Ascension Of The Villain

"I must admit, I am impressed," Iyana drawled, her voice dripping with mockery. "I didn't expect you to have three demons on a leash. It is quite the feat for a young witch like you."

"You think you can mock me, Iyana?" Sienna hissed, her voice echoing with an eerie, otherworldly timbre. "I am not the fool you take me for. These demons will tear you apart."

Iyana laughed, a light, carefree sound that only served to enrage Sienna further. "How naive, Sen. Have you forgotten how I crushed your precious Azazel just two days ago?"

One of the demons, a shadowy figure with red eyes, cowered behind Sienna like a frightened puppy. His once formidable form was now reduced to a mere harmless specter.

"Just because you did that once, don't think you can also beat Leviathan and Belial," Sienna challenged, her eyes blazing with defiance.

"Oh, you have Belial? The Master of Deception?" Iyana's eyes sparkled with genuine amusement, her lips curling into a sardonic smile. "Why do you even need him? You're more than capable of deceiving everyone on your own."

Sienna gritted her teeth, her anger boiling over. "Shut up! Who are you to taunt me about deception when you just played the innocent downstairs? Are you even sure you lost your memories?"

"I wish I had not," Iyana sighed, her tone laced with feigned regret as she shrugged nonchalantly. "I should have at least remembered why you hate me so much. But then again, I can pretty much guess."

"Do you think you can figure me out that easily—"

"Why, isn't it because you are jealous?" Iyana interrupted, her tone sharp as a blade. "Jealous that I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth, while you were born in poverty, with a father wanted by the nation as an infamous dark magician?"

Sienna flinched, her face draining of color as her darkest secrets were laid bare. "How... how do you know that?"

"I have my sources." Iyana's smile widened as she thought of Vyan.

It was Vyan who had uncovered the dark truth about Sienna's past. To him, it had been child's play to dig up the dirt.

Sienna had been brought into the Estelle family with Carolina, who had somehow managed to win Edward's heart. At the time, Edward had claimed that Sienna was his own daughter, born out of wedlock and kept hidden.

"So what are you going to do? Expose me?" Sienna yelled, her voice echoing through the dimly lit room. "Do you think I would sit quietly if you do that?"

"What can you even do, huh?" Iyana sneered, her eyes narrowing in contempt. "Try to kill me again?"

"Oh, no." A twisted smile spread across Sienna's face, her eyes gleaming with malice. "I tried to kill you last time to punish Vyan—because he exposed my truth. So what do you think I will do to punish you? I will ki—"

Sienna winced as Iyana's hand shot out, her grip like iron, clamping down on her chin with brutal force.

Iyana's eyes blazed with a fury that seemed to scorch the very air between them. "Try to hurt Vyan, and you will find something far worse than death awaiting you, Sienna," she warned, her voice a deadly whisper that sent a shiver of dread down Sienna's spine.

The air crackled with tension as Sienna and her demons froze, paralyzed by the calm storm brewing in Iyana's gaze. "And don't make the mistake of taking my words lightly. Do you know why?"

Iyana leaned in closer, her breath searing against Sienna's ear as she whispered, "Because I have the knight's Aura now."

Sienna's eyes widened in terror, her breath catching in her throat. In an instant, her demons vanished into thin air, abandoning her to face Iyana's piercing scrutiny alone.

It was expected. After all, there were two things even the most powerful demons feared—first, the imperial family's purification magic, and second, a knight's Aura.

"You see, I don't really care what you do with your dark magic as long as it does not concern me," Iyana said, stepping back. "So for your own good, leave Vyan and I alone. Then, we won't have any problems."

Iyana patted Sienna's cheek lightly, a mocking smile playing on her lips. "Stay low, okay? Don't try to mess with us, and you will be just fine."

Sienna's face flushed with anger, her hands trembling with impotent rage. As soon as Iyana left the room, she screamed in fury, hurling objects across the room in a fit of uncontrolled wrath.

"I hate you! I hate you! I hate you so much!" Sienna screamed, her face contorted with hysteria, veins bulging on her neck as her rage exploded. "You always have to prove how much better you have it than me!"

Her vision blurred as memories assaulted her—painful, vivid flashes of the past that seared her mind.

A delicate hand extended, holding out a doll with a bright smile, a little girl of six with platinum blonde hair, her eyes sparkling with joy and innocence.

At eight, her fingers danced across the piano keys, the melody enchanting the room. Her piano teacher's eyes shone with admiration. "Exceptional," he praised, and the girl's heart swelled with pride.

At ten, the same girl wielded a silver sword with grace, each movement an elegant dance. Her mastery left spectators in awe, whispering of her unparalleled talent.

A little older, surrounded by her peers at a tea party, she received more accolades. "Your cooking is amazing!" the girls gushed, their envy barely hidden beneath their admiration.

At fourteen, her reputation was firmly established—she was the master of swords. Her name became synonymous with skill and precision, and tales of her prowess spread far and wide.

At sixteen, she joined the Imperial Army, her uniform crisp and her resolve unmatched. She was a symbol of strength and honor, admired by all who served with her.

At seventeen, she experienced the warmth of unconditional love in the eyes of a man who wanted nothing more than to see her happy. His gaze was filled with a devotion that promised endless support.

At eighteen, she stood before the imperial family, receiving a marriage proposal to become the crown princess. Her future seemed as bright and promising as the sun itself.

On the other hand…

A little girl of four with tangled brown hair clutched a pristine doll, its elegance contrasting sharply with her own tattered appearance. Her eyes were wide, filled with a longing she couldn't yet understand.

At eight, she sat before the piano, the teacher's voice sharp and cold. "Ordinary," he declared, his disappointment evident. The girl's heart sank, the notes on the page blurring through her tears.

At ten, her mother's voice cut through her like a knife. "No talent unlike your older sister," she sneered, watching as the girl struggled with a sword. Each failure etched a deeper scar on her fragile self-esteem.

A little older, she stood awkwardly at a tea party, the other girls' words dripping with disdain. "Terrible cook," they muttered, their laughter echoing painfully in her ears.

At twelve, she turned away from the light, delving into the dark side of the magical world. She embraced the shadows, finding solace in the power it offered, far from the judgments of others.

At fourteen, she became known as the master of words, her silver tongue weaving lies and truths with equal skill. Her reputation grew in the society, a stark contrast to the true compliments she once yearned for.

At fifteen, the eyes of men followed her, filled not with love, but with lust. They saw her as a means to climb the ranks, their intentions as vile as their leers.

At sixteen, she received promises from powerless men, their words empty and hollow.

Iyana always had everything and Sienna always was the one with nothing.

So, Sienna had decided to take away everything precious to Iyana one by one. She wanted to make the start by snatching the thing Iyana used to hold the closest to her heart—her knight, Vyan.

But unfortunately, she was smacked with failure at the very first stage.

And now, here she was in the present at the age of eighteen, knee-deep in troubles.