Return of the Demon Sovereign (Book 1) [MxM]

20. Crack in Space

Nash's eyes roamed over the campsite and the numerous corpses and shuddered a little. It was a harrowing scene. So many questions filled his mind, and it only came out as 'What the fuck'.

He collected his thoughts and tried to pick a question. "How did they die?"

"Poisoned the ale," Erebus answered, his voice hoarse from using the harsh language of the Devils.

Nash faltered. "But you drank the ale!"

Erebus pointed to the black acidic liquid he vomited. "I purged it." But he felt some lingering poison rushing into his veins and knew he looked pale and sickly. He couldn't contain it as long as he wanted to and couldn't purge it all.

Nash was baffled and wanted to ask more, but Erebus stopped him.

"I'll explain on the way. Right now, I'm unsettled that there were no captains." Erebus said. He let out a low whistle that rippled into the air. A dark, tall, domineering horse suddenly appeared, almost making Nash drop Erebus.

Nash was slack-jawed. "Aether Horse?"

Erebus nodded and turned towards the horse. "Anything in the area?"

Skadi pawed her hoof, but it wasn't a simple stomp. She embedded it with the Shadow Mana that Erebus had unlocked. [No.]

Erebus rubbed her nose affectionately and then made his way toward the others. The Shadow Guards recoiled a little, and Comet looked at Erebus suspiciously.

Erebus didn't mind, considering how shocking his methods were. Few in their right minds would infiltrate a camp with such ruthless moves. Only he and his Dragon Commander brothers would do something so audacious. But that was a history that was long lost. No one knew of Erebus, the Dragon Commander of the Fire Dragon sect. Any exploit he completed before his time as the Demon Sovereign had long been removed from the archives of history. No one knew that their great Demon Sovereign and enemy of the human sects was once one of the pillars of Fire Dragon. But then again, that meant that no one knew of the betrayal of Jericho and his wife, Kore. They have been painted as glorious rulers and pure lovers.

He pushed away his dark thoughts and looked at the runes that confined Comet's hands. "You must have pissed them off," Erebus said before using his mana to unlock the runes.

Comet gritted his teeth. "I know runes, and this is a Devil's Trap. How do you know how to unlock it?"

"Is that what they are calling it?" Erebus asked with some amusement. "These runes originated from the Spirit Realm, specifically from the Fey Lynx. The Devils added a few corrupted modifications, but nothing sophisticated."

Comet wasn't entirely convinced. "How do you know their language?"

"My master had an obsession with languages." Erebus came up with an excuse. 

It wasn't much of a lie, considering how the Shadow Deity spent time teaching him these things. Also, when he lost his ability to speak, he coveted language and learned even more while confined to silence. Once he had entered the Nothingness, only the Shadow Deity accompanied him, and they conversed in all languages of the realms.

There was a crack in the Devil's Trap, and the runes faded and disappeared. Comet flexed his hands and rolled his wrists. Erebus checked for any wounds. "Gather the horses. I'm going to check the tent for any information."

He faded into the shadows and appeared in the quarters. He searched everywhere but found nothing worthwhile, only a map of Undanfold with a few campsites he was already familiar with. Still, he picked it up just in case and met the others.

They had mounted horses, and Skadi was standing tall next to them. When she saw the pale Erebus, she pawed the ground nervously. Erebus laughed and patted her neck affectionately. The proud horse kneeled, lowering herself for Erebus. Even the stoic Comet was surprised by her actions as he knew that the Aether Horses of legends were haughty characters.