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

87. Kurat Hall

Erebus made his way out of Kurat Hall through the secret passage and climbed up the cliffside. He moved through the shadows to meet back up with Skadi, but his steps faltered when he realized she wasn't in the same place. He knew she was safe, but her absence indicated something was wrong. 

He skirted around the clearing, keeping to the shadows and rocks. He used his mana to see if anyone else was nearby and scoffed when he found a dozen Devils waiting to ambush him. They weren't a threat but could help him release some of his frustration. 

He confidently stepped out of the shadows and walked to the center of the trap. He secured his hair in a leather tie and waited calmly. He frowned when he felt the Devils hesitate.

"Well, are you going to make me wait all day?" He asked loudly.

The Devils snarled and rushed him. He didn't release the Phonoi Heart, but he was equally cruel. He didn't pull out his daggers but turned his hands into claws. After witnessing what the Devils were doing, he wanted to rip them apart because they did not deserve his daggers.

He tore at anything within reach—an arm, a Devil's stomach, a throat. He attacked with madness that was equivalent to the Phonoi Heart.

The area was covered in blood, creating a red fog around him. The remaining Devils trembled and started to back away. Erebus flicked his sharp eyes towards them. "You came to me. There's no way I would let you leave."

By the time he was done with them, the area was littered with body parts. He wiped his face with his sleeve and found that his clothes were soaked with blood as well. He groaned and drew a rune, setting the ground on fire, turning the Devils and the blood into ash. He then used his shadows to move the sand and blow away the ash. There was no evidence of his cruelty except for a slightly scorched ground. 

He searched the area to ensure no other Devils were nearby. No one had escaped. They were probably sentries who came across his tracks and laid in wait. Because there weren't any alarms or changes in the Devil's routine outside of Kurat Hall, it was safe to assume these Devils were working independently and no one knew they were there.

He wiped off as much blood as possible and changed his clothes. As he pulled on a new shirt, Skadi approached, and he greeted her with a smile.

She snorted and pawed at the ground. 

Erebus gave her a wry smile, almost aware of what she was saying. "You're right. I did go overboard, but I would rather take it out on these Devils instead of accidentally letting it out around the others."

He jumped on her back, and they took off towards the camp. He was gone all day, so he was sure that they were concerned.

Leo and Fenrir were the first to greet him when he returned to the camp. Leo handed Erebus a flask of water, and he drank heavily from it. Leo's eyes shook when he saw blood covering his forearm that he had forgotten to wipe off before. However, he didn't comment on it and only smiled at him.

However, Fenrir scrunched up his nose. "You reek of blood."

He pulled out his cigarettes and started to smoke one, looking up at the red sky. His anger still was not quelled, but Leo and Fenrir waited patiently. They had seen Erebus angry before and knew that he needed a moment.

Erebus sighed. "A small group tried to ambush me, but I took care of them. There's no trace left of our battle, so the Devils shouldn't sound the alarm."

"No injuries?" Leo asked.

Erebus smiled with a shake of his head. "No. They were probably sentires and hardly a challenge. I don't think they realized it was me who was nearby."