Disclaimer: 14th verse, same as the first!

Chapter Fourteen: Unraveling Strings

"It appears we have a demon in the house."

Maybe it was Ruwalk's imagination but the atmosphere of the palace just got a little creepier.

"A...demon?" Nick asked. "W-where?" Her voice trembled. The drop of blood on her cheek was followed by another and another from an unseen wound on her face. She wiped them away, as if now just seeing them for the first time. "What-?"

Lidan looked at Nick with concern. 'Are you hurt, Child!' he asked confused. He licked at the blood, only to show disgust. 'This is not your blood.'

Lykouleon looked from the dragon to the girl holding it and back. The two of them seemed just as confused as he and Ruwalk were. Maybe the situation wasn't as bad as it appeared.

"Demons! Demons in the castle!"

The cry was repeated, getting louder and fading away along with the footsteps that carried it.

Maybe the situation was bad after all.

Nick turned back to the window, looking down on the backside of the palace and the gardens crawling with dark forces. This...This was too much. Where had they come from? Whatever they were, they were ugly and scary and suddenly she could feel her legs tremble. Deep inside, she knew who and what they were. She knew they were demons, sent from the Demon Lord to destroy all Dragons. She knew they were vicious and bloodthirsty. Deep down, past the forgotten memories and unhealed scars, she knew that she was one of them.

"Boo."

She felt her knees buckle as Rath swung in from the window and grip her around the neck.

"You little Nadil-wanabee, where the h--- did you get all these demons from?"

Nick's mouth felt full of sand and she was too scared to respond. Rath's eyes weren't at all how she had seen them before, just hours before in fact. They had been warm, inviting...beautiful. Now they were cold and... Demonic.

"Rath," Lykouleon said trying to calm the knight, "put her down, we need to get to the bottom of this."

But Rath didn't put her down. "It's Nadil, Highness," he said, putting special emphasis on the last word. "This is her, she's been making Cesia sick, and she's why the demons are in the castle. This stupid girl is that son of a b---- Nadil and the only way to stop a demon is to-" He sucked in a breath as his blood dripped to the floor. He saw that the black dragon had his slimy teeth sunk right into Rath arm, soaking it with blood.

'Let her be, demon.'

Rath narrowed his eyes. "Piss off," he said hitting the dragon with his other hand.

"Rath!"

The Fire Knight glanced over to see Cesia, weakly leaning against the wall for support. "The…Demon Lord!" She was breathing hard and drenched in sweat. Ruwalk was quickly at her side to help her. "He's…Right outside!"

Rath took one last look at the girl, growing increasingly pathetic as her air supply ran out, before dropping her to the floor and making his way down the hall with his sword drawn.

Lidan was instantly at Nick's side. 'He's here, Child. We must run again.'

Nick looked up at the dragon through blurry eyes. "Why, Lidan?" she asked. "Again?"

Lykouleon was at a momentary loss at what to do. He had to go fight off Nadil from the castle ending their war finally. But, seeing Nick laying crumpled on the floor, her hair now turning black at the ends stopped him. She was the key in all this. It was all happening because of this silly little girl.

Why?

"My Lord! Your assistance is required admittedly!"

He did not turn to see who it was. He knew what was happening. Beneath and around him the sounds of battle echoed through the castle walls. Screams, explosions, and the familiar sound of metal against metal lingered a second longer each time it repeated. He knew how many men he was losing, how many he had lost. The question now was whether he could do anything to stop it. And glancing upon the girl, he believed he just might.

'We haven't time, Child, come! Now!'

Nick had never seen Lidan so worried. "What's happening Lidan? Why is it repeating itself?"

'I will tell you later.'

"You will tell me now." Nick made an effort to look like she meant it. She was no longer under the spell that Lidan cast during healing sessions. She was breaking free of his influence. She could feel her bruises once more.

Lidan looked…was it surprised? Then angry.

'You and I are one and the same yet I am charged with taking care of you. We are alive because of me. Do not question me Child, I won't lead you astray.'

There was once a time when she would have nodded and let him take over. She wanted to let him take care of her. Those beautiful, purple eyes had never once let her down, only made her want more. Lidan was her God. But he had never once answered her questions. Had never once let her learn on her own. After escaping from that dungeon, and she remembered quite clearly now, he had dictated their actions. The city, killing Krakken, staying at this castle; all were his decisions. If it wasn't a Demon Lord, it was a demon dragon ruling her life.

"One and the same?" Anger boiled inside her, heating her words. "One and the same! Then tell me, my counterpart, my brother, just who the h--- are we!"

Lidan eyes held no emotion. 'We are part of the Demon Lord. And he wants us back.'

To be Continued...

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