Saberfang

As they fell into the ocean water, the Portal above them immediately tried to pull them back into the room. Gritting his teeth, Seth growled, “We need to hurry and find the item before we get pulled back”
Running through the words of the riddle, Seth swam down towards the bottom of the seabed. His sharp eyes gazed over the numerous shells and bits of coral clinging to the rocks,
From grain of sand become ivory, in the struggles of darkness, encased in flesh and rock.
Picking up a shell and investigating it, an idea suddenly struck him, “It’s a pearl! Pearls are made from sand and encased in oysters…Help me find one”
Scrambling through the water, Seth finally found a cluster of Oysters lodged between some stones. Using his claws he began to pry open the shells, he picked through them until he found what he was looking for.
The pull on the portal became stronger and Seth knew that they were out of time. The water began to suck back hard; there was no fighting it, he and Mila were transported back into the dark room.

With the walls still closing in on them , Seth forced his way through the narrow corridor towards the pedestal.
Dropping the pearl into the engraved the plate, Seth felt a sigh of relief leave his lips as the walls began to retract backwards.
“That was a little too close for comfort if you ask me… ”

Checking up on Mila, he then turned his attention to the next riddle. It glowed overhead in gold letters, From Dirt and water I rise like the sun. I settle in the green and watch over that which links us.
Raising an eyebrow, Seth struggled with confusion, “Not too sure about that one”

The rumbling sound of rocks came from the corner of the room. Upon further investigation, Seth noticed that a new corridor had opened.
“I think we’ll find what we need down there”
Swimming through the corridor, Seth was surprised to find a room filled with lush fields and flowers. There were all sorts of flowers, from land flowers, to sea flowers. If it wasn’t for the fact that Seth could swim here, he would have thought that he was on land rather than under water.

Mila was awe stricken by the beauty around her, but it soon turned to panic as she got entangled in a web of roots. The flowers had formed a great weave of roots that seemed unbreakable. Squirming against it only tied her up further and panic began to take over. Soon she was unable to move and sinking to the bottom of the lake.
She calmed herself and thought of the riddle.
From Dirt and water I rise like the sun. I settle in the green and watch over that which links us.
Links... It must be the roots, where do they go? She used her magic to follow the pattern the roots formed to a single point. Cutting though the roots that held her and Seth she darted a line through the roots to where it all came together in a great tangle. A brilliant red lotus seemed to be the gathering point.
"This must be it." A portal opened and Mila and Seth made their way through. Adding the lotus to the pearl Mila tried to calm her racing heart. The letters appeared above the pedestal again.
A final battle you must face, to claim among the throne a place. In the Darkness of the ocean depths a great beast finds it's rest. Shining in the brilliant sun, a flake of me and the battle is won.
A portal opened into a great cave and Mila's chest tightened.

Once the Lotus had been place onto the pedistal, the words for the next task began to glow overhead, "iA final battle you must face, to claim among the throne a place. In the Darkness of the ocean depths a great beast finds it's rest. Shining in the brilliant sun, a flake of me and the battle is won."
Rubbing the back his head thoughtfully, Seth frowned, "Anouther Battle? I hope that we have enough magic to get through anouther battle. "
Turning to Mila, he asked, "How much magic do you have left?...Most of my magic is stored in the leash. I don't have access to it, but you can use it if we run into a sticky situation... You don't need to hide it from me, I can tell that you've used to much of your magic."
Stretching his arms, Seth breathed in and prepared himself for the next challenge.

A manhole had appeared in the middle of the floor, it was the entrance to their next challenge.
"Lets do this"
Swimming down the manhole, Seth made his way through a series of large pipes. The pipes finally brought them to a large cave-like room with many golden trinket and gems.
"Pretty...but definitely cursed, better not touch anything"
Investigating the space, Seth heard a voice suddenly emanated from a pile of moving gold, "You've disturbed my sleep, why are you here?"
Seth answered simply, "We are here because of the Sangarian Mother's riddle."
The treasure began to shift now, revealing a giant Golden horned Eel. It had blended in well with it's treasure. "Then you are here to steal my treasure, I will not permit that"
Seth noticed that the creature's horns had chains draped around them. A single simmering white disk glimmered like sunlight between the chains.
He thought over the Riddle, "A flake of me hey? Well It's got to be that."
Turning to Mila, he quickly explained, "Our last item is the white gem on th eel's head. We need to get it...I can get in close to steal it, but it's going to go crazy."

Breathing in Seth swam forward, He transformed into a mass of shadows, The shadows darted towards the slithering creature and wrapped around it's head and neck. As this point the Eel was writhing angrily and snapping at Seth's shadows as he attempted to get at it's gem.
The struggle between the two continued for a while, Seth eventually got the upper hand though. He constricted his magic around the eel's neck, strangling the the creature to the point of exhaustion and knocking it out. The creature floated belly up towards the rocky ceiling of the room. Taking the gem, Seth returned to his mer-form and lead Mila towards the exit.
He was badly wounded from the fight, but ignored his wounds and hurried back towards the pedestal.
Once they arrived, he placed the gem on the plate and watched as room began to change. This time a gated corridor with ascending steps appeared before them. It's gates swung open, inviting them inside.

Breathing heavily, Seth slowley swam up the steps. He felt dizzy and sick. Could it be poison from the eel?
Trying not to think about it, He pressed on until they finally reached the throne room of the Sangarian Mother.

The room was immaculate, lined with shells and jewels all along it's walls. In the Centre of the room sat a massive pearl throne with armrests shaped carved to look like seahorses. The creature sitting on the throne was a sight to behold. She was beautiful and horrifying at the same time. Like the others, she was also half-fish/half human, but entirely white with pearlescent skin.
She seemed pre-occupied though and didn't even greet them as they made their way towards her. Her attention was focused on a Man with waist long white hair and huge grey owl-like wings. He seemed to to reprimanding her and writing everything down in a scroll as he did so.
Seth's ears pricked up as the man spoke, his voice was so familiar, "Nero? is that you?"
The man hadn't taken notice of them at first, but turned when he heard his name called.
"Who is asking?..." His face seemed to change into an expression of shock when he looked at them. "My Lord, is that really you?"
Seth smirked, "What's wrong don't you recognize your king?" He winched as the poison began to blur his vision.
Nero dropped his scrowl and quickly made his way towards them. Without warning, he checked Seth's condition and scooped the boy up to his arms, "You're poisoned? How many times do I have to tell you to be careful?!"
Seth laughed, "You're just a worry wart."
Nero Cocked an eyebrow at Seth, before turning to Mila, "I think I have a right to worry when you're attached to an angel...This is much worse than what I though."
Turning to Sangarian Mother, he scolded, "If I catch you causing an more trouble, your kind will be forced to relocate back to the demon realm."
She rolled her eyes, "Yes Fine, I I understand. Hurry up and take care of the young lord."
With Seth in his arms, Nero took Mila's hand, "My apologies miss, usually, I'd introduce myself first, but we are little short of time. I promise you that I am a friend"
Using his magic, Nero teleported them to a cottage on the edge of the forest that he had been staying in.
Seth and Mila had returned to their human forms.

Mila's head was swimming.
"Hey what did you mean when you said king?" she asked Seth. He seemed to be in some pain and neither of them paid attention to her. The strange man was undressing him and seeming to scan him for wounds. Painfully slowly for Mila's liking. With a huff she pushed him aside and channeled into Seth, healing all his wounds and extracting some poison.
"Now that that's sorted answer my question. What did you mean by king?" She rounded on the white haired man. "And you said something about him being attached to an angel? I am a light mage, not an angel."

Nero stepped aside when Mila began to tend to Seth’s injuries. Poison wasn’t exactly something to take lightly, and he definably wasn’t willing to risk’s Seth’s life.

Once Mila had finished tending to Seth, She turned to Nero. Her eyes sharp and questioning as she spoke, "Now that that’s sorted, answer my question. What did you mean by king? And you said something about him being attached to an angel? I am a light mage, not an angel."
Nero seemed confused, he mulled over her question for a moment, “I take it that Seth hasn’t explained anything has he?”
With a sigh of disbelief, Nero shook his head, “My Lord, you should have a little more pride in your heritage...” Seth rolled his eyes and stuck out his tongue defiantly, “A demon king can do as he pleases”
Nero didn’t look too impressed by this, “You’re not king yet...but one day you will be.” Turning back to Mila, He smiled politely began to explain, “Seth is heir to the demon realm. His late father, Lord Abraxas was one of the most powerful demons of our time. He was a mighty and wise king…one day Seth will claim the throne to the realm too”
Seth seemed to grow irritated now, and rolling over onto his side, he stared grumpily at the ceiling.
Nero ignored Seth’s brattish behaviour and continued, “As for the angel part. Your aura is the same as that of an angel, it’s winged...I’m surprised that Seth didn’t say anything to you about it. Demon’s can naturally see auras.”
Seth seemed to grow uncomfortable now.

Mila swallowed. She knew all about angels, being a light mage, but her power had come from her mother, and as far as she knew you had to be born into an angel family to be an angel. Her father had never talked about her mother a lot, but certainly he would have mentioned something like this?
"You must be mistaken, I am only a light mage, I don't know of any angels in my family, and my power was passed on to me from my mother." she paused. "But then.. I saw myself in a magic mirror once, and I... I did have wings. But if I were and angel surely the wings would have been white instead of.... Half black."
Her heart sank as she realized what that would mean. She touched the curse mark on her neck lightly with her finger tips, half trying to hide it.
She looked at Seth pleadingly. "You removed it though. Didn't you?"

"You removed it though. Didn't you?"
Seth stared silently into Mila’s pleading gaze, he began to feel guilty. He had done something bad, something irreversible. Wondering how best to answer her, he looked away and mumbled, “I devoured the curse that held you, and I removed the darkness within you… but it came at a price Mila. I stained you with my own shadow magic when I drank your blood.”
Nero’s expression changed to one of concern as he realized what Seth had done,”A Curse isn’t an easy thing to remove, My Lord. You stained this girl her to ensure that she would obey you and no one else.’
Seth smirked, his hand tracing Mila’s jawline affectionately as he spoke, “Theoretically you should obey me Mila, but the leash will always favour you and protect you from my will. I can’t force you to do whatever I want, but at least no one else can ever have control over you again.”
Nero thought over this and responded with a sigh, “Always the brat Prince aren’t you My Lord?”
Walking towards a metal Kettle, Nero used his magic to fill it up with water and place it over the coals in the fire place. With a click of his fingers, the coals turned into flames which began to heat the kettle.
“I think that it’s time for tea, there is a lot for us to discuss, especially between you and me Mila”
Stretching his mighty wings, Nero smiled, “From one Angel to another, I’m sure that there are many questions you wish you ask.” Rubbing his chin thoughtfully, Nero added, “Perhaps we should start with what stained means in angel terminology?”

Mila felt cold. "So if I was ever to break the bond the leash holds I would be under your control?" She looked at Seth.
I suppose if a demon is to control me I could do worse than Seth.
Than the demon king....
Turning to Nero she sighed. "I have been a light mage all my life, I know how the angel realm works. Not that I ever thought it too relevant to me... I never believed I was an angel, let alone a fallen one." her eye caught Seth. "Although I suppose now I am a tainted one?"
The master of Saberfang had taught her all about the angel realm. Pure angels were the Angels that stayed in the angel realm and never left, fallen angels had come to earth and could only return to the demon realm after death and tainted angels...
Mila tried not to think about them often. They were usually held in high regard. A long time ago there had been a war between demon and angel realms, a select few pure angels had sacrificed themselves by going into the demon realm to destroy the evil leader of the demon revolution. As a result their magic had been tainted by dark magic and they were bound to the demon realm, unable to ever return to the angel realm. They earned great respect for their sacrifice.
"So I suppose that makes you a tainted angel too?" She asked Nero. "Do you..." She paused to breathe. "Is there any way to know how far the taint spreads? I have heard that some angels went completely dark and had to be... Taken care of by the board of angels, but you don't seem to be a problematic one, and I do sometimes feel the taint, but not often..."

"So I suppose that makes you a tainted angel too?" Mila questioned.
Nero seemed to mull over her words for a moment, “Tainted isn’t really the correct term I would use. I am a grey angel…you are one too”
Passing a cup of tea to Mila, Nero then took a seat beside Seth. His words had done little to reassure her, but he understood how she felt, after all he had once been in a similar situation himself.
He listened patiently as she continued pry for answers.
"Do you...Is there any way to know how far the taint spreads? I have heard that some angels went completely dark and had to be... Taken care of by the board of angels, but you don't seem to be a problematic one, and I do sometimes feel the taint, but not often..."

Placing a hand reassuringly on Mila’s head, Nero chuckled, “I can see why you are so worried, a big part of what you’ve been told isn’t entirely true… Though I’m not surprised, Human history tends to favour angels over demons. Darkness is seen as evil and Light as good.”
Seth seemed a little annoyed, but kept his mouth shut and politely sipped at his tea while Nero continued. “Magic is not like oil and water Mila... Magic blends and mixes. When Light magic is exposed to darkness, it blends and becomes grey…”
Taking his turn to interrupt, Seth added quietly, “The taint you originally felt was from the curse. The curse is gone now.” Staring into his cup with a slightly worried expression, Seth mumbled bitterly, “We are connected though…what you’re feeling is my magic. I only have access to a small amount of my power. The rest will leak through the leash if you are not careful.”
With a sigh, Nero offered Mila some honey for her tea, “We are not going to let that happen though.
Seth stared seriously at Nero and Mila.
Slamming down his cup, he growled protectively, “if she is exposed too much dark magic, her core will become unstable. She could die Nero!”
Suddenly standing up and flaring his wings, Nero snapped back, “The same thing could happen to you Seth! Light cancels out darkness! Hell! It’s already affected your healing abilities, demon’s are not usually affected by poison… There is a limit to how much power the two of you can share…this is why I plan to train you both. You need to know each other’s limits.”

(Let me know what you think of this? - I’m thinking that the angels who were exposed to too much darkness became unstable. Their bodies began to reject their magic. They eventually become insane and sickly, their bodies breaking down until finally, the unstable magic disintegrates them. Demons get the same thing if they are exposed to too much light magic…Seth and Mila will need to be careful.)

Nero trained Seth and Mila separately, Mila could feel the tug of Seth's magic when he trained, he was growing stronger, but it didn't hold the air of uncontrolled power as it had so many times before. He was adjusting to his magic and Mila felt a sense of relief at that.

Once it was her turn to train Nero sat down opposite her.
"First of all i believe it is time you unlock your angel form. Close your eyes and breathe. Imagine the angel realm, feel it above you, the power of all the angels."
Mila could sense a great power beyond her reach. She concentrated on it and soon she could almost sense the individual angels' powers. A grin spread across her face.
"Now feel the full power of your light magic course through you, just fill yourself with it, don't use it, just feel it."
Mila felt her hair stand on end at the feel of all her power being held.
"Now link your magic to the angel realm, carefully and slowly. Just create a sort of bridge to connect you, but be very careful, too much power all at once can be dangerous."
Slowly Mila wove a thin line between her and the angel realm. It grew longer until it finally touched and with a jolt she got blown back and the air left her body. She saw the face of a woman and she could not move.
Nero moved and suddenly the connection was gone.
Panting heavily Mila looked at him in shock. That woman... it couldn't be...
"The first time touching that amount of power is always a shock. Your body does not know how to handle it. Take a break and we will try again in a while."

Nero had prepared a meal for them and Mila sat down across from Seth, who looked quite exhausted. If she looked half as bad as he did... she shuddered.
She felt drained. They ate and went back to training.
After a few more shocking attempts Mila wove another thread, hair thin, between her and the angel realm.
This time a warmth filled her pleasantly. An amplification of her magic rather than an overwhelming wave crashing into her. She smiled and then the woman appeared again, clearer this time.

Mila recognized the woman's smiling face.
"Mom?"
Her mother touched her cheek. "My daughter, you have finally reached your potential. My magic has served you well. Now it is time for me to relinquish it all to you."
"What do you me..." with a gasp Mila's eyes flew open as her mother disappeared and her body filled with a great power.
Nero was staring at her with mild shock and a satisfied smile on his face. She was looking down on him. Abruptly she realized she was in the air. Great wings batted beside her. Her wings. She quickly landed on the ground. She stretched her wings in amazement. One was white as snow and the other black as night.
Suddenly she lost all strength and her legs gave way under her.
She really was an angel

A few days later, Nero began their training.
Using one of his many trinkets, he transferred a bit of magic into the item and teleported Mila and Seth to the training grounds. The grounds were located on a mountaintop surrounded by ancient ruins and statues. Nero had spent a lot of time training here in his youth, and knew that the magical energy surrounding the mountain would benefit his two pupils.

Seth and Mila took turns training with Nero. The sessions where difficult and exhausting, but Nero had a good reason behind each task that he put them through.
By the end of their Seventh day, Mila acquired her wings as an angel. Seth was rather envious and surprised by her physical change - Her wings were huge like Nero’s, but a different colour. She had one white wing and one black.

Seth felt that his progress was definably slower than Mila’s, and it was clear that it was frustrating him. Tapping into the demon realm proved to be more difficult than he imagined. He had messed up rather badly during his last try, nearly losing and eye in the process. Nero had of course been there to patch him up, but not without giving him one of his famous lectures.

Letting out a Sigh, Seth plopped down drowsily on the grass, He felt as though he could doze off at any moment.
A few minutes later Nero and Mila joined him, bringing along a basket of food for lunch. Opening up one purple eye, Seth teased, “So the angels have decided to grace me with their presence have they?”
Nero smiled, “Am I sensing the slightest trace of jealously from you, My Lord?”
Sitting up straight, Seth glared peevishly at Nero and Mila, “Yeah you wish. I don’t get jealous...I can share my toys y’know” Nero rolled his eyes at this.
It was clear that Nero and Seth had quite a bit of history together; they had known each other for thousands of years after all. Resting his head on Mila’s shoulder, Seth whined, “Let’s eat already. What have you guys made for lunch?”

When Seth rested his head on Mila's shoulder she gently healed all his aches, the darkness around his one eye faded. She was exhausted, but this much came naturally.
"I think you will benefit from a bit of a break. There is a town that is easy to get to, i think the two of you should go there tomorrow to recuperate." Nero said casually while taking a bite of a sandwich.
Mila hadn't been this excited for anything since she got her wings. A day off from the exhausting labor of training, that sounded wonderful.
They finished their meal and Mila went to the shrine of Usagi nearby. It was in bad shape, most of the bunny statues were broken and the place was a mess, but Mila did what she could with her magic to spruce it up. She knelt in front of the statue of the great bunny god and prayed in gratitude for all she had accomplished. She imagined she could almost feel her mother there, almost.

The next day Seth met Mila outside her room and they made their way to the town. It was easy enough using one of Nero's trinkets. They arrived in the town almost instantly. They walked by a sushi place and Mila pointed excitedly, pulling on his arm.
"Fish for kitty!" She beamed and dragged him into the store. They sat down and ordered. Mila had noticed that Seth was frustrated lately. His training wasn't going as fast as he had hoped.
"You know, I had some help... With my training I mean."
He looked up at her.
"I haven't told Nero yet. My power comes from my mother, when she died she passed it on to me, to protect me and when I tried to reach the angel realm she was there... Seth she... I don't know how to explain it... It's like she merged herself with me and all of a sudden it all just made sense, I could feel the angel realm, I have this power all of a sudden, more than i ever had. Sometimes it's as though she is here and i can feel her sitting next to me."

Picking at his food, Seth listened inquisitively as Mila began to explain the strange phenomenon that had helped her to unlock her powers. She spoke about her mother, and how her mother had been there to guide her during her training.
“Do you think that your mother has attached a part of her soul to you?”
Fiddling with his chopsticks, Seth piped, “I mean I’ve heard that angels can do that…but I didn’t realize that it was actually a thing.”

Taking a small bite of food, Seth seemed to drift off into his thoughts.
Seeing Nero again, and listening to Mila speak about her mother, it brought up memories. Seth had always tried to distance himself from his past. He had a bad tendency to lose control to his emotions, this habit always ended up affecting his magic. If he dwelled on his memories for too long, he could lose control and go on another demonic rampage.

Breaking from his daze, Seth looked at Mila. Her hand curled around his. She seemed to stare at him through a worried gaze. He smirked, “And that puppy dog look? Why the long face Sunshine?”
A part of Seth always hid behind a smile. He gradually began to realize that this was possibly what was holding him back during his training.
Hell, I’m the king of lies
Running a hand through his hair, Seth chuckled, “How are you managing with Nero’s training?” Wrinkling his nose and pretending to sulk, Seth growled grumpily, “Nero is always so damn strict with me these days, I wish that he would loosen up a bit…he used to be a lot more relaxed. He was quite the crybaby when we’re dating, it’s kind of amazing how people change.

Mila could sense that Seth was feeling down. She took his hand in the hopes of offering some comfort. “How are you managing with Nero’s training?”
He never talked about his feelings.
"It has been hard, but I can see improvement. You?"
“Nero is always so damn strict with me these days, I wish that he would loosen up a bit…he used to be a lot more relaxed. He was quite the crybaby when we’re dating, it’s kind of amazing how people change."
Mila chocked on her drink. They had dated? She knew gender played no role to demons but to her Nero's relationship with Seth came off as more of a servant or mentor than someone he had been intimate with. Regaining her composure she looked at him.
"I never knew... Then again I don't really know anything about your past... You aren't very open about your feelings."

"I never knew... Then again I don't really know anything about your past... You aren't very open about your feelings."
Caught off guard, Seth felt his cheeks redden, “I-I guess I don’t really like talking about it...It’s not easy for me to speak about the past.“
Taking a sip of sake, Seth stared deep into the depths of his cup, “The last time I talked to someone about the past, things didn’t go so well. I got into a fight with an angel and nearly ripped up the entire country in my demon form…that’s pretty much how I ended up sealed away.”

Raising his gaze after a rather uncomfortable moment of silence, Seth sighed, “I don’t trust people easily Mila…but I do feel comfortable with you. I guess I also owe a bit of an explanation after everything that has happened.”
Taking in a deep breath, Seth slowly began, “Every King of the Demon Realm is served by a queen and a Knight…My father had been ruling the demon realm for thousands of years, but he was growing old and tired. I was supposed to take his place as I was next in line to the throne. When the time came, arrangements were made to ensure that the transition of power went smoothly. Nero would be my knight and I was betrothed to a princess of my mother’s choosing.”
Flashes of memories began to play through his mind and clearing his throat, he continued hoarsely, “Nero and I were in love at the time and it was difficult for me to accept my fate as the future king. I didn’t want the responsibility. I was sick of being told what to do and how to live my life. I wanted to run away…And I did.”

Closing his eyes, Seth felt a black tear trickled down his cheek. When he opened his eyes, his pupils had dilated into cat-like slits, his claws digging into the grain of the wooden table.
“I-I never should have run away…everything went to hell because my selfishness. No one would have had to die.”
Staring seriously at Mila, it was clear that Seth was struggling to hold his form now, “I-I can’t tell you the rest now Mila, but one day I will...I promise.”

Standing up suddenly, Seth bolted outside into the street.
He felt self-hatred and darkness envelop his body as he ran. His true demon form was trying to awaken and he felt the change rip through his human skin. In seconds he was a four-legged beast again, a creature of nightmares.
He knew that he needed to get far away from the village as quickly as possible. Making a beeline for the forest, he felt blood drip down his neck. The magic of the leash had already begun strain and cut into his skin. Painful as it was he continued to press on. He pushed on further and further into the forest until he could no longer sense any humans.

When he was finally alone, he felt himself give in the shadows. He thrashed wildly at the trees and rocks, fighting off imaginary demons in his frenzied state.
He would need to wait for the darkness and hatred to subside. He would not be capable of changing back to his human until he had reached a state of magical balance.

(Okay I admit this post was a bit dramatic, but Seth has a lot of issues and inner demons XD. His parents were murdered and skinned in front of him. I also think that he was tortured physically and mentally before fleeing to earth, but maybe Nero can explain that part to Mila?...I’m thinking that either Mila can chase after Seth and try to help him, otherwise she can head back to Nero and try and get help and answers from him? You decide)

Seth bolted out so suddenly Mila could only stare at the door. Throwing down some money for their meal she rushed out.
Sending out her spirit to Nero, a nifty trick he had taught her, she linked her emotion to it. He would be able to find Seth easily enough, and knowing how panicked she felt he surely would look. She hadn't mastered how to send messages left, but this would have to do.
She spread her wings and clumsily climbed into the air. Following the leash she struggled to keep up. She could feel that Seth was in incredible pain, she had to help.
Please find us Nero. I need your help.
Her wings began to ache and she landed, deciding to run instead. She had to practice more before she could fly more than a few meters. Sweat beaded on her face but she pushed on. Suddenly she got lifted off of the floor. Nero had caught up.
"Thank the light! Nero, he... I think he lost control. He told me about his past and he just..." she trailed off. Nero... Was this the first time they had seen each other since Seth ran away? Is that how they broke up? She felt a pang of jealousy followed by guilt. Now was not the time
Nero sighed, shaking his head. "This always happens when he thinks about his past. He doesn't deal well with remembering the torture."
Mila felt a jolt at that. "What torture? He told me he ran away because he didn't want to be king."
A sad smile played across Nero's face. "He didn't, but there is more to it. I do not want to betray his trust, but if he told you that much I suppose he wants you to know. A large part of the reason he fled was because he had been tortured greatly. He might have been killed had he not fled..."
Before Nero could continue they saw a great beast tearing through the forest. Mila recognized the giant dark form of Seth's demon self. Nero set her down and they moved toward him.
"Seth..." Mila whispered cautiously. He turned toward Mila, a great, hovering beast, a snarl played on his mouth and he charged at her. Mila beat her wings down hard and lifted just enough to miss his claws.

"Mila you need to give him balance. Let go of his leash, he needs to release all of the dark magic inside of him, there is too much for him to contain."
"Release his leash?! He will destroy everything!" She tried desperately to dodge the flurry of attacks Seth threw at her.
"Trust him! We can absorb the dark magic! He came out here for a reason! He is far enough from the town here. He won't hurt anyone again!"
Mila felt a globe of light for around them. Nero was really going to absorb it. She wove her magic into his, joining with him, they will be better off sharing the load. She breathed in deeply. Trust Seth. She started to let go of the leash when Seth's claw hooked her leg and pulled her down. He tore into her and she stared up at him in horror.
"LET GO!" Nero shouted. She released Seth and a great flow of dark magic erupted over her, pushing into her. It burned her to the core. She wanted to scream, but she could hardly breathe. She could feel the blood leaking from her body. Pain coursed through her.
"Please Seth." She whispered hoarsely. She could feel tears running down her face.
Please

’Where am I…I see only the black of darkness’
When Nero and Mila finally arrived to aid Seth, he didn’t even recognize them. His feral instincts had completely clouded his senses. He was more animal than man at this time.
Bloodlust gleamed in his eyes and drove him to attack his companions. With claws and fangs bared, he swiped furiously from below – like a cat trying to catch a bird.
Mila’s flying was still clumsily, but she managed to stay out of his reach. It was clear that she felt exhausted and conflicted about how to save Seth. Sensing her turmoil, Seth waited for her to trust him and let down her guard.

When the moment came, he didn’t hesitate - He launched himself into the air. A Jagged claw sank into the Girl, plucking her from the sky and plunging her down into the earth beneath his paws. He roared at her threateningly as she squirmed beneath his weight. He could feel her blood staining his fur.
Nero screamed at Seth and threw magic attacks in his direction. His magic and cries came to naught though, the darkness was too strong. Baring his fangs, Seth readied for the killing blow.
No…I can’t do this. I know you. I see you through the darkness, Mila
Hesitating, Seth felt something resonate between himself and Mila. There was a moment of silence, Seth felt his consciousness return.

Dark magic and light magic suddenly erupted from the gash in Mila’s chest. The Light burned into Seth like acid and he hissed painfully and it ate into his front legs and chest. Mila struggled against her opposite, dark magic. The two were in excruciating pain. Then with an explosive flash, it was all over. The two types had cancelled each other out.
Mila and Seth were out cold, both barely alive and badly injured.

Mila was floating in a void of light. She blinked her eyes against the brightness.
Mila...
A voice echoed. A woman's voice.
Mila felt tired. Could she just sleep? She closed her eyes.
"MILA!" The voice shouted.
Mila groaned and opened her eyes. An angel stood in front of her. Her hair was shining bronze curls that hung around her down to her feet. They were floating. Mila tried to move but she felt so heavy.
"Mila you need to wake up. You need to complete my mission."
"Your mission?" Mila grumbled.
"You need to help Seth."
At the mention of Seth's name Mila felt the breath leave her body. Flashes of claws cutting through her played in her mind.
Her eyes flew open as she flailed to block the invisible blows. Nero caught her arms and pinned her down.
"Calm down! You can't move that much, you aren't healed yet."
Mila calmed down once she realized the threat wasn't real. Her body ached all over. She struggled to sit up.
Nero smiled at her. "Good to have you back. I was very worried."
Mila still felt dazed.
"You were out for a while. I healed what I could, but I can't do much about that big scar. Too much dark magic." Mila saw herself in the mirror.
Nero had removed her clothes to heal her. Three almost black slash marks ran across her chest to her waist. Darkness radiated from it.
"Seth?"she croaked.
"He is fine. He is training."
She nodded. They were both alive.
"Mila, I'm afraid the amount of dark magic you absorbed has greatly weakened you. It is pulling at your light magic."
Mila could feel it. A great battle happening inside her. She had to get it to work together. She could control the small amount of dark magic she had before by overpowering it with her magic, but this was going to tear her apart if she didn't learn to use it.
"I know." She felt too tired to think about that.
An image of a woman flashed in her mind. That woman. Who was she?
Nero fed her some soup and she went back to sleep.
How to fix everything? She pondered as she dozed off

Mila’s Light magic had embedded itself into Seth’s body during the blast; it took nearly an entire week for the young prince to recover from its damaging effects. When he did awake, he found that his hands, arms and chest were covered in white blotches. From those marks grew tiny white crystals - like diamonds. Nero explained that they were a crystalized form of ‘rejected’ white magic.

It took Seth a while to accept the stains and crystals, he wasn’t keen on them. Being a shape-shifter he naturally tried to hide them. He found that he could hide them while in his human form, but the moment he returned to his demon form, they would just grow back.
Accepting his fate, he then focused on bigger concern of his… Mila.

When Nero took him to Mila’s room, Seth could hardly even look at her, He was horrified by what he saw. Three massive black-scars ran down her chest. Tiny dark crystals formed along the edges of the wounds.
He had done this to her…
Looking at Nero through a gaze of bitter resolve, Seth growled,“ This will never happen again… I need more control. I need to train and master my power so that I can protect her, Nero. ”
The grey Angel nodded with agreement, “You need to let go of that pain from the past and find resolve in yourself. It will not be easy, Seth. After what I saw, I’m not even sure that it’s possible for you to do.”
Seth glared sharply at Nero, “Possible or Not, I will do it…I will show you my resolve.”

Over the next few days, Seth threw himself into his training. He worked harder that he had ever worked before. Nero seemed to constantly challenge him with new lessons and skills to learn. There was always a new task to complete or conquer.
During his free moments, Seth would make sure to visit Mila. Always bringing along freshly picked flowers from the places he had been training at. He hoped that she would wake up soon from her comatose state. He needed to talk to her…their bodies were not the only things damaged during the fight. Her health and their friendship was his main concern now.

(I'd like to apologize in advance for this mess XD Its pretty long and badly written, but you get the point.)

Background of Hautloss (The Skinless)
A Creature born of Demon flesh and angel magic; The Hautloss, had finally escaped its bonds inside the human realm. It had been locked away for thousands of years, banished by the previous demon and angel kings (During a time known as ‘The last Alliance’)
Now that it had escaped, it plotted a violent revenge upon those who had locked it away. It would take over the demon realm first, then use its armies to rip open the angel realm and rain down chaos on all

……………………………….


Seth’s background

Seth’s parents had been grooming him for years to be the next king. When the time finally came for them to see the fruits their labour, Seth rejected his fate.
The young Prince had other plans; On the night of his wedding, he ran away from his home and took refuge in the neighbouring city. Seth was not interested in the responsibilities of a king. He did not want to lose his freedom, nor did he want to marry a princess that he did not love.

Devastated that her son would just throw aside his family and the crown, Queen Sheeba decided to take action. Being the head of the demon army, she took a small group of her best soldiers and sought out Seth. Once she had found him, she comforted him as a mother. After some debate, she convinced him to come home with her.

When the two returned home, things were not as they seemed. A dark curse seemed to loom over the castle. The corpses of soldiers and servants lay about the grounds, all drained of their flesh and organs.
Fearing for the king, Seth and his mother raced towards the throne room where the kings scent was the strongest. What they saw when they arrived horrified them.
King Abraxas was still alive, but he had been skinned. His naked flesh still heaved for air. Seeing them the king gurgled a bloody growl - it was a warning to stay away.
If only they had done so…


A dark shadow suddenly loomed over the king. When the light fell upon it, Seth saw its true form. It was a creature with many black eyes and teeth. It had a white cracked mask for a face and its body was like that of a centipede.
Seth felt a chill creep up his spine as the creatures blade-like legs crackled against the wooden floor.
When it spoke, it only whispered its name, “Hautloss”

…………………………………

Seth’s memories of what happened after this were blurry.
He remembered fighting alongside his mother and her warriors to kill Hautloss. He remembered the creature cutting through their attacks with frightening ease; Images of Its legs covered in strange runes and white magic still flashed through his memories. He could even smell the blood and hear the screams at times.

One of the most frightening memories he had of Hautloss, was when it finally came for him. It had stunned him and pierced its legs into his body. He had been pinned down, unable to run or hide. If it hadn’t been for his mother and what she had done next, Seth would have died that day.
Queen Sheeba had launched herself at Hautloss, knocking it off of Seth. She then fought Hautloss on her own, until the final scream left her lips.
Seth blacked-out at this point from shock and blood-loss.

A few days later………..
He remembered waking up in a dark cell beneath the castle. He had become Hautloss’s prisoner – a metal collar and chain bound around his neck.
This was the beginning of a whole new hell.

Seth was kept in complete darkness for the next five years, unable to keep track the days or time that passed.
The thing that really broke him mentally was the food he was forced to eat. The meals were all meat, meat cut from the corpses of his family, servants and fellow demons.
When he made too much noise or had eaten a meal, a guard would be sent down to punish him. He remembered how the guard would never harm his torso or back, but instead target his hands, feet, tail, eyes or mouth (Things demons can easily regenerate within a few day. Harming skin usually leaves scars and that was not allowed)
The punishment was torture, and it eventually drove Seth insane.

When Seth tried to think back on how he had managed to escape, only a mess of images and sounds came to mind. He recalled the sound of metal bending apart. Then Nero’s face glowing with light, his arms scooping Seth up and taking him away.

Seth never saw Nero again after that. He had been taken away to the human world and left with Belledante... No words, no letters, nothing but a fracture mind.

Side note:

(For the torture itself; I imagine things like having your nails and teeth pulled out on a daily basis. Being hung upside down until you pass out. Beaten till you bruise but don't bleed...you can get creative here, we want to scar Mila with terrible nightmares after all )

Mila thrashed in her sleep. Images shocked her in her dreams. A female voice. That woman...
"Mila, you must complete my mission."
Seth sitting in a dark cell. A gruesome monster tearing into the flesh of Seth's allies. All flashes, nothing coming together or making sense.

So much blood. Mila felt pain as someone tore out Seth's teeth and nails. She uttered silent screams.
[i]Make it stop...[i] she cried in her mind.
Silence fell and the woman with the bronze curls appeared.
"You must help him. It is your mission. I sealed our fate to him."
"Who are you..."
She woke in her bed.

She struggled to get up. Walking through the path between the flowers littering her room, she felt a chill hen thinking of ho put them there, she found Nero.
She had to find out who she was.
She told him about her strange dreams. Nero turned a pale white.
"Belledante. It has to be. Only she would be able to send those images. But why you? I suppose it is possible that she set a part of herself in the spell she used to lock Seth away and when you unlocked it she linked with you. But why now?"
Mila saw a man approaching from afar. She stifled a yelp and headed back to her room.
Nero sighed. "You have to face him again sometime."
Mila locked her door behind her. The scars on her chest ached and darkness leaked from it. She knew she would have to see him again, but her fear was overwhelming.

Finishing early on his training session, Seth made his way back towards the cottage.
Nero had been training him on how to control his magic and demon forms. It was not an easy task to transform with the light crystals in his chest, but Seth was getting used to it. His task for today had been a hunt. He had to track down a goose Nero had marked, and hunt it using only his feline form.

When he eventually reached the cottage, he opened the door and put the dead animal on the table before Nero. With a smug smirk, Seth gloated, “Got a task that’s more challenging?”
Rolling his eyes, Nero laughed, “That hunt took you nearly two hours! That’s way too long for one goose Seth.”
The Demon Prince frowned in response, “It would have been easier to catch it you would have allowed me to use magic. Unlike angels, Cats can’t exactly fly Nero”
Chuckling at the young Prince, Nero flicked Seth on the forehead, “The idea is for you to use that big head of yours and think your way through the hunt…But since you find this too easy, let’s try a hummingbird tomorrow. That should be more your speed”
Seth grinned, “You’re really not letting up on me are you?”
Nero shook his head and took hold of the goose, “Nope”
Seth watched curiously as Nero began plucking feathers from the goose, He was preparing their supper. Deciding to leave his ‘mentor’ to the meal preparations Seth made his way towards Mila’s room. He turned the doorknob, but to his surprise, it was locked.
He felt his heart skip a beat…was she awake?
“Mila? Hey, are you up?...Can I come in?”
Nero watched Seth from the corner of his eye, things were about to get interesting.

Mila felt her chest tighten at the sound of Seth's voice. She tried to calm her breath. Hugging her knees into her chest she waited for him to leave.
She just needed some time, she was sure, but just then it felt like she would never be ok around him.

Eventually Seth gave up and left. Mila layed in bed pushing down the memories of the great beast digging into her. When she fell asleep it was restless. The dream had a feel of reality, as though this had all happened and she was really there, which made it all the more horrifying.

The angels were fighting alongside demons. A hideous beast was wrecking havoc in the demon realm, skinning people and wearing their flesh.

The angels had created it. It had gone rogue. They great army of demons and angels fell before the creature, until finally they managed to seal it away.
The demons accused the angels of betrayal for creating the creature and the last known alliance between demons and angels was broken.
But that was just the start. Thousands of years passed and the creature broke free, fleeing to the demon realm where it started it's next rampage, tearing through creatures to get to the royal family.
"You must defeat him" belledante's voice echoed
Mila woke up dripping with sweat and shaking.
Her wounds hurt. They were struggling to heal properly without any real rest. Her head felt like it would split open at any moment. The battle between light and dark inside her was making everything worse. She had to fix it. She went outside to find Nero.
It was dark out and Nero was asleep. She woke him and he sat up, startled.
"How do I fix it? The dark magic is tearing me apart. How do I get rid of it?" Her breathing was ragged.
"I... I don't know. I have never seen an exchange of magic like that. The amount of black magic should have killed you long ago, I don't even know how you are alive..."
Mila growled. "So how did you control the darkness when you first got infected?"
"It was a slow infection... I just got used to it. It bled into my magic and formed a bond with it naturally. "
Mila got up too quicky and crumbled under the pain. Her chest was burning and she was losing herself.
"I will go call Seth, maybe he can absorb some..."
Mila grabbed Nero's arm as he tried to leave, cutting him off.
"No. Not him. I will figure it out."
He sighed. "You might die. If only you would accept a little help from..."
"NO! I don't want to be near him!"
Nero looked shocked at her sudden outburst, but sat down and tried to heal what he could.

Mila limped back to her room and tried to sleep again.

When Mila didn’t respond, Seth turned away and left.
He felt alone without her company, they had been deeply connected through their magic and he could feel her pulling away from him day by day.

Over the course of the next few days, he distanced himself physically. He tried to get as far away from the cottage as possible, making sure to focus only on his training. He felt more control over his power forming, and when he did slip up and lash out at Nero - he was able to bring himself back from the darkness within seconds. His swordplay and fitness also improved, Things were getting better, everything except for his bond with Mila.

One day Seth woke up in a sweat, He felt as though he were suffocating. Mila was pulling hard against the power of leash, trying to break it from herside. Things were getting to the point, where the harder she pulled on the leashed, the worst it hurt them both. Growing tired of her behaviour, he made his way back to cottage and knocked on her door once again.
“Mila, I know what you’re doing…Open the door and speak to me?”
As expected, she ignored him, but this time Seth would not let her run. He reached out to her through the leash, his mind connecting with hers.
Why do you keep avoiding me? There isn’t any point in running away… We are bound together Mila. You agreed to that with your guild master, remember?
A surge of magic suddenly blocked him from her. Scowling angrily, he growled, “You’re not going to block me out again!”
Taking in a deep breath, he shifted into a dark wisp-like form. Creeping into her room through the cracks of the doorway, he materialized before her.
“Stop Running away and just speak to me!”

Mila went cold at the sight of Seth. She encased him in light to block any magic from him.
She shied away as far as she could.
"I don't want to talk to you can't you just understand that?! I have nightmares about you!"