31

Dove

The stadium lights lit up the arena as though it was daytime. Four of the opposing team had already fallen, referees calling them out. Only one from our team stood on the sidelines, an unforeseen blow from above by an Air fox.

Enko took out the Shadow behind him, driving an elbow into the materializing mist.

"Out!" the ref called.

One left, the Air hovered above the stadium and had been there since the beginning of the game. No wonder he had survived. But he descended as his magic depleted. The Shadow stayed out on the field, moving toward our team.

"OUT!" the ref screamed for a second time.

The Shadow wrapped around Craig, the Water man going pale as Enko and his teammates hurried over.

The inky mist materialized, revealing the blood coating its demonic lips. One of Bael's army. Sigbin, Tier III. A throat-sucking shadow fiend with the very slight resemblance of a terrifying dog. It retreated backwards on all fours, its floppy ears hanging dismally.

No getting back into the Shadow Vale with so many watching and the bright stadium lights.

Enko's sword stabbed the demon, fire consuming it from the inside out. It cried out and whimpered in a way that made my heart pang in sympathy. Until I looked to where Craig's body remained motionless. Drained completely of blood. Dead.

A siren began to wail as the demon burnt to a crisp in the middle of the field. Screams rang out, echoing against the stadium walls. My heart raced as I searched through the chaos for Enko.

"Let's go," Kairos demanded, tightening his hold on my hand and pulling me toward the exit.

"What about Enko?"

Seven grabbed my other hand and pulled me along. "He knows what to do, Fated. And so do we—protect you before you get yourself into any trouble."

They dragged me and I fought every step of the way, growling, "I'm not leaving without Enko."

Seven laughed, jerking his chin up at Kairos. "Our Fated is trying to threaten us. Whatever are we going to do?"

"Maybe she needs to be carried," Kairos threatened underhandedly, but it did encourage me to trot along with them. At least that way I had the appearance of choice.

Students ran all around us, screams hitting the back of my eardrums. Some called out for lost loved ones and friends. Without Kairos and Seven guarding me, I would have been flattened by the stampeding crowd.

We were close to the front due to the swift actions of my Fated mates, but that didn't turn out to be a blessing. Demons trampled into view.

All were Tier IV oni, a range of colors from blue, green, red, and yellow, their mouths wide, slimey drool leaking down their chins as they imagined what we tasted like. The green one had a third-eye, meaning stronger magical abilities, much more than shapeshifting.

Unlike the one we had faced before, these ones weren't being awoken from a deep sleep at dusk. They were ready to fight and fool us.

It was the perfect attack for their kind, causing mass mayhem with minimal risk. They sucked powerful energy from chaos, making them stronger. The plight of screaming students thrummed magic straight into the beasts.

A teal kijo—a female—raised her tusks at me in challenge. "Your pack killed one of ours. He was trying to recover. It's only fair to pay the same price."

I pushed my legs into movement as we continued toward the academy, wrapping around the side of the demons.

An indigo hellfire ball launched past my face. The searing heat burnt my skin and my heart skipped a beat as it remembered the strength of powerful hellfire.

The three-eyed green oni's hand was raised, sucking the chaotic energy from the air. A second blue hellfire orb budded in his palm, blossoming to full size before he lobbed it straight at Seven. The pack of demons gained on us.

"We have to fight," I shouted, regretfully clutching the beautiful dagger from Kairos and drawing the blade. Screaming students scattered in every direction while others drew their weapons. Anyone could be oni, disguised by shapeshifting.

The demons stood between us and the stadium, where Enko was. Was he okay? Did he need us? Seven stalked forward like a general of death before disappearing within the shadows of midnight.

Kairos groaned and pulled out his mace. "Dove, stay behind us. Only use that if you absolutely need to."

A giant figure appeared behind the demons, a blade of fire whipping through the pack. Enko swung his sword around. Two demons charged at him, and he stabbed one in the neck, kicking the other to the ground before slicing through its chest.

Kairos swung his mace, lightning crackling from the metal as it smashed into one of the oni. Kairos threw a demon off him, its teeth barely scraping his skin. Enko charged toward Kairos, helping to fend off the demons.

Cuts and stabs appeared from the invisible Seven, his black blade appearing through a stomach. The three worked together with some kind of extra senses, covering each other's backs. A bloodbath of the demon's gore covered each of my Fated, the fabric disintegrating. There would be no clothes left if much more blood sprayed.

The three rejoined me and we sprinted back further into the courtyard, where the students were forming the front line to defend the academy.

"Prepare for battle! Officers, take command of your squadrons!" The voice of the Archfox boomed, shouting at the backs of the half-dressed students who had been awoken or half-drunk from celebrating the first tournament. Armor over pajamas, missing helmets and armguards. Archers begging for spare arrows.

The Archfox pushed his dark brown hair back, calculating some kind of strategy to finish off the demons with minimal losses. His eyes skimmed the crowd, an elite officer counting the numbers.

Rage and fear coated his face as he saw me, covering the distance in a matter of seconds. "What is she doing here?"

Before the guys could answer, the wave of demons hit us. Even more streamed from the forest, and the guys lurched gloriously into battle, full fighting mode.

"Get the hell out of here, Dove," the Archfox demanded, stepping in front of me when I ignored him. "First-years aren't ready for this kind of fight."

My Fated fought fluidly, working together as a tight-knit unit. "I'm not leaving without them."

"I just gave you an order."

"And I just disobeyed. You can punish me later."

I couldn't leave my Fated. Not when demons had already taken everything from me once before. I stepped around the Archfox, rushing back onto the field of battle so I could keep an eye on Enko, Kairos, and Seven.

Sulfuric smoke suffocated the air. Something snatched me, dragged me against the crispy fall grass within the smoke.

Behind enemy lines, the demon forces encircled me. I screamed out and struggled, but a dirty hand smothered my sounds. None of the guys would be able to see me as I was being dragged away. I wrestled against their grip, managing to stab the dagger into one of their arms.

Hopping back onto my feet, I gripped my dagger before it deteriorated within the demon's forearm. The battle still waged, but the kitsune pushed the hordes of demons back.

The three-eyed green oni stood in front of me, the blue kijo at his side. "Tie her up. Careful, she's worth more unharmed. I suppose they want to torture her first." His three eyes stared as though piercing my soul.

Injured kitsune hobbled away from the battle, while I hid out of sight behind the last traces of demons.

"Pick her up. Hurry. We need to get out of here before any other disciples are alerted," the female demanded.

A bright red oni stepped forward. He gasped, black blood leaking from his stomach. His hands reached for the invisible cause of the sudden wound as he toppled forward onto my legs. I scrambled backwards just as the other fell forward where I'd been.

Seven.

Kairos mace smashed into an oni, lightning exploding and shattering the creature like glass. Enko sprinted in, his fiery blade slashing a path like a machete through a jungle.

The demon smiled as he drew his staff from his back. It swung around, putrid smoke liberated from the holes through the center. Poison.

It shot out at Kairos and Enko. Kairos collapsed onto the ground, Enko staggered backward. I cried out, squirming as the oni poisoned my mates.

"I see you, Shadow," the demon snarled, pointing his weapon at the invisible Seven. "Your tricks don't work on me."

Seven flickered back into view in front of the sword, charging forward, both of his shadow weapons drawn and ready to fight. The demon slashed out his staff, deflecting the blow. Seven dodged the first few swings, but a large stone golem demon—Tier III—appeared behind him and slammed a fist into the top of his head. Seven dropped.

No. Not again. This can't be happening again.

I won't lose them.

A surge of warmth bolted through me, shattering outward. I lit up like a beacon of daylight, brightening the courtyard with a white golden light.

The demons shrieked, shielding themselves from the light. The monsters scattered, and my three Fated rose from the ground, rushing over to me.