Urath's sword cut through the air. The blade sang as it tore forward with brutal force. His body pulsed with anticipation. Agni's head—he could almost see it falling.
But she was suddenly gone.
Gone?
She moved swiftly, slipping past him with such ease that he hardly noticed the shift.
"What—?" His heart skipped a beat. How was she so fast?
Before his blade could adjust, she was already there. Her katar spun, and with one swift motion, she knocked his sword off course. It sliced through the air, hitting a bush and leaving it trembling in its wake.
Then she came.
A flash of red and gold.
Pain.
The agony ripped through his side like fire, tearing the breath from his lungs. His legs buckled. He hit the ground hard, his knee slamming against the earth. Before he could even think, a brutal kick sent him crashing into a tree. Blood splattered his chest, the scent of iron mixing with the dampness of the forest.
"Pathetic."
Her voice cut deep. Cold. Like ice.
Agni crouched before him, her katar's tip pressing against his throat. Her eyes locked with his.
"Look closely, parasite," she hissed. "Memorize my face. It will be the last thing you see when I send you to Infra."
Urath's lips curled into a pained smile. He spat out blood, the corners of his mouth twitching. "Ah, poor me…" His voice was rough, low, and tinged with defiance. "What a cruel fate... to die looking at such a delicious monster. If things were different... maybe we could have shared more than just violence. Maybe... pleasure."
Agni's fist tightened around her katar. Her eyes flared. Rage, burning hot. Her whole body seemed to pulse with it.
But she didn't move. Not yet.
The silence stretched. Thick. Unyielding.
"After all you've done, you dare call me the monster?" Agni's voice was low, her words sharp. It was a cold contempt that cut deeper than any blade. "And yet, even in Lord Death's embrace, you still cling to your sick depravity."
Urath sneered, his bright red eyes flashing with pride. "Depravity? I'm offended. My tongue knows many skills, my dear."
Agni's gaze darkened like a storm gathering in the distance. "To those who know you, yes. You Incubi are infamous for your repulsive abilities. Yet here you are, trying to possess my mind as you do with every victim you meet."
Urath chuckled, his laugh turning into a cough, blood splattering his lips. "Don't blame me, Reaper. Lust is the nature of life. And you? I'm not surprised you've never felt it. But we could—ugh!"
He winced as Agni's katar pressed into his neck, a cold bite against his skin.
"As I've said," Agni growled, her voice like a whip, "your seduction is futile. These desires you force upon mortals aren't pleasure. They're poison."
"Poison?" Urath hissed, his grin never faltering. "We don't force anything! We—ugh!" He grunted as the pressure on his neck increased. "Seduction is our nature! We, like our Succubi sisters, exist to fulfill the needs of the neglected, the lonely... the outcasts! We give them euphoria!"
Agni scoffed, a flicker of disgust flashing across her face. "Euphoria? Your 'euphoria' leaves them mindless and comatose. Grinning husks. After you've had your way with them, they're nothing. Just empty shells. How is that art in your eyes, Urath?" She leaned in, her face cold, her katar tightening. "Tell me how many souls you've drained. How many have we had to collect because of you?"
Urath's grin remained unbroken. "I stopped counting three centuries ago. Numbers are beneath us." His laugh was rough, blood dripping from his lips. "And for what it's worth? Our code doesn't allow us to make the first move. We respond to what they already consent to. It's their choice."
Agni's gaze never wavered. She straightened, stepping back, her eyes cold as the void. "You only confirm why the Torva must be erased."
Urath laughed, blood dripping from his mouth. "You'll never rid the world of carnal desire. Humans crave it. They always will. That's not depravity. That's nature. My nature."
"And purging filth like you is mine," Agni replied. The words were ice. Her katar blazed with fire as she raised it, preparing to strike. The final judgment was upon him.
"Urath of the Incubus. You prey on the weak. You twist their minds and corrupt their souls in exchange for your sick pleasures. That is your legacy. A trail of depravity and desperation."
Urath's chuckle was weak, but it was there. "As the humans say, don't hate the player. Hate the game, Reaper."
Agni's eyes narrowed, a deep, deadly resolve settling in her gaze. "If that's your game, then it ends tonight, Urath. As the last of your pack, may you suffer an eternal slumber in Infra."
Urath's smile remained, blood spilling from his lips as he looked up at her, unflinching. "Kill me if you must, Reaper. But know this—your cycle, your game—it will never end. You're all pawns in a game far greater than you understand. The betrayed shall arise again."
Agni's gaze never faltered. Her crimson eyes locked onto Urath, her expression unreadable.
She paused, the weight of his defiance hanging between them. His words carried a quiet madness, a glimmer of belief in the survival of the Torva. She could feel it—a fleeting sense of hope in his desperation. But it meant nothing. His defiance only strengthened her resolve.
"Is that so?"
"Most certainly," Urath sneered. "And when that day comes, I pray you think of me."
"Perhaps," Agni said softly, her voice cold as space itself. "But should my death come, Urath, you will be the last thing on my mind. For your role in this ends here."
Urath tilted his head back and smirked. "Then good luck, Reaper. You'll need it."
There was no hesitation. Agni moved like lightning, her blade a blur of steel and fire. In one clean stroke, she severed his defiance, sealing his fate.
Urath's smirk lingered for just a moment longer. Then he closed his eyes.
The clearing fell into an eerie silence. Blood soaked the earth. The fire in Agni's eyes slowly retracted as she straightened, her victory as cold as her words.
Agni turned, her voice echoing softly as she walked away from Urath's body.
"Pro Vita, Pro Morte."
She took a slow breath, steadying herself, but the weight remained.
She forced it down. No room for doubt, not now.
Descending the small hill toward her companions, Agni's voice cut through the silence. "The leader is down, his soul collected. Good work, Lord Mortis will be pleased."
Idwala twirled her spear lazily, the razor-sharp edge glinting in the moonlight. She leaned against her shield, bored. "Pleased? Hardly." Her voice dripped with annoyance. "They fell like brittle twigs. Barely worth the fight."
Venin exhaled slowly, his voice cool. "Not everything needs to be a spectacle, Idwala," he said, eyeing her from under a raised brow.
Idwala scoffed, tapping her spear against the ground with a rhythmic impatience. "That's exactly what makes it fun. But I wouldn't expect you to understand, Venin. You've spent too much time in your lab to know what fun is."
Before Venin could respond, a sharp caw broke the tension. Noir, his raven familiar, flapped onto a low branch, feathers ruffled with a mischievous gleam.
"She's got a point, Ven," Noir croaked. "Maybe you should try one of those human parties. It might help you unwind."
Venin sighed, glancing at his companion. "Thank you for your insight, Noir. But I kindly reject."
Noir wasn't done.
"Seriously? The Stone Girl's right, Venny. You're all work and no play. No wonder you're such a bore. You've been cooped up in your little lab for too long—ack!"
A vine root shot up from the earth, smacking Noir mid-air. The raven squawked as he tumbled onto another branch.
"Cool it, Plant Girl! It was a joke!" Noir protested.
Venin shot a glance at Sach'a, standing nearby with her glowing wooden staff.
"Thank you, Sach'a," Venin said smoothly. "He's incorrigible."
Sach'a laughed, shaking her head. "It's fine. Though, aside from your insufferable familiar, I still can't believe these degenerate abominations," she said, her disgust clear as she looked at the fallen Incubi. "Even in death, they couldn't help themselves. I caught two of them staring at me before they died."
Noir returned and couldn't resist. "Well, with some of you dressing like you do..." His voice trailed off as Sach'a shot him a lethal glare. "I mean, who wouldn't want a last look, right? Am I right, Ven?"
Another vine lashed out, striking Noir, sending him screeching into the shadows this time. He wisely stayed silent after that.
Venin pinched the bridge of his nose, muttering something in French.
Al'Sahra stepped forward, his voice calm and measured, cutting through the awkwardness. "I believe the Torva are growing bolder," he said, his eyes scanning the distant treeline. "This isn't like them. Their movements have become strangely frequent. Reckless even."
Eldingar nodded, his axes resting on his shoulders. "They've been more active in other parts of the world, even in larger numbers like this. It's like... they're rushing for something," he said, his voice low, tinged with concern.
For a moment, Agni remembered Urath's words. She shook her head.
She turned to face them, her gaze hard and unreadable. "These concerns are valid," she said, her voice carrying authority. "We'll report this to Lord Mortis. For now, stay sharp. This is just the beginning of our hunt tonight. Let's go."
As the group began to move, Feng Li lingered near the end. His Shanzi war fans were closed and hanging at his sides.
He inhaled deeply, the night air filling his lungs. "Agni," he called softly.
She paused, turning to him with a raised brow. "What is it?"
Feng Li stepped closer, his movements silent as a whisper. "Are you alright?" he asked, his voice gentle but probing. "You carry an aura of wariness."
Kaile'a, hesitant, raised her hand. "I-I, if you're injured, I-I can heal you, Agni. If you need it."
Agni's eyes narrowed, her expression unreadable, before her tone snapped through the air like a whip. "I'm fine."
Eldingar tilted his head, studying her with quiet curiosity. "You say that," he murmured, "but you seem... tense. More than usual and..."
Her glare silenced him instantly.
Eldingar flinched, rubbing the back of his neck. "Sorry. Just... making an observation."
Al'Sahra, ever the peacemaker, stepped forward. "I believe Eldingar was just expressing concern, Agni. We want to be sure that Incubus didn't..." He trailed off, choosing his words carefully. "Do anything to you."
Agni rolled her eyes. "That bastard was too weak to touch me," she spat, turning away from them. "As I said, I'm fine. Now, let's continue with the hunt, and we can report everything to Lord Mortis."
Eldingar sighed as she walked ahead, his shoulders slumping. "I wish she weren't always so stiff," he muttered.
Idwala laughed, slapping his back hard enough to make him stumble. "Ah, don't let it get to you! She's always like that when there aren't any Torva left to kill," she teased, a grin on her face.
Eldingar straightened, his expression softening slightly. "I hope that's all it is," he said quietly.
The Reapers moved in unison, their shadows stretching long as they disappeared into the forest, swallowed by the night.
The air was thick with the promise of more bloodshed, but Agni didn't care. She wasn't blind. Her brethren's concern was well-intended but a distraction she couldn't afford.
What she needed now were answers. And she would find them, no matter the cost.
Urath's final words echoed in her mind, a shadow that wouldn't fade.
"The betrayed shall arise again."
Agni had no way of understanding what the betrayed was. Perhaps it was a bluff, but Agni had learned to trust her instincts.
The unease twisted in her chest like a serpent. If his words held even a sliver of truth, and if what they hinted at threatened the fragile balance she and the Reapers had sworn to uphold, then she and her team would face it without hesitation.
And when the time came, they would reap it—root and stem.