The Crimson Baptism
The howling wind screamed like the damned as Kael stood at the edge of the shattered hill his eyes locked on the burning remnants of the demon encampment below Blood painted his armor thick and wet steam curling off it under the dying sun Behind him corpses littered the battlefield dozens of corrupted beasts and half as many traitorous humans Their remains twitched in the last spasms of death and Kael didnt flinch
He had slit every throat himself
But he wasnt done
This wasnt enough
Kael we need to rest came a voice from behind The archer girl Elira The only one left from the original group that had helped him escape the Wretched Spire
He turned slowly His eyes—once filled with pain—now burned with something darker His voice was a razor cold and sharp
You can rest when youre dead
She took a step back her lip trembling Theyre theyre children down there Slaves Tortured We cant just rush in without a plan
Kaels lips curled into a smile—not warm not human Then we burn them all If they live theyre free If they die His eyes flicked toward the smoldering pit of corpses Theyre finally at peace
Elira said nothing She couldnt
Kael turned back toward the valley His heart had died in the pit where his mothers corpse had been nailed upside down What remained in his chest was not human It pulsed only for revenge
They descended in silence
The demon camp was larger than the last Thick iron cages formed a maze across the valley floor housing disfigured slaves—humans beastkin even mutated children whose eyes had been gouged out Chains rattled with every moan
And guarding it all were three The Butcher Princes—demonic lieutenants bred from slaughter and pain Towering beasts of meat and malice They wore no armor only blood One dragged a great cleaver still dripping with spinal fluid
Perfect Kael muttered
He walked into the valley as if it were a garden path
The first prince roared leaping forward A wall of muscle and spines slammed into the ground sending dust and debris skyward Kael didnt blink He raised his hand—and the glyph carved into his palm ignited Ancient power stolen from a fallen angels marrow pulsed into life
HirXen Tal he muttered
The ground split
A thousand black spikes erupted from beneath the Butcher Prince impaling the beast in a rapid volley of shrieks and crunching bone It screamed but Kael was already running—his sword a crimson flash One strike severed an arm The next gutted the monster from groin to gullet
Its insides spilled like a broken wineskin
Behind him Elira loosed arrow after arrow each tip imbued with holy venom A second prince charged Eliras arrows turned to lightning as they struck—searing chunks of flesh from the beasts face
But it didnt stop
Kael threw his hand forward A spear of blood coalesced in midair and launched into the creatures throat The thing staggered—just long enough for Kael to reach it and drive his sword up through its jaw and into its brain
The third prince—larger faster—caught him middodge
Kael was slammed into a metal cage Bone cracked He grinned through the pain
Youll need to do better than that
The demon snarled and raised its warclub but Kael exploded into motion He ducked beneath the swing rolled and carved a cursed rune into the creatures calf The magic took hold instantly—decay spreading up the demons flesh like rot on wet wood
It shrieked and stumbled but Kael was already behind it
He placed a hand on its back Whispered
Crux Mora Inferna
The demon burst into flame—its internal organs igniting before the skin It ran in a blind panic wailing before collapsing into a pile of charred bone
Kael stood over it He didnt smile
He just turned to the cages
He could hear them whispering The slaves
Is he a hero
A demon hunter
An angel
Kael raised his hand The sword hovered over a slave cage Eliras eyes widened
Wait Theyre innocent
Kael didnt speak
Instead his sword sliced through the lock and the cage opened with a groan The slaves trembled Filthy Scarred Barely human
Youre free Kael said flatly
A boy—a barelyteenager—stumbled forward and fell at Kaels feet Tthank you Sir you you killed them all The demons—
Kael stared into the boys eyes
And for a moment his own reflection stared back Hollow Empty
I killed them he said kneeling But I didnt do it for you
He stood and walked past
Elira chased after him
You saved them You can at least pretend to care
I dont pretend
Then what do you care about Kael What is all this blood for
He paused Then turned his gaze back to the battlefield
For me
They camped beside a ruined temple that night
Elira couldnt sleep Not with the screams still echoing in her ears She watched Kael He sat crosslegged in front of a demon skull inscribing new runes into his flesh with a glowing knife
Youre going to destroy yourself she whispered
No Kael said Im going to become something that cannot be destroyed
Lightning cracked across the mountains
And Kaels eyes glowed red
Elsewhere
In the obsidian halls of the Demon Sovereign a shadow moved
It knelt before the throne
My lord the creature hissed The Revenant lives
The Demon King opened one black eye rimmed in fire He lifted a finger The creature exploded into a mist of bone and blood
Send the Eclipse Beasts he said Unleash the Hollow Choir And summon the Witch of Thorns
He rose his voice rumbling like a dying star
If Kael wants revenge he grinned we will show him war