Realm of Monsters

Loh ran through the burning halls of the Noir manor. Except, it wasn't her in control, but Lily. Loh could still feel her legs as they kicked off the ground in a sprint and the wind passing through her hair, but she couldn't control any of it. She was paralyzed and yet moving all the same, the sensation was disorientating.

How are you doing this? Loh asked, her voice resounding only between their minds.

"Our bond allows us to become one temporarily. I'm simply the one controlling the body at the moment, but it is still your body." As Lily spoke aloud through Loh's mouth, her words vibrated with both their voices.

How did you heal my injuries?

"I didn't. You're not a white mage, therefore neither am I."

Then why can't I feel any pain? Why don't I feel light-headed anymore? Loh asked.

"I am blocking your pain receptors and using my own heightened innate senses to dispel your light-headed state."

You can just cut off my pain like that?

"Eh, more like I'm stepping in between and taking the pain for you," Lily answered without breaking her stride.

You're— what? Are you okay? Loh's disembodied voice suddenly took on a worried tone.

Lily couldn't help but laugh.

What's so funny?

"I endured far worse the day I was born. Trust me, this is nothing."

Lily shuffled to a halt when she came across an assassin standing over a dying guard. Several guard corpses lay around them. The assassin held the guard by the throat. "Where is Unalla Noir?" he asked.

The guard sputtered blood from her lips and bared a fierce grin. "I'd rather die."

The assassin noticed Loh, or rather Lily in Loh's body, standing a few paces away. "So be it." He slit the guard's throat with a knife and dropped her unceremoniously.

No! Loh screamed internally.

The assassin turned to Lily, the black magic cloak shimmered with a distorting effect as he moved, making him appear as if he were looking at several different places, but somehow Loh knew he was looking at them. "Where is Unalla Noir?"

Loh began to panic. Lily, we can't fight him head-on. We need to run.

"Unalla is right behind us," Lily replied.

The assassin's face was mostly hidden by the cowl, but Loh caught the hints of a frown on his lips. He charged at them, his footsteps silent. The cloak blurred his body, he appeared as four different men, attacking from different angles.

Lily leaned forward and ignored all four of them. Orange flooded her veins and she moved with lightning swiftness. Her hand shot out between the four mirages and caught the real one by the face. Mana surged through Lily's fingertips as she shot flames into his nostrils. His neck snapped back at the thrust of her wrist and he collapsed, writhing on the floor as the flames burned through his insides.

What was that? How did you know where to strike? Loh asked, amazed.

"I still have my senses, which are far sharper than your own." Lily took one last glance at the bodies and then fell back into a sprint through the halls.

But you were so fast. I've never seen you move like that.

"You're an Orange chromatic mage and therefore so are we."

Yeah, but I've never moved that fast. It was like you were using the Black Amber spell, but you weren't.

"I've had many hosts throughout many lifetimes. I've learned from my hosts, acquired their knowledge and skills over many years. I am simply performing some of those skills with our shared body."

Lily… Who are you really?

"This isn't the time for that."

You're controlling my body, I think it really fucking is.

"Our body," she corrected.

Lily.

She sighed, but kept running. "My name is Lilandria, Last of the First Wraiths…"

Wraiths…?

"Children of the Blood Gods, or rather, their prized creations."

Loh paused, unsure of what to say next. …Tell me more.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

"The Blood Gods were old, older than the Sundering. And they were powerful, but with that came hubris. They reached too far. They thought themselves unstoppable, even in the face of Calamities. They were not."

I'm not sure I follow.

"You need not. All you need to know is that while you and I are alone we are weak, but as long as we're together, we become something so much more."

And what exactly is that?

"Power."

Lily reached the main hall leading to the Noir family's private chambers. As soon as she turned the corner, she came across a bloody scene. A handful of assassins were standing over dozens of dead, mutilated guards and were slowly encircling a small, but dense dome of red wards constructed in the corner of the hall.

Underneath the red dome stood George and Dolores. Loh's mother seemed afraid, but relatively unharmed. Her father, on the other hand, was covered in sweat. George's breath was ragged and his tunic was torn with several cuts. Worst of all, his left arm hung limp at his side, covered in blood.

The assassins struck at the dome, their blades bouncing with a clash of sparks, each strike draining the ward's mana.

Something primal broke out from the depths of Loh as she saw the pain and distress in her parents' faces. The anger reverberated through the bond.

"Stay calm, Loh," Lily warned quietly.

Orbs of fire swirled to life around Lily and shot out in rapid succession. Only one assassin was struck before the others noticed her presence and leaped out of the way. They moved with deft coordination and with unnatural speed that would leave an Orange mage intimidated.

Lily fell into a defensive stance and began to dodge their attacks, while sending out several more fireballs. Her shadow snapped outwards like a whip and caught one of the invaders by the ankle, only to yank the screaming woman forward and obliterate her in a stream of flames. But the surprise move cost Lily.

To your left! Loh screamed.

It was too late. A towering man managed to catch Lily's wrist. His muscles swelled with Brown's vigor magic and his grip became like steel.

Loh panicked as she watched from somewhere behind Lily's eyes. An Orange could move faster than an arrow, but once caught by a Brown, there was no escape. Her panic rose as she saw the other assassins rush forward, their intent clear.

Loh's rising despair reached through the bond in overwhelming waves. Lily staggered at the unintentional mental assault. The assassins drew closer, their blades only centimeters away.

Lily gritted her teeth and pushed her bonded's panic aside. She ripped her arm out of the Brown mage's grip and backhanded him in the chest. The air exploded with a crack, and his body went flying to the wall, crashing in a wet, red splat.

Lily spun on her left heel, raised her right leg up as it began to glow an eerie blue, then kicked in a wide arch, catching the last three remaining assassins. Blue light flashed in a burst and the three went spinning in crumpled bloody messes.

How did you…? Loh stared in dumbfounded shock. The whole exchange had happened in a single breath.

"Dammit, we have a problem," Lily cursed with a sigh.

"Elohonoir…?" George called out hesitantly.

Loh's parents stared at what they presumed was Loh with a mixture of awe and confusion.

"You're safe now," Lily tried her best to emulate Loh's smile. She knew George and Loh hadn't spoken since he had found out about Loh's part in Aizel's death.

But after a tense moment, George released his dome and leaned on the wall, exhausted. Dolores ran past him and embraced Lily. "Elohonoir! I thought— Thank the gods you're safe," she cried in relief.

"Mom…?" Loh whispered and she realized she had spoken aloud this time. She was back in control of her body, though she could still feel Lily's presence within her.

Dolores pulled back, smiling tearfully. "Honey, your hand!" she gasped.

Loh glanced at her left hand and went slack-jawed in terror. Her hand was a mangled mess, fingers bent in the wrong directions, and bloody bits of bone sticking out. She could feel no pain, but the horrific damage was obvious. "Liiilyyy…!" her voice rose in sheer panic. "What happened to my arm!?"

A problem, Lily replied.

"And my leg, oh my gods!" Loh stared at her right leg. It was in a similar sorry state. She was amazed that she was even still standing.

You have had little to no lifeforce training. Your body was incapable of handling the strain of Paragon-level techniques. Don't worry, I made sure to avoid permanent damage. You'll heal with proper white magic treatment.

"Paragon-level— what!? Why didn't you use something else!?" Loh snapped.

I was going to, but your panic temporarily overwhelmed my senses and forced my hand. I warned you to stay calm.

"How am I supposed to stay calm when I can't even move my body?!"

Fine, next time I'll stick to grandmaster arts at most.

"What do you mean, grandmaster? I'm not even a master of life arts—"

Exactly. Your body is woefully ill-prepared for this battle. Fortunately, you have me. I can push your body far beyond its limits, but there is a price to such actions. Like your leg and arm.

"Honey, who are you talking to?" Dolores asked worriedly.

"No one, Mom. I mean, someone, but, ugh, don't worry about it." She stared at her ruined limbs and swallowed hard, "Lily, what am I supposed to do now?"

What are you willing to endure for those you love?

Loh stared at her mother's worried face. "Anything," she whispered.

Time's up, we need to move.

Loh felt herself get pushed back as Lily took control of her body once more. Lily channeled Black and formed a splint of shadows around her leg. It would be clunky, but the shadows could move the leg well enough to at least walk. Satisfied, she nodded to herself and glanced at Loh's father. "George, do you still keep a small armoury in your study?" her voice spoke as two.

"Uh, y-yeah," George nodded warily. "But they're mostly older weapons for display only."

"Hopefully, it'll do," Lily said.

"Elohnoir? Why are you talking like that? And your eyes…" Dolores touched her cheek gingerly. "Are you okay?"

"Everything will be fine, Dolores," Lily assured her. "Get to Elzri's study. There is a hidden room behind the bookshelf. The room has various cloaking wards on it, but it will open for you. Take your husband and stay there until I come find you." She turned to leave, but paused and glanced back, "Your daughter— What I mean to say is, I… love you a lot. I'll be back, I promise."

"I love you too," Dolores smiled weakly.

Lily nodded and headed for George's study.

You didn't have to say that last part to her, Loh grumbled abashedly.

"I know, but you wanted to, even if you weren't going to," Lily replied. With a limp, she reached George's study and pushed the door open with her good arm. An array of weapons hung from wooden racks behind glass displays. Lily perused them, searching for what she needed.

A blade would require lots of footwork, which in her current state was unfeasible. She needed something that allowed her to defend and strike with ideally little movement. Finally, her eyes settled upon a black whip with sharp steel bits at the end. She smirked, "This will do."