Touching Demons

-Even A warrior, one that is known for being fearless, can be scared-

Mirana, a mighty warrior, an Element protector of Xania, has been cursed with the Tortures spell, one that makes every living thing she touches turn into a demon-like spirit, with a need for destruction.

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"Mirana?'' A voice drifted into the dull, grey room she was in.

"Yes?" Her voice, emotionless, sent a quiet inquiry.

"The Witch is here to see you."

"Again?" Mirana sighed, exasperated. This was the 5th time this week that foul witch has come to see her, and it was only the 3rd sunrise.

"Yes, Mira, sorry." The voice didn't sound very sorry, more like she was quietly snickering to herself because she didn't have to deal with it.

Mirana groaned quietly, getting up from where she was sitting, which was on a large, grey and black couch. Her room wasn't very exciting, to be honest. She had a bunch of cheap, boring looking furniture items. That's what happens when she spends all of her gold on armour and training. She walked out of the room and looked to the lady standing outside her room. It was Kia, one of her fighting apprentices, who was a short girl with light blue skin, dark purple hair, and pure green eyes.

"Good morning Mira." She nodded to her.

"Kia." She nodded back

Her apprentice had that face where she looked like she was trying not to laugh, and was having an inner battle.

Mira raised an eyebrow at her, trying not to smile.

She shook her head light-heartedly.

"Mira!" She stopped and turned around, looking back at Kia.

"Yes?"

"The Keeper wanted to see you after the meeting."

"Uh, really?"

"Yes, really."

Mira rolled her eyes, annoyed that she had so much to do already. It was only the 4th hour of the day, and it was also her day off, where she didn't have to do training, fighting, and she wasn't supposed to have any meetings, but that never really happened. She entered the viewing dome, which was a massive, circular dome with a glass roof that was made out of a special white rock. As soon as she entered the dome, she saw the Witch's face. An ugly, pale white face with two pure black eyes, creepy enough to give anyone Nightmares. She shuddered, closing her eyes for a brief moment. "What do you want?" She said, the light, humoured voice she had before replaced with a loud, annoyed one.

"Ahhh, Mirana Abalo. Good to see you." Her eerie, crackly voice pierced Mira's ears.

"Yes, yes, wish I could say the same, Jinx Thornton."

"Oh, but you should. I'm a very pleasant witch, you should know that."

Yeah, sure, lets go with that. She thought, almost laughing.

Jinx narrowed her eyes. "I have come today to make your life much easier, but also much harder, dear Mirana."

"Oh, okay, feel free to be less vague, because that made zero sense, just like the other 5 times you have told me that." This was the 5th time this Sun-cycle this foul creature had come to see her, and that was also the 5th time Jinx had said that line to her.

"What I mean is what I say."

"That, again, made no sense." The witch was clearly getting annoyed, and Mira was loving it.

 "Oh, just be quiet!'' Jinx snapped, her long pointy ears, that were attached to that ugly face of hers, were pinned back, and her black eyes were turning red, and she lifted her hands up to the sky, yelling some inaudible words.

"What, so you think some mumbo jumbo is gonna shut me up?" Mira yelled at her over the noise that Jinx was making. She ignored her, still chanting whatever she was chanting- which was a weird sort of noise that sort of sounded like she was having a stroke. "Do you want me to call the healers or something?" Mira tried to get her attention again.

"Oh well, one less witch is okay with me." She muttered.

Jinx stopped suddenly, bringing her hands back down to her side, and looked at the dark-haired warrior in front of her. Her eerie red eyes slowly fading back to black. She had a glowing red and black ball floating in her hands.

"Take this." Jinx growled, holding out the ball in front of her.

"Yeah, um, no thanks, I think I’m good." She said slowly, looking at the ball suspiciously.

"Oh, stop being difficult!!" Jinx shoved the ball into her hands, and, if her eyes weren't completely black, then she would have rolled them. "I don't want to touch this thing." Mira yelped, almost dropping it. Well she would have if it hadn't suddenly absorbed into her hands.

She looked at her hands in shock, which looked normal, other then the fact that she had glowing red and black veins all along her palm, and blood red fingernails.

"You're welcome." Jinx smiled sweetly, turning away, the black coat that she was wearing fluttering.

"What? No! you can't leave me like this!? What's wrong with you!"

"A lot of things, dear." The witch said without turning around and continued to walk for the exit. Mira run after her, reaching out a hand to grab her.

"What's wrong with you!? You can't touch me! Look at your hands!" Jinx spun around, dodging her hand. "I cursed you with the Tortures spell."

"Why?!!?"

The Witch shrugged. "Cause I could."

The Tortures spell was a horrible curse, one that turned whatever she touched into a raging demon, one that had a need for destruction, the thing it was before gone forever.

Mirana stared at the witch; her eyes full of sadness. "Why?" She whispered again, her voice sounding like she was on the verge of crying.

"I told you," Jinx lent forward and hissed in her ear, "I have come today to make your life much easier, but also much harder, dear Mirana."

With that, she turned and walked out of the Viewing Dome, leaving Mira standing there, stricken with grief.

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Mirana, a mighty warrior, an Element protector of Xania, was staring at something so life changing, so horrible that she couldn't bare to look at it. The 2 things in front of her, 2 things that she thought would never be unwanted, have turned out to be the most hated thing in her existence. Her hands. The red and black veined hands, with blood red fingernails.

"Why?'' She whispered, for the hundredth time that hour. "Why would you do this Jinx?"

"Mira?" A worried voice entered her room that she was sitting in.

"What is it Kia?" She snapped, her voice coming out harsher then she meant to.

"You haven't come out of your room in 2 Sun-cycles. Everyone is worried." Kia was talking quietly now, sounding like she was scared to say something that would make Mira snap at her again.

The dark haired warrior sighed, "Come in Kia."

The small, light blue girl entered, closing the massive wooden doors behind her.

Mira was sitting on the grey and black couch, which was placed in the farthest corner of the room. She hid her hands behind her back, offering a small, sad smile to her apprentice. "Hey Kia." She said quietly. "What is it Mirana?" Kia tilted her head, her eyes worried.

"It's the Witch Kia." She whispered, so quiet, she wasn't sure Kia had heard her.

"The Witch?" The apprentice said, eyes wide.

She nodded.

"What did that creep do to you?"

"She cursed me with the tortures spell."

"WHAT?!?" Kia screamed, her eyes wide. She took a step back from Mira, glancing at the door as she did so.

"Please Kia. Please don't turn away. I need your help." She begged, her eyes pleading.

"How can I help you?" The dark purple haired elf said quietly, her voice scared.

"Just get me gloves. Please. I can't go outside with my hands looking like they do. Please." She added, seeing Kia take another step back. "It's all I ask. Just the gloves."

"Just the gloves?" Kia said cautiously .

"That's it."

"Okay, I can do that."

"Thank you so much my dear apprentice."

Kia hesitated before asking; "Can I see them? Your hands I mean."

"Sure." Mira removed her hands from behind her back, shakily showing her the red and black veined hand.

"I'm so sorry, my mentor." Kia dropped her head, shame in her eyes. "I'm so sorry for trying to get away from you."

"It's okay. I'd lift your head up and give you a hug right now if I could." She smiled at her sadly.

"Then I'll go get your gloves so you can!" She lifted her head up again, her green eyes shining. She raced out of the room, heading towards the Crystal markets, which were nearby in an old crystal mine.

Mira eyes were full of tears. Sad ones, Grateful ones, and angry ones. She wasn't certain of anything at this point, but she knew that she was going to find Jinx and make her pay.

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"Keeper." Mirana said curtly, dipping her head.

"Ah, Mirono. Good to see you!" The Keeper said cheerfully.

"It's Mirana, Sir." She said, already knowing that this wasn't going to be fun.

"Oh, yes yes, whatever." He flicked his hand. The Keeper was a massive, pale orange, cheery kind of guy, with one blue eye and half a brain. He ran the Lightkeeper, the tallest building in Xania, which acted as a defence against invading kingdoms. He was also in charge of the Lightwarriors, an elite team of highly trained warriors that patrolled the most wealthy homes, banks, as well as the gold and crystal mines. The Keeper was one of the many annoying people that had way to much power, and was always poking his nose in other peoples business. One of those examples was now, and the reason Mira was here was because he had noticed her wearing gloves. Completely unnecessary information on his behalf.

"So, as you know, you are here because you are wearing gloves. Why is this? What caused the sudden change?" He asked with that 'You have to tell me because I am just amazing, and need to know everything about your personal life,' look.

"With all due respect sir, why do you need to know?" She winced. She was going to regret that later.

"Because I want to know." He said in the 'Why don't you know that, you dumb warrior' tone of voice. "Oh, wait, you need to enter the battle today. You know, the one between us, the winning side, obviously, and the loosing side, the Moonshade elves."

"Of course sir. Is that all you wanted me for?" She said 'respectfully.'

"Yes, you are excused." He had already forgotten about the gloves.

As Mira turned around she rolled her eyes, sighing at the sheer stupidity of the ones in power.

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"Are you sure you will be okay?" Kia asked for the 8th time in the last 15 minutes.

"Yes! I'll be fine Kia!" Mira said, exasperated.

"But what if the gloves fall off?"

"They won't. You chose well." She smiled at her, amused. Mira was about to join the battle squadron that was heading to the battle field.

The stables for the Alicorns was near them, and she had to get her ride out.

"Kia, I have got go and get my Alicorn, I'll see you soon, alright?"

"Fine." Her apprentice grumbled.

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"Okay, My squadron, head to the centre!" Mira yelled behind her, nudging her flying alicorn to dive to the centre of the battle, where the fighting was hardest. She heard the swoosh of wings behind her, signalling that the rest of the battle squadron was following her. About 10 feet off the ground, she jumped off her ride, giving it enough time to fly away. Rolling onto the ground, she immediately drew her weapon, which was a long crystal sword made out of glowing crystal, which was a rare type that melted whatever it touched. Mira took one last look at her sword before diving into the battle. Straight away, A Moonshade elf turned towards her, slashing his long, curved blades. She used her sword to whack one of the blades out of his hands, the thin silver that it was made out of slicing easily. Using his other blade, he slashed it back and forward, forcing her back, into another Moonshade elf, who was deep in battle with one of her squadron. She was trying to hold him off by cutting the other blade, but it was at the wrong angle, forcing her to take another step back. Then, the elf aimed for her hands, trying to make her drop her sword and cut one of the gloves, then aimed for the other, doing the same.

"No!" She stared at her hands, which were now very visible. The Elf stumbled back in shock, his dark blue eyes wide. "What have you done?"

An Elf bumped into her, being driven back by one of her squadron, causing her to look for grip, which was falling back against the elf, touching him with her hands. Getting back up, her eyes wide and scared, knowing she was about to see a demon. Closing her eyes for a moment, she took a deep breath in, not that it helped. Opening them again, she was standing in front of a massive, flaming red demon, who was staring at her with pure orange eyes. The battle had stopped, everyone was staring at the thing that was in front of her.

Then the archers, which were flying around on the back of Alicorns and dragons, started shooting arrows that were coated in poison, straight at the Demon.

That seemed to be a cue of everyone to start running away. Elves and warriors alike were running away from the Demon, the panic was very clear. Mira just stood there, feeling so, so sad and a feeling which she has never really felt before. Something that made her feel like she couldn't do anything. She was scared. So terrified she was just staring at the demon, tears pouring down her face. Then she looked up at an archer that had caught her eye. They were riding a massive dragon that sort of looked like it was decaying. It was swooping around the demon, doing nothing other then looking at it. Then she saw the rider. The horrible pale face of a witch. Of Jinx.

The rage that had been bubbling inside of her since she had been cursed turned into a raging firestorm, making her feel like she was burning up. She stared at Jinx, so angry that her vision started to go black, and before she blacked out, she stared down at her hands, which were now a mess of black shadows.

She closed her eyes, letting the darkness in, and soon felt the need to open them again, and when she looked at herself, she was hundreds of metres above the ground, and her body was a black mess of shadows.

Mira was now a Demon.

Loosing all logical thinking, her eyes- if she had any anymore- focused on Jinx, who was still circling around the demon, which was much smaller than the massive one she was now. Charging forward, She reached out her shadow hands to grab Jinx off the dragon. Snatching her up, she stared into Jinx's terrified eyes, and felt no remorse or pity.

"Please! Don't kill me!" Jinx screamed, and the pure terror in her voice made Mira smile.

"Don't you recognize me, dear Jinx?" Her voice, which was now basically a rumble, said.

"Mirana?" Jinx whispered. Mira's smile gave her the answer.

"Please just put me down, I did nothing to you." She pleaded.

"Nothing? Nothing!?!" Mira screamed at her, her voice echoing.

She started to loosen her grip on the witch, smiling in a horrible, sick way. The old Mira would have never done this, but she was different now.

She dropped Jinx, knowing that once she hit the ground, she would be gone, and the curse would be broken.

She felt different now, free in a way, but not how she thought she would have. She was trapped now, stuck in a body that wasn't hers.

She sat down slowly, looking down to the ground.

She looked back up when she heard wingbeats near her ear, getting ready to brush away a fly, but then she remembered that she was too big to hear a fly now. She sighed.

"Mira!!" She heard a voice, Kia's voice. She jolted so suddenly she nearly hit her.

Kia, who was riding a large blue and gold dragon, swooped around so Mira could see her.

"Please Mira. Please come back to me! I was so worried when I heard you weren't accounted for, and I immediately stole one of the dragons from the stables and came here. Please come back." Kia begged, pleading to her mentor.

The demon was shaking now, staring at Kia. Slowly, the massive beast shrunk until she was normal size, regaining the features of the person she once was.

Kia flew down next to her and jumped off the dragon, immediately running towards her. She jumped into her arms and Mira hugged her, not worried now, because her curse was gone. She was crying, but happy, and so, so grateful.

"Thank you Kia. You saved me. Thank you."