The smell of dirt and moss found its way into her nose as she stepped into the cavernous space, the tunnel she emerged from gave way to a large chamber. Though they had to get to this place by underground tunnel the high ceilings were cracked allowing the sunlight to pierce the darkness. This explained the forest and plants that had grown though sickly and distorted due to the limited light.

“Okay, now lets just find the mirror and get out of here before anything realises we’re here.” Azeal mutters.

She turns he head slightly to glance at his face smirking in the way she knows makes his blood boil.

“Scared? I thought this little trip had been rather boring.”

Lilith replied uninterested, Azeals face slowly turned crimson, flexing his jaw, looking away from her profile to scan the tree line.

“We will have to search these forests to find it, it could take days! Weeks even! I dont have that time.”

“And standing here complaining achieves?” Lilth queried raising a brow.

“Can’t you do a tracking spell or something ? What’s the point being so powerful if it doesn’t help when you need it?” He snapped.

“I can not track items made from olde magik, they require a payment of some kind whether that be blood, body or soul. I wouldnt expect a mortal such as yourself to comprehend any of that.”

She stalked forward keeping as silent as mist whispering through the forest, sighing Azeal followed trying to hide the noise of his passage with no where near the success of his companion.

After a few hours of stilted silence they began to see light filtering through the forest ahead, eventually the trees thinned revealing a large clearing of tall grasses bathed in sunlight. In the middle glinted a large iron mirror embedded into the ground as if it had grown from it.

He took a step forward only to be stopped by her pale hand on his chest.

“What is your problem?” Azeal spat.

“Do you not think that maybe this is too easy ? Are you that naive?”

“No. I… I just want to get out of here and I’m so close”

Liliths gaze flitted to his for a brief moment and then dropped to the floor before refocusing on the clearing.

“I understand your need just dont lose your life to desperation, we approach cautiously”

Azeal nodded his agreement and they slowly stepped out the cover of the forest, and slunk through the grasses. As they neared the mirror and its curled iron frame ornate and menacing the world became silent. Like a heavy curtain had been dropped.

“Get down and stay alert.” She warned. Pushing him behind a rock, Azeal did as he was told used to the horrifying familiar feeling of power that the predators of this world give off, a sign of imminent death.

Lilith shifted on her feet and slowly drew the sword from its scabbard down her back, locking eyes with Azeal and pressing a finger to her lips. Moving foward past the rock and Azeals line of sight, panic shuttered his heart at being unable to see her, but he knew Lilith could fight he had seen it.

She scanned her surroundings waiting for whatever laid in wait to make itself known, it was too still. A hissing sound that seemed to come from everywhere, and no where. Movement in her peripheral, Too late.

She was slammed sideways, landing on her back and cracking her head against the floor. Slow blinking to ground herself she rolled to her feet, though winded Liliths life taught her that death came for those of remained still. She faced down the wraith that glided toward her, hooded in a ruined black robe with gnarled, clawed hands. Glad that its features remined hidden as she fell into a fighting stance, claw met blade as they clashed together and broke apart like waves against rock. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Azeal move towards the mirror.

It was too soon if he saw her form he’d never accept what she was, fear settled in her chest as she faced the wraith, knowing if she called for him to stop the Daemon would see him. This had to end and quickly.

As Azeal neared the mirror he could hear the sounds of battle, looking over his shoulder at her once noting the cold wrath on her face. Before turning to the mirror, Azeal could see himself kneeling on the grass the clearing behind him. Nothing lurked beyond the mirror, no ripple of power.

A female cry rose up that was cut short but, he couldnt look away from the mirror now, he had done too much to get here to waste precious seconds, if Lilith had fallen he would be next. Behind his reflection movement drew his eye to the Daemon behind him, a curvy full feminine form that was coated in ember coloured scaled skin. His eyes drifted to her face oval with a strong law line, full black lips and high sharp cheek bones. Her black hair fell in waves over her shoulders and down her back, crowning her head two onyx curved horns pierced the sky.

The Daemon paused opening her mouth as if she was going to speak, Azeal whipped his head to face his death.

His heart stuttered to a stop.

“Lilith? But the mirror.. you cant. Your not. It’s impossible.”

His words drifted off into nothing as his brain raced to keep up as the pieces clicked together. A reality formed one Azeal couldn’t accept.