Tragedy strikes when demons and human were being killed.
Torn apart.
Their bodies left like broken dolls limbs twisted, blood soaking into the earth.
At first, it was whispers.
Strange sounds in the woods.
Footsteps behind you… when no one was there.
A sharp breath on your neck… and then nothing.
Now, the kingdom was drowning in fear.
No one walked alone at night.
No one dared.
But some still did.
And tonight… one of them would regret it.
The moon bled silver over the thick canopy, casting jagged shadows across the silent forest. The kind of night that swallowed sounds… and spit out secrets.
The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and rotting leaves, muffling footsteps and hiding the subtle movements of creatures that prowled beneath the trees. Every rustle felt like a whisper from the darkness itself, warning the brave or the foolish to turn back.
She giggled.
"Come on, don't act like you don't want it," the woman whispered, dragging the palace guard by the collar into the woods. Her blonde hair was pinned up in a messy, sensual bun, strands falling around her flushed face. Her off-shouldered, wine-red gown clung to her curves like melted wax, slipping low across her chest and high along her thighs, where the long slit swayed with every step, revealing flashes of smooth skin that gleamed faintly in the moonlight.
Her name was Amira, known across the palace as a courtesan, a royal whore with lips like sin and a stare that made even generals pause. Her reputation whispered through the halls, a mix of desire and danger tangled like the smoke she left behind.
The demon soldier followed with a grin he couldn't hide, breath uneven. He wasn't used to attention like this especially not from her. His armor clinked softly as he stumbled forward, eyes wide, heart pounding in rhythm with the night itself.
"I thought you only went for the important ones," he said, cocky but nervous, trying to keep his bravado intact as his hands trembled slightly.
Amira smirked, shoving him against a tree, the bark rough against his back. "Maybe I got tired of important. Maybe I want something raw tonight."
Her fingers slid beneath his armor, tracing over his bare skin with a featherlight touch that made him shiver. She kissed him rough, tongue first, wet and hungry. Her lips smacked against his, messy, loud, leaving no room for hesitation or doubt.
The soldier moaned into her mouth. "Oh… Amira."
"Say it like you mean it," she whispered, pressing her body harder against him. "Tell me what you want."
"I want you. All of you."
She laughed. "Good boy."
Her hands wandered down his chest while his lips traveled along her neck. She arched into him, moaning softly. The forest seemed to hold its breath around them, the shadows shifting as if eager to watch their dance.
But then…
Crunch.
A branch snapped behind them.
The soldier froze, breath catching in his throat. His eyes darted toward the sound, muscles tightening as his body braced for whatever came next.
Amira barely paused. "It's just the wind."
"I heard something," he muttered, voice low and shaky.
She leaned close again, her lips brushing his ear like a secret. "Then stay close, soldier. I'll protect you."
Another giggle escaped her lips. Another deep kiss. Her thigh wrapped around his waist, pulling him deeper between her legs. The soldier groaned, his face buried in her exposed cleavage, feeling the warmth and softness against the cold night air.
"You taste like fire," he murmured, voice husky, "and trouble."
She laughed against his mouth. "You don't know the half of it."
Snap.
Something moved again. Closer. Louder.
The soldier stiffened, glancing nervously into the trees, his breath coming faster now. The scent of something foul drifted on the breeze decay and death wrapped in a shadow that slithered just beyond sight.
"I'm not playing, Amira. Something's there."
"Don't ruin the moment," she said, eyes half-lidded, voice silk over steel. "You're too cute when you're scared."
"We should go. Now."
She rolled her eyes, grabbing his chin and forcing him to meet her gaze. "Just a little longer. Trust me."
Then…
A blood-curdling scream echoed from somewhere in the fog ahead, sharp and desperate, slicing through the silence like a blade.
They both flinched.
"What the hell was that?" he hissed, panic rising.
Amira pulled away slowly, turning her head toward the sound, the playful glint in her eyes flickering with something darker.
"That wasn't the wind."
"No," he said, heart pounding. "We have to go."
Something shifted behind them again too fast, too quiet. It moved unnaturally. Too smooth.
"Did you see that?" he asked, voice cracking. "There was something there just now by the tree."
Amira stared, suddenly serious, lips pressed tight. "I saw it."
"Let's go. We have to get out of here."
But before the words finished leaving her lips, something grabbed her by the neck from behind.
She gasped, legs kicking wildly. Sharp claws dug into her throat, lifting her off the ground with unnatural strength. Her eyes went wide, lips choking on her scream.
"AMIRA!" the soldier yelled, backing away in terror.
She kicked. Clawed at the hand holding her. Blood trickled from her neck as she tried to scream, but only air escaped.
"Put her down, you coward!" the soldier shouted, stepping forward, fists clenched. "You think you can scare me?! I'm not afraid of you!"
He regretted it instantly.
The unseen creature hurled Amira through the air like a rag doll, her body smashed against a rock with a crack that echoed through the trees.
She collapsed, groaning in pain but alive.
The soldier's confidence evaporated as the fog parted and the creature stepped into view.
The Lust Demon.
Its body was tall too tall hunched yet towering. Horns curled like black thorns from its head, twisting in cruel spirals that seemed to drink in the moonlight. Its claws dripped with something dark and viscous. Its face… wasn't a face at all, just a twisted mess of snarling teeth and bleeding slits for eyes. Its breath reeked of rot and death, sour and heavy on the air. Blood smeared across its chest, drying in thick, crusted patches. Its voice was like wet gravel scraping stone, low and chilling.
The soldier's knees buckled. "Oh gods… oh gods…"
He stumbled back, tripping over a root, falling into the dirt with a thud that made his heart slam in his chest.
"Please," he begged, hands raised trembling. "Please don't kill me. Please, I'm just a guard…I didn't do anything."
But the demon didn't speak.
It only smiled.
Then it lunged.
.
.
.
The Royal palace
The great obsidian doors of the war chamber stood closed, shadows curling along their edges like living things hungry for light.
Inside, the air was heavy. Thick with smoke and tension, charged with whispered fears and quiet desperation.
King Malakar sat at the head of the long, blackstone table, his eyes burning like fire in the dim light, unblinking and relentless. Around him, high-ranking demons murmured: generals, advisors, sorcerers. A dark energy buzzed beneath every breath fear, disguised poorly as strategy.
Aeron stood stiffly near the edge of the table, arms crossed, expression cold and unreadable. Kael leaned forward with his palms braced on the table, jaw tense, barely listening to the discussion. His eyes burned with frustration, hunger for action clear despite his stillness.
"The sightings are spreading," a general muttered, voice rough and tired. "Another village last night. Four bodies."
"And still no one's seen it clearly?" Aeron said, voice low but sharp. "No one survives long enough to give us a proper description?"
"Only scraps," the general serek replied. "A shadow. Horns. Claws. They die too fast."
"We are not hunting a beast," Malakar said, voice rumbling like thunder through stone. "We are being hunted. And the kingdom is watching us bleed."
The room fell silent, the weight of his words settling like ash on every shoulder.
Kael looked up, eyes blazing. "Then what do you suggest, Father? We sit here and look at maps while another dozen die?"
Before Malakar could respond.
BANG!
The war chamber doors burst open, slamming against the walls with a sound like a cannon shot.
Everyone turned.
A figure stumbled inside, blood smeared across her torn dress, skin pale, eyes wide with terror. Amira.
Her messy blonde bun was loose now, hair tangled and damp with sweat. Her shoulder was bleeding, a dark stain spreading. Her lips trembled. She looked like death had touched her and almost taken her.
Gasps echoed around the room.
"Guards!" one of the generals shouted. "Who let her in?!"
But Kael stepped forward quickly. "Wait. Let her speak."
Amira dropped to her knees, trembling.
"He's dead," she sobbed. "That guard he's dead. It killed him. I…I barely escaped…"
Malakar's eyes narrowed, cold and calculating. "What happened?"
Her lips trembled harder.
"I took him to the woods, we were just… I didn't think… I didn't know it was out there…" Her voice cracked, raw with fear and exhaustion. "We heard something. Then it grabbed me… its claws… I…"
Her hands reached for her throat where deep gashes still bled slowly, dark ribbons of pain blossoming beneath her fingers. Her voice lowered, trembling.
"I shouldn't be alive."
Aeron stepped forward, eyes cold and sharp. "Start from the beginning. Everything."
---
FLASHBACK – Moments After the Creature Grabbed Her
Amira's body slammed into the rock. Her vision blurred. Something cracked in her shoulder.
She blinked, coughing, dazed.
Then she heard it the sound of flesh tearing.
Her eyes widened.
The soldier. Screaming. Begging.
"PLEASE…HELP ME…!!"
She lifted her head. Through the trees, she saw him on the ground. The Lust Demon hunched over him, claws sunk into his gut, fangs buried deep into his neck.
Blood sprayed. Limbs twitched.
Her stomach twisted.
She clamped a hand over her mouth, trying not to scream. But her body betrayed her she whimpered. Loud enough.
The demon's head snapped toward her.
Her heart stopped.
Its eyes met hers. Bloody. Bottomless.
She scrambled back.
"No no no.."
The thing stood.
It grinned.
She blinked and it was gone.
A hiss behind her.
Her breath caught.
But before it could reach her…her body vanished.She reappeared at the palace gate, screaming.
Back in the War Room
"I ran," she whispered. "I ran here. He's still out there. What's left of him."
Silence.
Cold, thick silence.
Then
Malakar stood slowly from his chair, the shadows around him rising with him.
"Send the royal scouts. Clean what's left of the body. Burn the area. Post a warning. No demon is to enter that forest without permission."
His voice was flat and he stormed out of the chamber.