Chapter 2: The Queen of Darkness
Keal groaned as he pushed himself off the wall, his body aching from the blow. He coughed, wiping the dust from his lips with a shaky hand. His eyes lifted slowly, and standing just a few feet away was Mark and his gang again, all of them looking too pleased to see him in pain.
Mark stepped forward, cracking his knuckles. "You really don't know when to stay down, do you, Keal?"
Keal wiped blood from the corner of his mouth, breathing heavy. "You think you're tough? Ganging up on someone who doesn't fight back? Real brave."
The gang snickered behind Mark. One of them leaned in close and mocked, "Guess no one told you not to talk back to a prince."
Mark smirked and slammed Keal back against the wall. "Since we're all out here alone," he said, voice low and taunting, "no one's gonna come save you. Not your demon mommy, not your missing powers, no one."
Keal clenched his fists and tried to push him off, but Mark was stronger. Much stronger. It was like trying to move a tree with bare hands.
Just then, a sudden gust of air swept through the courtyard. One of Mark's friends let out a yelp as he was shoved backwards, crashing into the opposite wall. Everyone froze. Heads turned in every direction, trying to find what had just happened, but there was no one there. Only shadows.
Mark's smirk dropped instantly. He loosened his grip on Keal and turned around, anger flashing in his eyes. "Who the hell did that?"
No one answered.
Without warning, Mark was thrown back, slamming onto the stone ground with a grunt. The others backed away, wide-eyed.
Keal slowly stood up, wincing, and glanced around. A strange presence was now in the air, like something old, something that didn't belong in the school courtyard. He tightened his grip on the handle of the sword strapped at his side and held it out in front of him. "Who's there? Show yourself."
From the edge of the shadows, a figure walked forward. Her heels tapped against the ground with a calm, elegant rhythm. She was tall, with long, sleek hair and eyes that glowed faintly red under the moonlight. Her smile was too calm.
"I'm Lilith," she said with a slight bow. "Queen of Darkness, ruler of Fear, and mistress of the Night. I've been sent by the Demon King himself. But it seems," she tilted her head and looked at Keal, "I won't have to search very far. I've already found what I came for."
Keal's breath caught in his throat. He gripped his sword tighter. "What are you talking about?"
Before Lilith could reply, Mark stumbled to his feet. His eyes narrowed, his pride clearly wounded. "I don't care who you say you are. No one attacks me and walks away. I'm the son of the Vampire King. And you're gonna pay for laying a hand on my people."
He shot a look at one of his guys, who understood the silent order. The boy rushed forward, fists clenched, charging straight at Lilith.
She didn't move.
In the blink of an eye, the charging boy was caught mid-air. Lilith had her fingers wrapped around his throat like it was nothing. The gang stared in horror as the boy gasped for breath, his eyes going dark. His skin began to blacken, veins turning pitch black.
Keal froze. He had never seen anything like it.
Then, with a flick of her hand, Lilith dropped the lifeless body to the ground.
Mark stepped back, shock and fury warring on his face. "What did you do…?"
Just then, the main doors to the school burst open. A boy appeared, bow already drawn. Without hesitation, he fired. The arrow sliced through the air straight at Lilith, but she shifted slightly and the arrow missed her heart by inches.
More students began rushing out behind him.
Lilith's eyes darkened. She wasn't smiling anymore. She raised her hand, ready to strike back.
Keal didn't think. His body moved before his brain caught up. He charged forward, shouting, and drove his sword right into her side.
Everything went still.
Lilith let out a breathless hiss and turned to look at him, her expression unreadable. Then, with a growl, she backhanded Keal hard, sending him crashing to the ground.
Pain exploded across his face, and the world spun for a second.
She stared down at the blade lodged in her body. Gripping the handle, she slowly pulled it out. Her blood wasn't red — it shimmered black, like smoke and shadow.
She looked around at the gathering crowd of students, teachers among them now. Her eyes flicked back to Keal.
"You're more interesting than I thought," she said quietly. "But this isn't the end. I'll be back for you."
Right as Linda raised her hand and began chanting a spell, Lilith vanished — her body dissolving into thick black smoke.
Keal sat on the bench near the school garden, still catching his breath. His hand rested on the side of his face where Lilith had struck him. It throbbed dully, but his mind was too busy replaying everything to focus on the pain.
Who was she? What did she mean about the Demon King wanting something — something she had found in him?
He didn't understand any of it.
He closed his eyes, trying to make sense of what just happened. Was he the thing she came for? What did she mean about him being 'precious' to the Demon King?
"Mind if I sit?"
Keal opened his eyes and turned his head slowly. Linda stood there, her hands folded in front of her. She gave him a soft smile.
He nodded, trying to force a smile back. "Sure."
She sat beside him, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. "You holding up okay?"
Keal let out a dry laugh. "Honestly? I'm not sure. I just got slapped by a demon queen and stabbed her with my sword. And she said she's coming back."
Linda chuckled. "Yeah, that was… a lot."
There was a pause between them, not awkward, just quiet.
Keal stared out at the courtyard. "Do you think she was serious? About coming back?"
Linda leaned back against the bench. "Demons don't bluff. If she said she'll return, she will."
Keal sighed. "Great. Something to look forward to."
She smiled, watching him. "Hey, look, you don't have to deal with this alone, okay? You've got people now."
Keal glanced at her. "People? You mean you?"
"Yeah," she said, standing up and holding out her hand. "Me. And I'm not letting you sulk out here all night. It's still my birthday, remember? Come meet my friends."
He hesitated, then looked at her hand. Her expression was warm, patient.
Eventually, he reached out and took it.
Linda grinned. "There you go. Try to act like you're not half-dead, alright?"
Keal laughed weakly. "No promises."
They walked side by side back into the school, heading toward the main hall where the birthday celebration was just beginning.