Fox Of Greed (Greedy Fox Book 1)

~~ TWENTY ONE ~~

Whispered chanting reached my ears in the darkness I laid in. Louder and louder those voices sang until their garbled words rang in my head. The magic in their words twisted and pulled me, sucked my breath away only to bring it back a second later.

Soon, guttural growls and snarls punctuated each sentence. Something... something dark and twisted fought to break free. My eyes opened partially and that's when the creature leapt.

I startled awake with a gasp, eyes desperately searching for a creature that didn't exist. Cold air brushed my skin and, disorientated, I tried to stand. My wrists encountered bonds and my knee gave a shriek of pain as I moved it.

Everything came flooding back.

"LERAJ!" I screamed furiously, "Leraj, get here now! Where the hell are you?"

"I don't think he'll be of much help at the moment," said a man. My eyes trained on the shadow to my left.

"Who the hell are you?" I struggled again at my bonds but to no avail. My eyes scanned the room, as if searching for an escape.

Cavern walls of a dark grey, stalagmites dotted the ground and stalactites hung from the ceiling, their tips only distinguishable in the shadows that clung there. No entrance and no exit as far as I could see, even with my good eyesight. A lantern hung close to my sweating body.

The air in here was heavy and oppressive, a chill shuddering through my body when I realised what it reminded me of. Even what I lay on was almost the same as what I had first woken up in this new time, so long ago it seemed.

An stone altar. Only this time, no one danced around it and chanted in an ancient demon language.

This was a right mess I had gotten myself into.

The man stepped into the light. Short, spiky white coloured hair and a goatee of the same colour. Slanted eyes that pierced my own. He was dressed in what reminded me of Holy Knight attire.

I snapped my teeth and fought again against my bonds.

"Allow me to introduce myself, young Fox. I am Hendrickson, the Grand Master of the Holy Knights," he said, drawing closer.

"Stay away from me!" I screeched.

I had a guess that a Grand Master Holy Knight was not a good thing. The fact that I had been kidnapped? Not great. And that he knew I was a Fox? Even worse.

Much worse.

"I don't intend to hurt you," Hendrickson attempted to placate me, moving close enough to stand beside me. "I'm actually wondering if you wouldn't mind helping me. You see-"

I spat in his face. He stopped speaking, wiping at the blob of saliva on his cheek with the back of his hand.

"I hate Holy Knights," I hissed, "so I will never help you. You tried to kill my friends, you hurt and punished innocent citizens. I don't know how many more atrocities you've committed but even if you did do a good deed to make up for your evil, I will never help you."

Hendrickson's demeanour never changed. He neither look fazed nor angry. "I guess it doesn't really matter about what you want. Right now, the Holy Knights need a soldier capable of besting a Seven Deadly Sin. I only asked permission as a nicety." A knife appeared in his hands. "Leraj," he called.

The golden demon materialised to my right side, still dressed in his silver armour. I stiffened when his eyes darted to me.

"Are you hurt?" was the first thing he said. Actual concern laced his voice.