Fire light glinted off the heavy iron bars of his cell. The crackling flames were the only sounds in the quiet, dark chamber, leaving Cam alone with his thoughts.

He sat in a small alcove, arms chained to the rock wall. The thick and heavy shackles were mostly symbolical, he knew, because if he was at full strength, he would likely be able to break free of them.

The dark light he had wielded continued to burden him. He could almost feel his core becoming tainted. Or maybe it was in his head.

Footsteps echoed down the hallway, followed by a figure appearing by the gates. Cam kept his head low, not needing to see them to know who it was.

The gates unlocked and Vassago entered, coming to a stop close to Cam.

“How are you feeling?”

Cam remained silent.

Vass sighed. “Why did you bother trying to attack her? You must have known you didn’t have a chance coming here on your own.”

Cam remained silent.

Vass crouched beside him, trying to meet Cam’s eyes. “Don’t you want to know how we’ve been one step ahead of you this whole time? How we knew where your hideout was, and that you knew where Sephiaza’s stronghold was?”

Cam almost looked up, but remained stolid.

“We’re connected, you and I,” Vass said. “We can feel what the other feels, in a way. I’ve never really understood it properly, but we can get a sense of what the other is thinking, and seeing. It’s not an easy ability, but it happens to me, sometimes.”

A connection… Cam internally cursed himself. So that’s how they knew where their hideout was. His brethren had died because of him. The demons had been one step ahead of them for months because of him. He wasn’t sure, but he felt like he could have suspected such a thing, if he’d accepted Vass as a son.

“I’ll ask again,” Vass said soothingly. “Maybe you’ve had more time to think about it. Are you ready to accept that we are meant to work together? To better the world, together?”

Cam finally raised his head. His son tensed, freezing. Something shifted behind Vass’s dark, shaking eyes. Cam thought he saw fear, or perhaps concern. The look softened Cam a little, seeing Vass as a scared young man.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

“It isn’t a case of us against her, or light versus dark,” Cam said, quietly but determined. “This war is pointless. The balance will always shift each way. Everything is predetermined that way. We waste our time.”

Vass shook his head, eyes locked on Cam. “I don’t understand you. Sephiaza will kill you. She’s waiting for your brethren to show up so they can die around you. She’s gathered enough energy to summon another pure demon. It’s a time consuming process, to collect enough energy, but she built up enough to summon two today. She had wanted them here when the angels mounted their full-scale assault, but you took care of the first one that came out. Very impressive by the way.”

Cam grimaced. If his brethren faced a pure demon along with all the other demons, many of them would fall. The demons were so far ahead of them… he hated to admit it, but he couldn’t help but feel that they were the stronger force.

The world rightfully belongs to the demons.

He turned to Vass. “What do you think of free will? Time is only a concept of humans, but we understand the greater extent of existence. The great will of the universe is that everything has been both predetermined and set up to evolve on its own. The humans were given free will, and they can alter their predetermined paths in some way. But what does that mean for you, Vass? Do you feel you can overthrow Sephiaza because you want to, or because you’ve convinced yourself you’re meant to?”

“Everything’s been set up already, correct, and we’re all just pawns in the greater game. But, the free will of the humans applies to the grounded angels and demons also. If I desire to lead the demons in her place, I will do so. If we will it enough, and are strong enough, we can change the shape of the world.”

A light smoke drifted between them from the hanging fires, the hot alcove becoming smothering. Vass’s gaze pierced Cam. In place of a fear or concern there was an…. understanding. Something that frightened Cam.

If we’re strong enough, we can change the shape of the world.

The demons were strong enough to do that, more so than the angels were.

He sighed, looking away. Perhaps the infection was turning him towards the demon’s side, but, what worried him more was that he was turning by himself.

Balthiour was adamant in his beliefs. Maybe he wasn’t so crazy, after all, but had seen something the angels couldn’t understand. Something that Cam was just beginning to see.

Vass continued to watch him. Cam considered saying something to him, but fell silent. He wished Bath were there to help him. She’d know what to do. Her last word to him had been ‘Sun’, but Cam wasn’t so sure how the sun could help them. Unless she just meant he should embrace the extra strength the sun was giving them this day. Another part of him missed Balthiour. The man he once looked up to and respected, and trusted to guide him. But now Cam was on his own.

“Go away,” Cam eventually said, looking away.

Vass leaned closer. “Let me help you—”

“Get away!” Cam screamed.

Vass jerked back, his eyes wide and mouth open.

A heavy chill ran through Cam. They couldn’t deny the dark venom that had distorted his voice. He turned away, defeated.

Vass quietly left the room.