Inner Demons: part 1
As the sun rose, her sword gleamed brightly in its yellow rays. The gleam shone onto the darkened forest underneath the shade of the trees, revealing tons of wildlife from deer to squirrels. The grass was the greenest it had been in years, the summertime lighting up the dead winter look that spring didn't fully wake up. The tree leaves and branches blew in the gentle, warm breeze.
Her forehead beaded up with sweat as she continued to train herself. She knew that no matter how many times she was told otherwise, the Elves would someday attack, if they weren't attacked first. Someday there would be a battle between the two species, and hers would win. There were too many of them.
The Gravarians were known for their physical strength and endurance to painful situations. They were able to control the gravity of everything. They were the masters of the element, and a select few were able to carry more than just the one element, such as herself. The only ones that were able to carry the extra elemental weight were her father and herself.
She sighed and blew her bubblegum pink hair out of her face, the slight waves hanging over her shoulders, resting just at her breasts. She took a deep breath, wiping the sweat off her forehead, and sat down on the grass. The dew felt nice on her overheated body, the cool moisture soaking into her short, black skirt.
She laid herself down on her back, letting the dew soak into the back of her black half-vest and the white bandages she used as an undershirt. Her medium length red cape rested to the right of her across the grass.
Her ice blue eyes scanned the sky above the cover of the tall trees, the blue of it causing her to feel a small shred of happiness. It was rare for her to ever feel happy enough to smile. Her race was all about pride and fighting. They were supposed to be evil, descendants of the god of death, while Elves were the descendants of the goddess of purity and good. She felt left out with the thoughts she had in her head. So she put on the serious mask, shutting out every other emotion so that the confusion didn't set in. She followed orders, and it kept her in control of her thoughts long enough to get her through the day. At night, she'd walk around the forest and do her thinking. It was the daily routine she went through every 24 hours.
The smile faded when she realized it was the time that she actually kind of dreaded, but was too proud to admit. She closed her eyes, letting her mind shut off the emotional process she felt. She let her hope, happiness, and kindness disappear, leaving only the serious, proud side of her open. She let out the deep breath she'd taken earlier and relaxed.
"Raiku!!!"
Her eyes shot open angrily at the loud, obnoxious squeal of her name. She sat up and looked over, her eyes narrowed and her mouth set into an intimidating scowl. She wasn't the least bit surprised to see her little brother, Elkade, strolling toward her.
Elkade was only 8 years old, but already he knew the difference between the Gravarians and the Elves. He knew that the Elves were something that he should kill, and he was already going through the training she had gone through at that age. He was also at the age where he thought he could order her around just because she was a girl. She didn't allow it, and punished him dearly for the thoughts. It never stopped him from coming back and doing it again, however.
His bubblegum hair bounced as he jumped in front of her, his feet glowing with the slight purple membrane that came over when Gravarians used their gravity manipulation. His silver pupils were lined with the same purple glow.
"Dad wants you," he said simply, crossing his arms in a bratty fashion.
Raiku rolled her eyes. "Like I've said before, I don't care," she stated, laying back down against the cool grass.
Elkade sighed. "He says its important, smart ass."
She immediately looked at him. "Like I care? Quit talking to me like that you mini prick." Her soft voice was, as usual, harsh and serious. There was nothing kind about the way she spoke to others.
He rolled his eyes, the same look she always gave him. "Alright, looks like I'll have to get him myself. You know what he's going to do when he gets here, right?"
She growled a little, her ears twitching with irritation. "He'll give me a lecture. The same lecture I've heard for years. Do you really think I'm going to cower to him?"
The little boy smirked. "You will if I tell him you beat me again."
She grabbed him by the hair, pulling him closer to her. She leaned in to his ear. "You tell him that lie, and I'll make it a god damn reality a second later you little filth magnet."
She released him and stared back up at the sky. She heard him whimper a little, but ignored it. He got over it within seconds. Odds were he'd just end up saying some lame comeback that he made up on the spot.
"If you do… I'll just make sure you're kicked out of the village," he threatened.
"Whatever." He was bluffing. His voice was shaky, like it always was with his lies.
She heard his little pitter patters as he ran towards the village again. She closed her eyes again, listening to the sounds of nature around her. She didn't fear her father. He never did anything to harm her. He never beat her, he never made her feel inferior to the other Gravarians, and he understood her the most. She didn't mind if he came over to lecture her. All she had to do was nod and agree and he stopped anyway.
The sunlight flooded into her closed eyelids and she put her hands behind her head as she lay there. She could hear the birds chirping and the animals rustling around in the bushes and trees. She enjoyed the sounds of nature and often let it put her to sleep, however this time it was too early for her to go back to sleep, so she just let herself calm down.
She heard more rustling in the bushes nearby and opened her eyes, looking over. It wasn't the normal sound of an animal. It was something bigger.
Raiku sat up, grabbing her sword. She held her hand out and let her body glow purple. Her eyes changed from ice blue to a bright neon purple and the ground beneath the bushes turned the same color. All gravity in the area disappeared and a young male elf floated helplessly in the air.
She smirked a little and got up, heading over to him. His crimson red eyes had a hint of fear in them, but otherwise he just stared at her ruthlessly. She returned the look of hate.
"What the hell are you doing here, Roi?" she asked, holding her sword, ready to pounce if she had to.
He didn't answer, but kept staring hatefully at her. She frowned and put her sword up to his cheek.
"I asked you a question, dumbass."
"I want to battle you again. And this time, I plan on being the one still standing," he said plainly. She smirked.
"What are your conditions?"
She removed the sword, revealing a tiny slice on his left cheek. He grimaced and held it, removing his hand to reveal the crimson color of his liquids staining his skin. He glared.
"To the death. No rules, no limitations," he said, using his scarf to wipe off the blood.
She smiled a little, feeling her body tense up with the heat of an upcoming battle. Her eyes were filled with hate and sudden satisfaction. Despite her confusion about the whole good/evil situation, she felt the evil in her rise with the intense feeling that she held to this disgustingly prideful Elf. He had no reason to be so proud. He was weak.
"Agreed. When and where?"
He smirked a little. "Meet me in a week, over by the ruins to the north. That way when I beat you, it'll be easier to bury you."
She rolled her eyes. "Fine."
He turned around and started walking in the direction of the Elf village. "Remember. Next week, meet at the ruins."
She frowned, wanting nothing more than to rip his heart out right then and there. But she'd get her chance. She'd have the opportunity soon enough, and she needed to wait until then.
She walked back over to her spot, not surprised to see her father walking towards her at the same moment. She sighed and sat down.
"Of course he ran to you…" Raiku said rudely, her elbows propping her up in the soft meadow. Her father chuckled a little and sat next to her, his bubblegum hair blowing behind him as he did so.
"You know Elkade. He always wants to have it his way. Just play along," he stated, a smile on his face.
Raiku huffed, but didn't argue. That was the way things were around the house, and that's the way things had to be around the house because of her brothers attitude and hatred.
He looked at her, his silver eyes penetrating her own icy blue. He studied her, sending chills up her spine. Her father had the strangest effect on people when he stared. It was the feeling of spirits entering your body or of some sort of electric shockwave being sent through your bones. She didn't like it, and she always got irritated.
"What?" she asked in a rude, bratty manner.
"You don't have to act so tough, my dear," he said. "You're only 18. You shouldn't be acting like the world is at your hands. It's not."
She frowned and stood up. "I know that. I'm not acting tough. I'm just not affected by things like you think I am."
He watched her intensely. "Oh, but I think you are."
She glared at him. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
He smacked her hand and she yelped a little, rubbing the red area. "Don't treat me that way. I'm your father, and I've done nothing that would give you any reason to disrespect me." He stood up too, standing beside her as they watched the sky. "I can tell that you're trying to be mentally stronger than you are. Call it a…. fatherly instinct towards his daughter."
She huffed again. "I'm not trying to be anything. This is just who I am. I'm serious. I'm careful."
"But not careful enough."
She looked at him immediately. "What do you mean?"
"I know you battle that Elf every once in a while." His stare was cold. Much colder than her own.
She looked away from him and back at the sky. "How?"
"I've seen you. I've seen the way you fight him, and I've seen how exhausted you are after a battle. You push yourself too hard."
"I do not." She started back towards the village, trying to end his lecture early.
"Raiku, get back here," he ordered.
She ignored him and kept walking. She heard his footsteps follow her.
"I'm just saying that maybe you should be a little more careful and plan something out. You don't have all the elements he does. He can electrocute you and it'll be over."
She shrugged. "It's to the death, and he said there's no rules and no boundaries, so I can do whatever I want."
She immediately regretted saying that and mentally kicked herself. His eyes narrowed.
"To the death? When was this planned?" he asked, his voice suddenly as chilly as the middle of winter.
She hesitated. "Just before you came up to me."
They were only feet away from the village, and her father grabbed her by the shoulders and held her in place. Her eyes widened for a second, then turned carefree and ruthless again.
"When is it?"
She shrugged, shoving his hands off her shoulders as she walked into the village. Her father sighed and entered the village as well, leaving her to do her own thing.
Raiku headed over to the younger kids in the village that awaited her in the training circle in the center of the village. Fighting was the one thing that got her mind back into the thoughts that her species was supposed to have… the death of other, more pure species…