Hell’s Consort

No sound came out from the mouths of the possessed faeries when the sword of Hellfire burned the evil spirits from the inside out.

It was rather a silent scream from their parted lips but the manifestation of their torment sent signals straight into her brain—a roaring sound, getting louder and louder--before the parasitic demons find another host to live in.

She straightened as she glanced around at her surroundings, evaluating the battle.

Oh, goddess!

They have a lot of demons to slay when they weren't supposed to be in this Realm.

If she continued to fight the possessed faeries—killing them with Hellfire—these demons will gain victory, nonetheless, because these parasites would jump from host to host until no creature was left.

Luna noticed the smoke of the bonfire raised far behind Prince Aelfric's back, the ashes similar to the colour of his hair floating into the ethers.

The wildfire turned the dark sky like it was sunset all over again, its fiery orange flames devouring the massive gold and ivory statues of the King and Queen of the Spring Courts when it finally had a taste of the tall Doric columns at each corner of the docks as it crumbled down in the chaos.

The massive blaze which all of the faeries danced around during the joyous ceremony had turned into a monster, licking everything it reached ablaze.

Perhaps, Prince Aelfric was right.

Apollyon vanished to deal with the alarming wildfire.

It was getting out of hand. Luna didn't think that her husband had abandoned her when things got tough.

The rest of the spring faeries who have pure souls should be prioritized.

Her lips curved upward not because her Archdemon side marvelled in ruins, but she loved that Apollyon understood that she was capable of protecting herself.

People ran around to escape the debris from the Spring King and Queen's golden statue and the rest of the structures made for the celebration falling over their heads.

Everyone was anxious to get away from the docks.

The spring faeries were also afraid to risk flying because they might be caught by the demons and possessed their bodies, decreasing their chances of making it out alive.

Luna guessed the black night wasn't so dark from the shadow demons anymore because of the roaring red wildfire spreading through the wooden docks—even turning the sky into an ominous blue-green and purple as the dark fog covered the full moon's gleam.

Like Luna, Apollyon also held a heavy sword of his own.

As she looked around in a three-sixty-degree turn, Luna finally caught a glimpse of her husband as he stood in the middle of the battle between the possessed spring faeries and the pure ones, facing the river in a calm observation.

Her husband reacted fast.

It was a good idea to focus on putting out the fire first, for the enormous bonfire had escalated into a firestorm with every blow of the strong winds.

Did her husband realize that it was useless to kill the tainted spring faeries since the demons would jump from one creature to another, controlling them like they mere puppets, and they were the ones who manipulate the strings—their bodies and their movements?

It was time to stop the fire, especially if the rainstorm the Spring Monarchs had brought forth wasn't effective.

Like Apollyon, King Nuada had also figured out early that the fire was a serious disadvantage in this battle, crippling their chances of survival?

Apollyon stretched his sword in front of him at chest level before he slowly raised them upwards.

A large air basin carrying hogsheads of water as it sloshed in its invisible container that he almost emerged, almost consuming the entirety of the river water.

As he carefully brought the tip of his sword heavenwards, the mammoth-sized basin containing the river water followed suit, hovering above their heads.

Apollyon abruptly lowered his sword, and the aerial basin broke, releasing all of its contents, as the liquid dripping down like fat raindrops which were stronger compared to what King Nuada had created. It was like a firestorm in the middle of a rainstorm.

The Spring King had summoned a typhoon which blew gusts of wind rather than the water they needed.

Some of the flames had turned to smoke as the heavy rain successfully extinguished the flames as it aided King Nuada's rainstorms.

Ostara, which should be a joyous celebration of the First Day of Spring— had ended up in bloodshed for all the other courts to witness.

Luna was afraid that only the strongest—the Spring Monarchs, Apollyon and Luna— will remain.

If these demons were successful in possessing all the bodies of the powerful ones, then not only would every single creature be dead, but the Spring Courts will be annihilated from the map of the Faerie Realm from all the power these Monarchs hold in this last battle.

Everyone was a mere puppet in the end—an empty shell with no thoughts and feelings for this unknown demonic Legion to play with.

Will Luna never know who the Archdemon was—the puppet master who had the brain behind this, controlling this demonic legion? 

Will they be able to possess their bodies and control them as well?

As if sensing that the powerful monarchs had a strategy in mind, the demonic apparition stretched their ghastly arms in unison, effectively covering the moonlight.

In a few seconds, their greyish forms held each other's hands, connecting and stretching into a massive cloak of black fabric as if they were the reincarnation of night itself—the absence of light—as they covered the guests of Ostara in the entirety of the faerie circle.

Luna held her breath as her heartbeat raced, nearly exploding out of her chest.

In her time in Hell, Luna never saw this type of demon that can stretch into anything to this extent. 

She and the rest were trapped into the dome-shaped cage of darkness created by these dangerous demons through their malleable forms.

Gritting her teeth, she squinted as she looked for Apollyon.

"Apollyon!" Luna called out, and it came out as a husky screech, almost close to tears when her glowing lights wouldn't work in this dark cage.

Apollyon must have tried too because she could sense Apollyon's frustration at the back of her mind.

Their mental link through the blood bond had strengthened, and Luna immediately shut her husband down with barriers so that he wouldn't figure out her secret.

"Luna!" The voice was as faint as if her husband was getting far away from him. 

'I'm sorry for shutting you out, husband.' Luna thought as silent tears streamed down her face.

Luna, despite her vampire's eyes, could not see a thing.

It was as if she had gone blind.

The stampede in front of her increased the distance between her and her husband.

Stumbling in her steps, Luna almost got thrown to the side as bodies bumped against her shoulders, shoving her with their outstretched arms.

A burly faerie—which could have been a muscular sentinel—almost slammed her to the ground.

The piercing screams behind her drowned out her voice as she called out for her husband.

"Apollyon!" Feeling claustrophobic in this small dark space of the legion's trap, Luna wrapped her arms around her stomach in a protective gesture if someone accidentally hurt her precious baby. "Where are you?"