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That is, until I see the shimmering opening of a portal. Relief surges through me as the magic pulses radiate through the air, ripping and stretching the fabric of space to give me the one thing I need most.
An escape.
I dash toward the open portal, not letting my mind catch up with my actions. Have I thought through the consequences? Absolutely not. But now is not the time for that. It is the time for action. The only alternative is death.
The demons around me have blank faces, their minds in a state incapable of thought. Only direction.
“This way!” I shout, ushering them through to a land unknown.
My eyes skim the body-laden and scorched ground. I don’t have time to consider what leaving the only place I’ve ever known means. I have to keep moving.
Strandling the connection between two words, I turn to look at what is to be our new home. Tall buildings pierce the clouded skies in the distance and an electrical charge buzzes in the air, tickling my skin.
The visible edges tell me we are either surrounded by cliffs or on an island, either of which is fine by me. Anything to escape our current situation.
“Hurry,” I usher the demons through. My eyes track the skies, and my stomach churns. I don’t know how long we have.
I am no stranger to violence – not as a demon, warrior, or royal. I have been required to withstand sights that would sicken others.
So, when the state of the demons around me turns my stomach, I know that it must be dire. Blood and open wounds adorn their bodies through shredded armor, and our magic isn’t healing them fast enough.
Several fall to their knees, and the others are too dazed to rush to help their fallen brothers as they should. The wounded need help, which I will get them as soon as we reach safety.
As the last demon crosses onto the new island, the portal closes. While I should be more concerned about the loss of passage, I am relieved. I have potentially been barred from my home, but I am more focused on what I was running from than what I’ve lost.
And to me, the trade off is worth it.
I move through the battalion, assessing the damage. I don’t see anyone too far gone, thank the Seven. It may be a small portion of us left, but we will make it through this together.
As I slip between the bodies, they all turn, staring at me. And unlike usual, there is no judgment there. There have always been those who have questioned my calls, and yet this one, no one has dared argue.
We are all alive, and that seems to be enough.
My mind seems to catch up at this moment, reminding me that I do not know where I am. The portal has closed and there is no way back home. What if this island is uninhabitable? I’m glad I was able to save everyone, but what if I’ve doomed us just the same?
I suck in a deep breath, calming my worries. I have to take this one step at a time. Away from the dangers that were plaguing us and into this new world.
Is it different? Yes. Everything, the plants, buildings, and ground are a dark, glittering onyx. But it is not something I despise. Nor am I against the electrical storm scattering through the sky. I can easily draw magic from it, which will be very useful when it comes to healing my warriors.
I’ve made my way to the front of the crowd, and now there is nothing between our new city and me. I expected to feel intimidated, staring at the twisting architecture. I don’t know what is here waiting for us, but instead of apprehension, a thrill of excitement rushes through me.
A new possibility.
Footsteps behind me draw my attention, and I turn around slowly to see one of our best warriors, a massive gilak demon, making his way forward. He’s blinking slowly, the daze in his eyes clearing, and I realize that clarity is starting to reach him.
Perhaps his large size metabolized it faster than the others, but I can see I don’t have long.
Especially as he mutters, “Where are we?”
My eyes sweep the crowd and I see that he is not the only one taking in our surroundings. The shock is wearing off, and they are starting to register their surroundings. And they don’t seem as thrilled as I am.
Not as one of the matrons blink, looking over the edge nearest her with wide eyes. “Where…is the ground?”
I stare at the jagged edges of what I’ve realized is indeed an island – and it seems to be a floating one. There is no other land in sight, nor water. Instead, there is only the thick shroud of the storm, blocking out all sunlight and charging the air until my skin is prickling with the power at my fingertips.
How could they not love everything about this island? It’s as if it was built for demons – and I suppose it was.
But when no one answers their questions, it seems to hit me. Their eyes are on me, the one who ushered them through here, the one who conjured the portal that saved them. They are my battalion, yes, but now, it has become more than that.
