And that was all it took. Kehinde looked up into her brother's eyes as she searched for both assurance and permission. Her heart would be filled with guilt and sorrow if she didn't step forward.
On the battlefield before her, her tribe lay slaughtered as the demon generals caused mayhem with full excitement. The precious time they spent here to debate over what choices they would make, had caused even more deaths that increased by the second.
"Brother, we have to. We need not linger any longer."
"Ati gbé papó á de ma ku papó."
"Beeni aburo mi."
Locking her fingers in his hand, she took bold steps towards Darren's group.
"We will fight beside you, cousin. We wouldn't let our father's brave sacrifice, his earnest love for humans, and our mother's genuine and caring heart not guide our path on this day."
Opening his arms, he hugged the twins tightly, hoping that they would return from battle.
He looked at the six that stood with him and slowly, a sorrowful smile formed across his face. Hy wanted to reassure them in one way or the other that they would all survive but history had told them a true story.
This wasn't the first time the demons had attacked Earth. There were records in an ancient human temple from a time long before any vampires, witches, or werewolves.
From a time when humans were the only true powers on Earth and when they intertwined magic, divinity, and technology to solve every solution, the records depicted the first battle with the demons.
The demons had merely sent an advance party to scout and secure an encampment. Luckily for the humans, their inventions had advanced to unimaginable levels and they easily decimated the demon army.
Shocking the accompanying demon general, he ran back to Hell to report the situation, not before he had his body ravaged with magic attacks that left hundreds of holes boring through both sides of his body.
His extreme warning and stark fear that was written across his face as he reported to the demon king had given Earth hundreds of years in peace; a feat that had never happened since the demons started conquering other worlds.
Unlike the general who knew demons to be barbaric and wild, the demon king was smart and patient.
He knew that he needed to make proper plans to take Earth without collateral destruction. Every other decade, he sent demon scouts to scour the Earth as much as possible and make sure to report any major changes.
And today, they had finally returned with ugly smiles streaking across their faces and destruction walking in their shadow.
Their mission was clear; conquer the Earth by destroying the strongest resistant force and enslaving the rest to turn the world into their utopia.
Darren stared at Harold Decker with a sad smile painted on his face. He wished Harold would change his mind and turn around instead of walking towards the portal that Darren had just walked out of.
"Harold."
Darren called out just before Harold stepped into the portal. He could see how tightly clenched his fists were. He knew how hard it was for him to be here.
He knew far more than anyone what the humans had done to his wife when they captured her. She was barely a hundred years old as he had met her as a human and turned her himself out of love and with her full permission.
They had two kids and after she had gone out to do a bit of shopping for the family, human priests had captured her and accused her of crimes that she had never committed.
They pulled out her fangs and gutted her on a pike, with everyone watching as she was made a spectacle and a form of entertainment.
The crimes she was accused of were committed by the Aiden clan, the only fully turned Reaper clan. They had ravaged the women to satisfy their blood-driven lust after they had devoured men and children, draining them of blood.
Harold's wife, who had never fought a day in her life, had no chance to escape the humans even with her supernatural strength. Her death filled Harold with rage that could end worlds and it only subsided after he had made sure that the entire Aiden clan was wiped off the earth.
It had taken everything from all the vampire council to keep Harold from decimating human towns and villages for what they had done to his wife. He only gave up when he was allowed to claim the lives of the priest who ordered his wife's execution and the executioner who gutted her on a spike.
He had retrieved his wife's body on the night of her murder, cleaned her up himself, and laid her in his family grounds to rest, giving her the largest tombstone that could be seen from any corner of the burial grounds.
Without turning around to look at Darren or the group of six with him, tears slowly dropped from his eyes.
"King boy, you know fully well why I won't be joining this battle. You know what these humans did to me. You know how much I loathe their existence and want to wipe half of them off the earth and you still think I would fight for them? It hurts me to watch my brothers and sisters fall on the battlefield while I leave but my chest aches me the more I think of the reason why we fight. I know of a surety that this battle will be won since you are here and those six have also offered their help."
Harold turned around and stared at the six that stood with Darren. They had grown close over the years as they prepared for this battle.
Although he abstained from this battle, they all knew the numerous skirmishes he had had with the scouting demons over the years. It was one of the reasons this major battle had been delayed until this day.
Harold continued, "I know that you would hate me after today. For my selfish heart and actions that will cause more deaths. And even to those who would sacrifice their lives on this field today, I would be seen as an enemy and coward who ran away. I would gladly bear that cross all for the sake of my broken heart."
Harold turned back and as he raised his foot to step through the portal, Darren whizzed to appear beside him and grab his arm.
"You won't be hated for your actions and they are not selfish. But I want to be the selfish one and ask for one favour. As we step out into the battle, please protect the witches who are providing support to our troops. Don't do it for the humans but for your brothers and sisters who fight with their blood to see the end of this battle. I beg of you."
Harold sighed and looked at Darren with his tear-filled eyes as he replied, "I understand. I'll help. It's the least I could do. She would at least be happy with this."
With that, Darren let go of his arm and returned to join Siestri's group. This would be a long battle and as he steeled his heart, he walked forward.
Ati gbé papó á de ma ku papó. – We have lived together and we will die together.
Beeni aburo mi. – Yes my brother.