Chapter Seven

He was flying down a corridor in search of a window. He knew there was one close by. He had seen it while he scouted around the palace.

Mirial was screaming and twisting in his grasp. He had never imagined such a wisp a boy could be so aggressive. Twice he had almost escaped from him.

The window loomed up ahead. A few hours from now the portal would be opened for his masters. The time of humans would come to an end.

Then, out of nowhere Lord Nias and Lady Elra appeared before the window. They were blocking his exit.

Nias held and energy sphere in his hands and his sister brandished a glimmering sword.

" As much as I dislike the Ragghyr I can not allow you to take him!" Cried Nias.

" We will destroy you before you bring harm to our world!" Added Elra.

" I guess you wont be paying me then, My Lord. " He gave then a wicked smile.

" You.. .you are the assassin?" Nias was flabbergasted by the discovery.

Butraz laughed in their faces.

" Your games amuse me little boy. Sadly for you once I open the portal there wont be much left for you to rule!"

" Bastard!" He hissed before rushing blindly against the demon. The sphere he held in his hands transformed into an energy sword which he whirled against Butraz..

Nias blinked in confusion. The demon was no longer standing before him. He swung his sword in an arc as he turned, but the demon was gone. Quickly he glanced at his sister. She was as confused as he.

Mirial had been dropped against the far wall and he laid in a heap.

Where was the damned demon?

Then a soft breeze stirred his reddish hair. Immediately he tried to move away, but a strong arm caught him at the waist. He was forced back into the demon's body. It was warm almost feverish. Nias emitted a startled gasps when he felt Butraz stiff , immense cock pressed against his back.

" Mmm! You are a delicious little thing!" He whispered in the young man's ear.

Then he added rather thoughtfully..." You know, I should really work on my timing. To have such a beautiful creature in my arms.. -He paused and looked straight into the boy's eyes. " ... and not have the time to fuck you!"

A shudder ran through Nias's body. That strange sparkle he saw in the demon's eyes frightened him.

Butraz suddenly startled him by giving him a deep kiss. When they parted he gave him a wide smile and whispered tenderly. " Good-bye little one!"

Nias eyes widened in confusion and fear.

With a movement almost too swift to be seen, the demon ripped his throat. Then he swung the redhead's body at his advancing sister knocking her to the floor.

-Nias! Nias!" Lady Elra was screaming at the dying boy as she uselessly tried to stop the flow of blood.

He was so scared, her sweet brother. He was going to die.

A shadow set above them. They both looked up at the demon. He held and unconscious Mirial in his arm a cruel smile on his lips.

" I think you should know Corek's last words were meant for you." He pretended to be struggling to remember." Mm. Yes! He said; " Nias! I loved you!". It was an exact imitation of Corek's voice.

Bitter tears rose in Nias's eyes. Only now did he understand what he had lost in his rashness. He died with that sad knowledge.

The demon's horrid guffaws filled the empty hall and Elra's devastates heart. With a feral scream she attacked the retreating demon. Her sword left a bloodied gash on his arm. He flung around and his claws hit her square in the face. She felt her facial bones breaking and a sharp, searing pain in her eyes before she blanked out.

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" Your Highness, she is awake. -The old healer was very tired he had fought for hours to save Lady Elra's life.

" Thank you , venerable one!" A small entourage of officials followed the King's every move. Among them was a very concerned duke. the Lord of Nightshadow was deeply concerned over his son's disappearance.

Kay stifled a horrified gasp at seeing the young woman on the bed. Her face had been ravished by the demon. Both her eyes were ripped from their sockets.

" Lady Elra, can you hear me?"

" Yes... yes." It was barely above a whisper, Kay focused all his concentration on her battered lips.

" Who did this to you?"

" D ...demon...."

His worst fears had been confirmed. Mirial had been taken by his demon-child.

Kay berated himself all the way to the stables. Mirial should have been better protected . He was the ideal victim for the sacrifice.

Too much time had been wasted. Midnight was fast coming. He had to reach the Temple of Shariar before then.

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The young King and his elite warriors galloped at full speed through the city.

People everywhere stared at them in horror. They knew the time of prophecy had arrived. All eyes were riveted to the sacred temple high above the city. It was surrounded in an unholy shroud of darkness that was growing and spreading to cover the land.

Fierce lightning rent the sky over the cathedral as the wind howled through the streets.

A desperate prayer was repeated throughout the capital city.

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The horses whined terrified by the dark magic suffusing the area.. They refused to go near the shrine. Kay urged his men to abandon the animals as he ran on foot towards the holy place.

A powerful khenkai, a magical barrier, barred their way into the temple. Kay was not about to give up.

Immediately he set his most powerful mage-warriors to the task of dispelling the barrier.

Arluc and Tena taxed their skills to the limit in opening a breach in the magical wall.

" We can not maintain it for long, My Lord. Hurry!"

With great celerity Kay stepped through , followed closely by two of his men. Just then they heard loud grunting from the other side. Arluc and Tena had collapsed from the strain, stranding the rest of the soldiers beyond them.

He watched , briefly, as his soldiers kicked and cursed at the barrier in vain.

The King turned with a hard set face to stand before the massive temple doors. He waved a hand and the doors burst of their hinges. They flew into the temple crashing with a deafening sound in the aisle.

The three grim warriors stepped into the darkness.