Death

Death, destruction and ruin were the very first impressions that Emilia's mind registered as she watched the landscape pass beside her on top of her freshly bought horse, her eyes a steely, yellowish green as she watched her home desecrated in front of her eyes.

The landscape was dotted with burnt patches where huts and houses once had lain peacefully, now gone or in ruins as the aftermath of the demons wrecking havoc on the Isle once more.

The scent of rot hung thickly in the air when she passed a still-burning hut, and Emilia gagged when she saw the body of a young man, a lad barely out of his innocent childhood, hang from one of the crushed window-frames.

'You did this…' she wailed inwardly as she clutched the reins in her hands even tighter, and ducked her head from the shame that rolled over her.

This had happened because of her!

This had happened because she had been too late!

This had happened because Emilia was too weak!

She was so weak that not even Satan Jacob himself had wanted to stain his clawed fingers with her blood, and it absolutely disgusted her.

Not even Satan wanted to spend his time on her.

…

…

Chapter 37: Rot

…

…

Roots and branches groaned all throughout the forest that covered most of the area between the shore and the center on the Central Isle.

Their source of life and magic was disappearing; it was leaving behind empty, lifeless husks of growths as the source of their power slowly disappeared from their physical bodies.

The wind howled as it snuck between, under, above the branches and withering crowns of trees, letting the Isle know what was going on and what was to come if a new Fairy Queen was not selected in time…

oOo

The landscape around his tree was eerily silent

"It's been a while," Lucifer said as he lazily swung his legs back and forth, his eyes glued on the small, cloaked person standing on the ground.

"I suppose," a soft, feminine, voice spoke as the hood shifted just the tiniest bit to look up at the Fallen Angel.

"Got anything new to tell?"

"Lady Emilia Justina, the Hero of Ente Isla has arrived here. You as well as I know that should she get her hands on you all of this will be for nothing. Your chance for going back there will be gone as well."

"So?" Lucifer grinned as he glanced down at the cloaked woman, "I'll simply do what I do best and raze her village… again."

"This time may turn out very different, Morningstar," the woman snapped curtly, causing the childish demon to sit up a little straighter.

"You're mean today…"

"And you need to take this serious! If it should come out that members of the—!"

"I don't think you understand what I meant, girl," Lucifer said softly as he dropped from the tree, cutting off the woman when he landed barely an inch away from her, "I said that will do what I do best. Nothing more and nothing less, simply what is needed for the… Hero to get what she wants and take off once more."

"You are such a fool if you think that taking on the Hero of Ente Isla will be easy!" the woman spat in disgust as she stepped away from Lucifer.

"What's there to worry about?" Lucifer drawled as he stretched his arms far above his head, "We're talking about the darling of the Holy Church here; she knows how to kill demons, not trick them into traps."

"Be as that may you would still do well to be prepared whenever it is that she arrives. Scouts of mine whisper that she was seen on the West Road about three days ago. She will be here within a day at most."

"Right, right," Lucifer groaned and turned his back on the woman, instead lashing out with his wings and quickly rising up towards the perch he had been resting on before the interruption.

"Be serious!"

Lucifer smirked, "Oh believe me when I say that I know what I am getting into… the question is if you know, Crestia Bell."

The cloaked woman froze where she stood, her knuckles tightening as they clutched the front of her cape viciously.

"We are done here, Morningstar!" Crestia hissed as her ice blue eyes peeked out from below the edge of her cloak, whirling around a moment after she had spoken those words to leave with as much of her dignity intact as possible.

"You're a fool," Lucifer muttered as he looked at the diminishing figure of his contact to the Holy Church, "You're a fool if you believe that I will let any of you live once this is over and done with…"

oOo

"You cannot be serious!"

Alciel's eyebrow twitched as his eyes followed the small, floating creature in front of him, calming his mind despite the nonstop chittering and chattering that the Fairy in front of him was spewing.

"I am quite serious, Keeper of Seeds," the blonde demon spoke as he handed a sheet of parchment over to the furious, magical creature hovering in front of him, "You will need to find this new Fairy Queen within a fortnight. The Demon Overlord will wait no longer!"

"That's impossible!" the Fairy screeched, his small hands clenching and unclenching as he buzzed around Alciel's head, "We don't just need any Fairy to fill the role of our Queen and Protector! We need one with a large amount of Wild Magic in their blood; if that were not there then it would be useless to try finding a new ruler! If the new Queen cannot control the Forest, then how will the Forest protect you?!"

"This is not something that is up to discussion, Fairy," Alciel spat as he batted the annoying creature away from his face, "You will have the result within a fortnight, or else!"

"Or else what exactly?" the Fairy shot back, "You demons need us to make sure that the humans won't get through the Forest unharmed. I'd say that right now you're the one who's losing ground."

"Silence!"

"Why should I?" the Fairy sneered back, his small hands put on his hips as an ugly smile spread on his lips, "If we wanted to, if I wanted to, all that was needed would be an offhanded comment about the demons here on the Central Isle. Then you wouldn't be able to do anything!"

"You wouldn't dare," Alciel snarled as Demonic Energy curled up around his clawed hands, slowly advancing towards the still smirking Fairy as his lips slowly slid upwards to show off his fangs.

"I can and I would if it means that the forest will be put at stake, demon," the Fairy snapped at the advancing demon, "If we lose our home you demons will lose yours. We are, regrettably, in this together, and whether we like it or not we have to work as one. The forest will not heal or grow properly without a Fairy Queen."

Alciel scowled at the small Fairy, his teeth grinding against each other as he whirled around and stalked towards the forest path he had taken to reach the Fairy Realm.

"You will hear from us!" he roared as he disappeared into the wilderness, "Lord Satan will not be pleased with your answer!"

oOo

Lying in the middle of the room she had been granted by Satan, Noah stared up at the stone ceiling with dull eyes, searching for every crack and crevice there was to find in the impressive masonry above her.

The cracks were small, though there all the same, and strangely enough reminded her of the roots she had seen old, gnarly trees sport.

Trees…

Plants…

It had been so long since she had seen something green, something with life emanating from it, and not something that constantly reeked of deception, dread and despair.

Just how long would she be kept in here…?

Come now, people? No one has a guess for what Noah (and her father) is? Eh, review and give me your thoughts on the chapter, please?