This Is A War, Right?

-----Kaede's POV

Honestly, the battle has just started, yet I've already got so much questions flooding through my mind. First was the strange regeneration ability I have. The second is why does it seems like this demon queen is protecting Fabian. Thirdly, would be why Fabian looked to be caring for a dark elf. And lastly is whether Neri is still okay or not. Since I can't sense her presence, I have no idea whether she survived that attack or not.

Demon Queen: "Stay away from Fabian."

I'm now flying outside the castle, facing the demon in front of me. Her wings are different than mine as they look to be a little shorter, but they also have long, sharp points on the ridges. I thought my wings looked grotesque, but her wings definitely look more ominous than mine. But her words leave me confused...

Kaede: "What do you mean?"

Seeking answers to these questions of mine, I try to reason with this demon, but judging from her killing intent, I have doubts whether I'll get anywhere.

And just as I thought, she closes the distance between us in but an instant. I barely managed to dodge her attack, but she followed it up with some kind of magic that allows that sharp, black hand of hers to stretch out towards me. I didn't expect such an attack, but I barely managed to block it with the handle of my scythe; or at least that's what I thought. She grabs hold of my scythe before flinging me across the sky. Fearing to be launched straight into a building or the ground, I let go of the scythe before quickly shaping the blood scythe back into a liquid state, bringing it back towards me. But of course, she moved faster than the blood, closing the distance in yet another instant. I quickly erect another barrier, but she crushes through it with her hands just like before, only this time I manage to put some distance between us, using the explosion to my advantage.

Kaede: "Listen!"

Demon Queen: "Just die."

Several white strands come piercing towards me coming from her hair, some even stretching out around me as if to block me from escaping. I quickly shoot out my own light beams, intercepting every single strand of hers, but one manages to slip though as I feel it pierce into my left shoulder. And almost instantly, I feel my body begin to freeze up. Fearing what happens next, I quickly create a light sword with my right hand before quickly cutting the strand that connects me to her. However, that freezing sensation is still lingering...

Demon Queen: "Good luck."

I was wondering why she was just staying there, but I soon realize that the freezing sensation coming from my left shoulder is now spreading to other parts of my body at an alarming rate, now even making my left wing begin to seize up. What, is this? Whatever it is, I don't seem to be regenerating this wound, so I quickly try and surround my body in light magic in hopes to heal it. I don't know whether this cold was making my heart stop or not, but the moment I feel my left side begin to feel warmer, relief washes over me.

Demon Queen: "What?"

Kaede: "L-like I said! Please! I just want to talk."

Demon Queen: "We're at war yet you want to talk? Don't be such a-"

Kaede: "What is Fabian to you?!"

Demon Queen: "H-huh?!"

Just as she was about to come in to attack, she stops at my question. It's relieving to see as I really don't want to to fight until I figure all this out. Although I feel bad as everyone else seems to be fighting for us... I better make this quick then.

Kaede: "I knew about you keeping Fabian as some sort of hostage, so then why were you so passionate on protecting him just now?"

Demon Queen: "..."

Thank god this seemed to have worked. I've fought against powerful people before, but this demon sure feels a lot more intimidating than the others I've fought. Her aura isn't as potent as Lucien's but Mai's right. She's clearly mastered her powers, taking advantage with every opening she creates. But still, I need to get this answer out of her.

Kaede: "Humans may be weak, but that's doesn't give you the right to toy with-"

Demon Queen: "I'm not!.. Toying with him..."

She looked like she was about to unleash hell on me, but her voice quickly simmered down, now even sounding a bit depressed. Just what the hell is going on? She's not acting like the demon queen that Mai had mentioned.

Kaede: "Then I'll ask you again. What is Fabian to you?"

Demon Queen: "He's..."

Seconds pass as silence now engulfs the both of us. Yeah, this demon is definitely not acting like a monster should. Even I'm starting to feel bad about trying to kill her. I might not have gotten an answer, but I can tell just from our talk just now that she seems to care for Fabian. But now that does makes matters more difficult.

Not wanting to let the silence eat away at us, I slowly make my way closer to the demon queen. I figured she would react defensively, but she just continues to stare into empty space as if she's searching through her own thoughts. And now that I've gotten close to her, I can now see the pain in her face. Does she not know the answer herself?

Kaede: "You know. I came here to kill you. But now I'm having second thoughts."

Demon Queen: "Fufu. You've yet to even land a blow on-"

In that moment, I softly punch her left shoulder, the same shoulder where she pierced me. She ends up just looking at me in confusion as I just smile back.

Kaede: "Now we're even."

Demon Queen: "Pfft. You're an interesting vampire, I'll give you that."

Kaede: "Hehe."

Demon Queen: "Hahh~ So you want to take Fabian back. Is that what I'm getting at?"

Kaede: "Yes. Oh and also one of your dark elves."

Demon Queen: "What?"

Kaede: "My mom is... In trouble. I heard that dark elves are capable of a certain healing technique that could maybe help."

Honestly, we could maybe try and make a deal somehow instead of all this fighting. But even as we speak, I can see the battle taking place. Dragons breathing down hellfire on the soldiers while at the same time being shot out of the sky by our own magic. I guess those Leris soldiers aren't too bad.

Demon Queen: "I... I don't think I'm happy with that."

Kaede: "About me taking one of your dark elves?"

Demon Queen: "No. Fabian."

Wait, so now she's valuing Fabian over one of her own kind? She called me interesting, but she's quite peculiar herself.

Kaede: "Then let's talk this out with Fabian. We can go from there."

Demon Queen: "You seriously wish to not fight after coming all the way here?"

Kaede: "I don't feel comfortable killing someone that isn't a monster."

Demon Queen: "Fufu."

I'm not sensing anymore hostility from her which helps relax me quite a bit. But is it really okay for us to leisurely talk while everyone else is still battling?

Kaede: "Should we call off the battle for now?"

Demon Queen: "!"

The moment I ask that, her face contorts a bit before she puts a hand on her head, almost as if she just had a sudden migraine.

Demon Queen: "Tch. That brat finally escaped..."

Kaede: "Brat?"

Suddenly, an explosion could be heard from behind the castle. I follow the demon queen around as a massive cloud of ash rises up from the ground where the explosion was heard from. But what was strange was that I could sense an absurdly powerful aura coming from behind that ash cloud, an aura that I have never felt before. What ever this "brat" is, it's definitely more powerful that the likes of Lucien, and looking at the demon queen's face, even she looks to be quite shaken up.

It was then that something shot out from the ash cloud, a massive beam of light heading straight for... me? Sensing that a barrier won't do anything, I quickly manage to dodge the beam as it shoots straight up into the sky instead. I feel my body grow hot as my heart rate quickens from how close that was, I can feel feel the heat from that beam burning my skin just from being near it. But I focus back to the ash cloud.

Demon Queen: "He's targeting you?"

Kaede: "Who is?"

?: "I am."

Almost mimicking how the demon queen introduced herself, I feel a presence above me. But instead of trying to look up and block any attack, I instinctively fly off to the side as a massive wave of light rains down on where I just was. And after dodging the second attack, I then look up at where this light magic is coming from, but who I see sends chills down my spine.

Kaede: "Leon?!"

Leon: "This is real this time, right?! I'm not hallucinating you being here, right?!"

What the fuck is he on about? He's been dreaming about me? But in between my thoughts, he launches a cascade of light blades as they all begin to home in on me. Fearing that fleeing won't work this time, I erect multiple layers of my barrier in hopes to stop the incoming attack. I put as much mana as I can into the barrier, but it doesn't take long for the blades of light to chip away though my barriers. Fuck... I don't want to fight Leon, but why is even even fighting me?

Demon Queen: "Fool!"

But suddenly, the demon queen flies next to me, creating clear barriers around my own light barriers. Thanks to that, we both managed to stop the onslaught of Leon's light magic.

Leon: "Looks like I'm killing both of you then."

Kaede: "Kill?! What are you talking about, Leon?"

Leon: "Heh-"

The smile on his face stretches wide, almost sinister in a way. He honestly looks scarier than the demon queen right now. I turn to face the demon queen for a moment, wondering what the plan is, but she just gives a slight nod before flying off to the side, putting some distance between us. Wait, are we seriously going to fight Leon? What the hell has this war become?!