

Earlier....

"Kael, Kael, Kael..." The repetition of my name jolted me awake. I sat up to find Thane, badly bruised, beside me. Memories of our situation flooded back. "Are you fully healed now?" he asked, eyeing the bruise on my arm where the poisonous arrow had struck. I checked my arm - still healing.

Thane scolded, "Damn you, demon boy! Why did you have to get shot?" I rolled my eyes. "You know your kind doesn't heal quickly," he continued, but I managed to stand up.

The commotion nearby grew louder. "Get them!" a voice shouted, pointing at us. "We have to run," Thane urged, and we took off. Our speed was almost matched, but as a vampire-demon hybrid, Thane had an edge. He held my hand, helping me keep pace.

You might wonder how we ended up in this mess. It started a few days ago, when Thane and I finished sparring in the ruins of Xeridia City. As half-lings, we're outcasts - I'm part demon, part human, and Thane is part vampire, part demon. The other demons despise us.

At first, it was infuriating to be stuck in the ruins, but over time, we grew accustomed to our exile. Occasionally, we'd venture to the capital, only to be met with hostility. Don't bother asking about my parents, my Lordships - they abandoned me at birth.

Thane and I spent nearly a century in the ruins, and the tedium was suffocating. We decided to rebel, not that we ever followed the rules anyway. "I heard Gaet was brought to the capital today," Thane informed me after our sparring session. I raised an eyebrow, surprised by the audacity of the officials. You might wonder what Gaet is - it's a forbidden magic, a spell book. As demons, we're supposed to maintain peace among the species, but I suspect the new king has other plans. Initially, Gaet magic seems harmless, but we soon discovered it's a deadly poison that drains a demon's essence.

The poison, Gaet, was created by the first witch queen, Aurora, in a fit of rage and vengeance. She was determined to make witches and demons hate each other, out of anger after realizing that a demon couldn't be killed by anyone except Lucifer. She was so angry at her discovery so she made Gaet.

According to historical accounts, Aurora spent nearly a century perfecting the magic, drawing energy from the sun and moon to fuel her dark craft. But that wasn't enough - she also took the lives of young witches, claiming it was for the greater good. I call that a lie. The first test subject was the crown prince, and I remember the day vividly. I was locked away in the castle's dungeon, a 10-year-old boy, when I heard the news: the crown prince was dead, killed by a witch.

I scoffed at the news, and from that day on, I began to admire witches. They were the only ones brave enough to keep us company in the ruins, where we were exiled. It wasn't always like that, though. Witches were once the lowest species, looked down upon by demons and vampires alike. Demons would bully and torment them, sometimes using them for their twisted pleasure. I believe that's what drove Aurora to create Gaet - a desire for revenge and a need to level the playing field.

Now, with the spell book in Xeridia, I can smell the war brewing between witches and demons. And I'm certain the witches will emerge victorious, with our help, of course. You see, we demons have a secret: we'll be helping the witches steal the spell book. It's the perfect opportunity for us to rebel against our oppressors and join forces with the one species that's ever shown us kindness.