The clearing was dark and quiet, a world apart from the chaos that had preceded it. My heart was still pounding from the fight, the adrenaline of battle leaving a bitter taste on my tongue. I stepped closer to the bound hunters, my boots crunching on the forest floor, the scent of their fear mingling with the blood that stained the ground.
My sword was still in hand, its blade slick with the viscera of the demons I'd dispatched, and I could feel its weight, a comforting anchor in the midst of my turmoil.
The woman and man looked up at me with wide, terrified eyes. The woman's face was pale, her eyes darting nervously between me and the bloodied bodies around us. The man's expression was grim, his eyes cold and distant.
He wasn't as frightened as his companion, but he was clearly uncomfortable. I didn't care. Fear was exactly what I needed to get the answers I wanted.
I approached them with a purposeful stride, each step echoing with a threat that wasn't lost on them. The woman whimpered slightly, shifting uncomfortably in her bonds. I could sense her panic, the tremors running through her body as she struggled to maintain her composure.
The man's jaw tightened, his expression a mask of stoic defiance, but there was a flicker of apprehension in his eyes that betrayed his true feelings.
"Talk," I commanded, my voice low and edged with a dangerous intensity. "Now."
The woman's eyes widened further, and she let out a choked sob. The man's gaze flickered to her, a flash of concern crossing his features before he turned his steely gaze back to me. "We don't know anything," he said, his voice rough but unwavering.
"Don't know anything?" I repeated, my voice dripping with disdain. "You expect me to believe that? You're here, bound and gagged, next to the bodies of rogue demons. You know something, and you're going to tell me. One way or another."
I stepped closer to the woman, my presence overwhelming, a dark shadow looming over her. Her breathing grew rapid, her eyes darting between me and the ground. "Tell me where Aeliana and Nathaniel are, or so help me, I'll make sure you regret every breath you've ever taken."
The man shifted uncomfortably but remained silent. I could see the struggle in his eyes, the conflict between his fear and his stubbornness.
I didn't have time to play nice. The urgency of the situation, the worry gnawing at my insides, demanded that I cut straight to the heart of the matter. I needed answers, and I needed them now.
I took a step back and drew in a deep breath, summoning my flames. They erupted around me, a fierce blaze of purple fire that crackled and roared, casting flickering shadows on the trees.
The heat was intense, the light from the flames dancing across the clearing, creating an unsettling, almost surreal effect. The woman's eyes widened in horror, her breathing coming in shallow, panicked gasps.
"Last chance," I growled, my voice barely audible over the roar of the flames. "Tell me what I need to know, or I'll start making sure you feel every ounce of pain that's coming your way."
The woman's composure finally broke. She let out a strangled sob, her eyes filled with tears as she looked up at me. "Okay, okay!" she cried out. "We'll talk! Just… just don't hurt us!"
I didn't let the flames die down. Instead, I let them flicker and flare, the heat radiating from them and making the air shimmer.
The man's expression hardened, but I could see the fear in his eyes. He looked at his companion, then back at me. He seemed to weigh his options, then finally spoke, his voice grim.
"We were traitors," he admitted, his voice barely more than a whisper. "We were with Aeliana and Nathaniel, but we betrayed them. We were supposed to keep tabs on them, feed information to the rogue demons."
I felt a pang of relief, mixed with frustration. At least they weren't dead, at least they weren't lost to me forever. But where were they now? That was the question that gnawed at me. "So where are they now?" I demanded, my voice hard. "You must know something."
The woman shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "I swear, we don't know. We lost track of them after we betrayed them. They were… they were too clever for us. We don't know where they went."
I wanted to scream, to rage against the cruelty of fate, but I knew I had to stay calm. I had to keep my head clear if I was going to find Aeliana. The fear and anger roiling inside me were almost unbearable, but I forced myself to focus on the task at hand.
I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart. "So you don't know where they are. But you're sure they're alive?" I asked, my voice still harsh but edged with a hint of desperation.
The man nodded, his eyes flickering with something like hope. "Yes, they're alive. They must be. We would have heard if they were dead."
I studied them both, my mind racing with possibilities. If they were alive, there was still a chance I could find them. I could still save Aeliana. I felt a surge of determination, a fierce resolve that drove me to push through my fear and frustration.
"Alright," I said, my voice low and dangerous. "I believe you. But if you're lying, if you've kept anything from me… I will make sure you both suffer for it."
The man and woman both nodded quickly, their fear palpable. I could see the relief in their eyes, the tension easing as they realized I wasn't going to kill them. Not yet. I didn't trust them, not entirely, but they had given me a lead, and that was something I could work with.
As I turned to leave, my ears caught a low growl, distant but unmistakable. My heart skipped a beat, a chill running down my spine. It was a sound that spoke of danger, of something far larger and more terrifying than anything I had faced so far.
I stopped, my senses straining to pinpoint the source of the growl. It was far off, but it was close enough to send a shiver through my bones. I glanced back at the bound hunters, then at the forest, my mind racing with the possibilities. Whatever it was, it was big, and it was coming closer.
I clenched my fists, feeling the heat of my flames flare up once more. There was no time to waste. I had to find Aeliana, had to get her out of whatever mess she was in before it was too late.
The growl sounded again, louder this time, echoing through the trees and sending a fresh wave of fear through me. I took one last look at the hunters, my gaze hard and unyielding. "Stay here," I ordered. "Don't move. I'll be back."
With that, I turned and plunged back into the darkness of the forest, my senses on high alert, my flames flickering around me like a protective barrier. The sound of the growl was growing louder, more insistent, and I had to find out what was making it.
Aeliana was out there, and I wasn't going to let anything—demonic or otherwise—stand in my way.