War.

NOUN

a state of armed conflict.

A traumatic experience that hauls demons into careless leaders’ discord. There is often no choice but to fight. For some, it is the only choice if they consider themselves ‘loyal’.

Followers mindlessly follow their deities into war, letting themselves be used as pawns and puppets in countless battles. Not many return from the destined bloodshed on battlefields; leaving friends and family to yearn on their own. All alone. When demons heard of deities breaking out to war, Some took a side to fight with whilst the others evacuated to a seemingly safe area. As always.

It was no different with Follower and Egobworder. When the news had been delivered by their beloved deities, they were no longer to consider each other all-too-loving rivals, but enemies; forced to think of each other as nothing but a measly pest from the adversary’s team.

There was no time to say goodbye. Only quietly pray for each other’s safety even if they know the prayer would go unnoticed. This was bound to be a long war; Egobworder had become a knight of Windforce’s army and Follower became one with Illumina’s.

Such ill-fated luck having to go against one another in such agony.

Pity.

It was a few months deep into the war. The nights kept getting colder and colder each day. White stars that splattered upon the inky sky illuminated a winged demon's path. A forest's atmosphere always allowed the follower to collect his thoughts. He always found the smell quite comforting, even when it was used as a battlefield previously.

In the distance, he noticed a figure whizz their way in the sky. They wore grey armour with occasional teal and black accents and were flying on a similarly coloured sword. The figure had a slick landing off the gear. He hopped off of it and let it crash onto the fluffy grass. It gracefully dissolved into flakes of black and teal.

“Egobworder?” The winged demon addressed the incomer. A gripping sense of adomania spiraled through his thoughts.

“Follower,” Egobworder addressed back, “I knew a time like this wouldst come eventually.”

“I fear thou art right." The follower could not bring himself to look at his lover.

The teal-horned demon drew out his sword from thin air and got into a fighting stance. He pointed his blade towards Follower. Orotundly, Egobworder called out his battle cry, “For honour and glory, and for a good battle!”

The knight expected the enemy to repeat a similar fighting stance. He was instead greeted with the image of his adversary standing there, idly.

“I am afraid there shan’t be any battle taking place.” Follower simply stated. A blend of guilt and shame could be heard in his voice.

Panic slowly started to swell in.

“What?” Egobworder hissed under his breath, “Why?!”

He waited for his partner’s reply. Nothing. Not even a look in the eye. He thought this was a prank— A ridiculous one at that. He began to shout, “This is no time for tricks, Follower!!”

"The battlefield has emptied, this is our chance to fight alone..!"

“Attack!!” The fighter cried demandedly, “Attack me!!”

He stomped his foot, “Why won’t thee attack me?!”

“Look at me and pick up thy blade!”

Follower did as told and unsheathed his blade. He held out his sword and let it shine in the moonlight before digging it straight into the grassy floor. He resumed his idle position, further crushing his lover’s hopes for battle.

“I never… bethought thee would act with treason.” The knight looked with disbelief. Follower betraying Illumina and refusing to attack the enemy? It was unthinkable.

“May the Gods forgive me,” Follower simply stated, “But I cannot condone this battle for I am unable to attack.”

“Yes, thee can!!” Egobworder gritted his teeth, “Sword, answer my questions! Look at me!!”

The name Follower had before becoming a follower rang through his ears. He closed his eyes as if it’d block out the noise. A saddening frown laid upon his face.

Silence.

The wind whistled a low melody.

It was driving Egobworder mad. His grip on his blade tightened as he plunged towards his lover, pinning him onto a tree with his free hand. A short grunt came from the winged demon and nothing else.

Egobworder dropped his weapon and pulled his helmet up to finally lock eye contact with his lover. His eyes had teal paint under them to symbolise that he was a part of Windforce’s army. A harsh reminder that the two should not be together.

His gaze pierced through his lover, “Do you think I’m that weak?”

Silence.

Before the war had started, the lovers would always train together. It was no secret that Follower would often win and go easy on his lover; not wanting to rush him. They promised they would train until there would be a moment where neither would hold back; a show of their true potential.

A moment like now.

“Answer me!” The teal-horned demon cupped the other’s cold cheeks in his hands. His gloved fingers brushed through the other’s soft, winged ears. He pushed himself onto his lover’s lips. It felt like it could go on forever. Neither could remember the last time they had kissed. They had missed it so much.

Follower broke the kiss and managed to murmur something under his shaky breath, “Thou art not the weak one here—”

The winged demon pushed back into the kiss, now resting his armoured hands on his lover’s waist; taking his partner slightly aback.

Egobworder tilted his head to the side to ask, “Then who is’t?—“ and shortly after continued to press his lips against the other’s.

Follower swiftly broke the kiss once again to answer, “Me—“ before leaning in for another kiss.

“What?!” The knight gasped out loud, pushing himself away slightly just to hear his partner elaborate.

“I’m too weak… to even think about hurting thee, let alone killing thee,” It sounded like it pained the winged demon to confess his thoughts. It was as if he was on the verge of tears, “It pains me to even point mine own blade against thee—“

Egobworder blinked in disbelief. How could his lover think like this? “But what if’t I attack thee? What If’t I want to kill thee?!—“ He threatened and leaned back onto his lover’s lips.

Follower pushed away with a soft chuckle and teased, “I wouldst never let myself falter by your blade.” An honest smile that Egobworder dearly missed crawled up on his face. He tipped back onto his lover’s lips.

The teal-horned demon pulled away and shot back with a horribly smug look, “Yet you let yourself falter by the taste of mine own lips.”

Follower would have found himself blushing at the remark, yet he didn’t as another harsh reminder struck him down, ruining their steamy kissing streak. Looking down, he gently took his lover’s warm hands in his.

He looked back in regret and whispered, “We shouldn’t be doing this.”

“Coward,” Egobworder spat out and sighed in disappointment, “Thou art nothing but a coward.”

“If’t the Gods find out about this, they wouldst strike us down with death in an instant.” The winged demon warned, pressing his forehead against his lover’s. The other’s helmet was in the way but it was the least of their worries at the moment.

“So be it, then.” The knight hissed under his breath, “If’t mine own lover cannot face me, I would rather be met with death instead.” He pulled himself out of Follower’s touch and stared. Their eyes did not meet again.

Follower shook his head and told his lover off, “Just go, Ego, and do not come back.”

“We will meet again, I swear to the Gods above. You better have thy blade in hand when destiny crosses our paths again.” The lover demanded, yet almost pleaded at the same time.

“Fine.”

Egobworder, satisfied with his lover’s response, curled his lips into a gentle, genuine smile. He pulled his helmet back onto his face and threw his sword into the air, jumping on it as it began levitating. He paused once more before fading into the night sky, “Never forget that I shall always love thee.”

And with that, the winged lover was left to wander off alone. The chilly wind blew past him as a bitter reminder of just how much he had missed his partner’s warm touch. Follower covered himself with his wings to block the wind and headed towards a river. He looked down at his reflection and kept thinking to himself.

'Never forget that I shall always love thee’ Oh, how he had cursed himself for forgetting beforehand.

With a loving smile, Follower murmured to himself while placing his hand where his heart is, “I love thee, too.” A salty line of tears rolled down his ever so cold face. He yearned for the time the two would next meet yet he couldn't bare the thought of them fighting until the end. Until their ends.