Vir waited for the man to continue, thinking there must surely be more. When the guard put away his parchment, Vir could remain silent no longer.
“That’s it? You would kill a man for thievery? What did he steal?”
“A demon, friend,” Reth replied. “Careful how you speak. Some may think you a demon sympathizer, after all.”
“Right. Wouldn’t want that, would we,” Vir said sarcastically, but if Reth noticed, he didn’t show it.
“This man stole a loaf of bread,” the armored guard replied. “To think he dare steal from us humans. Despicable.”
Vir had heard enough. “Alright. Fine. I’ll do it.”
Reth cocked a brow. “Excellent. Please. Whenever you are ready.”
Vir nodded, taking slow steps to the prisoner as he retrieved his katar. The demon looked up at him, his eyes wide with fear.
Thankfully, the gallery stood near the entrance, some distance away from the prisoner. Ensuring no one overheard, Vir crouched slightly and whispered to the prisoner.
“Don’t move. I’m going to cut your bindings. Then I’m going to kill everyone in this room. Flatten yourself against the ground and don’t move. Understand? Blink thrice if you do.”
The prisoner acknowledged.
There was no turning back now. No room for hesitation. Vir prepared himself and raised his katar, Empowering the blade. In another moment, the room would turn into a bloodbath. Not one he’d enter into by choice, but he refused to commit such an atrocity. That wasn’t the kind of person he was, nor was it the person he ever wanted to be.
He swung his blade.
With ease that surprised him, he bisected the pillory, freeing its occupant. Then he was gone, having sunk into the shadows before anyone could react.
Lunging out of an armored guard’s shadow, he slammed his blade into the man’s neck with a Prana Bladed, Empowered strike.
The guard didn’t even know what hit him. His head crashed against a wall and he slumped over. Whether unconscious or dead, Vir didn’t know. He couldn’t bring himself to care, Leaping to his next target like a machine, he brought the full force of his blade down upon his enemy.
“ENOUGH!” Reth roared, stunning everyone in the room.
Does he really think that’ll stop me?
Vir paid the man no mind, continuing onto the next opponent. This one put up more of a struggle, blocking Vir’s blows.
No choice. I’ll have to kill him.
Vir charged Empower and shot prana out of his arm, wreathing his blade. He swung… but his aim was off. Rather, someone had slammed into him from behind, throwing him off-balance and disrupting the arc of his attack, which passed harmlessly by the guard.
Using his momentum as he fell, Vir wrenched the blade to the one who’d tackled him, then stopped.
Because grabbing his ankles was none other than the gray demon prisoner. Vir’s mind ran in circles, confused.
“Stop, friend! It was a test!” the gray demon prisoner roared, pleading with Vir. “A test!”
Vir glanced at Reth, then did a double take.
A stream of people flooded into the room, armed to the teeth with maces, polearms, and battleaxes. Except… Each and every one had red skin. These were no emaciated prisoners, either—their healthy muscles bulged, and they wore steel and wielded seric. They moved in formation, as only an elite squad could. They took up positions all around the room, surrounding Vir.
Commanding them was a being the likes of which Vir had never before seen. A gangly, deformed gray demon with overly large arms and wisps of patchy white hair.
“By Janak himself, you are quick!” Reth said with an exasperated look.
“You think you have me surrounded?” Vir said, Leaping away.
Vir looked back to the gray demon to find him chatting amicably with a demon who’d stormed into the room.
“I, uh. I’m sorry. No, truly. Wait. WAIT! Please don’t! I didn’t mean to—!”
It was not the prisoner who delivered those words, but Reth.
What’s more, the one he addressed was none other than his female slave, who calmly unclasped the collar around her neck… and then proceeded to punch the man in his face. Hard.
“You allowed this farce to last far too long, Reth! I told you this was a bad idea. You! Get that guard some medical attention!” she ordered. “And you! Stop dawdling!”
Healers rushed to the guard Vir had downed and removed his helm. And under that armor was yet another red demon.
One by one, the guards in the room removed their helms in suit.
“You’re… all demons?” Vir asked. He felt as though reality had played some cruel prank on him. His sanity was quickly breaking down.
What in all the realms…
“Friend, a thousand apologies for putting you through that,” Reth said in a voice far deeper and with less airs than the one he’d used until now.
“What is the meaning of this?” Vir asked, his katar ready to cut anyone who approached.
“Congratulations, Apramor. You passed. Welcome home, brother.”
38SANCTUARY
“Somebody better start talking,” Vir said, cautiously eyeing the dozen soldiers in the room. Dance of the Shadow Demon was ready to go anytime.
“Allow me,” Reth’s ‘slave’ said, tossing her collar aside. “This was a test. Perhaps a foolish one, but one designed to determine your loyalty. I fear far too many demons have succumbed to human brainwashing. This would not be the first time we’ve been betrayed by such agents.”
“You could’ve just asked,” Vir replied, still confused about what exactly was happening.
“Talk is cheap. Actions resound loudest.”
Gone was her meek slave demeanor, replaced by overwhelming confidence. The type of attitude a supreme leader would have.
“Who are you?”
“Ah, my apologies. I’m Disanna. One of the three leaders of the Pagan Order.”
“Lord Reth isn’t the ruler?”
“Well, I am,” Reth said, his cocky, arrogant demeanor having vanished without a trace. “But only one of three. Together with Disanna and Zora over there, we form the Tribunal. The governing body of the Order.”
“Reth is our public image, but Zora and I have equal authority,” Disanna said. “We just prefer to govern from the shadows.”
“I… had no idea,” Vir said, eyeing the lanky, gray demon. At first glance, she looked deformed, but upon closer inspection, he realized she was just… different. She stood hunched over with her too-long arms, accenting her strange appearance, but what caught Vir’s eye was the purple tribal tattoo that surrounded her eyes. Flowing and symmetric, the beautiful art felt somewhat out of place on her body. So that’s Zora, huh?
“First time seeing a Ghael?” Reth asked. “Don’t blame you. Most humans consider them monsters, exterminating them on sight. They survive by staying hidden.”
“Is… what are they?” Vir asked, immediately regretting his words as Zora narrowed her eyes at him.
“Demonkin,” Disanna replied. “Brothers and sisters of demonkind.”
“Pleased to meet you,” Zora said in a hoarse, gravelly voice. It was as if her body simply wasn’t built for human speech. “I’m not offended at all.”
Vir flushed with shame. “I’m sorry. Truly. Erm, h-how’d you know I was a demon, though? Since when?” he asked, desperately trying to change the topic.
“Since Daha,” Zora said. “And no. We did not see through your disguise.”
Vir waited, expecting her to say more, but no explanation was forthcoming.
Reth coughed to break the awkward silence. “The Ghael—Zora’s kind—have an innate ability to sense prana. Some of them do, at any rate.”