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

68. Shared Enemies

The moon was exceptionally bright, illuminating the world in a red glow. Erebus emerged deeper into the canyon and away from everyone else, following the tracker Leo still had on his arm. He had never removed it, allowing Erebus always to find him.

Erebus stayed in the shadows when he found Leo. The Dark Elf was sitting on a rock with his head buried in his hands. He made no noise or movements, but his demeanor nearly crushed Erebus. He was finally witnessing the consequences of his actions.

He moved silently toward Leo, but Leo noticed his presence almost immediately. He snapped his head in Erebus' direction, revealing his red-rimmed eyes.

"Why aren't you resting?" Leo asked in a broken voice.

"I had something more important to do," Erebus said as he positioned himself on the rock beside Leo. 

He wanted to pull Leo into his arms but was afraid to upset him further. So he kept his hands clasped together on his lap and fell silent. He was determined to find Leo and confess everything, but words suddenly failed him. He didn't know where to start. 

Leo's shoulders sank. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to figure out how to apologize. I've been told I'm stubborn and clueless, which does not bode well when seeking forgiveness."

Leo was startled for a moment but then laughed. "No. It does not." Leo tapered off his laugh with a sigh. "But you don't need to apologize. I've overreacted."

"No. You didn't. This is new territory for me, so I'm going to fuck something up." Erebus said.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm sorry," Erebus practically whispered. "I know I have made you worry, and you have expressed dissatisfaction with my propensity for self-sacrifice... But in the end, all I've ever known is sacrifice."

He sacrificed his time for Kore. He gave up his life for Jericho. He sacrificed his mana for the Shadow Deity. He gave his body to torture for Kore's death. He gave himself to the sect. He sacrificed himself for the mission... to his vengeance.

He had given his life time and time again, and no one had tried to stop him until Leo.

"I wish..." Leo tensed, debating on his following words. "I wish I knew much more about you."

"What do you want to know?"

"Everything." Leo's voice was a mere whisper.

Erebus hummed at the answer, sending a shiver down Leo's spine. "I was born on the darkest night when the moon had completely disappeared, and the stars turned black. Because of that, I was thought to be a cursed child, so I was abandoned in an alley without a name."

Leo gasped and turned so he could look at Erebus. "Who would do such a thing?"

Erebus shrugged. "I wish I could say that it was a different time, but I have found it doesn't matter which era we live in. People will abandon their children. But I was one of the few lucky ones. A beggar sheltered and raised me so I could survive on the streets. I lived by begging on corners, pickpocketing, and thieving. I was damn good at it too."

Leo couldn't help the laughter that escaped his lips.

"I can't recall how old I was when the beggar died—no more than six or seven. But before he took his last breath, he gave me the name Erebus, claiming it was the ancient name of darkness itself. While everyone saw me as a curse, he told me I was a blessing, as was the darkness that gave the universe life."

Erebus smiled warmly at the memory he had locked away. "It was the first time I ever felt worthy of something. But my ignorance made me push that feeling away and hide the origin of my name... until now."