Page 31 of Demon's Dark Love

Bethana's face twists in rage.

“You always were a smart ass,” she says and hurls the dark fire at us.

I brace for impact, but the wooden box containing the artifact suddenly glows, a brilliant light emanating from it. The dark fire dissipates, and the box opens on its own, revealing a shimmering crystal inside.

Lily gasps, her eyes fixed on the crystal. "What is this?"

Bethana's expression shifts from rage to fear. "No..."

The crystal pulses with light, and Lily's eyes glaze over as if she's seeing something beyond our reality. I hold her tighter, my heart pounding in my chest.

"Lily, what do you see?" I ask, my voice urgent.

She blinks, her eyes focusing on me. "I see... a life of peace. A world where demons and humans live together in harmony. No more hatred, no more fear."

Bethana recoils, her fear turning to fury once more. "Lies! There can be no such world!"

Lily shakes her head, her voice firm. "It's possible. We can make it possible."

I step forward, feeling the crystal's energy intertwining with our own. "Mother, you taught me that power is everything. But this is a different kind of power. One that can change everything."

Bethana's face contorts with rage and desperation. "You would throw away everything we've built for a dream?"

I meet her gaze, my resolve unshakable. "Yes. Because this dream is worth fighting for."

The crystal's light intensifies, and I feel a warmth spreading through me, connecting me to Lily in a way I've never felt before. We stand together, united by love and a shared vision of a better world.

Bethana's dark magic falters, and for the first time, I see uncertainty in her eyes. She looks at the crystal, then back at us, her expression torn between anger and something else—something that almost looks like fear.

"You're making a mistake," she snarls.

I shake my head. "I somehow don’t think so."

The room falls silent, the only sound the steady hum of the crystal's light. Bethana takes a step back, her power waning, andI realize that our love, our determination, has weakened her hold over us.

I pick up the small heart-shaped stone from the box, turning it over in my hand. It's smooth, almost warm to the touch, but it feels underwhelming given the legends surrounding it.

"This is it?" I ask, raising an eyebrow. "Kind of disappointing for something that's supposed to be so powerful."

Lily shakes her head, her eyes locked on the stone. "It's shaped like a heart for a reason. It reveals what it's capable of if it's not locked away."

I smirk, a spark of mischief in my eyes. "Alright," I say, feeling a surge of determination. "Let's see what this thing can do."

We stand close, our hands clasped around the heart-shaped stone. The warmth intensifies, spreading from the stone into our bodies. I feel Lily's pulse sync with mine, our breaths falling into a shared rhythm.

"Focus on us," she whispers, her voice steady. "On our love, our bond."

The stone begins to glow, a soft, pulsing light that grows brighter with each passing second. I open my eyes and see Lily's face illuminated by the light, her green eyes shimmering with determination.

"It's working," she says, her voice filled with awe. "Keep going."

The light envelops us, warm and comforting. I feel a shift within me, a tingling sensation that spreads from my chest to the tips of my fingers. My demonic features—the horns, the claws—begin to recede, replaced by something new, something different.

It hurts, but its somehow right.

"Lily," I say, my voice trembling with a mix of fear, pain and excitement. "What's happening?"

"We're changing," she replies, her eyes wide with wonder and pain. She doubles over and I grip her to me. "Neither demon nor human," she gasps. "Something... more."

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