NINE MONTHS AGO PT. 1

[Velheim, a magic realm existing between Earth and The Heavens]

" ... isn't there a way we can avoid this massacre? Velheim is being torn into pieces. What do we do, Isis? " Cornelius, one of the seven leaders of the Ghostbloods says with his head bowed in reverence to the supreme leader of the celestial tribe.

" Cornelius, you should know there's no running away from this. " Isis turns to face him with a determined look on his face. " This is the holy war of Armageddon, the fight between the forces of good and of evil. Underneath the Earth, on Earth, the terrestrial and celestial planes. Everywhere there is life throughout the universe will experience this day of final judgement. " Isis's cloak reshapes itself into a full fledged warring armor while he materializes a spear in his left arm and a shield in his right, both of them forged out of his own magic. " This is war, we fight or we die... "

" The demons seem to be extraordinarily strong unlike never, why? " Cornelius asked.

" I have no idea, but if I'm meant to guess... I think they must have figured out a way to accumulate power for years until now. "

" Are you saying they're stealing power from magic elements? " Cornelius's eyes widen. It dawned on him the reason why demons had decided to invade Velheim.

" Yes. "

" Isis, that means... "

" I'm fully aware of that. "

" Then you mustn't go into battle, if you fall then we're all finished! "

" I'm sorry, but I can't sit and watch my kind get killed. " He snaps his fingers and in a blink he was gone.

~

[Same time on Earth, Neville Roosevelt High, NY]

It wasn't a new thing to find younger pupils in school get bullied by the older students. Bullying is an inappropriate act of exercising unjust power over the weak and someone like Marcus Shelby wouldn't give a tolerant eye to such actions.

" They were three older students against one of the fresh students. They wanted everything on him, his clothes, his money, and food. what did you expect me to do? Ignore? " Shelby rolls his eyes tiredly after being summoned to the principal's office for questioning.

" You could have called an adult to handle the situation, Marcus. " The principal sighs. " Taking laws into your own hands is also a wrong action as so is bullying. " She adds.

" Yes ma'am. " Shelby mimics a toddler's voice. The principal turns her face to a female student who was present in the office. " Go and call me... " she turns back to Shelby. " who did you say the bully was again? "

" Jordan Devon, the rich brat who's a bully. " Shelby scowls.

" Thank you Marcus, but I didn't ask for the extra information. " The principal gives him a disapproving look and turns back to the female student. " ...call me Jordan Devon from year four, please. " she says.

" Alright, ma'am. "

" So what's going to happen to me? You know it's unfair if you punish me after you've clearly seen my motive was just. " Shelby makes a smiling face hoping to buy into her good judgement, but the principal clearly ignores him continuing some important paper work. Shelby was about to raise another clamour when they both heard the constant verbal expression of a very upset female teacher walking down the hallway towards the principal's office, every word getting louder than the previous one as she got closer.

" Oh my goodness... " The principal sighs in tiredness.

" Mrs. Hawkins!.. " The teacher barges in with one great swing of the office door.

" Do not break my door, Miss Kim. " She mutters with a palm on her forehead.

" ...she has done it again! " Miss. Kim groaned out those words with the greatest depth of anger she had in her.

" Who is it this time? And what has this person done? " Mrs. Hawkins didn't seem to be too interested in the matter, it was always her coming into her office angry and reporting a student who had either disrespected her in class or after class.

" The girl...the other girl the last time I came here. "

" Which of the girls? You've reported about four students today in which three out of the four are girls. " Mrs. Hawkins buries her head back into the paper before her.

" Oh not Today, ma'am!...The last time I was here, not today, I talked about a girl, a year four student, the girl that is.. no the other girl, yes, the girl I told you about, wait...not that girl, the girl....oh fuck it! " Miss Kim was so furious she couldn't arrange her sentences properly, Shelby could almost burst into a resounding laughter witnessing all of the teacher's discomposure.

" Come on in, you silly cunt! " Miss Kim yells for the supposed perpetrator to come inside the office.

" Miss. Kim!... " Mrs. Hawkins gave her a strong glare. " I wouldn't have you call my students names. " She adds strongly.

" Sorry ma'am. " She apologizes unwillingly. " Where is she?! " Miss. Kim yells again.

" Jeez, I'm here already... " The girl slowly walks in with zero anxiety and a bold charisma. " ... you're always too loud. " She returns a lock of hair that slightly covered her left eye over her ear and buries her hand back into the pockets of her hoodie.

" Wow. " Shelby mumbles, his eyes glittering with attraction.

" Mrs. Hawkins! Did you hear that, huh? Can you see how rude she is. " Miss. Kim's voice came with a piercing tone.

" Please... " Mrs. Hawkins flinched at the alarming volume. " ...just leave this to me, would you? "

" Ma'am, she needs to be punished... " Miss. Kim begins a protest.

" She will... "

" Christ. " The girl sighs.

" ...cause this is not the first time, nor is it... "

" I'll handle it... " Mrs. Hawkins cuts in the second time.

" ...and even though I've warned her times without number she... "

" aaand she's still yelling. " Shelby gives the principal a ' Kick her ass out of your fucking office ' look.

" Miss. Kim, I'll handle it... " Mrs. Hawkins kept trying to put her composure together.

Shelby smacks his forehead.

" ...I've never seen a girl so rude, and disobedient, and nonchalant, and... "

" For Christ's sake! Would you get the fuck out of my office and stop screaming! " Mrs. Hawkins explodes in frustration. Her voice could have been heard by students in their classrooms because it definitely silenced Miss. Kim and her constant ranting was dissolved into an " I'm sorry ma, I guess I'll be taking my leave now. "

" Don't you dare! " Mrs. Hawkins immediately refrains Shelby and the other girl from blurting out their long held laughter immediately Miss. Kim walked out the door.

" Wow, way to go ma'am!...you finally used the ' F ' word. " Shelby points out with a judgemental look in his eyes and the smile he gave.

" Shut up, Marcus. " The principal knew where he was going with that. " I only lost my composure. I should never hear you or any of the students use such vulgar languages. Is that clear? "

" Fuck yeah. "

" What?! "

" Starting from now, ma'am. "

The principal gives him a deadly stare and turns to face the other girl in the office. " So what's your name? And what did you say to Miss. Kim. "

" Julia Adams, I didn't say anything to Miss. Kim. " She replies calmly.

" Julia Adams from year four? Aren't you the girl with only A and Bs in all subjects? " Mrs. Hawkins adjusts her glasses to see her face properly.

" I guess. " She shrugs.

" No way!... " Shelby pitched a little, his face had an open mouth. " ... beautiful, yet intelligent. " He said in addition with a pair of dreamy eyes.

" Unlike you, Marcus... " Mrs. Hawkins gives him her usual disapproving look, a cold stare through her glasses. " Your highest grade throughout your academics is a D "

" What?...No, no...c'mon " Shelby tries brushing it over with series of giggles as though the principal was joke-making, but the hard stare from her glasses proved otherwise. " She's joking... " Shelby turns to face Julia, whose indifference was portrayed through her facial expression. " ...I'm clearly not that dumb, heck! Do I look dumb to you? "

" Kinda. "

" No, I'm not!...c'mon Mrs. Hawkins tell her. "

" Tell her what? "

" That I'm not dumb. "

" Your academic papers already told her you are. " Mrs. Hawkins says and ignores him completely, giving her full attention to the student whom she had sent to get Jordan Devon as they both walked in.

" Took you long enough. " Mrs. Hawkins peered through her glasses at Jordan.

" I'll be taking my leave now, ma'am. "

" Alright, Susan. "

" Oh great, the dumbass year three hero is here too. " Jordan sighs, standing with his arms folded.

" Are you referring to me? " Shelby slowly gets up from his seat.

" Yes, bitch. you gon' do something about it? " Jordan smirks.

" Would you two quit it right now?! You're in my office and I won't tolerate any form of disrespect. " Mrs Hawkins slams the table before her in anger. Silence steals the show.

" Now, I'll just go straight to the punishment you three would be observing for your various acts of unlawfulness. "

" Me inclusive? " Julia grimaces.

" Yes dear, you inclusive. " The principal mimics her voice.

" Jordan, for being a bully and oppressing the younger students, you'll join the cleaners in taking care of their toilet duties and serve a week long detention everyday after class starting from today. "

" What?!.. " Jordan shrieks.

" Shelby, the same punishment goes to you. For the disrespect in my office and fighting a fellow student instead of calling on school authorities. "

" I saved the bullied by fighting the bully..." Shelby stated disappointedly

" Julia, you'll be observing three days detention starting from today for disrespecting a class teacher. "

" I didn't even do shit. " She sighs, and mumbles softly.

" Case closed!... y'all can leave for your various classes, I need to rest this head. Jeez. "

~

[Velheim]

The scenery within the magic realm at this time was completely ruined, devastated and in shambles. Their ecosystem and every physical matter around was being affected greatly by the battle between the Invaders and the habitants. The Ghostbloods seem to be on the losing side despite having their supreme leader join in the battle, this clearly proved the speculation between Cornelius and Isis about the demons gaining power from a particular source before appearing to Velheim for battle.

" Tell me what this is about. " Isis had separated himself from the others to solely fight and defeat the head of the demon army that wrecked havoc on Velheim.

" I'm glad to see you come out and fight, Isis. This only makes our work easier. " The Demon King Casta, made a very satisfying and demeaning laugh.

" So my thoughts were right after all, you're here for the seventh piece of Mercury inside me. " Isis states.

" You catch up really quick, saved me another stress of explaining. " The Demon King smiles mischievously. His entire body was covered in dark magic that appeared like fragments of outer space sprinkled with stars.

" I'll make sure to end this madness here... " Isis's armored cloak reshapes into a golden cassock that had it's hems dancing in the wind like a kite.

" That's what the other six from whom I took every piece of Mercury that I have now said. "

" Come at me! "

Their battle commenced immediately and raged on for hours, no one was fast enough to interfere or read the amount of kicks and blows one gave the other. They dashed about like lightning, crashing in and out of the magic realm into other galaxies, planets, realms, and kingdoms across the universe. They both had an equal amount of strength and magic energy to show off, but as the battle raged on, the Demon King proved to be getting more fierce and stronger by every second. He manages to land a planet-breaking punch on Isis that sends him flying across dimensions back to Velheim where the impact of his body hitting land creates a crater large enough to be spotted from outer space.

" Isis.. " Cornelius mumbles in fear from the overwhelming distance where he was battling as soon as he spotted the debris rise to the sky and heard the impact of the explosive fall.

" ...this is turning out to be fun. " The Demon King Casta chortles as soon as he walks through a magic portal to be instantly where Isis had fallen. " I'll have that Mercury now that... "

Cornelius flashes into the scene from nowhere and makes a swift cut with a magic blade on the nape of the Demon King, absolutely severing his head from his body with one slash. He picks up Isis across his shoulder and makes another lightning move back to a safer location.

" Where to? "

Cornelius froze in fear on meeting The Demon King at the location he had just ran to at light speed, he tries to make another dash, but before he could even gain the impulse to move again The Demon King whacks him across the face with a black lightning bolt that takes off his head on the impact. " Fool! " The Demon King laughs majestically and picks up an unconscious Isis by the neck.

" Now, where were we? " He says and raises his other arm, ready to dip it into the chest of Isis and rip out the piece of Mercury in him, but Cornelius was there again to interfere. Having copied the Demon King's spell earlier, he was also able to fake his head being cut off. He slashes both arms of the demon King and retrieves Isis to himself. ' Even if I run at light speed, he's just as fast. Running isn't an option. ' He thought to himself.

" You don't seem to know when to quit, do you? " The Demon King regenerates both arms instantly.

" Cornelius..." Isis mutters as he regains full consciousness.

" Isis, we have to take you away from here now. "

" I have a battle to finish. " He says in a groaning voice and gets up on his feet, putting himself ahead of Cornelius.

" But... "

" Go!..go tell the other leaders and those still alive...Run! Teleport to planet Earth and wait for me there...even if it's a hundred years. I'll come to liberate our kind. " Isis commands him. The Demon King summons a demon to do the same. " Tell the others to Slay every Ghostblood you can find...on Velheim, on Earth, and underneath the Earth. " He commands.

" I won't let that happen!..." Isis immediately vanishes into thin air, he was too fast this time for the demon King to follow.

" Demon eye technique: Trace! " Demon King Casta activates a spell with his eyes that allows him instantaneously track the movements of his target no matter how fast or how far they might have gone in time. " There you are!... all the way down to Earth! " He smirks.