The village

Lilith stood on the village wall, watching an army set up camp. She turned to her left and watched the sun touch the horizon.

Soon, the slaughter will begin.

“When you killed those men… did you know they were the king’s men?”

Lilith glanced at the village chief but said nothing.

He swallowed. “You must forgive me. I don’t mean to be disrespectful. I’m grateful for you saving my life.” He turned toward the bonfires burning on the horizon. “But now the cost is going to be my home—my village.”

She stood there, watching the king’s men stoke the fires. “My actions will cost you nothing.”

He glanced over his shoulder at the gathering villagers. “There are whispers…” He drew a breath. “That you are one of them.”

Lilith let a small smile slip. “And what is ‘one of them’?”

He hesitated. “The dark ones.”

“Vampire, werewolf…” She turned toward him. “Or something else?”

He took a step back. “That you’re… you’re…”

“What… a demon?”

He nodded, his brow beaded with sweat. “You say it will cost me nothing. So who is to pay?”

She considered him for a moment. “An infant?”

“No.” His posture stiffened, anger creeping into his voice. “You will take me instead.”

“Oh?”

“Yes. I cannot allow that.”

She laughed, then lifted his chin with a finger. Her eyes flared red. “What makes you think you could stop me?”

He trembled as he locked eyes with hers. “I may not stop you, but I will try—and I will not stop until one of us is dead.”

She smiled. “Finally… there you are.”

He frowned. “What do you mean?”

“You sound like a chief.”

“So, you’re truly asking for nothing? Then why help?”

“There was a creature born of darkness,” she began. “The firstborn of Lucifer.” She shook her head. “Her kind called her cursed. Diseased. The great betrayer of all they knew and lived for.”

She smiled.

“They were right.”

“You’re ashamed of what you are?”

“I’m ashamed of what they wanted me to become,” she snapped.

The air turned icy; frost began to form around them.

“I meant no offense.”

“None taken. You are human. I don’t expect you to understand such things.”

They turned and looked toward the king and his army.

They stood in silence, watching the soldiers stoke and build more bonfires.

“There was once a great warrior,” he began. “Fearless and cruel, he razed towns and villages to the ground in the name of his king.” He smiled. “Until one day, he could no longer. He walked away from his king—the grief, the sorrow, had become too heavy for him to carry.”

“What’s the point?”

“He found his peace in the service of others.”

“Who says I feel sorrow or grief?” She held up a hand. It shifted, turning a deep cobalt blue. Elegant silver talons emerged from her fingertips. She curled it into a fist.

“Those who have died at my hand deserved it.”

She stood there, staring at it. “If your warrior were here. Could he raise his sword and kill without mercy?” She looked toward the king’s army. “Kill all of them.”

He turned and looked. “I believe he no longer has it in him.”

One bonfire exploded in a burst of red flames. They could feel the heat from a quarter-mile away. A dark figure shot into the air, then drifted down among the men.

The chief staggered back. “What? What was that?”

Lilith just stood there, smiling. “Kali is here.”

She took a step forward.

Her skin shifted, turning a cold cobalt blue. Silver talons emerged from her fingers. Crimson, blade-like horns flared into existence above her eyes. Her forked tail twitched, followed by the unfurling of massive gray-and-black wings, their feathers vibrating.

The chief stumbled backward and fell, his eyes wide with fear and disbelief, unable to speak.

She smiled. “I must go welcome her.”

She took to the air a moment later, then came crashing down among the king and his men. Everyone froze.

Before her stood Kali, crimson skin, black horns reflecting the soft glow of the fire. In front of her, a priest knelt, clutching a golden chalice.

Kali took a step back, but before she could say anything, Lilith charged and drove her hand deep into Kali’s chest, wrapping her fingers around her heart.

Lilith pulled her close and whispered, “Greetings halfblood”

Kali gasped. “Li… Lilith?”

Lilith held her at arm’s length. “Brave of you to come here.” She met Kali’s eyes. “I guess Baal’s death wasn’t a good enough warning?”

Kali clawed at her weakly, unable to speak.

“Before you take your last breath,” Lilith said with a smiled, “I want to know, how does it feel to have the weak one, the corrupt one… holding your heart?”

Kali’s eyes went wide, then glassy as life left them. She twitched one last time before going limp.

“Goodbye, sister.” Lilith said before tossing her into the fire.

The priest glanced over at the king, who gave him a quick nod.

“Oh, great and dark one,” he began as he approached her, holding the chalice above his head. “Please, take this blood of one who is pure and unsullied as our offering to your divine power.”

He knelt before her, raising the chalice high.

Lilith took the chalice in her hand, firelight glinting off polished gold and jeweled edges.

Then she looked at the king…

…and poured the blood over the priest’s head.

The bonfires roared, their flames flashing blue.

She tossed the chalice into the fire.

Then, without breaking stride, she seized the priest by the top of his head and hurled him in after it as she walked toward the king.

She looked at the men frozen in place, some trembling, others on the verge of breaking. The only sound was the crackle of the fires.

The king knelt before her. “Please forgive us. We… we meant you no disrespect. If you like, you may take my youngest. She is beautiful and innocent. I’m sure she will be to your liking.”

“Stand,” she said, glancing behind him. “Who’s in your tent?”

He rose. “Just my slaves.”

“Bring them out.”

He nodded to his captain of the guard, who rushed into the tent.

“You may take all of them,” the king added.

She said nothing.

The slaves came out, all chained together.

“Remove their chains.”

He nodded, and the captain obeyed.

“Give me the keys,” she said, her eyes fixed on the king.

The captain did as told.

She looked at him. “All of your keys.”

A shiver ran through him as he handed them over.

She turned to the king. “Who is this man to you?”

“He… he’s my captain of the guard.”

She looked at the captain. “You execute all his orders without question?”

The man nodded.

She grabbed his head and crushed it, she then tossed the keys to the slave. “free the rest.”

The king staggered back and fell to the ground.

She picked him up and placed him in a chair. “Have your conscripts step forward.”

He nodded. “Peasants, step… step forth.” His voice cracked.

Two dozen disheveled men stepped forward.

She turned to them. “Drop your weapons and run, or keep them and die.”

They glanced at each other in confusion, then did as told and ran for the treeline, a few soldiers joining them.

She shook her head, then turned back to the king. “Now, my king, I want you to watch this.”

She turned, smiled, and slammed into them. They broke instantly. The few who stood their ground, she crushed, making flesh and armor one. Others she tore open or set alight with a touch.

The moans of the dying filled the night air as she stepped through what remained on her way back to the king. She stopped short and pointed to an empty chair.

“Where did he go?”

A slave pointed toward the woods.

The king tore through the forest when his horse came to a sudden stop. He pitched forward over the horse’s head landing in the dirt with a thud.

He took in a ragged breath as he staggered to his feet

“You stupid animal! I’ll put you down for this.”

“There was something in our path.”

The king turned to look, but saw nothing.

“General Odium, how did this human bind you to that animal?” Lilith’s voice came from all directions.

The king struck Odium in the jaw before drawing his sword. “Do not answer.”

“And Lieutenant Mortem…” Lilith’s voice echoed. “So, human, tell me, how did you manage? What of my father do you have?”

“It’s King Darius… creature. Soon, you’ll serve me too.”

“Brave words for a man who ran.”

“You will let me pass, for I have two of the greatest warriors of Hell at my command. I have killed many of your kind.”

“So have I.”

A branch cracked behind him.

He spun, but saw nothing. When he turned back, Lilith stood there, dragging a talon across Odium’s head. “You are now bound to me.”

He raised his sword. “Mortem, give me your strength.”

She stepped aside, kicked his feet out from under him, and plucked the sword out of his hands. “Mortem.”

She ran a talon along its length, carving her mark into the blade. “You are now bound to me.”

“Odium, tell me, how did this human gain control over you?”

“The tears for the fallen.”

“I see.” She stepped toward Darius, shoving him to the ground with her heel. “Tell me, human, how did you get my father’s tears?”

“Please, please, I have riches… virgins.” He rolled over and sat up. “I can—I can bring you the angel who gave it to me.”

“What would I do with an angel?”

“Whatever your heart desires.”

She shoved him back down with her foot. “I don’t desire such a thing.”

“Then, then let me find it for you.”

She grabbed him by the collar and lifted him off the ground. “A man such as you is incapable of finding it. You don’t even understand what it is.”

“Please, tell me. I will not fail you,” he stammered.

“Come. Let’s return to your camp,” she said as she placed him on the back of Odium.

She climbed on behind him. “Odium.”

He nodded and turned toward the camp.

“W-who… who are you?”

“Odium.”

“She is the firstborn, the one true royal, the namesake of her mother, Lilith Morningstar.”

They rode in silence until they reached the camp. She raised her hand, and a bonfire flared to life in blue flame.

“W-what… what are you doing?” Darius asked, his voice cracking.

“Shh. Don’t speak,” she said as she dismounted and lifted Darius off Odium.

She carried him with one hand to the fire. “You are everything I hate.”

She placed him in the fire and held him there.

He kicked and clawed, fighting with everything in him. She didn’t move, just watched as his screams cut through the night, never letting go until his body was ash.

She turned to Odium and pulled Mortem from the sheath, and examined him, before pulling him free from the blade.

“Thank you master.”

She smiled, then tossed him into the flame. An ear shattering screech pierced the night.

Odium took a step back as she turned toward him. “Why?”

She ran her hand down his snout. “I know what you told my brother.”

She patted him once. “Now kill yourself.”

She walked away as Odium made his way into the flame into the ‌flame.

The next evening, a hand over his mouth woke the chief.

“Shh.”

A shudder ran through him.

“The king’s sword lies in the field. If you choose to claim it, understand this: you will not rule, only serve your people.”

He gave a nervous nod.

“Good, I hope we never meet again.” And with that she was gone.

She shook her head as she looked down the darkened country road. She glanced into the rearview mirror at her daughter sleeping in the back seat. “Man, I was such a bitch, but it got me here.”

“To this one.”

She pulled onto the road and headed home.