Lilith

  Focalor wore scale armour that looked draconic and his weapon of choice was a broadsword. His helmet had two holes for his horns and he did not have a tail. Unlike my fiery wings, his were made from flesh and bone. There was no armour on them so they might be a weak point.

  While Lily and Erin engaged the remaining guard I focused on Focalor. We started trading some blows and he seemed to be a decent fencer. Sparks flew as our blades met in battle but we both failed to score a hit. As our exchange continued I managed to penetrate his guard but my blade was stopped by his armour. A few exchanges later his sword bounced off my plate. It seemed we both had trouble wounding the other.

  Perhaps I should try a different weapon? I changed my longsword for a rapier. During my long life I had collected quite a few weapons and trained using all of them.

  I ducked underneath Focalor's next swing and stabbed his armpit. My blade did not pierce very far but I drew first blood. I smiled. He regarded my blade, then he switched his own sword to a spear. The additional reach would make it harder for me to get close. As he stabbed next I summoned a buckler to divert his spear and create an opening. But his weapons disappeared and my blade was stopped by a large shield. He had exchanged his weapons during the attack!

  What followed was a mad switch of weapons. We traded blows with swords, shields, axes, hammers and different polearms. A sword strike I tried to block became a massive hammer and I felt the strain on my bones. I was pushed back in the air until I managed to stabilise my flight again.

  I had to grudgingly admit I would not win this battle with weapons alone. Thankfully I was a succubus and my plans certainly involved magic. I summoned my rapier, pointed it at the demon lord and unleashed a fiery lance at him. He blocked it with a shield, then charged straight at me. As he lowered his shield I could see a glowing hammer and barely managed to dodge the energy lance it released.

  Focalor

  I watched the succubus nimbly avoid my energy lance. She was surprisingly competent on the battlefield. Lilith had been around for some time but I had never given her much thought. Succubi were here for pleasure, they made great servants, I had a few myself, but nobody would use them as soldiers.

  Maybe I had been wrong. I looked at the two companions she had brought. One of them had clearly entered the realm of demon lords. Perhaps succubi could be nurtured into proper warriors.

  This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  I looked at Lilith. She summoned a bunch of glowing orbs. Ah, I knew that spell. A bunch of fiery lances raced towards me from multiple directions. Sadly for her, fire was not the greatest element against me. I summoned a fiery sphere around myself which absorbed the attack. As I dropped the shield I saw her blade coming for my eyes.

  I approved of the move but it was hardly a surprise. I was a demon of war. I had learned to fight for millennia. As I tilted my head to dodge I summoned a maul and swung at her from below. Nimble as she was, she did not dodge this one. I heard the satisfying clang of metal as my weapon impacted her armour and she was thrown through the air. This time I did not wait but immediately pursued. Before she could stabilise her flight I hit again.

  My strike came from above and catapulted her towards the ground. It resulted in a lovely impact and a small crater. I landed in front of her and heard her groan. The armour was only slightly dented, it must have been crafted by an expert.

  "You fight well but you are no match for me. Submit and I will let you live." I could offer her a decent future. She could be molded into a proper warrior.

  Lilith stood up and snorted. "You overestimate yourself."

  Not that she could see underneath my helmet but I smiled. "Very well, I shall enjoy educating you more in terms of combat."

  I attacked again, switching my weapons but it was clear that she was weakening. I kept scoring more hits. Her body must have been pretty battered at this point. I was certain I heard some bones break in her left arm. My latest stab pierced her plate at the right knee and drew blood. Flying might compensate for the crippled leg but it must have hurt.

  Blow after blow landed on the succubus as she tired. Finally my spear struck her right hand and she lost her grip on her sword. It was time to end it. With her fighting hand compromised I tackled the succubus and we both fell to the ground. I summoned a dagger and carefully manoeuvred it underneath her helmet.

  "Surrender." I told the succubus.

  She chuckled. "You poor silly thing, thinking you have won."

  I frowned. I had a blade at her neck. What… I felt a flash of pain in my throat. My vision started to get blurry. I was lying on my back, with Lilith on top. No, that was not right! I had her, I…

  She lowered her head to whisper in my ear. "I am the Queen of Succubi, master of fire, the mind and blood."

  I tried to answer but I could no longer talk. My strength left me. Blood streamed from my throat which refused to heal.

  "I let you in on a secret." The succubus said. "When I first drew blood my magic entered your body. You see, your mental defences were far too strong. So I had to work on them, weaken them from the inside. While you fought my body, I fought your mind."

  No! It could not be! It was impossible…

  Lilith

  I saw the light fade from Focalor's eyes. His despair in the end had been satisfying. I even showed him the power of my mind in the opening encounter yet he never suspected a thing. People truly underestimated succubi.

  Unfortunately my whole body hurt. He had given me a bit of beating while I had infiltrated his mind. It would heal but his weapons had been magical and enchanted to slow regeneration. I looked at Lily and Erin. They had dealt with the last guard. Good. The army largely remained and was currently entering the city. I could see Amaya's towers fire at them. I had won my fight but the battle was still going.