The Blood Bracelets #2: Demon Born

Chapter Seven

Electricity webbed Kael's hands, sparking to life, yet he didn't get the chance to attack as a sudden sense of panic gripped his heart, tightening it like someone's hand was grasping it. His chest constricted and the power at his hands dissipated as the arena around him began to change, the spectator stalls bleeding into the ground, the lights dripping like wet paint off the ceiling.

Kael stumbled, dropping his head into his hands. What the hell is going on?

'Abbadon doesn't only destroy life,' said Metus, standing before Kael, 'he destroys hearts.'

They were no longer standing in the arena, instead Kael looked up to find himself in a wide expanse of farmland, trees sprouting up around him as well as rows upon rows of crops until he was right in the middle of it, a shallow lake almost as wide as the arena floor by Kael's feet. He took a step back from the water's edge, then glanced back up to see that Metus had disappeared.

You're hallucinating, a rational voice in his conscience said, because it suddenly made sense why Metus' previous opponent had died of a heart attack within minutes of the match starting. Abbadon could bring people's fears and regrets alive, destroying them from the inside out. You're hallucinating, Kael told himself again.

The pond, the farm, even the hills in the distance as the sun rose over their peaks was all familiar to him. He recognised the landscape instantly, though he wished he didn't. Kael slowly turned around, already knowing what he would find.

Himself.

Their appearances were different, but that was because Kael was in his demonic form, slouched against a tree that was hanging over the pond, offering shade while the tall wheat field surrounding him offered cover, a place to hide until he recovered. Kael's flesh was no longer that of a human's, instead it was the same black crystal-like substance that his dagger was made of. It covered his body like armour, right up to his neck where it turned into a mask that protected his eyes. His hands weren't hands; they were claws, and each pointed tip was stained with blood.

Kael remembered this moment; he had just escaped the Immortals who managed to capture him, but not without suffering severe injuries. Here, this place, he had believed he wouldn't be found. It was isolated, the only people around being a few mortals who lived on the farm, but their house was further away along the dirt road.

Kael grimaced, feeling the injuries as if they were fresh on his own body. Several large curse symbols had been burnt into him, scorching right through the crystal armour over his chest, and the holy blades Immortals used had managed to tear open his armour to leave gashes across his neck and arms that steadily bled. Kael remembered wondering if he would die of blood loss, and how ironic such a death would be for a demon of his calibre.

The sun rose, but dark clouds were already forming with the threat of rain. Kael was drifting between consciousness, his eyes – which had dulled to a flat green – snapping toward every sound, cautious of anyone approaching him. Yet for some reason, he hadn't picked up on the girl.

Just a child, barely even twelve, came through to the lake quietly, not even noticing him until she crouched down at the water and dipped her hand in. Kael hadn't moved, but her gaze had slowly drifted up from the water to meet his, the expression on her face changing from quiet contentment to surprise – but no fear. Kael remembered thinking that he should kill her, but his body had been too weak to comply with the thought. Besides, what was one mortal child in the face of a demon like him?

But the girl ran away.

Kael didn't want to relive this. He turned away from his memory, reminding himself once again that it was a hallucination. Don't forget where you really are, he thought.