Internal Demon Fight

Days passed by quickly as I devoted myself to training. There was a slight side-effect which the bottle did not mention. It was that all your experience carries onto the "next" day.

If you look at it, it's great that I could keep all my new skills, but all the fatigue was built up as well and I spent many of those days resting so I could get back my energy.

Ever since I started training, he hasn't shown up once in the forest. Guess I'm the only one trapped here in the forest...

His crying face flashed before me and I clenched my hands. Just how many days has he endured to end up like that?...

I was starting to get sick of seeing the same tree, having my feet lead me to the same place, hearing the same song come out of my mouth, over and over...

At least I got my skills to the best potential I could have them at.

Days of push-ups and running laps in the forest, honing my basic magic to the point I'm comfortable with it. But I've been stuck at a bottleneck for days now. How many? I don't know.

What exactly do I need to do to get past it?

A twig snapped from behind me and I jumped up instinctively, turning around to see an all-too-familiar figure.

My body flinched as I got into my fighting position.

Figures. Months of training can't reverse psychological trauma that easily...

"Hello, my dear sister~" the figure purred.

"Mason," I said, my hand trembling.

"Where's that boy toy of yours?" he said, looking around me.

I shuddered as his eyes landed on me, looking up and down.

"I changed my mind, Lilith. I don't want to kill him. I'd rather have two toys to play with so be a good girl and surrender to me," he purred. "I'll even let you play with him while I'm doing you."

My eyes were filled with disgust as I leaped back into the tree.

"I thought Ruby took you away."

"Well, the devil decided to give me another chance."

He looked at me and licked his lips, painful memories arising.

"Come on, Lilith. Be a good girl. You don't want me to punish you again, do you?"

I flinched and almost leaped off the tree at his words. I clenched my palm tightly until I started bleeding. I looked at my bloody palm and let out a laugh, surprising him.

"You know, oh dear brother-of-mine," I laughed. I looked down at him as I felt something inside me snap. "F you."

He looked at me, stunned, then laughed.

"You'll regret that, Lilith."

He lunged up at the tree as I jumped away, just inches from his grasp. I looked at him warily, noticing my late reaction. I crouched down as he lunged forward with a punch and yanked out a thin silver dagger from the side of my leg. I slashed at his stomach, but the light shone in his eye. He leaped back, but I had gotten a small slash on him.

It was just a tiny hole in his shirt but it was good enough. He looked at me and smirked.

"Can't wait for me to take off my clothes, huh?"

He lunged toward with his left hand hidden behind his back. As we clashed, fists against fist, wrist against blade, I thought I had the upper hand and let down my guard.

That was the biggest mistake I could make.

A glint shone in my eye from my right and my eyes widened. I jumped back immediately but it was too late. He had cut my side, just lightly, but it was cut.

I winced as I held my side. I let out a little cry as a sharp pain arose. I looked at my hand and my vision started swirling.

Purple blood.

"You... poisoned it?" I slurred, struggling to stay on my feet.

"I figured that if I couldn't have you, no one could," he cackled, walking closer to me.

"Mason, you b*st*rd," I cursed. I started hyperventilating as my vision grew black, reminding me of the old days in that cage.

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"Lilith. Listen to me. In the case you ever get poisoned, you need to take a deep breath."

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I froze. Right... Breathe.

I relaxed my body tension and took a deep breath, trying to ignore the footsteps growing louder and louder.

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Now use your senses. How close is your attacker? Are you holding a weapon? Can you get away with your injury? If the last one is yes, then you can still fight for a while, but try to hide soon after. I don't want you hurt, little sister.

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I let out a small smile as I calculated his steps in my head.

20 steps... 17.... 13.... 10.

Now.

I leapt forward, the blade clenched tightly in my left hand as I fumbled around on my right leg for my other dagger. I heard the footsteps back up and I leaped back to my original position immediately.

30 steps. Progress.

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If your attacker is at least 25 steps away, start your chant immediately. Say it aloud if necessary. Don't panic and rush the spell. You might mess it up.

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"I call upon the stars to shine their luck on me, Heaven's Angel," I muttered.

"A spell?" Mason said, amused. He started walking closer. "It won't help, my dear Lilith."

"I call upon the 12 Zodiacs in the night sky."

25 steps...

"I call upon thee to help me guide my way in this chaos."

"You might want to hurry up," Mason said, the dagger clanging against metal.

He must've put away the dagger. 19 steps...

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Now, if you can't make it in 10 steps, end the spell there. It may have a backlash so escape soon.

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I clenched my fist. I couldn't run. I had to defeat Mason. Not for Kai, but for myself.

"12 Zodiacs, heed my call! I order you to show me the way!" I shouted, opening my eyes.

My vision was still blurry but I could see 12 faint outlines show up. Mason's footsteps grew quieter as a sound of a twig crunched behind me. No time to worry about who was behind me.

"Celestial Star Shower! Dark Chaos Whirlpool! Comet's Bow!"

Even with such a large of magic myself, I could feel myself getting drained from these 3 attacks alone.

"Take my power and make it your own. I ask this not as your master nor your friend, but as a victim of injustice. Libra! Balance this game out!"

"Libra, chessboard. King's move," Libra chanted. The wind picked up then silence.

I blinked a few times as my vision came back. I smiled at her gratefully as I focused on Mason.

"Queen's move, Stellar Shot," I ordered.

Sagittarius and Gemini stepped up, shooting at Mason. He leaped out of the way of the arrow but was hit by Gemini's attack.

"You b****, hiding behind these animals. Too scared to fight me head on?" he taunted, clutching his side.

My smirk faltered as I realized his words. But I shook my head.

"No. Right now, this is a battlefield. Between you and me, this is war."

His smile faded away.

"And they are my chess pieces on this board game."

I looked around at them and got nods of reassurance. I smiled back and hardened my eyes.

"Rook's move, Sandstorm."

Scorpio stepped up with a smile on his face.

"WE ARE!!!"

"Bishop's move, Mother and Son Cloud!"

Pisces and Aries walked up.

"I'm sorry!"

"Let's go, mother!"

"Right after you, son!

Mason let out a shout as he slammed into a tree hard. I saw it as my opportunity and lunged forward immediately.

"King's Move! Final Blow!"

I looked back briefly to see the Zodiacs smiling at me. I nodded slightly as I turned my attention back to Mason. I crossed my arms, blades out as I neared him.

"Shadow's Assassination," I whispered.

I landed behind him, my blades dripping with blood.

"You..." he croaked. His tendons were cut and he was coughing out blood.

"I didn't want to kill anyone," I said sadly. "Even someone that I thought was my family once. But you hurt me and most importantly, my friends."

"You threatened my Zodiacs."

"You threatened my friends."

"You threatened my family."

"You threatened my love."

"Most of all," I said, turning around to face him as the sun's last rays fell upon his pain-stricken face. "You threatened Lilith Winters and Lilith Dragneel."

"Lilith Winters would've bowed down to you and succumbed to you. She was weak but compassionate. I will never forget her acts of kindness. Lilith Dragneel fought against you. She is ruthless but firm. Her bravery is something I strive for. But they are both me. I am both the coward person from before and the assassin before you now."

I looked him straight in the eyes, pride welling up in my chest. A figure stood next to me, his silver hair illuminated in the moonlight, something I thought I never missed. His hand slipped into mine as he rubbed my back soothingly. I smiled up at him and looked down at the person in front of me.

"My name is Lilith Winters Dragneel."

The moonlight shone on my face for the first time in months, illuminating the Zodiacs standing behind me and the person standing by my side.

"And you picked the wrong person to fight with."