The priest asked for my parents' help moving the corpse. Surprising my parents, he wanted it moved to the basement rather than outside. “Every Demonkin body is a valuable resource in the Endless War,” he explained, “The skin is lightweight and flexible, but hard as steel. Its bones are even tougher, making great weapons when used correctly. The blood can be made into a potent poison. Even the flesh is put to use feeding other creatures.”
While the others worked. Luther rested against a nearby wall. One of the former servants was attempting to patch his wounds.
“How are your injuries?” I asked.
“Not great, but I have survived far worse,” he replied, wincing in pain when he tried to move his shoulder. He was pale from blood loss, but at least the bleeding had stopped.
“That is good,” I replied with a nod. I looked over towards my family, currently preoccupied with trying to get the giant corpse through a door. “If anyone asks, I am going to the restroom. Tell them my stomach was not feeling good.”
Luther narrowed his eyes. “And where are you really going?”
“To see if I can make a demon suffer a bit. Don’t worry I won’t do anything reckless. Just stay here and cover for me,” I said turning towards the ruined door of the church. Without waiting for a reply, I walked into the dark night.
I moved through the streets with purpose. I had to move quickly. It would not be long before my family noticed I was gone.
Soldiers had appeared in the streets. Dozens of them, moving like worker ants. They searched people’s homes, tended to the wounded, and collected the bodies.
Nearly a hundred bodies lined up, side by side.
The Demonkin had rampaged for barely five minutes before the king appeared, but in that short time, the casualties were enormous. At least it had been night. Most people were in their homes, separated by walls. If it happened during the day, in a busy area…
No, I cannot let it happen again. The king and his men may not be able to find where the Demonkin came from, but I could.
The soldiers did not stop me as I walked past them. They had more important things to worry about than one lost child.
I turned down an alley, coming to a stop in front of a wooden wall. A false wall. Sylvie had seen it when the Demonkin began their attack. A human covering their tracks… a traitor.
I kicked the wall. Loose boards clattered to the ground revealing an underground basement. The traitor was long gone, but I would find him eventually.
The basement was little more than a hole in the ground. Two brick walls kept the dirt from collapsing. It might have been used for food storage once upon a time. Now, there was only a single object in the room.
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Floating above the ground, shimmering with a red ethereal light was a window. However, this window did not show the city. No, the other side of the window was a rocky mountain crag. This was a Rift, a tear between realms. It was unstable, on the verge of collapse. No more Demonkin could pass through it for now, but once it stabilized more would come.
Through the window, I could see the realm beyond. Not at the scenery, that was not important. The things that moved on it, however…
Hundreds of thousands of them…
Enough to drown a world in darkness…
Demonkin.
I reached out to touch the Rift. I felt electricity course through my veins. The sputtering flame I had used up against the spider was reignited, burning brighter than ever.
Flames ignited in my hand. When the flames came into contact with the rift, it began to twist and fold. It was collapsing.
From the other side of the rift, I heard a furious roar. A face appeared on the other side, looking at me with rage. An almost human face. He had a youthful complexion, with looks that would cause many girls to squeal. This was nothing like the Demonkin that invaded the city. No, this was a being thousands of times stronger. This was a true Demon.
I stared at the bright red eyes across the rift. “Envy, still alive I see. The cowards always live the longest.”
“Aurielle!”
“Yes, yes, I know, you are going to skin me alive, rip out my organs, or whatever grisly torture you come up with,” I spoke, shrugging my shoulders, “We have fought for nearly four hundred years. Come up with some new threats at least.”
Envy smiled, revealing two rows of razor-sharp teeth. “You died again Aurielle. You are weak and helpless. Soon, I will succeed in tearing a door to your realm. When that day comes, I will not kill you. I have made that mistake before. No, I plan to capture you alive. Alive and helpless as my personal toy. Not even the Aevus family will be able to save you then.”
“By the time you get here, I will be ready,” I replied, “I do not need anyone’s help to defeat a weakling like you. Without the Archdemon, the rest of you will fall one by one.”
The smile disappeared from Envy’s face. The rift began to shrink, folding in on itself. Envy’s last words echoed through the empty basement.
“See you soon.”