He tried moving his limbs. Nothing. His throat tightened.
The darkness receded. Relief flickered, but died as his vision focused. Trees surrounded him. And dark creatures with red eyes. The grip on his shoulder vanished.
Ashes.
He scanned his surroundings. They’d dragged him deep into the forest in seconds. How’d they move so fast?
Shadow’s impatience thrummed through their connection, questioning. He was eager to rip these creatures apart. But it did no good to have them both surrounded.
Wait.
Better to keep Shadow hidden until the right moment. Lashing out without a plan solved nothing. The creatures surrounded him, but hadn’t attacked. Why not?
Sulking acceptance brushed his mind.
Whatever they planned, he needed to move first. He couldn’t waste time here. His crew needed him.
The dark figures ringed him—he searched for cracks in their formation. Found none. Bodies blocked every direction.
Teleportation required line of sight, but the circle gave him room to maneuver. He blinked forward, putting distance between himself and his kidnapper.
He spun, levelling his blade at the creature. Ready to strike, then teleport when the others broke formation. The surrounding creatures didn’t move. They stood silent, red eyes locked on him.
His kidnapper’s head still shook like a prisoner fighting his bonds. Dark tendrils peeled away from its face, revealing a pale, humanoid skull underneath.
What were they waiting for? Wasn’t this an ambush?
He wouldn’t wait for answers, or let this thing finish whatever it was doing. Better to strike first and ask questions later.
His sword blurred toward the skull. The creature’s hand shot up.
It caught the blade.
Kai blinked. The unnamed blade had carved through everything until now. Abominations, monsters and armour melted before it. But this creature held it like common steel.
His mouth went dry.
Darkness kept creeping away from the shaking skull. No counterattack came. Kai went still, recalculating. If his blade couldn’t cut these things, further aggression was suicide.
As the skull’s mouth emerged, it spoke. “Is that any way to greet an old friend?”
Kai frowned. He knew that voice. Flesh crawled across bone, forming a familiar face.
Old Haggar.
But the creature could be deceiving him. Which suggested mind reading or knowledge of his past. Both worrying possibilities.
Kai commanded Shadow through their bond.
Get ready to attack.
The wolf might succeed where his sword failed. If not, Shadow could buy him time to escape. Some would call that cowardly. Kai called it effective.
He replied to the thing wearing Haggar’s face. “What are you doing here, old man?”
Haggar had looked out for him while Renzo used him and Death God abandoned him. But sentiment couldn’t pierce his caution. His appearance in the Darklands was more than suspicious.
Grey-streaked hair sprouted as the creature ran fingers through it. “Isn’t it obvious I’m here to help? Good thing we held back earlier. Knew you’d attack us if we interfered without warning.” He chuckled. “At least your paranoia’s kept you alive. Kinda.”
The logic held, but that didn’t explain the old man’s presence.
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“Who’s we?” He gestured at the surrounding figures. “What are you? How’d you find me?”
“A gift from your magnanimous Father. A hundred Demons, committed to your cause.”
Demons?
In retrospect, it made sense. Only Marked grew old in the slums. Haggar being a Demon explained how he’d outlived most others. Kai had known the man since childhood—and he was old, even then. If Death God sent Haggar all those years ago, he didn’t completely abandon him.
He studied the undulating darkness covering the others, then glanced at his suit. Were they the same kinda entity? Either way, his suit was superior. The roiling darkness was intimidating, but lacked subtlety. A smoke signal for Demon Hunters.
Smug confirmation pulsed through his mind.
Old Haggar continued. “Your Father sent me to watch over you—when you were more of a brat than you are now. You didn’t make it easy, but I kept you alive, didn’t I?”
“I’m undead.”
“Part of the plan.” He waved it off.
Kai’s jaw clenched. Part of the plan? Death God had moved him like a pawn. Sacrificed him like it was nothing and treated his death as a minor inconvenience.
It was a minor inconvenience, but still. His parenting left a lot to be desired.
“Now I’m handing you an army on a silver platter. Extra hands to help your people out of the bind you left them in. Plus, they’ll help you expand your territory and power.” He shook his head. “Show some appreciation, boy. You’re getting the booster package aspiring Demon Kings would kill for. A ‘thank you’ wouldn’t hurt.”
A hundred Demons weren’t an army. Even if one Demon was as strong as ten humans, the noble houses would laugh at his meagre forces. Except the poverty-stricken House Nivisara…
It was better than nothing. Usurping House Nivisara would be easier now—though working with Demons wouldn’t help his reputation. The other Houses would disapprove, but he could silence witnesses and contain information.
Since Death God had orchestrated this mess, this ‘gift’ was the least he could do. Kai wouldn’t tremble with gratitude for the bare minimum.
And one thing still didn’t add up.
“Assuming you’re being straight with me…”
“Still not convinced?” Haggar snorted. “To answer your question, finding you was simple.” He pointed up.
Without dropping his guard, Kai looked up. One moon hung overhead, marking his position like a beacon.
“The extended day signalled your arrival. The moon led us to you.”
Haggar knelt, head bowed. The others followed. “We pledge ourselves to the chosen heir.”
Kai’s vision blurred. Heat seared through his chest. He stumbled back before steadying himself, gasping. A hundred new subservient bonds hooked into his soul like anchors. Heavy, but stabilising.
His knees wavered, but he forced himself upright through gritted teeth.
That confirmed Haggar’s story. No deceiver would enslave themselves to their mark. But a few doubts lingered.
“What was the creepy head shaking about?”
“Creepy? That’s a little harsh, isn’t it?”
“How else would you describe a shadow-covered creature shaking its head like it’s about to explode? Ominous? Sinister?”
Haggar grunted. “Point taken. Still, I taught you better than to call your elders ‘creepy’ or ‘sinister’.”
“Ominous then.”
“Fancy way to avoid saying ‘scary’.”
Calling someone scary was just as bad as creepy in his estimation.
He scoffed. “Who said I was scared?”
“Oh, I wouldn’t dare suggest that.” Haggar raised a hand covered in shifting shadow. “Abyssal parasites are effective, but clingy. They make speaking difficult and won’t let go without a fight. Hence the shaking.”
His [Blooded Mantle] was an abyssal parasite? One mystery solved. But the revelation was disturbing.
Was it feeding on him?
Disgust emanated from the suit.
Wait, was he not good enough to eat? Should he be offended or relieved?
Who knew what that meant? His soul was too big? The key thing—his suit wasn’t eating him. Its reasoning didn’t matter. But…
Can I take you off?
Indignation coiled in the back of his mind.
He’d take that as a yes. Some tension left his shoulders.
“What about the other Demons? This isn’t all of them, right?”
“This…” Haggar gestured to the surrounding Demons. “Is your inheritance. A hundred Demons—a fighting start. You’ll have to recruit or crush the others yourself. Some of them are…less than enthusiastic about your Father choosing you as heir. The other claimants are pissed.”
Kai frowned. “Other claimants? A fighting start? Does Death God expect me to compete in a succession war?”
Haggar chuckled. “You think He’d hand over his mantle without testing you? Or that you’re His only option?” He shook his head. “Death God chose you as His preferred heir, but you still have to prove yourself. The others won’t give up without a fight.”
Haggar and the other Demons turned their heads.
“Let’s pick this up later. Unless you don’t mind your companions getting eaten?”
Haggar was right. His crew fought for survival while he stood here talking.
“Get up.” Kai said. “Clear a path to the village for my crew.”
They stood. Haggar inclined his head. “As you command.”
“Be careful. Don’t let the abominations corrupt you.”
“Don’t worry. The abyssal armour protects us, and we have healers if things go south.”
Kai nodded. “Make sure you announce yourselves as my allies before you engage.”
“Of course. Friendly fire would be a hassle.” Haggar smirked. “I’ll leave you a bodyguard too.”
Before he could refuse the extra baggage, they sank into the ground, merging with the shadows.
The sea of black raced toward the abominations. One Demon stayed behind. He stood motionless, waiting for orders.
Kai sighed. At least the Demon could travel on his own. The shadow travel explained how Haggar had snuck up on him. Another threat to watch out for.
Was shadow travel natural to Demons?
Teleporting was faster, but it was nice to have options. He’d have to experiment or ask Haggar later.
Come out.
Shadow rose from the ground like a nightmare.
“Can you find the survivor from the fight in the village?”
Shadow snorted as prideful affirmation rippled through their bond. Tracking and destroying targets was his speciality.
Time to find Renzo.
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