Three years past in a quick succession and the dwarfs attacked the elven Race with the assistance of the demons, destroying it and wiping the elves out of existence for good.
The only elf spared was Aria. The dwarfs wanted to keep her, but that's when the demons turned on them, wiping them out as well, and took Aria back to the demon realm.
As Duke Valtor, Duchess Arachne, Lord Azrin, and Countess Morwen returned to the demon realm with an unconscious Aria, they headed for the throne room, where Lyra sat. They knelt down, speaking in unison,
"My queen, we have returned victorious and we have captured the Elven girl you asked for."
A flicker of sadness crossed Lyra's face before she composed herself.
" Exactly now! Summon Fi-six for me, now," she commanded, her voice dripping with dominance.
"And not a word to him about our... arrangement with the dwarves and the destruction of the Elven race. Am I understood?"
She spoke with absolute dominance.
The nobles nodded, their faces expressionless. "As you wish, my queen," they said in unison, rising to their feet.
A servant scrammed out of the throne room, returning shortly with Fi-six.
As Fi-six entered, his eyes landed on Aria's unconscious form on the ground,
Fi-six rushed to Aria's side, shaking her gently. "Aria, Aria, please wake up," he urged, his voice laced with concern.
Then he turned, his eyes blazing with fury as he stared at the nobles. His eyes turned bloodshot, and his demon horns burst forth from his forehead, growing longer and sharper.
His tail extended, its tip quivering with rage. The air around him rippled with his demonic aura, and the nobles took a collective step back, their faces pale with fear.
"Which one of you did this?" Fi-six growled, his voice barely human. "I'll kill you," he snarled, his lips curling back to reveal sharp teeth.
Lyra stepped forward, her hand raised in a calming gesture.
"Fi-six, calm down. They're not the ones who harmed her. It was... the dwarfs," she said, her voice steady, but her eyes locked on Fi-six with a hint of wariness.
Fi-six's gaze lingered on the nobles before swinging back to Lyra. His chest heaved with ragged breaths, his expression twisted in rage.
"The dwarfs? Well, the dwarfs did this. Fine. I will wipe them from the face of the earth."
Lyra smiled, her eyes glinning with satisfaction. "There's no need. They have already been taken care of."
Lyra's expression turned urgent, her voice cutting through the tension.
"Fi-six, listen to me. Aria is in serious condition, she needs medical help now."
Fi-six's expression turned deadly serious, his rage simmering.
"Grandmother, where is the royal physician?" he growled, his voice low and menacing. "please Get them here now. Aria needs medical attention." panic in his voice.
Lyra smiled internally.
"Excellent. He's coming along just fine. He will make a fine demon king when the time comes." She thought to herself.
Then she said to Fi-six,
There is no one in the human world or in the demon realm that can save Aria now, the only thing that could work would be for me to change her. Turn her into a human... but there's a catch."
She paused, her eyes locked onto Fi-six's. "She will lose all of her memories of her life. She'll be a normal human, not knowing about the elves, the demons, about you... about nothing. She will have a clean slate."
Fi-six's face flickered with sadness, his eyes dropping to Aria's pale form. "If this is the only way... then so be it." He said with reluctance.
Lyra's face spread into a gentle smile as she walked forward, her hands weaving a complex pattern in the air. The air around Aria began to shimmer, and a soft, golden light enveloped her body.
"Khra'gixx vothlok, Aria tel'Elvena," Lyra intoned, her voice dripping with magic. "N'goth va'laris, humanis forma."
Aria's body began to glow, the light growing brighter until it was almost blinding. Fi-six turned his head, shielding his eyes.
"Zhilak kor'vash, memori vak'losh," Lyra continued, her voice steady. "Tel'past vak'forg, tel'future vak'blank. N'goth va'laris, humanis vak'tel."
The light flared, and then died away. Aria lay on the ground, her form subtly changed. She stirred, groaning softly, her eyes fluttering open.
Fi-six's gaze locked onto hers, his expression intense. For a moment, he thought he saw... something. A flicker of recognition. But it was gone, replaced by a blank, human gaze.
"Aria?" he whispered, his voice unsure.
Aria's eyes darted wildly around the room, taking in the demons surrounding her. She spotted a broken glass shard on the floor and snatched it up, brandishing it in front of her.
"Get back!" she screamed, her voice hysterical. "I know why you brought me here! You're going to cut me up, use me as a sacrifice!"
Fi-six's face twisted in anguish, his hands raised in a placating gesture. "Aria, no! That's not what's happening, I swear-"
But Aria wasn't listening. She was beyond reason, her mind consumed by fear.
"Stay away from me, demons!" she shrieked, backing away from them, the glass shard held out like a talisman.
Lyra's expression was a mask of sorrow, her eyes filled with a deep regret. She knew what had to be done.
With a swift, precise movement, Lyra stepped forward and struck Aria behind the head, knocking her unconscious. The glass shard fell from Aria's hand, clattering to the floor.
Fi-six rushed to Aria's side, catching her as she slumped to the ground.
He crheld her limp body, his eyes closing in pain. "Why, Grandmother?" he whispered, his voice raw with emotion. "Why did it have to be like this?" He cried.
Lyra's expression was a complex mix of sadness and calculation, her eyes glinning with a hint of satisfaction.
"The world is a very cruel and unjust place, little Fi-six. As you grow older in the demon realm, you will see this happen. But do not worry." She paused, her voice taking on a hint of wistfulness.
"There is a special condition placed on Aria. Unfortunately, you have to wait till she's on her death bed for it to activate."
"On her death bed, you can go and see her, and she will remember you and everything. You can have one last conversation with her. That's all I could have done."
Fi-six turned to his grandmother, his face crumbling as tears fell from his eyes. "Thank you," he whispered, his voice choked with emotion. "Thank you, GrandMother. I appreciate that."
He sobbed, burying his face in Lyra's arms, his small body shaking with grief.
Lyra wrapped her arms around him, holding him close as he wept. Her eyes closed, a faint smile playing on her lips. It was done. The pieces were in motion. The future was unfolding, just as she had planned.
Lyra let Fi-six sob in her arms for a few minutes, her expression a mask of sorrow. Then, she gently pulled back, her eyes filled with a deep regret.
"It's time, Fi-six," she said, her voice soft. "It's time to say goodbye to Aria."
Fi-six's eyes snapped up, his face twisted in pain. He knew what that meant. He reluctantly pulled back, his eyes locked on Aria's face. He leaned forward, his lips brushing against her forehead in a gentle kiss.
"Goodbye, Aria," he whispered, his voice barely audible.
Just then two demons stepped forward, lifting Aria's limp form. They flew back to the human realm, and left her in a forest, surrounded by trees and silence.
One of them produced a small vial of juvenation liquid and poured it into Aria's mouth. She swallowed reflexively, and the liquid began to work its magic.
The demons watched her from a distance, ensuring she was safe. As Aria stirred, groaning softly, they nodded to each other. They continued to watch as she struggled to remember, their eyes narrowed.
She stumbled to her feet, looking around at the unfamiliar trees and bushes. Panic began to creep in as she searched her memories, but they were blank.
Then, like a whisper in her mind, it came to her. "Aria." My name is Aria.
A sense of relief washed over her, mixed with confusion. Aria. That was her name. But where was she? And how did she get here?
She took a few tentative steps, her legs waky. As she stumbled through the underbrush, the sound of horses' hooves echoed through the forest.
Aria turned, her eyes wide, as a Marquess and his wife appeared on horseback. The Marquess's eyes were kind, his face lined with concern. "Mademoiselle, are you alright? What are you doing out here alone?"
Aria hesitated, unsure of what to say. She knew her name, but nothing else. "I... I don't know," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know who I am... or where I am."
The Marquess and his wife exchanged a sympathetic glance. The wife, Lady Isabelle, dismounted her horse, her eyes filled with compassion. "You're safe now, dear. We'll take you with us."
Aria nodded, feeling a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, she would find answers with these kind strangers.
Meanwhile The demons exchanged a look, then nodded. They had done their job. Aria was in good hands.
With a final glance at Aria, they spread their wings and vanished into the shadows, flying back to the demon realm.