Inner Demon: The Dark Bloods - Book I ✓

Chapter 38 - Absent Inside

The ribbons in Mundus' body retreated as the Shadow's touch was pulled out. The demon prince grunted as the last of the Shadow whipped out of his chest. The soothing relief of his self-regeneration helped him force-Fuse the solid black blob of an entity rotating on his palm into him.

As it traveled through Mundus' entire frame, it left a trail of ebony ink that engulfed him in black fire. It quickly consumed the demon until his complete physique was a shadowy flame. Icy fingers manifested once more in his veins, shooting throughout his limbs with each exhale. Mundus stood frozen but not because of the cold.

"Master! No!" Lina cried out, sensing the slip.

The coldness exploded, sharp and hard. Icicles needled Mundus chest from the inside. They pressed like knives until they burst out. Spools of shredded flesh hung from his torso like a bed of seaweed caught in a current of water. Tiny, rounded ribcage bones peeked out through the red, red gore. At the top right side of the wound, the rhythmic pulse of Mundus heart could be seen.

Mundus' sword plopped to the snow as he fell to one knee, arms hugging his wound closed as best as he could. His palms were outlined in green to help push the pain away, but the fight against unconsciousness was greater than anything else. Still, Mundus was positive there was a sense of disaccord within his Magika. It was taking too long for him to heal.

"You're not going to die so easily, demon," Ram said as he now stood in front of Mundus. The Shadow encircled him in a veiled swirl of black.

"You were with Sister," Ram continued, a small smile on his lips. It widened. "Do you sense it yet?"

The Shadow around Ram began to take a smoky color until it became grey. It then transformed into a solid white, almost disappearing against the snowy background. The white split in two, creating a sloppy "Y" pattern. One of the top halves turned black. The two hues were battling as the white tried to separate from the black. Just as it was about to escape, the black snatched it back and whirled around it like a barber's pole.

The colors manifested into solid beings.

"Master!" Lina's voice rang out clear and vibrant for all to hear. She was physically hovering several yards before Mundus with the solid black Shadow Spirit coiling around her.

Pulled out of the prince of demon's own blade, Lina's face wrinkled in confusion and fear at the occurrence. "Master! This one tried! This one fought but Shadow took this one away! This one—"

Murky fingers clasped her mouth shut and then crawled over her face like a dark mask. Her figure went limp. When the darkness left her face, she hovered in place but her eyes were dim and her head hung down. Lina's long silvery hair draped around her like a long dress.

Mundus gazed at Lina with disbelief. Never have I witnessed a Spirit immobilize another Spirit.

He let out a shaky sigh and reached for his now powerless sword to help heave himself to his feet. Finding his balance after a few shaking seconds, he slowly began to walk. Each step was accompanied by a splash of blood.

Ram, standing next to the listless Lina, smiled pleasantly as he waited for the demon.

Mundus gave up on Healing himself and instead allowed his own regeneration to take over the curative process. By the time he reached Ram, Mundus' open chest exposed shredded muscle in the course of braiding back together. His chest still resembled a cavern of gore. Blood seeped through the healing flesh and would occasionally splatter out to land on Ram's shirt and jeans.

The hybrid Illusionist was not bothered it and had held his grin. "Go," he said.

Black lightning stuck at Mundus as the Shadow, dark and sharp, lashed at the recovering demon in the form of a long clipped blade. The attack met the forehead that easily gave away. The ebony blade jutted up with such force that it decapitated the body.