"…any time now," The air in the tent had gone still.
The guard's laughter had died somewhere between his last breath and the low hum that filled the space as he didn't take the boy's words seriously.
Omen didn't blink as he stared straight at the soldier or guard in front of him, the faint glow in his pupils getting sharper, clearer.
And then, the world shook.
A blast echoed through the camp, like lightning had struck right beside them.
The tent walls tore apart from the sheer recoil of the flames exploding outward, throwing dust and fabric into the air.
The young man stumbled back, shielding his face.
Sparks and smoke spun everywhere as Omen ducked his head.
When the screams settled, only the sound of glazing fire and panicked shouting remained.
Flames danced across the other tents in the distance, spreading fast.
The smell of burning leather and metal filled the camp as the soldiers could be seen running, screaming, trying to grab weapons and the weirdest part was that Omen didn't even know how the flames or the explosions were made by Lilith.
It was already afternoon and the three suns looked like they were about to set.
Omen looked up through the smoke, and froze.
A shadow stood in the opening where the tent had been.
Slim at first glance, but there was something unnatural about her outline.
From her fingers hung long, curved claws, sharp enough to slice the air itself.
They gleamed in the firelight, wet and dark.
The flames behind her outlined her body in gold and crimson, and though her face was partly hidden by the light, her eyes shone with a deep, glowing red.
"L-Lilith?" Omen whispered.
The guard stumbled backwards, dropping his sword in shock before quickly grabbing it again.
"Yo-you stay back!" he barked, though his voice cracked as he raised the blade.
Lilith stepped forward. Her bare feet pressing into the dirt, leaving behind smudges of red.
Her movements were slow and calm, almost too calm for the chaos around her.
Every step she took made the air around her twist slightly, like the heat itself was bending away.
"What…what are you?" the guard stuttered, his voice trembling.
The man's eyes darted around the camp, but all he could see were bodies and fire. The smell of burnt flesh and iron was everywhere.
Lilith tilted her head, her long black hair was a tangled mess, partly sticking to her skin while her rugged skirt was constantly getting fanned by the flames as Omen caught a glimpse of her bare legs and thigh along with that barely covered breasts and her pale skin covered in blood.
She looked like something caught between beauty and a nightmare.
"I asked you a question!" the guard shouted again, unable to stop the shaking in his hands.
"Where's the young master? What did you…what did you do?!"
Lilith's lips curled upward, forming a faint, eerie smile.
She stopped walking and tilted her pointy face just enough for the guard to see her blood like eyes.
"He was hungry," she said softly. "So I fed him."
The guard blinked, confused. "Fed him? Wh-what do you—"
"I was hungry too." Her smile grew wider, revealing sharp, faintly pointed teeth. "So I ate him."
The sword fell from the man's hands. His knees hit the ground as a shiver ran through his whole body.
"You…you monster-"
Lilith's gaze turned cold. "You see," she said quietly, "unlike your young master, I'm a real ghoul."
The man tried to move but couldn't. His body froze, terror freezing every muscle of his, the man had only ever heard this term in stories left by their Clan's ancestors, but to think that someone in this world was daring enough to admit being a ghoul?
The fire's reflection flickered in Lilith's eyes as she took one last step towards him.
A gust of wind burst through the open camp, carrying screams from outside, men shouting, steel clashing, tents burning down.
Omen watched all this unfold helplessly, the ropes still biting into his arms.
He had seen power before, when she fought that beast, but this was different.
This wasn't power.
This was pure carnage.
Lilith turned slightly, her face blank now, eyes scanning the mess she'd made outside.
The ground was dark with ash, the sky above glowing with a faint orange hue from the spreading fires.
Omen could see shadows of soldiers running in every direction, some falling, others screaming for help.
The guard in front of him was shaking too hard to speak now. He looked at Omen, as if begging for an answer, for help, but the boy said nothing.
He couldn't.
He just stared.
"Lilith…" Omen whispered softly, trying to see if the girl was still in control.
She finally looked at him.
For a second, her expression softened, the same gentle face she had in the forest, but only for a second.
Then it was gone.
The ropes around Omen's arms suddenly snapped like thin paper, falling to the ground with a soft thud.
He gasped, rubbing his wrists, as the heat from the fires reached him.
The girl stepped closer to him.
Each movement was slow, deliberate and seductive.
Her claws still dripped, but her eyes were calm, and emotionless.
The flames around them had painted her face orange and gold. Her dark hair moving with the rising air, catching bits of ash that glowed faintly before dying out.
Omen could see small cracks of dried blood across her neck and shoulders.
She was both terrifying and mesmerizing at once.
When she finally stopped in front of him, she crouched down.
"Omen," she said softly, her voice steady. "Do you understand now? This is what being a ghoul means~"
The boy swallowed hard, still staring at her.
"The ritual…," he muttered.
"I'm ready for it."
***