The Demon’s Bride

Elise was the one who had called the shadows to appear but her expression couldn't voice more volume of how surprise she was to see the shadowy hands that crawled out from beneath her feet. The shadows weren't flat on the ground they had volume that was tangible and as sharp as true blade.

It was this simple? wondered Elise to herself. 

It was since she heads Carmen's words that she wondered if actually the shadows that had been creating mischief by bringing the items she had stored nicely to fall down was actually with her now. Ian told her during the time she had tested of which power that might worked with her to be shadows, adding the two things together, she became more certain.

Her hypothesis was supported by the few instances that she found was strange. During the time the ghouls in the loop forest attacked her, she thought it was the souls' consciousness that put a stop to the ghoul but she realized that ghouls do not have any consciousness. It was  proven now during the time where the blade that almost killed her suddenly fell on the ground.

The dark sorcerer look afraid to her but not because she had turned the blade into ashes, but because suddenly the dagger fel- no it was stopped by her, by them.

"You can speak, can't you?" asked Elise to the pool of shadow beneath her, and from the full circle, a small bloop started to appeared and it turned into a small being, a shadow of a chick form. As if not to scare her, the shadow decided to take form of the cutest thing in the mortal world that Elise wouldn't be surprised to see.

"We... can," answered the shadow speaking by moving the beak and the dog beside her shrieks upon seeing the scene.

"It is using my body!!" yelled Hallow and he hid behind Elise in fear.

"Don't worry, they are not dangerous," answered Elise and she looked at the shadow chick, "You are not, are you?"

"Needlessly to say.... w... we are your loyal subordinates, milady," the shadow answered, his voice was strange as it was layered with another voices after he spoke in deadly whispers similar to a ghost's voice but more sheepish and breeze-like.

"That's the least of my problem!!" Hallow panicked, still not liking what he saw, "He is using my immaculate adorable body as his sample to steal! Is he going to take my place? And he is loyal, damn it! Why do everyone want to steal my position?!"

Elise shook her head, pushing Hallow aside, she sensed someone coming on their way and her eyes widened. The shadow beside her that had crawled out as a hand look at Hallow before taking his form into a black hound larger than him and prowled over the Relic, biting them by their neck.

"And now... it is this form of mine that he stole," Hallow said with a weak voice. "Oh mother of Hell, is this your punishment to me for being too adorable? Is this a test?"

The Relics couldn't come any centimeters away toward Elise, pushed back from their place as gradually the shadows spilled on the green field, ready to attack at any moment. Some who tried with their life on stake to fight the shadows were either stabbed to death with one movement to their neck or bitten to death by the shadows that chose to take form of a black hound.

"Can you bring them all down?" Elise asked and somewhere she saw the chick shadow pulled a wily smile.

"We will be using your power, milady. Please be careful of overusing your power," the shadow reminded and when it body bowed, screams overfilled the silent part of the village's forest.

The trees and ground was filled with blood following the screams. Elise looked around the body, finding how the Relics could barely raise their finger during the time the shadows faced her and only then did she realized of how strong her power was. The shadows, thought Elise and she doubted this was her only power. In her blood, she could feel more ability that she doesn't know it exist yet.

"Thank you," Elise made sure to thank the shadows.

"My honor, milady," the shadow answered, and the remaining shadows that were outside the shadow pool were pulled back in an instance.

When it trawled completely, leaving only the shadow chick outside the shadow pool, Elise's head turned dizzy and her body loses balance. She felt her body sway and Hallow was quick to use his body as help.

"You okay, Elly?" questioned Hallow and smile appeared on his lips which he use to taunt the shadow chick, "Look, black blop. You should have used less of her power! What will you do if Elly fall, huh?"

"If we doesn't use that much power, we won't be able to help the lady with her enemy," answered the shadow chick, his chin tipping, "As someone who wasn't able to provide any help, I suggest you to reflect on your weakness, reaper."

Hallow's jaw turn slack over his retort being rebuked by the shadow chick.

"I am fine," answered Elise after pressing her forehead, "Just a little woozy." Elise decided to quicken her steps as the fence was near. She wasn't sure if she would be able to break the barrier but it was worth another try. Her steps were stopped when a loud scream echoed near her ears.

Elise's eyes widened, she turned her body toward the scream, "Help! Help!!!" It was a woman's voice but the candidates in the village were only men except for her. Was there a villager taken here?

Elise followed the voice and the shadow chick with Hallow exchanged glances before they followed her. Going near the source of the voice, Elise was more shocked to see the woman who was on the ground. Her shoulders were shaking. This person was someone she knew with brown hair and expensive clothes.

"Lady Ellen," Elise called the woman's name as her brows looped to a frown, "Why are you here?" she offered the woman a hand to help her stand. Lady Ellen Dunn was no where near polite with her, but Elise was brought up in a kind family who told her kindness are better than hatred and that she shouldn't turn a blind eye to the people who needed help.

Lady Ellen raised her face just slightly with her neck still bent down, "I-I was kidnapped here."

"Who kidnapped you?" Elise carefully questioned.

"I don't know. They were wearing hoods and they look large with golden eyes," answered the lady, her body trembling to Elise's sight.

"Are you wounded?" She then asked the woman while finding the answer on the woman's body, finding that her clothes weren't dirtied but on her back was a large death shadow with a thicker color. She was going to die, thought Elise. "I am in a hurry, Lady Ellen. If you can stand up please follow me."

Ellen slowly lifted her chin and Elise looked back at the woman's eyes that were free from tears even though she appeared like she had been crying.

"I wouldn't want to take your hand, slave," the woman clicked her tongue and Elise noticed that she was looking at behind her.

Turning her face, Elise saw it was a dark sorcerer who tried to kill her by launching an arrow. Elise raised her hand but all of a sudden, she felt her world whirled across her eyes. When she had realized it, she found herself on the ground, blood spilled all over the green grasses. 

She had overused her power? This quickly?

Elise didn't had a chance to think as a tingling pain ache her bone. She felt as if something in her body was moving, her head burning and more blood was spewed from her mouth.

"Did you do anything?!" asked the dark sorcerer who stood not too far from her.

"We did not, Sir Reinhard!" answered the other dark sorcerer who was also confused with how sudden the girl fell on the floor when they had just witness her power earlier.

"Then what is this?!" demanded Reinhard. His focus was torn on the Demon's bride and her sudden illness when a striking chill ran down his spine. It wasn't only him who felt the chill but also the people around him.

Someone from their group then uttered a sentence similar to the start of a nightmare, "The barrier was broken sir... from outside."