Return of the Demon Sovereign (Book 1) [MxM]

65. Lychgate (2)

Erebus launched towards Lychgate, and a wave of black fog followed him. If Lychgate wanted to see the darkness inside him, Erebus would gladly deliver.

"Let me grant you true darkness." He said, using the fog to distort his voice and location.

Erebus used his mana to sharpen his blades and slashed them over Lychgate's eyes, destroying them. The Devil roared with pain.

Erebus spun and slashed again, cutting an artery. He found that his shadow mana was helping him inflict wounds.

Lychgate swiped wildly at Erebus with his claws, but Erebus cut upward with his dagger. His blade caught Lychgate's wounded palm, and he sliced it in two. His claws fell to the ground with a heavy thud.

Lychgate laughed maniacally, holding his bloodied hand as Erebus pulled back the fog.

Lychgate lifted his good hand and touched the deep gash on his face. He used his claws to pull out the damaged eyes, letting them drop to the ground. He smiled with a wide open mouth, exposing his fangs as he stepped on the ruined eyes.

His hand flashed, and a small spatial ring lit up. Two new eyes appeared, and he placed them into the bleeding sockets. Light blue eyes now looked back at Erebus but held no life. They were haunting and merciless, as if life and death were meaningless to him.

"Darkness. Yes, yes. That was a good trick." The eerie smile still stretched across his face.

He stepped forward and suddenly disappeared. Erebus cursed inwardly when he realized he couldn't follow his movements. He searched frantically but faltered when he felt a sharp pain in his chest. He looked down and saw the claws pierced into him and ripping his flesh. 

Lychgate tilted his head as he whispered in Erebus' ear. "You were one to always live in the ways of trickery and betrayal, or so the stories claim."

Erebus faltered. "What?" He rasped out.

"Oh, Demon Sovereign. Have you not heard the nursery rhymes or fables of Halrland?"

Erebus tried to ignore his words and pushed him back. He may have escaped his claws, but the attack's impact made him cough up blood.

Lychgate disappeared again with a maddening laugh.

"Long ago, before the age of Emperors, there were two close friends—one of fire and the other of darkness. The Warrior and the Demon. They grew up together in a small harbor town that the sea has long since buried."

Lychgate continued moving at impossible speeds as he spoke—his voice reverberating throughout the room.

"Despite their differences, they fought side by side for years. But as all stories go, the dark betrayed the light."

Erebus stilled when he heard these words. "Enough," he said, his hands clenched tightly around his daggers.

"One night, the Demon's plan had come to fruition, and he snuck into the chambers of poor Warrior's wife."

"No..." Erebus knew he should be fighting. He should strike down the Devil. However, the twisted story had paralyzed him.

"Oh, yes. The cold and callous Demon kindly greeted the woman and then plunged his hand into her chest. The Warrior walked in to see his dying wife and cradled her in his arms. People claim they can still hear the Warrior's grief-stricken sobs intertwined with the Demon's laugh."

"It's a lie," Erebus whispered. Was this the story they told? Was this his legacy?

"And so the Warring Era was ignited—dark versus light—demon versus righteousness. The world was plunged into chaos because of the Demon's betrayal. But all fairytales have a happy ending. Light prevailed, and the Demon was killed, blah, blah, blah."