59. It is a beginning..
Marcelline shot through the dark forest at demonic speed, the world nothing but a blur of trees bending from her pressure.
Her golden irises burned like molten suns.
Every step cracked the ground beneath her.
Every breath shook the leaves around her.
She was following the trail of that dark entity—
its vile energy still lingering in the wind—
until suddenly…
The forest went silent.
Dead silent.
No wind.
No birds.
No life.
Just a suffocating, rotting aura.
Marcelline slowed, eyes sharpening.
She smelled them before she saw them.
Demons.
Dozens.
Hundreds.
A massive army stepped out from between the trees, surrounding her in a perfect circle.
Horned beasts.
Twisted shadows.
Crawling things with too many limbs.
Winged creatures with hollow eyes.
Their collective snarl vibrated the earth.
One stepped forward, hissing:
"Daughter of the Ancient Flame…
You go no further."
Marcelline blinked.
Slowly.
Calmly.
Expression blank.
"So," she said, her voice cold as falling ash,
"You're here to slow me down."
Dozens roared.
Her lips curled slightly.
"And here I thought tonight would be boring."
---
The first demon lunged—
Marcelline didn't even look at it.
She raised one hand—
BOOM.
A wave of golden energy exploded outward, disintegrating the creature into dust instantly.
Not killed.
Not defeated.
Erased.
The rest froze.
Too late.
Marcelline vanished—
reappearing behind one, grabbing its skull and crushing it like an egg.
CRACK.
Ash.
She moved like a ghost.
Like a god.
Like death wearing human skin.
A clawed beast twice her size swung at her—
she sliced its entire torso in half with a casual flick of her hand.
Another charged.
She caught it by the throat
and ripped it open with two fingers.
No emotion.
No anger.
Just cold, divine efficiency.
Demons screamed.
Demons scattered.
Some broke ranks and turned to flee.
Cowards.
Her calm voice cut through the chaos:
"Running?"
She extended her hand.
The fleeing demons combusted into golden flame—
burning, screaming, dissolving into scattered grey ash.
Not a single one escaped.
Not one.
Her face remained expressionless, hair barely disturbed.
Another demon fell.
Another was ripped apart.
Another turned to dust under her foot.
Within minutes…
Silence.
The entire demon army was gone.
Ash covered the ground like black snow.
Marcelline stood among it, golden eyes glowing brighter, demonic aura shaking the trees.
She exhaled.
"Warm-up over."
---
She closed her eyes, stretching her senses, waiting for the dark energy trail—
But all she felt was…
Nothing.
The aura she had chased?
Gone.
Wiped.
Hidden.
Like it had never existed.
Her jaw tightened.
"Tch.
Coward."
Her disappointment was sharp.
"I warmed up for nothing," she muttered, brushing ash off her sleeve.
"I was hoping I could end it tonight and go back to Shadowline City…"
She sighed deeply.
"Sister Florence, Amara, Mia, the Beast brothers…
all waiting for me."
But she knew better.
This enemy wouldn't show itself again easily.
She would have to hunt it down.
Track it.
Drag it out if necessary.
Her eyes glowed a deeper gold.
"Fine."
"If it won't come to me—
I'll dig it out of this city with my own hands."
---
She walked back into her villa, energy still crackling around her.
Leo stood waiting—
shirt torn, knuckles bloody, eyes glowing faint red.
He stretched his neck slowly.
"So," Marcelline asked with a raised eyebrow,
"They came here too?"
Leo smirked.
"Mm.
Don't worry."
He wiped demon blood off his jaw.
"They were enough for my warm-up as well."
Both smiled darkly.
Two predators.
Two monsters.
Two rulers of destruction.
They exchanged a knowing glance.
"This isn't the end," Marcelline said quietly.
"No," Leo replied.
"It's only the beginning."
The air around them vibrated with the promise of war.
A war they were more than ready for.
---