The Legend of Black Eyes 153 The Butcher of Sosalk - Part 5

"What's the matter Klaus?" I asked. "Never seen a dead body?"

"W-w-who are you?" he finally blurted out.

"I'm your worst nightmare, Klaus," I said. "Looks like you can't speak properly anymore," I went on. "You didn't have that problem when you asked them to shoot me."

"Y-y-you know m-m-my name?" he asked.

"I know everything about you, the mayor, and that butcher you call Gunter," I said. "I also know about the children you keep downstairs, cattle for the slaughter."

"I-I-I…"

"Ay, Ay, Ay," I said, looking intently into his scared eyes. "You weren't this scared with the goat headed demon showed up yesterday," I said. "Or is it because you weren't the one being sacrificed?"

"Give him to me!" a demon's voice invaded my mind.

It apparently invaded Klaus's too, since the old man let out a frightened squeal. He retreated a few steps and stumbled on a guard's corpse. He fell on his ass and winced. As he opened his eyes he saw the carnage I caused at his command. He was swimming in a pool of his men's blood.

"Where's Cristoph?" I asked.

The old man looked upstairs. "P-p-pleaaaase," he whimpered. "Don't kill me."

"I won't," I said.

The old man brightened up. "Really?" he asked then got to his knees. He crawled toward me. He was about to kiss my feet when I kicked him in the nose.

"I won't kill you," I said. "I will show you what hurt feels like, and believe me old man, it will hurt!"

Klaus let out another frightened squeal. He turned around and tried to crawl away. His legs and hands skimpered on the wet floor and fell twice. His face was smeared in blood, but he didn't care anymore. He wanted to get away from me. He didn't realize his efforts were futile. Or maybe he did, he just desperately wanted to live.

I took the dark jewel out and held it high above my head.

"He's yours," I said. Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click for visiting.

"YEEEEEES!" a demon shouted.

"What about me?!" another yelled.

"Wait for your turn," I said. "I'm not a restaurant."

"Daemonium de tenebris," I tried as best I could to recall the words they taught me. "Daemonium de tenebris," I repeated, slowly, careful to articulate every letter that came out of my mouth. "Emergo sunt! Daemonium de tenebris!"

Dark smoke filled the room. Klaus realized what was about to happen. He screamed and tried to get to his feet and escape. Unfortunately for the old man, he didn't remember which way was the exit. I heard him stumble on something then hit his head on the floor.

The smoke quickly subsided, and a chitinous demon appeared. He was slightly taller than I was, a complete contrast from the goat headed one or the cat-like Sisha. He looked at me with strange compound red eyes that didn't blink.

It had a large torso, twice as large as a human's, and thin legs. I wondered how it could stand straight. I remembered then that demons were creatures of energy, completely different from the biological beings that we were.

Its body looked harder than steel. It gleamed as rays of sunlight wriggled their way through the curtains that had been drawn on the windows. It even had small, transparent wings attached to its back. I didn't think they could do much. The demon looked heavier than the wings it bore.

Its face was a mishmash between a bull and a fly. It had two big horns protruding from the middle of its gray forehead. Its muzzle was that of a bull, but its eyes resembled that of a fly. They had a red, glinting shade to them. When it turned its head toward me, I didn't know if it were looking at me or at the door behind me.

"You kept your word human," it said, its voice a deep vibration inside my head. "I shall uphold my end of the bargain, after which we shall never communicate."

I nodded. "No going after the people of this village either," I reminded him.

"I do not need your useless reminder," the demon said. "My freedom is worth more than human flesh. Fare thee well."

He turned his disproportioned body toward Klaus. The old man had just regained his consciousness when the demon was upon him. It held out it enormous pincer-like hands and pierced the old man with it. Blood spurted out, and the demon laughed.

Screams that no man could humanly utter filled the mansion. The demon lifted Klaus up and looked at him. It tilted its head from left to right then it chuckled. I shuddered at that eerie, otherworldly sound. Klaus was grunting, whimpering. He had soiled his pants once more. The demon let out a disappointed sigh. Klaus had gone and ruined the taste, I guessed.

"You've had your fun old man," the demon said.

"Y-you can't kill me!" Klaus screamed. "I own you."

I winced. That wasn't the right thing to say, not at all.

"You own me as long as I am imprisoned in that jewel of yours," the demon said. "But you forget the first rule of demon conjuring. Do not let the demon devour you!"

That served as a healthy reminder. Never mess with creatures you do not understand.

The demon opened its bull-like mouth. Saliva trickled down its arms while Klaus grunted and whimpered. With a loud crunching noise, Klaus's head was no more. The demon chewed on it for a while as my heart beat faster and louder against my chest and ears.

I never had an issue with taking lives, not since I became a sellsword, but hearing a human skull crunch under a terrifying beast's sharp teeth was enough to make me fear for my life. The unknown was scary. That's why we fear death. Otherworldly beasts were scarier though.

Who would think that dealing with them was a good idea? I couldn't understand them, but then again I was doing that too. "It was out of necessity," I kept reminding myself, or rather lying to myself.

The demon devoured the old man as quickly as one would eat an almond. It then turned to me, rested its strange eyes on mine.

"Give me a name," it said.

"Theolonius Stalwart," I replied.

The demon growled, as well as all the other ones that were still trapped inside the jewel. "A man you'd better avoid," he said.

"I want to know about him nonetheless," I said. I made sure to meet the demon's eyes. Something told me that looking away meant my death. One must not show fear in front of such creatures.

"It doesn't hurt to hear a demon's warning," the demon said. "Very well then, I shall tell you, but beware, not even our king dares anger him."

I nodded. "Thanks for the warning. Let's have it then."

The demon chuckled. "Humans are always in a hurry. Do I unnerve you so?"

"I'd better deal with the others," I said. "Your brothers will thank you for making their waiting time shorter."

"We may make a great warlock out of you," the demon said. "Why don't you consider it? I can give you powers beyond your imagination."

"No thanks," I said without hesitation. Not that the offer wasn't enticing. I've seen what Raiya was capable of, but I couldn't allow the demon to see I considered his proposal. "I've seen what warlocks are capable of, but I've also seen what demons can do. I'd rather take my chances alone."

"You've seen other demons before?" the demon asked. "Might I enquire as to whom it was that you saw?"

"That will cost you more information," I said. I didn't know how all negotiations went with demons, but I had the upper hand still. I would have a pincer in my chest if I wasn't. I risked getting more out of the demon then.

"As long as you don't require any action from me," the demon said, "I'll be happy to oblige."

I suppressed a victorious smile. "Tell me what you know of Stalwart first."

"He's the stronger mage in this continent, perhaps even the entire planet," the demon said. "He's known to kill demons as though they were simple mortals, which we are not. We do not like his name, and we do not like to talk about him."

"Does he have a weakness?" I asked.

The demon chuckled. I felt the hairs in my forearm raise. "Do you think the demon king would stand idly by if he knew about it?" he asked. "He's strong. Unless all demon kin join forces in an all-out war against him, we will never defeat him."

"Does Stalwart have any family?" I asked.

"I'll answer this question after you give me the demon's name," he said.

"We're still talking about Stalwart though," I retorted.

"I agreed to tell you about Theolonius Stalwart, not his family," the demon said.

I swore under my breath. It was my fault for being so straight-forward with the question.

"Alright," I said. "I'll tell you the name and you tell me about Stalwart's family."

"That is not possible," the demon said. "Stalwart's family is ancient and too big. What you ask for is not worth the price you're paying."

"Tell me about his children then," I said.

"Give me the name first," he said.

"Sisha," I replied. "He was a hybrid between a cat and a dog. He worked with a warlock called Raiya O'Cheran." I had to give extra details, to prove I knew enough.

The demon chuckled. "Indeed," he said. "You have seen a demon before, and a mighty one at that. I'll give you this information for free." It got closer then crouched, leveling its strange eyes with mine. "Stalwart killed the demon they called Sisha. The warlock Sisha associated himself with is now wanted by our kin. Any information on her whereabouts shall be handsomely rewarded."

"I'm afraid I don't know where she is," I said. "I got separated from her when the church attacked."

I regretted not knowing. I might be able to know more about my family. I realized knowledge meant more power. Raiya saved my life, true, but she also tried to manipulate me. I didn't really care if she lived or died.

"The Church of Dhobor?" the demon asked then straightened up. "Are you speaking of the latest battle between the Church and the mad wizard?"

I nodded. I wish I hadn't…

"My word," the demon said in what I could interpret as a victorious tone. "We've got a live Stalwart here!"

Shit! I've said too much!

Chapter end