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Chapter Twenty-Five
The Battle of Enoxon and Kurai
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Kurai’s heart raced as he heard the news. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Scared and angry, he clenched his fists, his amber eyes intensely burning. The black-haired man tried to control his emotions, but it was too much to bear. Being the hot-headed nogitsune, he could only feel anger towards Mati. Did he just suggest that he physically hurt Snow? He couldn’t even think about wanting to hurt this innocent woman; she’d probably feel betrayed and hurt - angry towards him. Knowing that he immediately shook his head and backed away, fear spiking in his amber eyes. No. He couldn’t do it. He glared at Mati as his voice quivered, “I can’t do that!”
“Kurai, it’s the only-”
“No, shut the hell up!” He snarled at him, his body feeling conflicted. “There’s got to be another way! I couldn’t..” He shook his head; his words were beginning to get jumbled up.
Mati reached out to the demon, trying to stop him from leaving. “You’re the only one possibly strong enough,” He told him sternly. “You have six tails for a reason - don’t put them to waste. You are a Nogitsune - you are a Fox Demon. You have to.”
“Why can’t Astaroth do it?! He’s been around for thousands of years!”
“I already told you why, Kurai,” Astaroth’s gentle voice flowed to him. “My halfling is marked. I cannot mark another.”
“But the Lady in Red is dead!” He snapped at him, feeling the anger of fire rising in his belly.
“Is she?” Astaroth questioned, crossing his arms. “We have no idea where she is - we only suspect her death because no one has seen her since Snow was born,” He explained.
“What?! You said it yourself. She was dead!”
“She could be - but she’s also a halfling herself. So somewhere, her demon form is there. Whether it’s in Tartaros or she’s taken the skin of a human, she could be alive. Regardless, I cannot mark Snow,” Astaroth explained, his calm demeanor overshadowing Kurai’s anger. The duke took a few steps from behind Snow’s bed toward Kurai. “Remember, this demon murdered Ren, Sayuri, and your tribe. Do you not want justice?” He asked him.
Kurai shook his head, “No. I hope they’re all lost,” He snarled, clenching his fists. “They threw me away as if I was nothing!”
“And now you have six tails, guided by the previous Lords and even Lord Mundus.”
Lord Mundus. That name burned the back of his head like no tomorrow and caused the anger to rage inside him more, droplets of flames flickering off his body onto the ground. He bit his tongue - no way he was more substantial than Lord Mundus. Absolutely no way. However, there was this little bit of hope that he was. If he knew he was stronger than his ‘brother,’ he’d be able to confront him since the previous fight they got into.
The memory of Snow lying lifeless on the beach after Mundus drained her life essence made it into his brain.
Watching Snow’s body be dropped from Mundus, Kurai felt the rage burning through him. He’d never felt this sort of rage before. Kurai’s black hair hung in disarray around his face as he witnessed Snow get hurt. The anger that coursed through his veins was palpable, and he could feel little fox claws digging into the sand below him. His amber eyes blazed with fury, and he couldn’t shake the desire for revenge. He knew he needed to keep a level head, but the thought of the person responsible for his loved one’s pain made his blood boil. Kurai took a deep breath, trying to quell the fire within him, but it was useless. He was consumed by the need to make things right, and he knew that he wouldn’t rest until he took revenge against the demon.
“I am not, and will never be, your brother, Mundus,” Kurai’s voice rippled through the deep thicket. Breaching the scrub, Kurai’s large and mighty black form erupted as he stared down the demon he called ‘brother.’
“Oh, little brother, I am hurt. After all those years where I’ve helped you gain every single one of those tails, guiding you with the strength I have to ensure your safety…” Mundus’s demonic voice crackled, and the man’s dark red eyes fixated on the large fox a few feet from him.
“You’re not Mundus. You were not the one who guided me. You are but a false spirit,” Kurai’s deep voice grumbled, his eyes not fixated on anything but the demon.
“And who do you think allowed me to be free?!” He cackled, his hands going up in the air, long, sharp claws extending from his hands. “To allow someone as powerful as I back into this world, Kurai. I took you in after your tribe was … Wrongfully destroyed.”
Kurai froze for a moment, feeling the weight of that sentence drop on him. “You were the one who murdered them!”
“I did it for you, Brother. They would remove you, hunt you down, and kill you. I stepped in and killed them before they had the chance, seeing the power you held - knowing the bond you and Snow held before you even met her.”
The moment was truly awe-inspiring as the black fox demon, aflame with fiery energy, launched itself at the monster with a ferocity that could only come from a deep sense of injustice. Snow had been wronged, and Kurai was now seeking vengeance with an unbreakable determination. The demon, taken aback by the fox’s unwavering resolve, recoiled as the fox’s jaws opened wide, ready to strike. The air around them became charged with a whirlwind of heat and intensity as they engaged in a fierce battle, each determined to emerge victorious. The fox’s tail was a blazing inferno, whipping through the air with incredible speed and power, leaving behind a trail of scorch marks.
With quick speed, Mundus dodged the jump from Kurai, as he expected. The second Kurai landed, he turned and whipped his tail toward the demon, conjuring a wave of fire. He stood between Snow and the demon he once called brother, glaring at him coldly.
Mundus was in no need to fight - he had already won. No one will believe him if he dares tell the story to Asturdorm. A wicked grin appeared as he reached out his long, clawed hands and pointed at the fox that stood a few feet away from him. “Enoxon, take care of this pest,” He stated, waving off his brother. “Or be a good little fox and leave. The girl’s spirit is mine.”
“She’ll never be yours,” Kurai snapped, attempting to leap at the demon again. As he raised his haunches to prepare to jump midair, he was thrown to the side and against a tree from the thicket. A thud sounded as his back hit the tree, forced off to the side by the sorcerer’s black magic.
Kurai rolled over quickly as he saw Mundus begin to leave the scenery, his back against him. Quickly, he dashed over to get past Enoxon and leap again at the demon but was stopped midair as Enoxon’s magic stopped him. The fox wiggled to escape his grip, but he could feel Enoxon’s black magic seep into his veins. The fires from the fox burned more intensely, the rain turning into steam, causing it harder to see. A few feet away from Mundus’s face, the fox’s large and powerful jaw snapped toward it. However, he was just barely out of reach. He growled as the rest of his body could barely move. Kurai was still weak from being dragged down to Tartarus.
A few feet away from his brother, Mundus turned to face him, and the black portal opened behind him. He grinned and reached out to Kurai’s muzzle, lifting it slightly. “You will join me. It is your destiny as a Nogitsune,” Mundus leaned in close, his lips twisted into a sneer as he spoke in a harsh and wicked whisper. His voice was grating and cold, sending shivers down the spines of those who dared to listen. The contempt in his tone was palpable as if every word was laced with venom. His eyes narrowed to slits as he spoke, his gaze fixated on Kurai with a fierce intensity. It was clear that Mundus did not suffer fools lightly, and his words were meant to cut like a knife. There was no mistaking the malice in his voice as he reveled in his power over those around him. He dropped the fox’s muzzle and, once again, waved the fox off as he walked into the portal behind him. “See you soon, Brother.”
With every struggle in his body, Kurai tried his best to wiggle out of Enoxon's grip. But once more, he was thrown into the thicket and landed with a thud.
The amber-eyed Kurai, a nogitsune black fox, stood before Enoxon, an adept practitioner of the dark arts. The atmosphere surrounding them crackled with intense energy as they braced themselves for the upcoming confrontation. Kurai’s lustrous fur shimmered with fiery energy as it thrashed through the air, leaving behind a trail of scorch marks. Enoxon remained steadfast, his dark magic pulsating around him, poised to strike. The two adversaries circled each other, each waiting for the other to make a move.
Suddenly, Kurai pounced forward, his tail ablaze with flames as he assailed Enoxon. Enoxon responded with a wave of dark energy, sending Kurai flying backward. The fox quickly regained its footing, its unwavering spirit shining through as it relentlessly pursued Enoxon. With each flick of its tail, flames erupted in the direction of the sorcerer, scorching the ground and sending sparks flying in all directions.
Enoxon was not to be underestimated, however. Mundus may currently control him, but Kurai was angry. He unleashed a barrage of dark magic, striking Kurai with deadly precision. Kurai deftly dodged and weaved, its amber eyes glowing with fierce determination. The battle raged on, each combatant unleashing their most potent attacks.
The battle only concluded because Enoxon pulled Kurai up again with his black magic, holding onto the brink of his blood. “Kurai…” The sorcerer attempted to speak, trying to fight the hold that Mundus had on him. Kurai was then dropped by the sorcerer, who fell to his knees over the still body of Nova - whom Mundus had left behind. “Please… Get Snow… out of here.”
“Enoxon, you need to fight this,” Kurai spoke in between breaths as he approached the sorcerer, who was picking up the woman, Nova, and cradle-carrying her.
“My light,” He murmured as he traced Nova’s blonde hair with his palm.
“Enoxon, I am speaking to you!” Kurai snapped, wanting to breathe a breath of fire at him, but he couldn’t risk hurting the innocent woman. When the sorcerer ignored him, carrying Nova into his portal of back and red, Kurai instantly ran over to Snow. He sniffed at her, but she smelled like nothing. Fear washed over the fox, wondering what he could do. Quicky, he shifted out of his fox form, the flames disappearing. Now, he was left kneeling in the sand as the rain around him lifted, being that Enoxon had left.
“Snow… Snow, can you hear me?” His voice quivered as he gently shook her. “No, no. This can’t be happening.” He did everything he could to try to wake her, but her body felt cold and wouldn’t move. Nothing twitched, and nothing flailed. Just… lifeless. “Snow, come on, stop playing around and wake up!” He begged her quietly. Kurai was weakened between finally clawing out of Tartarus when Mundus had trapped him and back into the underworld realm, only to be forced here into the Cosmic Seas. Considering the distance between this realm and Tartarus, he hadn’t expected to be summoned by Snow. He knew, though, that this demon was Mundus after Tartarus. Whether it was the real Mundus or not - Kurai knew.
When he told Snow she might not live, every ounce in his body somehow knew she’d be gravely injured. Mundus was the strongest demon in the underworld. How? He had no idea. He had the power to destroy an entire tribe, and Ren and Sayuri created this bond between Snow and him.
And now, Kurai was hovering over Snow’s body, trying to heal her with magic. He had ripped the side of her shirt, exposing her bra and the original wound and mark from Mundus. He immediately put his hands on the wound and pushed out whatever little magic he could to help her. He tried to cauterize and seal her injuries so she wouldn’t bleed. Granted, Mundus didn’t leave any other opened damages on her. He worked the magic through her veins, leading up and down to the most injured places. However, these weren’t regular wounds. No, in fact, she barely touched her. Mundus drained her of her life essence - different from blood and flesh. Everything he tried, Kurai couldn’t get her to budge. Was he not strong enough? Perhaps he could provide her with a little bit of his life essence. He wasn’t sure how to do that, but he was also a demon.
Then it sparked in him; if Snow is a demon Deep inside, perhaps his life essence could help her wake up. Just the problem with how to do it. He sat there, continuing his magic as it did what it could to help the lifeless body. When he noticed a slight twitch in her eye, he rested his head on her chest to hear an extremely slow and low ba-dump. Ba-dump. Her heart was still going, but at this rate, not for long.
Deep down, Kurai knew that he wasn’t going to save her. He had to get help. This was temporary. And that’s when he shifted back into his fiery fox form, hoping to keep the body warm. He disappeared from the sandy beach with Snow, teleporting them straight to Mundus’s castle - right in front of Astaroth.
Astaroth stared mindlessly at the large majestic black fox, then shifted to Snow. Immediately, he ordered Kurai to set her down in the guest room. He then asked Kurai to step back, knowing her heart was still going. He stared at the girl briefly before his hands turned a gentle purple color. After a few incantations, the duke murmured, a purple shield encased the young woman - and she was put into stasis. Her heart would freeze, and her body would be unable to respond. Her power of little magic flowed through her, allowing her to appear alive and stay alive but dead simultaneously. The demon that lurked inside her would fight to be released, but the powerful spell would not allow it.
Just knowing how powerful Mundus was, Kurai was nervous. He couldn’t imagine anything else happening to Snow. He wanted to help but feared his magic wouldn’t allow this cure. The only thing he could think of doing was trying to get stronger - earn tails. But something about this entire situation made him uneasy.
“Kurai, we need you to do this,” Mati pulled Kurai out of his trance.
“What happens if I fail?” He asked him.
Mati thought about it momentarily, trying to figure out how he would respond to that. He sighed, “Then her demon will try and protect her - or she may die.”
“So it’s not even a 50/50 chance I will save her?” Kurai asked, thoroughly disheartened. “With such a slim chance, why would I try this? I know how strong that demon is, Mati. I know that I cannot beat his magic right now.”
Mati glanced over him, eyeing him, and he shook his head, “Your confidence is low.”
“This has nothing to do with confidence!” Kurai growled at him, eyes narrowing at the Dream Walker. “You’re not helping this situation at all!”
Mati seemed slightly annoyed when he stated that, and he turned to gaze at the demon, returning his snared look. “Kurai, you may have brought her here to the castle, but I was the one who gave her my life essence to help continue keeping her alive in this stasis. You need to stand down.”
“Then you do it! You save the damn girl!”
“I do not have access to doing that!” Mati snapped back, finally losing his patience with the Nogitsune. “I’m not a demon - I’m not even human, for crying out loud. All I have is a little magic that kept her steady in that crystal.” The man stopped for a moment, turning his back to the nogitsune. “Maybe you are weak. Ren and Sayuri should’ve never trusted you.” With that and a flick of his wrists, Mati transformed into his owl and began to float above them. “Astaroth, he is not willing to save her. Keep her in her stasis elsewhere. Away from this castle. Away from the demons, away from Mundus. Do not let Mundus interact with her stasis.” He glared at the nogitsune before disappearing with a simple flap of his wings.
Astaroth quickly nodded to Mati before watching him disappear, his gaze returning to Kurai and the remaining Celestials.
Casielle broke the awkward silence with her cheery voice, “Let us know if we can do anything. Keeping Snow in stasis will be the best option for her until Kurai is ready. We must also return to the Celestial world to see you soon.” She smiled awkwardly before turning away from the duo, grabbing Zarall by the wrists.
“Kurai, we’re all rooting for you. You have the power to do so; don’t let Snow down,” Zarall reassured him kindly before he and Casielle disappeared, leaving the three bodies in silence.
Astaroth sighed, gazing down at the woman in the stasis. “Kurai,” He murmured gently. “I know we are not close, nor do I believe you trust me,” The friendly duke started. “If you are not ready to fight the demon’s power off, then so be it. We will not force you into this. I will keep her safe until then - no one will find out about her and her stasis. As far as the underworld knows, Snow wasn’t here for a long time; she returned to the human world with her memories erased.” Astaroth’s voice is calm and soothing, like a gentle breeze on a warm summer day. His striking purple eyes seem to hold a severe expression as they speak. The demon was somewhat different from most, perhaps because he’s seen a lot in this world. But with his warm and welcoming personality, Astaroth is the type of person you can trust and feel comfortable around. He has a strange charm to make those feel at ease, even in the most stressful situations. His smile was gentle as he continued, “I know what you’re going through, and I want you to understand that you are the only one. The day I was forced to mark the Lady in Red was a very intense experience. She had been marked three times, once by her husband, the next by the demon that took out the Sayaka Tribe. Then I was the one who had the power to - after her husband had unfortunately passed away as well - by the same demon. She had me to trust, and that was it. Of course, Ren and Sayuri were not demons, and they had passed shortly after the tribe’s murder.”
Kurai listened to Astaroth, unsure how to feel. He didn’t trust Astaroth; he was hiding secrets. He knew that the duke was hiding something - but so was he. He was hiding the fact that Mundus was the one who marked Snow. “Can the mark reset? Or does it grow stronger simultaneously as the demon who marked her?” He questioned.
“What do you mean?” Astaroth questioned.
“If I were to wait to re-mark her, would it be harder for me to do so?”
“Potentially,” the teal-haired demon replied. “If we can keep her away from whoever marked her originally, we can limit the poison. However, with this last attack from the demon, the mark has grown stronger.”
“This is all so confusing,” Kurai muttered, frowning.
“You could try now, and I may be quick enough to put her in another stasis before the new demon blood takes effect, but that is up to you. If you are strong enough, you will remove the previous mark and replace her mark with your own.”
“And she… You said earlier she belongs to the demon who has marked her, correct?”
Astaroth nodded. “It’s a strange thing to hear, yes. But it means that another demon would not take her as their own. Again, it’s similar to a pact between a human and a demon - except in reverse, and we can only mark one halfling. Many demons could mark her if she were fully human, but she is not.”
“... She’s a halfling,” He repeated, frowning slightly. “Astaroth, I need time. I don’t think I’m ready - I was the only one able to witness this demon's power. How much time do I have?”
Astaroth sighed, lowering his gaze once more to the woman. “If we can save her before the original demon returns, she will be okay.”
Kurai nodded. “You said you have somewhere to keep her, yes?”
“That is correct,” Another deep breath, Astaroth began to feel slightly nervous. He smiled gently at Kurai, “I will show you."
This is Nova - not that she's critical. I just don't know what else to add right now. :)
She's the reason Enoxon was broken.
You'll find out more about that another time. I know we were given a little backstory, but not enough.
Also, please don't be angry that Snow is not the main character POV, we'll get back ^^;
