Silence can be louder than any war cry. In the cramped cabin of the carriage, a booming silence reigns, broken only by the panic-stricken whimpering of the baby in Elara's arms and Aurora's shallow, frantic breathing. Maelis holds me tight. Too tight. Her fingers are closed like claws around my small body, as if she wanted to physically press me back into her own flesh to protect me.
I stare out the small window. The dark silhouettes of the trees rush by. We have left the castle walls behind us. We are outside. We have escaped, I think. But relief does not set in. Instead, I feel a cold dissatisfaction in the pit of my stomach.
A part of me tightens. Now would be the opportunity. A demon. Real experience. No courtyard training, no controlled sparring. A real enemy. It would be the perfect time to test my limits. But I still have no awakened ability. Fighting a demon without a weapon or magic would not be courage. It would be suicide. Perhaps flight is the only option today. But it tastes bitter.
A violent jolt tears me from my thoughts. CRASH. Everything tilts.
I am thrown forward, slamming hard against the side wall. Pain explodes in my shoulder. The baby is screaming shrilly now, panicked. Elara falls, catching herself just in time. Maelis lets out a short sound, more shock than pain.
The carriage comes to a jerking halt.
"What happened?!" Maelis's voice trembles.
Valerius curses up front, climbs down. "I don't know—" Then silence.
Too deep a silence. Maelis opens the door and steps out. I follow her with my gaze.
She freezes.
"...Valerius." He approaches, holding his head. Blood on his temple. "The wheel is gone," he says, dazed. Then he sees it. A massive stone has shot out of the ground. Exactly where the rear wheel was. Fresh. Splintered. Unnatural.
Maelis's face turns pale. "That... that wasn't there before."
Valerius's hand goes instinctively to his sword. "Back in the carriage."
Too late. The shadows between the trees move. Not one. Dozens. Figures peel themselves from the darkness and block the path ahead of us. Demons. But they wear no heavy plate armor. They wear light leather, dark cloths, short blades.
"Why...?" Valerius draws his sword, his hand trembling slightly. "Why are you already here?"
One of the demons steps forward. He is slender, his skin gray as ash, and he grins broadly. "Azrhael is a cautious man," he says. His voice sounds like grinding gravel. "He knew the cowardly king would try to bring his brood to safety. That is why we are guarding every single escape route from Morhenhall." He spreads his arms and points to his light leather garb. "We left heavy armor and supplies behind to be here hours ahead of the main army. While our brothers are still marching, we are already here to intercept you."
He lifts his foot. Dark brown mana gathers around his leg, heavy and massive as the rock itself. It is controlled Earth Magic. He stomps on the ground. BOOM.
The earth obeys him instantly. The ground vibrates violently. Around the carriage, more stone spikes shoot out of the clay, sharp as spears. They form a cage of rock. "Get out immediately!" orders Valerius.
Aurora reacts without hesitation. She grabs Eamon, jumps from the carriage. I am right behind her, pulling Elara with me, holding the screaming baby steady as she stumbles. "The horses!" shouts Valerius. He severs the leather straps binding the four black horses to the broken carriage with two quick strikes. The animals are panicked, rearing, kicking out. "Take the horses and ride back to the city!" he roars over the noise. "We can't get through here! The path is blocked!"
Maelis grabs one of the horses by the rein, calms it with an almost violent determination, and swings herself up. "Kael, come!" she calls, pulling me up in front of her into the saddle. Beside us, Aurora climbs onto the second black horse with Eamon. Elara takes the third.
A hail of stones flies toward us. The demons are not throwing with their hands. They are letting the earth itself fire projectiles at us. Valerius moves like a whirlwind. His sword flashes, deflecting three deadly projectiles intended for Elara.
But one gets through. Straight at us.
I stretch out my small hand.
The stone shatters against my arm. Pain explodes. I grit my teeth. Maelis gasps, not even realizing what just happened. "Go, Mama!" I scream.
Maelis hesitates a second. Then she spurs the horse. We gallop off, back toward the burning castle, away from the man standing alone against an overwhelming force. I dare a look back over Maelis's shoulder. Valerius stands amidst a forest of stone thorns, surrounded by gray shadows.
The way back is ghostly. Where hours ago life pulsed, now reigns the chaos of war. Armored knights and soldiers storm out of the gate of Morhenhall, their faces grim, swords drawn. They barely notice us. Their target lies outside, with the demon army approaching like a black tide. The civilians are gone. Evacuated. The streets of the outer bailey are swept empty, only the wind howls through the alleys and whirls up dust.
We reach the castle gate. No guards. The gate stands wide open, as if the castle itself had given up. We jump from the horses. The animals are bathed in sweat. We simply leave them standing and run into the courtyard.
"Upstairs!" gasps Aurora. She wants to storm the stairs, up to the chambers of the Aranthor family. "To the tower! We can barricade ourselves there!"
"No!" hisses Maelis, grabbing her arm. "Are you insane? That is the first place they will look. It is far too conspicuous." She points to a heavy oak door half in shadow. "We are going to the cellar. To the storage vaults. The walls there are thick, and there are hardly any entrances."
We storm down the cellar stairs. With every step, the air becomes cooler and mustier. Arriving at the bottom, darkness embraces us. The torches on the walls are extinguished. It smells of old wine, dust, and... something else. Something metallic.
"I sense something..." whispers Aurora suddenly. She presses Eamon to herself. "There is a presence... a malicious killing intent."
I stop. I feel it too. It is as if someone is staring at me from the darkness. A gaze that bores into my neck like cold fingers.
Hiss.
An almost soundless noise cuts through the silence. The flash of steel in the blackness. A sword tip shoots out of the shadows, aimed directly at Maelis's chest.
I react. I throw myself against Maelis, shoving her hard to the side. A burning pain tears through my side. I land on the cold stone floor, roll, and jump immediately back to my feet, a hand on my flank.
"Kael!" screams Maelis. "Are you alright?"
I feel for the wound. Warm blood seeps through my shirt, but the cut is shallow. "Just a scratch," I say calmly. "Nothing fatal."
A slow clapping echoes through the vault. "Damn," says a voice from the darkness. It sounds young, but full of venom. "I completely suppressed my mana. How did you notice me?"
"Your bloodlust stinks to high heaven," hisses Aurora. The baby in Elara's arms begins to cry even louder, as if instinctively sensing the danger. "Even a child senses that. Now show yourself!"
A laugh answers her. An uncontrolled, almost manic giggle. "Well... I just can't pull myself together. If I want to kill someone, then I want to kill them. I can't help it." Footsteps approach. "But whatever. I'm going to slaughter you all anyway."
My eyes have adjusted to the darkness. A figure steps into the weak cone of light falling from above. I recognize him. It is the young demon who was at the "negotiation". The one who left Daemon's study with the other demon when he drew his sword. Kai. That means he and his group didn't retreat. They hid inside the castle.
"Kai," I say loudly. "That means the other one must be around here somewhere too."
Kai grins. In his palm, a fireball suddenly flares up, bathing the cellar in ghostly orange light. He demonstrates his power openly. He does not see us as a threat. A fire mage, I analyze. Offensive orientation. Impulsive. That is my chance.
"No idea how you know that, little one," says Kai, letting the fireball dance in his hand. "But yes. Taren is lurking around here too. That's why I'm being generous today." He points with the burning finger to the corridor behind us. "I don't want to be the only one having fun. Taren should get a few of you too. So... who wants to die first? Step forward." His voice trembles with suppressed excitement. He can hardly wait.
I take a step forward. "I am your opponent."
"Have you gone mad?!" screams Maelis, grabbing my shoulder. "Kael! Mother, I have to fight him! No one else stands a chance against him!"
"Yes! I do!" Aurora steps forward. Stands next to me. "We are on the same level."
"No," she says. Her voice is proud. Almost triumphant. "Not anymore."
I stare at her. "What?"
"I created my special magic."
"What?! When?!"
"In the nights while you slept. And during the days too. I used every free minute."
She has... Respect flickers within me. Brief. Unfamiliar.
"That is good," I say. "And another reason to flee with Mother and the others. Somewhere in the castle is another demon. His companion. He is surely just as strong."
Kai sighs theatrically. "Make up your minds! I don't have all day!"
I look Maelis deep in the eyes. I put all my persuasion into this look. "Go. Please. I can do this." Maelis hesitates. Tears stand in her eyes. She wrestles with herself, but then reason wins – and concern for the others. She nods slowly. "Take care of yourself, my son," she whispers. Then she turns around. "Go!" she commands the others. Aurora hesitates. Casts me one last look. Then she follows. They run deeper into the cellar corridor, away from us.
Kai laughs loudly. "Unbelievable! The mother actually leaves her own son behind to die! Humans are so pathetic!"
I smile. A real smile. "Finally," I say quietly. "An opponent. A genuine opponent who wants to kill me. I haven't had that in a long time."
Kai stops laughing. He tilts his head. "No idea why you're laughing, little one. But whatever." He draws his sword. Then he lets the fire from his hand glide over the blade. The metal catches fire, blazing brightly. "I hope you at least entertain me a little."
I amplify the mana within me. Channel it directly into my legs. Jump. Effortlessly over the flames. In the air, I spin. Roundhouse Kick.
My reinforced shin hits him squarely on the temple. There is an ugly sound as his head is jerked to the side. Kai flies. He slams hard against the stone wall and slides down it. He lies motionless.
That was it? I ask myself, disappointed. I land springily on the floor and walk toward him. One hit and he's K.O.?
Suddenly his body twitches. Kai tears his eyes open. He springs up as if catapulted by a spring. "Holy shit!" he bellows. He rubs his temple. "For a child, that was unexpectedly strong!" The veins on his forehead bulge. He grinds his teeth so hard it's audible. "You..." he presses out. His voice trembles with suppressed rage. "A human child... dares to touch me?" His gaze becomes murderous. "I will break every single bone in your—"
I charge forward without hesitation. Punch. My fist hits him right in the face. His nose breaks with a crack, blood splatters. Kai staggers back. "Let me finish speaking, you bastard!" he screams, swinging his flame sword wildly in a circle.
I dodge, dancing away. "You already did," I say calmly.
"Your arrogance is really getting on my nerves!" he spits blood and fire. "Just because you hit me once or twice when I was careless doesn't mean you're the stronger one!"
I do not answer. I act. I dive under his wild haymaker.
Kick to the solar plexus. Kai folds up like a pocketknife. He gags, spitting bile onto the floor. He goes to his knees, clutching his stomach. His sword clatters to the ground.
"You talk too much," I say coldly. I pick up his flame sword with effort. It is heavy, but well-balanced. The fire extinguishes as soon as it leaves his hand. "Great. That was it?" I say, pointing the tip at him. "I expected more. I thought you were a threat. Not a yapping dog."
I wind up to behead him. But then I feel it. Heat. An enormous, unnatural heat suddenly radiates from him. I back away a step. Kai turns red. His whole body seems to glow, like iron in the forge. Steam rises from his skin.
He lifts his head. His face is distorted with rage – and pain. "Your arrogance is really pissing me off!" he roars. His voice sounds different now. Distorted. Deeper. "You piece of shit! I will burn you alive!"
A tornado of fire erupts from him. It is no controlled spell. It is an explosion. Flames shoot in all directions. I throw myself to the side, rolling away, but a tongue of fire catches me on the arm. "Argh!" I cry out. The pain is intense, but the mana enveloping my body prevented the worst. No severe burns, only singed skin.
I have to get out of here! I storm up the cellar stairs, gaining distance. Why is he suddenly so strong? I ask myself frantically. Just a moment ago his fire control was mediocre. He only reinforced his sword. And now? This is high-performance magic! As if he were a different demon! Did he hold back?
Heavy footsteps on the stairs. Kai comes slowly up. With every step he takes, the air gets hotter. The wooden banister catches fire just from his proximity.
"Actually, I didn't want to use the chain," he says. His voice echoes strangely hollow. "It drains my life force."
Chain? I narrow my eyes. Now I see it. Around his neck hangs a silver chain with a large, blood-red emerald. The stone pulses. It glows so brightly it almost hurts the eyes. An artifact! I realize. A mana amplifier. But one of the dangerous kind. It boosts his power immeasurably, but it eats him from the inside out.
Kai stops at the foot of the stairs. He grins, but sweat pours down his face in streams. He throws the sword at my feet. It glows brightly. "Here. You need this more than I do now."
Kai grins. His entire body is enveloped in flames. "Okay! On to round two."