**Chapter 5 — The Knights' Fire**
Cairis pulled Liora out of the ruins before the dead wraith's scream could bring more trouble.
"We cannot stay here," he said in a cold voice. "More will come. Move faster."
Liora stumbled after him, her legs tired and her heart still racing from the fight. "I'm going as fast as I can. My feet hurt and I'm still wet from the river."
Cairis did not slow down. "Pain is better than death. The Radiant Knights are close. I can smell their holy oil and burning steel."
They pushed through thick bushes and low branches. The forest felt alive with danger. Every sound made Liora jump.
After a while, Cairis stopped and held up his hand. "Quiet. Voices ahead."
Liora froze and listened. She could hear men talking in low tones.
"…the demonic signal came from this direction. The commander wants the witch alive for questioning."
"Burn the demon on sight. They say it has horns."
Liora's stomach dropped. She whispered, "They're looking for us. What do we do?"
Cairis turned to her. His red eyes looked dangerous in the dark. "We go around them. But if they see us, you will not hesitate. Use your shadow magic to hide us or I will leave you behind."
"I… I don't know if I can," Liora said, voice shaking. "I'm too scared. My hands won't stop trembling."
Cairis grabbed her shoulder hard. "Then get less scared. You dragged me into this world. Now you will help me survive it."
They tried to move quietly around the patrol. But as they passed behind a cluster of trees, a branch snapped under Liora's foot.
"Who's there?" a knight shouted.
Torches lit up the darkness. Three Radiant Knights stepped into view. Their armor glowed with faint golden light — Celestial magic that burned anything demonic.
One of them pointed straight at them. "There! The demon and the witch!"
Cairis cursed. "Run!"
He pushed Liora forward and turned to face the knights. His claws grew longer as dark shadows gathered around his hands.
Liora ran a few steps, then stopped. She could not just leave him. "Wait! I can't leave you alone!"
"Run, you fool!" Cairis snarled.
One knight raised his sword. Holy fire burst along the blade. "Die, abomination!"
He swung at Cairis. The fire cut through the air and burned a line across Cairis's arm. He roared in pain but slashed back, tearing the knight's shield in half.
Liora watched in horror. She had never seen real fighting before. "Stop! Please don't kill them!"
The second knight turned toward her. "The witch is with him! Take her alive!"
He started running at Liora. She backed away until her back hit a tree. Fear made her legs feel weak.
"I don't want to hurt anyone," she cried. "Please just let us go!"
The knight laughed. "Let you go? You consorted with a demon. You will burn for this."
He raised his sword. Golden flames danced on the blade.
In her panic, Liora lifted her hands. Shadow magic flowed out of her fingers, thicker than before. The darkness wrapped around the knight's legs and pulled him to the ground.
The knight shouted in surprise. "What is this? Shadow filth!"
Cairis finished the first knight with a brutal slash across the throat. Black blood mixed with the golden light of the dying holy fire.
He turned to the third knight, who was now backing away.
"You should not have come," Cairis said in a low, terrifying voice. "Your Church took everything from me once. I will not let you take more."
He moved fast and slammed the knight against a tree. The man's armor cracked.
Liora stood frozen, breathing hard. "Cairis… don't kill him. He's just following orders. Please."
Cairis looked back at her, eyes full of cold anger. "You beg for their lives after they tried to burn us? You are too soft, witch. Softness will get you killed."
He turned back to the knight and pressed his claws against the man's neck. "Tell your commander this — the demon prince is awake. And he has a witch now. If you hunt us, we will hunt you back."
The knight nodded quickly, terrified. "I… I will tell him."
Cairis let him go. The man ran into the forest without looking back.
Liora stared at Cairis with wide, scared eyes. "You let him live?"
"For now," Cairis said. "He will spread fear. Fear is a weapon."
He walked over to her. His arm was burned from the holy fire and still bleeding. He looked even more dangerous with fresh wounds.
"You used your magic," he said. "Not bad for someone who claims to be weak. But next time, do not hesitate. Hesitation gets people killed."
Liora looked at the dead knight on the ground and felt sick. "I've never seen anyone die before. This is all too much. I just wanted to change one future, not start a war."
Cairis grabbed her wrist and started pulling her deeper into the forest again. "War started the moment you stole my heart. The Church will not stop. The Abyssal Courts will hear about this soon. Rival princes will come looking for the power you took from me."
Liora stumbled after him. "What do you mean rival princes?"
"Demons fight for power," he answered coldly. "If they learn a witch holds a piece of my heart, some will want to take you. Others will want to kill you. Either way, you are no longer safe anywhere."
They walked faster. The trees started to thin out. In the distance, Liora could see the faint glow of more fires — probably another Church camp.
Cairis stopped and looked at her. His voice was low and threatening. "From now on, you listen to me. You fight when I say fight. You hide when I say hide. If you disobey, I will tie you up and carry you like baggage."
Liora nodded, scared. "Okay… I'll listen. Just don't leave me alone out here."
Cairis gave a small, cold smile. "Good. Now keep moving. Dawn is coming, and with it more knights."
As they continued through the forest, Liora felt the weight of everything pressing down on her. She had wanted to save the demon prince from a terrible end.
Instead, she had dragged both of them into a chase that might never end.
And the scary demon walking beside her was now the only thing standing between her and the fire.
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