The two of them walked out of the forest, Valroth keeping his gaze fixed on the stars above. Every so often, he would adjust their course or lift Aeris into the air, carrying her over obstacles before landing once more. Silence clung to them like the thick veil of night, unbroken and absolute, until Valroth came to a halt before a stone engraved with the image of twin wings.
"We shouldn't be here," Valroth murmured with a sigh. "It would be best to go around." With that, he turned away, prepared to change their path.
But a voice called out from behind him.
"Master, you've come all this way and won't even say hello? I've missed you."
Aeris turned toward the speaker and saw a woman emerge from the shadows of the trees. Her long hair, a deep shade of green, cascaded down her back, framing delicate yet sharp features. She moved with the slow, deliberate grace of a serpent, her every step an invitation and a threat. Behind her stood two men. One was tall and broad, his horns curling skyward, his leathery wings flexing behind him. Beneath his skin, fire pulsed like a living thing—an unmistakable mark of an Asmodeus. The other man, though just as powerfully built, bore no visible signs of inhuman lineage, appearing to be nothing more than an ordinary human.
"Morvena." Valroth hadn't even fully turned before he spoke her name.
"Master." Morvena sauntered forward, closing the distance between them before lowering herself onto her knees at his feet. Her fingers traced up his legs, lingering at his thighs before stilling.
Aeris watched in silence, though deep inside her, an unfamiliar fire began to smolder.
"It has been a long time, Morvena." Valroth reached out, lifting her chin with his fingers. His thumb grazed her cheek, drawing out an even more delighted smile. It was then that Aeris noticed the dark mark encircling Morvena's wrist—a symbol resembling a pair of wings, stark against her pale skin.
Morvena rose gracefully, her fingers trailing up from Valroth's throat to his jaw, over his cheek, and into the strands of his dark hair just behind his left ear. With the slightest pull, she brought him forward, her lips meeting his in a deep kiss.
They kissed as though no one else existed—as though they were lovers reuniting after an eternity apart.
Then, without warning, a dagger plunged into Valroth's chest.
Aeris was already moving before the blade had even fully sunk in, her spear raised to strike Morvena down. But before she could land the blow, a fireball tore through the air, forcing her to halt her attack. It had come from Morvena's Asmodeus. The other man charged at her, fist swinging, but Aeris pivoted, dodging smoothly before once again turning her weapon toward Morvena.
"Stay still."
The command rang out in unison from both Valroth and Morvena.
Aeris froze mid-motion, as did the two men. It was as if an invisible blade had sliced through time itself, leaving them locked in place. They could only watch as Valroth, unfazed, glanced down at the dagger embedded in his chest. And then, just as calmly, he leaned in to kiss Morvena again.
His lips pressed to hers, and Morvena melted into his arms, her fingers threading through his hair. She kissed him hungrily, passionately, her violet eyes locked onto his as though searching for something within them. Then, with a slow, deliberate motion, she placed her palm against his chest and pushed him away.
Blood smeared her fingers. She brought them to her face, dragging the crimson across her cheek with a crazed glint in her eyes.
With a flick of her wrist, she uncoiled a long whip from her waist and lashed it toward Valroth. The crack of leather against skin split the silence, and his shirt tore open, exposing raw, bleeding flesh beneath.
Aeris barely had time to react before she found herself stepping between them, taking the next strike meant for Valroth. Pain seared across her back, but she stood firm, spear in hand.
"It seems your new pet still needs training," Morvena chuckled, coiling her whip once more. "She isn't nearly as obedient as I once was, wouldn't you say, Master?"
"I said, stay still." Valroth's voice was ice, sending a shiver through Aeris's spine. "Now, move. "Under his piercing gaze, she slowly stepped back behind him.
With a fluid motion, Valroth reached down, pulling the dagger from his chest. Before their eyes, the wound closed rapidly, the torn flesh knitting itself back together until there was no trace of injury. Even the whip's cruel mark faded away as if it had never existed.
"You're looking for the human, aren't you?" Morvena's tone remained sultry, but her eyes darkened. "You still want The Book."
Valroth didn't answer. He merely watched, waiting.
Morvena continued, "That human does know something—but not because he's special. The truth is, there's a traitor in The Upperworld. That's why The War began. You know this, don't you?"
"The Upperworld?" Valroth's skepticism was evident.
"The Upperworld created this world. Created The Book. Created us." Morvena lifted her chin, her green hair spilling over her shoulders. A flicker of something—resentment, perhaps—shone in her violet eyes. "And all of it was for one purpose: to imprison humanity. They are prisoners, and we—" she gestured between herself and Valroth "—were created to be their jailers."
This world was filled with countless races. Valroth was an Asmodeus, a monster capable of bending hearts and minds. Morvena was an Erinys, an enforcer of punishment. The spear Aeris held had once belonged to a Virtutes, one of the strongest warriors in existence. Every race had its own innate abilities. But among them, one race was born fragile, weak—humans. For centuries, they had been oppressed by all others, until they struck a deal with The Underworld, trading human sacrifices in exchange for the creation of the Dead Warriors. With their undead soldiers, they fought back, determined to claim dominance over the land.
"But it's not that simple," Morvena continued, shaking a single finger as if chiding him. "That human learned the truth—not on his own, but because someone in The Upperworld told him. That's why humanity sounded the drums of war."
She took a step closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "We once heard a rumor on the battlefield. A man died—and came back. He claimed to have seen The Book… no, the entrance to it. He saw his entire life replay before him, from his first breath to his final moment. But when he reached out to open the door… he lost all memory of it. Shortly after, he died again."
She paused, letting the weight of her words sink in. "There were others before him. The same pattern—seeing The Book in moments of near-death. That's why those seeking it keep pushing themselves to the brink. That's why you did what you did to us." Her gaze flickered to Aeris.
Valroth stepped between them, shielding Aeris from view.
Morvena smiled, pressing a final kiss to his lips before whispering against them, "Only an Annunaki can enter The Book."
Valroth's expression hardened.
Morvena let out a wild laugh, throwing her head back before leveling a cold gaze at him. "Lucifer forced the truth from that human's lips. That's why you've failed, Val. That's why, no matter how hard you try… you will never succeed."
Valroth exhaled slowly, his expression unreadable. In a blur, his sword struck, piercing through the Asmodeus at Morvena's side. As his blade withdrew, he turned to her one last time.
"An Asmodeus is not a pet," he murmured. "Neither were you."