"No," Kayda's voice lowered, and she glanced up to meet the man's eyes when he turned back to face her, "I cannot allow that. I must fulfill my own role. And you cannot interfere."
"Huh? What do you…?" The clansmen's brow furrowed in confusion as he felt his voice leave him, only for his eyes to lower to observe the strange white light which lay embedded into his chest.
Pierced by a spear of magic, the young man's gaze lifted to meet that of the clan's soon-to-be heiress--her right hand lifted and outstretched, palms dimming as the spear's origin was made clear. He was unharmed as the magic dispersed through his body, though whatever words he would have spoken, she would not hear as he discolored and stilled--before ceasing to move altogether, to the shock and horror of the rest of the clan.
"Kayda, what have you done?!" The elder strode forth, as though he were living out some sort of nightmare.
"I've turned him to stone. As is, he cannot be harmed." She stated bluntly, glancing away with an almost regretful sigh as silence pervaded once more, before she steeled herself to meet the eyes of every person in the room. "You must not forget the mission of our tribe--nor our destiny as the heritors of the ancient blood… our legacy as descendants of the Beastblood."
The elder of the clan was too stunned to say anything.
"You would cite that old legend?! When our lives are at stake and when our village is in flames?!" The same old woman from earlier cried in disbelief, her anger and fear as one. "Humanity has no need for us! We renounced the power of our ancestors!"
"...Perhaps I am a fool to believe the myths, especially now..." Kayda’s words seemed distant as she stared at the floor, and a self-deceiving smile crossed her face as she turned to face the exit of the sanctuary. "But I've wasted enough of your time as is. I will not ask for your forgiveness."
"Kayda, w-wait!"
Kalil found himself moving before he could even register what he was truly doing, his heart pounding as he halted at his elder sister's back--all eyes on him.
"Let.. let me fight with you!" He blurted out in desperation, fighting to keep his voice low and unemotional as his sister had managed to do.
Kayda's lips grew into a small, sad smile as she turned and met his azure eyes, yet still, she shook her head, gently placing a hand on his shoulder after fixing his blue hair to reveal the brand across his brow.
"Kalil, I want you to promise me something."
She breathed, eyes locking with her younger brother’s--her grip on his shoulder tightening as her face grew serious.
"A-Anything, Sis."
She smiled.
"Grow strong… and never lose hope. It is in you our tribe's blood flows strongest. And that is why..."
Raising the clenched fist which had been lowered at her side, the heiress' fingers extended to reveal a flash of blinding light which enveloped the group before her--any and all protest to go unvoiced as a crowd of unmoving statues took their place.
Kayda's shoulders slumped, and her eyes filled with tears she hurriedly tried to blink away.
"I'm sorry."
She forced herself to stand, turning away and unwilling to spare another glance upon her younger brother's face--his unsuspecting gaze. The hand which had held his shoulder tightened into a fist, and with no words nor time to spare, she left the silence of the sanctuary behind her to step back out into their burning village.
The ash and smoke clouding the air had thickened to the extent she could barely glimpse the ruins of her home, yet Kayda's resolve did not waver even as the doors to the sanctuary slammed shut behind her. As long as she could ensure their survival, her fate did not matter. Her power could at least ensure that much...
"Well, well, what have we got here?"
A gruff voice resounded from beyond the crackling flames, echoing with a thick tinge of cynicism. And at the gates of their secluded village where the smoke billowed the strongest, a towering figure clad in armor appeared, trailed by lowly demons who could not hope to compare.
In contrast to the grotesque appearance of the demons at his feet, the figure's face was revealed as strikingly human--effeminate, even, with long locks of vermilion hair and crimson eyes which made it clear this was simply a visage masking something greater.
"Hm. So you're all that's left then?" The red-eyed figure observed with a smirk across his face. "Shame. I was hoping there'd be a bit more challenge to be offered."
Kayda stepped forward without fear, and although her voice remained level, her expression seemed to darken.
"Explain yourself, demon. Our clan has all but lost the power you believe we possess."
"Is that so?" The long-haired figure paused, before shrugging. "Too bad I can't return empty handed. I think your corpse would help me keep my head, though. But, if you decide to come along willingly, things won't have to get so--"
A barrage of thunder shot forth from Kayda's outstretched hands, her patience long growing thin. In near instant, the armored fiend and the demons at his side were engulfed, yet in the end, only the latter met their end, whilst the armored man was nowhere to be seen.
"What…?"
"How uncivilized."
The deep voice which had rung out from behind her froze the heiress' blood in her veins, and she spun to meet the demon's prideful smirk, a glint in his crimson eyes.
"Though perhaps I should've expected such savagery amongst a village full of recluses. A little behind the times, aren't we?" The armored demon muttered in mild annoyance, running a hand through his hair. "But that's beside the point. It's clear you're no Beastblood." He gave another smirk. "Granted, even if you were, you wouldn't be able to stop us."
The ashen gale which whipped outwards from the demon buffeted Kayda with a fury she could barely comprehend, as though every spirit in the four winds were attacking her at once--yet never did she flinch or look back as she readied to fling another blast.
"Even if I cannot, someone will stop you!" She roared, a spear of blinding light launching forth from her other hand--to be caught by the demon, who only gave a curious lift of an eyebrow before it flickered to nothingness.
"...As I was saying, it's hopeless." The demon shrugged, his voice continuing to echo as he vanished into the ash. "Need I mention to you, we have the power of a certain… deity on our side?"
"W-What…?"Kayda's eyes widened in another uncharacteristic expression of shock, and she spun around to find any trace of where her adversity had vanished to. "Are you mad? To awaken that god? Have you any idea what fate that would spell for the world?!"
Eyes stinging and breathing heavy from the continued exposure to the smoke--a burst of ash before her caused her to stumble back as the demon reappeared with the same mocking grin.
"Not holding up very well, are we?" He snickered, each step he took causing the blue-haired clanswomen to retreat. "It's a bit of a shame you're on the opposite side… if only I had brought flowers instead of a blade."
"Y-You...!"
The two spears of light she'd shot forth from both hands served to do little against the armored figure--and for all intents and purposes, she had truly accomplished nothing at all as he continued his stride toward her uninterrupted.
Kayda cursed herself as she dropped to her knees, rasping for breath as the ash around her refused to dispel. The demon hadn't even laid a finger on her, all this was her own recklessness. Some heir she was...
Anticipating her shameful demise, Kayda closed her stinging eyes and awaited death at the armored demon's hands--the final words she had exchanged with her brother overtaking all else.