Chapter 10: The Sun and the Firefly

"You’ve got some nerve showing your face here!" My eyes narrowed.

She just smirked. "You gonna kill me?" She slumped down, catching her breath.

She looked genuinely sick.

"Was the boy in Silver Hollow for your ritual too?" I demanded.

Christine’s eyes went cold. "Just a lowly demon. It’s an honor to give their heart’s blood for me! Too bad it didn’t work."

"Everyone’s someone’s child. Are you so much better? Your parents caught demon kids for you, so their parents wanted payback! The Williams family’s destruction was karma."

I grabbed her wrist. "You’re still up to no good in the order. Come explain to Michael!"

I dragged her to Michael’s place, but found medical disciples and three worried elders outside.

Olivia pulled us aside. "Michael went mad during alchemy, got hurt by the cauldron, and his soul’s damaged. The elders are treating him. Don’t disturb them."

"Alchemy?" I asked.

Olivia glanced at Christine. I got the message and fumed.

"Can you save him?" Christine looked me in the eye, pried my fingers off, and smiled. "You can’t, but I can."

She went to the elders, and somehow, they let her in.

Half an hour later, Michael came out, carrying a pale Christine, and hurried to Harmony Pavilion.

A sharp pain stabbed my chest.

When Christine woke, I went to confront her.

I forced her to confess her plot.

Christine looked at me, all mockery. "You think Michael doesn’t know? He just hates every demon."

"No way!"

What kind of hate makes you kill a five-year-old without blinking?

"Michael’s mentor was Gabriel. In the war a hundred years ago, his mentor killed the demon queen, used up her soul, and sealed the demon king’s descendant in Devil’s Drop. You know, the mountain you guarded for a century."

That was the third time I’d heard about Sebastian.

Everyone said he was the demon king’s descendant, the most evil bloodline, but to me, he was just my only friend in decades of loneliness.

"Autumn Reeves, I know why you joined the order. But you’re under a love curse—your feelings for Michael aren’t real, and neither are his for you. In my nineteen years, he’s saved me more times than I can count. You were wrong about one thing: the boy in Silver Hollow wasn’t caught by my parents, but by Michael."

Christine’s words cut like knives.

"Without Michael’s help, how could I have brought a demon child to St. Gabriel’s? Do you know why he’d do anything to save me?"

"Because he loves me."

The curse mark on my chest burned like lava, cold sweat soaking my shirt as if I’d just run a marathon in July.

Only when Michael pulled me into his arms did the pain fade.

"Autumn."

I slowly opened my eyes and croaked, "Christine said you caught both demon kids for her. Is it true?"

Michael stroked my hair. "Don’t worry about that. I’ll handle it. Autumn, can you lend me something?"

Before I could back away, a chill swept over my forehead.

The blood moon mark was already in Michael’s hand.

"Sorry, Autumn. Christine’s time is almost up. I can’t wait any longer."

In a flash, I understood.

"You’re insane."

He just smiled, then vanished on his sword.

I couldn’t use my sword, so I grabbed a teleportation talisman and ran, finally catching up to Michael before he could use the blood moon to open Devil’s Cave.

"Is Christine really that important to you?" The curse mark burned again. It took everything I had to speak.

"Yes." Michael didn’t hesitate. "The demon kids’ blood didn’t work, so I’ll use the demon king’s blood!"

"No one can stop me." The tip of Grace pointed at me. He lowered his eyes. "Autumn, move aside."

My heart ached, and I couldn’t tell if it was the curse or my own feelings.

"No." I said, clear as day.

Sebastian had been sealed in Devil’s Drop for a hundred years, never hurting anyone, but people still wanted him dead.

"You can’t stop me."

He was right—I couldn’t.

I couldn’t even throw up a basic ward.

All because of that damned love curse!

When the sword energy hit, I barely blocked it before being sent flying, slamming into the stone door behind me.

I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for pain. But instead, a gentle force caught my waist.

Landing with me was a boy who seemed to appear out of nowhere.

He stood on clouds and mist, with black hair and violet eyes, lips red as roses.

"I’m here." His pale violet eyes were as clear as the moon, shining like glass. "No one can hurt you."

"You’re... Sebastian?"

I’d heard that voice for years, always muffled through a heavy stone door. This was the first time I saw him face to face.

Sebastian smiled. "It’s me, Autumn. I’ve come to protect you."

But how was this possible... the blood moon to open Devil’s Cave was still in Michael’s hand...

Before I could ask, Sebastian became a stream of light, instantly sending Michael flying. When he came back to my side, the blood moon was in his palm.

"The demon king’s bloodline really does have that kind of power." Michael staggered back, wiped blood from his mouth, and his eyes burned even brighter.

"Michael!"

"Archangel Michael!"

Disciples poured in, following the demonic aura, surrounding Sebastian and me.

Michael propped himself up with his sword, pulled out the golden archangel’s order, and shouted, "The demon king’s bloodline has broken the seal. The prophecy of the demon god’s return after a hundred years has come true. The four great orders must unite to destroy the demon god!"

"We obey the archangel’s order!"

Sebastian had just broken the seal and wasn’t at full strength. Facing thousands of disciples, he was quickly overwhelmed.

"Autumn, I’ll give you one more chance to do the right thing." Michael reached out. "Come to me."

"I’m not wrong. You are—all of you are." I forced myself to shield Sebastian, the curse mark burning like fire.

"He’s the demon king’s bloodline, maybe even the prophesied demon god. If you protect him, the world will suffer, and you’ll never be forgiven."

"Heh." Sebastian scoffed. "You angels are as hypocritical as ever, always using the world as an excuse for your own ambitions."

As things were about to explode, Olivia lunged at me. Her sword missed by an inch, but her neck landed in my grip.

"Take me hostage, Autumn."

I snapped out of it and grabbed her neck.

"Don’t hurt Olivia." Michael raised his hand, and the disciples actually stopped.

Olivia’s eyes were full of guilt, but she let Sebastian and me take her away.

After we lost our pursuers, we parted ways.

"Autumn, I know you’re kind, but he’s the demon king’s bloodline and the demon god of prophecy. The order won’t stop. If you can, get out of here and never look back."

Michael wanted the demon king’s blood. No way he’d just let us go.

"Alright." I smiled bitterly, knowing the road ahead would be rough, but I didn’t want Olivia to worry, so I gave her a vague answer.

"Take care, Olivia."

I didn’t know then it would be the last time I saw her.

Sebastian took me to a small town and managed to suppress the love curse.

This curse messes with your heart and mind, defies divine law, and is a lost demon clan trick.

He had me draw Lucien’s portrait and went to the demon clan to track him down.

I went out for food and overheard some freelance guardians in a coffee shop talking about St. Gabriel’s executing a traitor at the Blood Moon Platform today.

I pressed them for details, but all they said was, "Not sure which traitor, just that three days ago, he helped the demon king’s bloodline and another disciple escape from Devil’s Drop."

The sandwich in my hand hit the floor, and I teleported to St. Gabriel’s in a heartbeat.

I raced through the empty gates and across the wings, finally spotting Olivia chained to the platform.

"Olivia!"

I scrambled up and barely touched her clothes when a burst of blood bloomed on her chest.

My mind went blank, then I heard the pounding of boots on stone.

"Autumn Reeves! You killed your fellow disciple!"

I collapsed on the platform, barely seeing the sword tips before me.

Olivia... is gone.

The friend who risked everything to save me with her blood... is dead.

A cold wind slapped my face.

"Autumn, you really let me down." Michael approached, disappointment etched in every line of his face.

In the crowd, Christine smiled at me from afar.

"Isn’t the real disappointment standing right in front of you?" I snapped. "You knew Olivia’s secret. You couldn’t get the demon king’s blood, so you tried to use Olivia to save her!"

"Autumn, what are you talking about?" Michael put on his usual gentle smile, tilting his head like butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth.

"I won’t let you win!" I tried to shield Olivia’s body, but all I found were scattered chains.

I whipped up wind blades, aiming right at Michael’s face.

But just an inch away, the blades fizzled out.

Someone slammed me against the platform pillar, and the chains that had bound Olivia now tied me up.

"Autumn, do you still refuse to admit your mistake?"

Below, everyone stared at me with a mix of contempt, hatred, and deep disappointment, like I was the villain in a small-town scandal.

But all I’d ever done was protect someone.

"The one who should be sorry is you! You betrayed everything you stood for and still call yourself an archangel!"

I looked at the disciples, swords pointed at me. "You’re all blind, following a guy like that. Everything he does is for Christine Williams. This order deserves to fall!"

"Is that so?" Michael smiled and beckoned Christine forward.

Christine clutched her chest, shuffling up with a smirk.

Chi—

Before the sneer could fade, her smile froze.

She looked down. Grace’s blade had run her through.

Christine stared at Michael, speechless, before collapsing.

"Archangel, you—"

The crowd erupted.

Michael pulled his sword free, a cloud of demonic energy pouring from Christine’s wound.

His face was stone. "Christine Williams used dark magic to extract demon children’s heart blood. That can’t be allowed in the order. As leader, I have to purge her."

I stood there, stunned.

He killed Christine himself.

If not for her, then who?

Grace swung toward me, and Michael smiled. "Now, it’s your turn."

A wave of sword energy crashed down, scattering disciples like bowling pins.

A flash of cold light, and the chains around me snapped.

Sebastian caught me, landing gently.

"Anyone who hurts her dies."

Michael ignored the fallen. He looked at Sebastian, now in violet robes, and smiled even wider. "You finally showed up."

"If I hadn’t, your whole plan to force my clan to use the love curse would have stayed hidden."

I was floored.

So it was all a setup from the start.

Michael got close to me for the blood moon—to open Devil’s Cave and get the demon king’s blood!

"If you can’t live as a human, then die." Sebastian gathered demonic energy in his palm.

He was stronger now, and with the Nightshade Sword, the order couldn’t get close.

But a sword flew from behind, piercing my left shoulder. Blood pooled at my feet, bright and hot.

Before I could react, the platform shook, golden light shot skyward, and the sword hanging above seemed to wake up, humming, breaking free, and flying to me.

The world went silent.

6

"The Blood Moon Sword... chose her?"

St. Gabriel’s Blood Moon Platform was named for this sword.

A hundred years ago, after Demon Queen Lilith died, the angels hung her sword here as a trophy.

Nobody thought the sword would pick me.

"Autumn, don’t touch it!"

Sebastian’s voice snapped me back.

But my hand was already on the hilt.

Golden light blazed, thunder boomed, and raw power flooded me, burning away the curse mark and breaking the hundred-year seal.

"Ah—"

With a cry, I drew the Blood Moon Sword. The energy shook the whole place, reducing the three-story platform to rubble.

"Demon... demon god!" Someone stammered.

"The demon god is born!"

I lowered my eyes.

The sword reflected the blood moon mark on my forehead and a face I hadn’t seen in a hundred years.

Snow-white skin, red lips, crackling with demonic energy.

So, I was the real demon king’s bloodline.

Everything came rushing back.

For years, the angels and demons fought over resources, resentment boiling over. My mother, Lilith, tried to negotiate, but it failed, leading to war. In the end, my mother and Gabriel both died, and the demon king’s bloodline was locked away in Devil’s Drop.

But the one really imprisoned—hidden in appearance, memory, and identity—was Sebastian.

No wonder he could leave Devil’s Cave without the blood moon. The seal was never meant for him.

I let out a bitter laugh. "For a hundred years, I thought I was just a firefly in your world, but that darkness was always mine to carry."

He wiped blood from my lips, his eyes gentle as ever.

"You’re not a firefly, you’re the sun—the light I’ll protect forever."

My lashes trembled as I looked at him. "Then from now on, I’ll protect you."

He smiled, purple sparks in his eyes. "Deal."

Michael wiped blood from his mouth, propping himself up, staring at me. "So it was you."

The curse was gone, and now, looking at him, I felt nothing.

"Yeah, it was me. What, you want my heart’s blood now?" I cocked my head, smiling coldly.

"Olivia’s blood can heal, Christine’s can stabilize the soul." No wonder Christine could save Michael’s soul. Now it all made sense.

"You wanted the demon king’s blood, not for Christine, but for your mentor—to bring Gabriel back."

The three elders of St. Gabriel’s looked stunned.

"If I’m right, Olivia and Christine are at the revival array for Gabriel. Now, where would that be?" I pretended to think, tracing in the air.

Then I stopped and grinned. "Oh, there."

Michael’s face changed, but I was faster, reaching Ascension Hall in a blink.

With one swing, I took out half the roof, revealing Olivia and Christine at the heart of the array.

Between them lay Gabriel’s silver armor, a faint body forming inside.

"My mother’s gone; your mentor should go too. Then it’s fair." I looked at the angels, settling on Michael. "You bound me with a love curse for half a year and wanted my blood. Michael, you really deserve what’s coming."

"But I’ve got a punishment for you."

I stopped smiling. "Sebastian!"

He met my eyes and rushed into the array, grabbing Olivia’s body.

I swung the Blood Moon Sword again, smashing Ascension Hall as Michael watched, broken.

"Mentor! No—"

Wood splinters and silver armor rained down.

When the dust cleared, there was light.

While everyone was stunned, I cut Michael’s spiritual veins.

"Olivia trusted you, and you killed her. But I won’t kill you. I want you to live every day with regret, to pay for what you did to my people."

"Hahaha..." Michael slumped, laughing, eyes wild. "So what if you’re the demon god? You think you’ll get out alive?"

"If my mentor can’t come back, then you’ll die too."

More disciples rushed in.

The roar was deafening.

"The demon god is born—she must die!"

Thousands surrounded us, the sanctuary’s barrier glowing.

Sebastian gripped my hand, cold fury in his eyes. "Now that you’re all here, have you thought about your own orders? If I give the signal, my soldiers at the foot of the mountain will attack."

The crowd panicked.

The other order leaders, after checking with their disciples, started pulling back.

I egged them on. "If I go all out, I can take you all with me."

I’m game, but they’re not.

No matter how Michael screamed, the other orders ignored him.

"This is your mess! Why should we pay the price?"

"Yeah, let’s get out of here!"

The disciples scattered, leaving only a few hundred from St. Gabriel’s.

The demon soldiers below cheered:

"We’re ready, Princess!"

Finally, the head elder stepped forward, took the feather token, expelled Michael, and ordered the disciples to let us go.

"I want you, as archangel, to declare my demon clan recognized, that from now on, angels and demons are equals—judged only by their actions."

The elder hesitated. "Alright."

"It’s over." I squeezed Sebastian’s hand. "Let’s go home."

"Yeah." He smiled. "Let’s go."

7

Sebastian Extra

When the demon clan first rose up, they were powerful but wild. Many got ruthless fighting over treasure.

So, angels and humans had every reason to fear us.

Until Autumn Reeves came along.

She was born with so much demonic energy, her first cry knocked over three nurses.

Her mother, Lilith, became queen all because of her unstoppable daughter.

I met her at her mom’s coronation.

Back then, I was a nearly blind orphan. I snuck into the palace, got caught by some bullies, and ended up hanging from a tree.

Just as my arms were about to give out, a little girl with straw in her hair dropped down from another branch.

She pointed at them, deadpan. "You’re too noisy."

"Who’s this wild girl? She’s got guts!"

"Get her!"

...

I couldn’t see much, but I could hear the difference—none of those pig-like screams were hers.

She was just a kid, maybe eleven or twelve, but she was tough as nails.

I was jealous.

What was I thinking?

Oh, right—I wished I had her strength, so nobody could ever hurt me again.

"It’s Autumn Reeves! That demon brat! Run!"

Someone recognized her, and the bullies scattered.

She let me down, spat out her grass, pushed her messy hair aside, and grinned. "Hey, do I really look that scary?"

In the hazy night, under a big old moon, I looked at her blurry face and backed away, embarrassed.

She waved a hand in front of my eyes, then realized, "Oh, you’re a little blind, huh?"

"I-I’m not blind," I stammered, clutching my ragged shirt. "Just can’t see well."

"No big deal. I won’t tease you. What’s wrong with being blind? People call me a monster." She snapped a willow branch, sounding casual. "Go home, palace gates are closing."

"You’re not a monster!"

The first person who helped me couldn’t be a monster.

"But that’s what everyone calls me." She shrugged.

"They’re the blind ones!"

She smiled, brushed my forehead with the willow branch. "Since you say I’m not a monster, I won’t let you stay blind."

Autumn’s voice was playful and light.

But she meant every word.

She searched every corner of the realms, spent three years finding medicine for my eyes.

The day the bandages came off, she was more nervous than I was.

When the last wrap fell, I opened my eyes, trembling.

Seeing my pupils freeze, she sighed, then slapped my shoulder.

"Still can’t see? Doesn’t matter. From now on, I’ll be your firefly!"

No, you’re not a firefly—you’re my sun, the light I’ll follow forever.

My lashes shook, and my vision cleared. Everything was bright and sharp.

Especially her pale skin and red lips. I traced her face, memorizing every line.

"I... can see."

Because of Autumn, I could see the world—and because of her, I wanted to see more.

After that, I trained with her, helped her set rules, and rein in our people.

With her, I righted wrongs, helped the helpless, and watched our clan become better.

Nobody called her "monster" again. They called her "Princess."

Then came the war.

Lilith died, and the angels threatened to wipe us out unless Autumn sealed herself in Devil’s Drop.

"It’s fine." She stroked my face, still so calm. "Once I break that seal, I’ll come back for you. Didn’t you always want a home? When I get out, I’ll take you there."

I took her hand, pressing it to my face. "I’ve got a secret. I’m an orphan, but I’ve got family in Devil’s Drop. They want my place, but I never cared—except that it’s my parents’ legacy."

I opened my hand, showing her the blood moon mark.

"It’s the young master’s symbol. With it, they’ll follow you. But they don’t live long—they won’t outlast you."

I’d been through so much, but never shared it—until I hoped Autumn could get my parents’ blessing.

"Sebastian, you—"

She seemed to realize something, but it was too late.

I hid her appearance, memories, and identity, then entered Devil’s Cave as the demon king’s bloodline.

For a hundred years, I could’ve broken the seal, but I stayed, only talking to Autumn through the cave door.

The day she left for the order, I didn’t stop her, barely holding myself back.

Until Michael threatened her—I couldn’t wait any longer.

We faced the order together.

On the Blood Moon Platform, I tried to stop her from grabbing the sword, but she became a god.

The first god in the three realms.

So, maybe fate had this all planned out from the start.

(The End)