Chapter 5

Veltor

I remembered everything from the first time I visited the demon city and it was a little bland for my taste, making the second time feel like visiting a home away from home. Inside the walls was a vast plane with lush green grass and a dirt walkway leading further in. The massive polished wall extended from behind us and continued at a steep curve unitl it was too far away to see. In the distance were more than a handful of demons and weird looking structures, all made from the same stained metal.

  Demons live much longer and mate less than humans. Furthermore they live in small communities of around eighty demons in each city. But their cities are huge with lots of empty space, and, for some reason, every building or establishment is extremely spaced out.

  The first building we came across was visible when we first entered and only four minutes of walking away. The path split as we reached the building, continuing forward to the rest of the city and leading to the doorstep of the Demon Knight HQ. In every city, there are twelve demons who act as demon knights; their duty is to maintain the order and protect the city from attacks. Of course, every demon is capable of being a demon knight and excels at physical feats. Therefore, the twelve demon knights rotate every eighty years and each demon is expected to serve as a demon knight at least twice in their lifetime.

  The building itself resembled a large, grey metal rectangle, four meters high, with the words Demon Knight HQ, written in demonic, painted in the same red as some demons’ skin tone. There were no doors or windows, and the only other feature was a small diagram painted in white at chest level, near the center of the front face.

  The alterity between the human and demonic language couldn’t be larger; I was pleasantly surprised when I read the words perfectly during my first visit and discovered I was a polygot. Apparently, polygots among the other races are highly coveted and extremely useful for communication. It doesn’t mean much to humans, though. Humans hate almost every other race and that hatred is reciprocated, so what’s the point in communicating?

  I also knew what the white diagram was. Each race, other than humans, are only able to learn one type of magic; the demons are gifted with ritual magic. They can only use magic with the help of certain diagrams, the effect changing based on the diagram. Every member of every race, excluding humans, has the ability to learn their specific type of magic, however, they still have to learn and study it. Demons, on the other hand, are innately masters of diagram magic and can use it from birth. Because of that, their infrastructure is impossible to inhabit or use without the ability of ritual magic.

  We passed by many more practically identical boxes of metal with different writing and diagrams painted on the outside and we saw plenty of demons lounging around the city, doing everything from sparring to cooking meat on something they called a grill. Of course, the whole time Raima gave excellent commentary and information about their culture. It was mostly the same stuff she told me from seven years ago, so I tuned it out. I didn’t notice, but somewhere along the way, Shan and Xerxes left.

  We finally stopped at Raima’s house, a giant metal box like all the others, but in an L shape, and next to her house was a smaller box made of green glass with interesting plants growing inside.

  Raima took us to the entrance, at the end of the L’s foot, and activated a diagram that carved out a large rectangular doorway, the metal that was previously there disappeared entirely. Once everyone was inside, she activated a different diagram that made the wall reappear, then turned and activated yet another diagram that illuminated the pitch black room.

  The inside was surprisingly non-metal looking. The walls were painted white and decorated with hundreds of paintings in burgundy red frames of all shapes and sizes. Some were breathtaking landscapes, others were of different events, and very few were random things, with meanings I was clueless to. But, as Raima led us across the room, one painting in particular made me wide eyed.

  I straight up stopped walking and stared at it. The painting in question was naturally eye catching: it was much larger than all the others, almost life sized even. It showed a demon knight and a human that had just dueled, both heavily injured. The demon knight was on their knees with a broken sword and dented armor. The human stood triumphant over the demon knight, benevolently offering their hand to help them up. The reason I was so dazed was that I recognised the human. I saw the same blue eyes and dark skin every time I looked at my reflection.

  “Oh, I forgot that you never saw the inside of my house when you first visited,” commented Raima as she stopped and turned, hand on her hip and leaning to one side.

  “Is that the knight Aurelius? I can’t believe you dueled him!” gasped May.

  “Yup. Aurelius was the human who made me the demon that I am today. Humans and demons were practically at war when we dueled and I was undefeated on the battlefield before we dueled, yet he still spared my life, even helped me to my feet,” she reminisced. “I hope that one day I can return the favor.” I don’t know why, but a feeling of frustration and emotional turmoil washed over me.

  “I’m sorry to say that won’t ever happen. He died twelve years ago” I said quietly.

  “How do you know that? The last I heard he settled down with knight Anastasia,” said May.

  “I know because knights Aurelius and Anastasia are my parents.” That elicited a shocked sound from the both of them.

  “N-no way! You must be joking,” stutterd May.

  “I’m not,” I assured her grimly.

  Suddenly, Raima choked me in a hug before shoving me to arm’s length and saying, “To think that you are Aurelius’ son! It must be fate that we met.” I frowned at her words. I already made up my mind about fate: I refuse to be its pawn.

  “Now that you mention it, I can see the resemblance,” said May as she scrutinized my features. “If you are their son, then you have to be gifted with a sword, right?” she added.

  Raima gasped ecstatically and said, “That’s true, we have to duel, right now!” She grabbed my arm and pulled me to her training room before I could explain why that was a bad idea.

  At the end of the room was a selection of diagrams organized in a grid on the wall. She picked a specific one on the top row, making an empty door frame appear in the wall. Seeing things disappear so mildly made me a little on edge, but I grit my teeth and ignored it.

  The training room had stone walls and matted floors with an arsenal of weaponry hanging on the walls. I gave in at that point, she would see how horrible I was if she dueled me.

  “How does it feel? Too light, too heavy, off balance?” she asked me as I swung around a practice sword.

  I shook my head, “No it’s perfect.”

  She turned to May and said, “I couldn’t help but notice the sword at your hip. Do you practice swordplay?”

  “I am the best swordsman that the Kruzik clan has to offer. It would be an honor to duel you,” she said.

  I faced Raima, wooden swords in hand as we circled each other. Suddenly, her sword flashed towards my chest, almost faster than I could react even with my Scouter. I lifted my sword to deflect hers, but her blade spun around mine and stopped just before my heart. I sighed in defeat while lowering my sword.

  “I don’t think swordsmanship is my thing.” Raima betrayed her disappointment for a split second, but quickly shifted to a supportive smile.

  “That’s perfectly fine. You are your own person, not your parents,” she encouraged. May unhooked the sword on her back and handed it to me like it was our baby before stepping into the painted arena on the floor. I sat down, leaning against the wall with my knees pulled up. What I assumed was the lightning sword from the dungeon leaned next to me, and we watched a dazzling back and forth between Raima and May. Their swords danced through the air as they traded blows, each one sending a resounding clang of metal, and few of them briefly creating sparks. Their footwork put the travel Crucis’ to shame. I frowned discontentedly, their swords are nothing but blurs in my vision. They’re on a completely higher level than I am.

  Suddenly, Shan burst into the room.

  “Chief Raima!” she shouted.

  “What is it?”

  “Your brother is here, he says he wants to discuss something of high importance.” All the color drained from Raima’s face at the mention of her brother.

  She turned to May and I, saying, “You two need to run.” I hastily grabbed the sword and May’s arm before booking it as fast as I could manage. That was the first time I had seen Raima so scared, she was always happy go lucky and outgoing no matter what. Seeing her scared terrified me, so I did what she said with no hesitation. Shan followed after us, ordered to keep us safe.

Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

  In no time at all, we jumped the wall and were running through the forest.

  “What is going on? Why are we running?” asked May.

  “Chief Raima’s older brother doesn’t agree with her ideals, he hates humans and would kill you on sight. He-”

  But she was cut off by another voice, “Well, well, well! I thought Chief Veltor was being paranoid, but there were some humans in the city after all.” We were met face to face with another demon knight, equipped with the same exact gear as Raima’s knights, only painted marble white.

  “Pmxr(pezir)...” Shan muttered a curse word in demonic before turning to us and whispering, “I’ll hold him off, you two run.”

  “No,” refused May, speaking for both of us. “We won’t run while you risk your life for us.”

  “Listen, you will die if you fight him. That is Remulous, Veltor’s second in command. He once fought against three dragons at the same time and won,” she warned us. I clenched my jaw at the mention of dragons, remembering my fight with Narx. I couldn’t even fathom the strength it would take to slay three dragons in a three on one fight. However, if he were that powerful, running would be useless. So, instead I handed May her lightning sword and willed my Amplio Stick to appear in my hand.

  “My, my, my, How brave. Don’t fret humans, Veltor gave us orders to take you alive.”

  “It’s a shame that we weren’t ordered to spare your piteous life,” I replied.

  “How dare!” he exploded, “How dare a mere human insult me?”

  “If humans are so beneath you, why do you speak the human tongue so fluently?” May chimed in.

  “Enough! You have gotten on my nerves for the last time. When Chief Veltor asks how you died, I’ll report that an unfortunate accident occured.” With that frankly weak threat, he charged us.

  Shan was the first one to react, she jumped in front and blocked Remulous’ first strike. Seeing their exchange, I question if Remulous was the warrior Shan made him out to be. I could follow his movements with my eyes, I could even counter attack with the help of the Scouter. It was only then that I had the presence of mind to use the Character Card. I stared at his lackluster stats, flabbergasted that his scrub was imposing just a few seconds ago.

  May stepped forward and sent forward a maya blue lightning bolt. Remulous managed to half dodge the attack, it just grazed his forearm, but his metal armor easily conducted the electricity, brutally shocking him. He seizured for a few seconds before collapsing on his back.

  The fraud didn’t even last two attacks, I didn’t get a chance to participate either. May walked up to him and stuck her sword between his helmet and chest piece, finishing the job.

  I gave Shan a look as I asked, “He fought three dragons?” Shan had a helpless expression as her mouth opened and closed, trying and failing to come up with the words.

  “They lied about his abilities for political reasons. My guess is Veltor lacks personnel on the same level as him, so he made things up,” provided May. I found myself nodded along with her explanation, it made perfect sense.

  “How shrewd of you, future chieften of the Kruzik clan, your conjecture is correct,” sounded a deep voice behind us. We spun while simultaneously lunging away from the voice. Veltor stood with his hands behind his back, a passive expression on his face. His skin was slightly darker than Raima’s and he had short, but still comb-able, jet black hair and electric pineapple yellow eyes. The features betraying his demon race were his ears, they pointed like an elf’s at the top and at the lobe, along with copper red colored feathery wings magnificently unfurled at their full two meter length. He wore a black victorian greatcoat with no cape over a maroon red flannel, black slacks and dress shoes, thin white gloves with diagrams on the back of his hands and his palms, and a weird looking black hat. The top resembled a flat mushroom with a golden line at its seam and a copper red visor.

  I glared at his wings. How the hell does he have them out? Narx had his wings out without any sort of slit or tear in his shirt, and I’m willing to bet Veltor is the same. How? That doesn’t make any sense. I shook my head and focused on the situation at hand.

  “Is it true? Did you succeed your father?” asked Shan, probably only in an attempt to stall for time.

  “Yes, my father died a few days ago. Unfortunately, he didn’t want Raima to participate in the remembrance ceremony because of her love for monkeys,” he said in a board monotone. “I’ll give you a choice. Kill yourselves now, or die by my hand.”

  “We won’t just lay down and die,” objected May.

  “Second option, then,” he mumbled. I reached out with my left hand and squeezed him with my Telekinetic Glove. He wasn’t very impressed, casually casting a glance my way before walking forward like nothing was there.

  I frowned in distress, checking the Character Card. Most of his physical attributes were at proficient, with the exception of his strength and speed, which were at mastery. Everything else on the card was filled with a question mark. Welp, we’re done for. But, as May put it, I refuse to lay down and die.

  “We need some sort of plan,” I whispered to my allies. No one spoke up. “How-” I stared but cut myself off when Veltor dissappeared from his position. The Scouter failed at tracking his movements. I saw Shan go flying from the corner of my vision and reeled around to see Veltor. May rocketed her sword towards him, sparking with blue lightning. Veltor’s hand was covered in a sheen of light yellow energy as he reached forward and pinched the sword to a stop. May tried to pull away, but he had her sword as stuck as if it were in a vice. Suddenly, he pulled, jerking May towards him, and stepped forward with his left as he kicked her out of sight with his right. After, he tossed the lightning sword in the air and caught it by the hilt.

  He looked at the sword with a slight frown as he said, “Blue Spark used to be a part of my personal collection. It pains me to see the prestige of such an artifact besmirched by the hands of an ameture.”

  Rage filled me at the sight of May being injured. I bent my knees and activated Zues’ Jays, boosting my speed to the maximum and showering my legs in electricity, feeding the Amplio Stick that just appeared in my right hand. I reached with my left hand and grasped a tree with the Telekinetic Glove. I short hopped and rode on a lightning bolt. When I slammed into Veltor, I used my telekinetic hand to stabilize myself. I grimaced at the sight of Veltor unmoved and unharmed, his greatcoat had sparks flitting across it, but he was unaffected. I desperately pointed the Amplio Stick at him, but before it could discharge the electricity, Blue Spark blurred for a split second and my arm thudded wetly against the ground.

  I screeched in pain, tears threatening to flow from my eyes, as I stepped back, tripping over nothing, and desperately tried to plug the blood fountain that my shoulder had turned into. My vision blurred and focused in a cycle as Veltor slowly walked toward me, brandishing Blue Spark. Tears gushed freely now, and I futilely flailed my remaining limbs in an attempt to push myself away from him.

  “Stop!” I gasped appallingly. Velotor continued on unfazed. Of course, why would he stop because I asked him? “You shouldn’t kill me!” I tried in between the feverish contractions of my lungs. My brain grasped at straws, trying to think of some reason why he shouldn’t. But the pain filled my focus, leaving me with nothing to show for my last ditch attempt.

  Veltor blocked out the sun in my vision now, and stepped on my shin. I stopped struggling. If I’m to die, I want to do it with some dignity. I want Old Rain to know that I struggled to live for him, I want my parents to know I wasn’t a coward. I sucked in air through the mucus in my nose, lifted my upper body, and gave Veltor the most minacious and withering glare I could muster. He froze in his tracks, studying me for a few seconds, before smiling. It was a warm smile, like he was looking at something that made him proud. I refused to back down, no matter what mind games he threw at me. Then, he pointed Blue Spark and grazed my shoulder with a lightning bolt. I grimaced at the searing pain rattling my sanity and a second shriek of agony escaped from my lips. I gasped a few more breaths before willing my pain to numb and glaring at Veltor with a vengeance. The same smile was on his face as he stepped back and returned light to my eyes.

  My glare faltered as he stood there smiling and subtly nodding his head approvingly. I didn't understand what was going on, and I simple stared at him the same way while my brain struggled to catch up. Suddenly, a shadow crashed into him, uplifting dirt. When the smoke cleared, I saw Raima wielding a wicked looking black and red sword, curved in the shape of a khopesh. She was locked in a struggle with Veltor, both arms gripping the handle, shaking from exertion. Veltor was similarly shaking, but he only used his left arm and the rest of his body was relaxed. His face returned to the same stone cold as before.

  “You really are too hyperactive for your own good, sister. You know you don’t compare to me in swordsmanship,” he tsked.

  “I don’t care,” she huffed as she heaved his sword back and swung again. Veltor and Raima engaged in a bitter struggle that I could only perceive as a blur of metal and electricity. Suddenly, Veltor was knocked back by a kick from Raima, and she followed up by hooking Blue Spark and disarming him. Veltor’s face was still placid, he wasn’t taking her seriously. Raima’s khopesh flashed in the bleak light that managed to pierce the canopy as Blue Spark flew out of vision, at the same time her ungloved left claw sliced through the air as it descended on Veltor. He jumped back, but Raima followed and slashed at him with her khopesh. Veltor side stepped before grabbing her over extended wrist, spinning behind her, and shoving the back of her shoulder. She dropped her khopesh but retaliated by turning her torso right and jumping into a cartwheel, throwing Veltor against a nearby tree as she landed.

  “Stop, let me-” Veltor grunted as he lifted himself up. Raima didn’t give him the chance to speak, she drew a diagram in the dirt while he was recovering and activated it when he spoke. She flared up in an inferno of green flames. A ball coalesced in her hand and she threw it like a pitcher throws a baseball. Veltor jumped out of the blast radius just in time, the fireball exploded with a deafening bang. The tree was reduced to ash instantly. “Are you mad!? You’ll lay waste to the entire forest!” Veltor yelled at her. Even now, the green flames spread from the decimated tree to surrounding foliage. She chucked another fireball at him for his troubles, disintegrating more vegetation.

  I tried calling out to her, but my voice failed me. With no other option, I lifted myself to my feet and strained myself to a balance. Then, I ran straight into the green fire that razed everything it touched and tackled Raima out of the diagram. I used my Spatial Ring to absorb the fire before it could harm me, I wouldn’t throw myself into danger without a plan.

  “Fei? What are-Holy Dih, your arm!” she gasped.

  “Calm down, Veltor isn’t trying to kill me.” I think, I added in my head.

  "then, how do you explain your arm?" she retorted.

  I didn't know what to say besides, "He didn't kill anyone. He only incapacitated Shan and May, and he had plenty of time to kill me before you arrived."

  "You should listen to Fei," Veltor interrupted. Raima was on her feet in an instance, brandishing her claws.

  "How do you know his name?" she questioned. Veltored sighed as he reached into his coat and revealed a shaped stone. It was the shape of a feather with a shrunken version of the same feather magically pulsing olympic blue engraved in the middle of both sides.

  "Your parents entreated me to deliver this to you now that you've become an old," said Veltor.