Keta nodded. He did not like to involve himself in situations like this if he could help it, but if he stood by and did nothing, he would never be able to forgive himself.
Giselle regarded him with cautious eyes. When she spoke, it was composed. “Forgive my earlier rudeness. These are stressful times. Very well, if you wish to help us, show this to the acting commander Lieutenant Kae, and he will allow you entry.” She lifted a hand and pulled one of the ornaments hanging from her uniform, handing it to Keta. When she saw his confusion, she added “Proof of my rank. They’ll know a lieutenant authorized your presence.”
She waved over to a soldier, a portly man with sharp eyes, who rushed over. “This is Sergeant Mitchell. He is the leader of Squad 5. Sergeant, Keta Night and his friends will join you. They need to get to the gate. Tell the others I authorize his request, if pressed.”
The man nodded and walked over to Keta, extending his hand. Keta shook it. “Can’t say I understand what you stand to gain by joining us. Still, judging by your weapons, you seem capable fighters. We’ll take all the help we can get.”
“Thank you,” Keta said, and the soldier gestured for him to join the lines. But before he could, Pent made a noise.
“Are you truly going to involve yourself in this war? We don’t have a stake in this,” Pent said, stepping forward. “Are you forgetting that we have a task at hand?”
Keta sighed. “Pent, you have to think further ahead. Ending this fighting is the swiftest way to get to Zelrega. We need to get Xuan. Then we can worry about the Brotherhood.” This seemed to placate the boy, who said nothing more. Max just had a playful grin on his face.
Giselle walked right up to Keta. She was shorter than him, but she could see the intense look in her eyes. “Thank you for your help, all of you. I wish you the best of luck.” She saluted them and strode away, as another soldier rushed over to her side to begin conversing with her.
The squad leader, Mitchell, noticed as they approached the line. “Squad 5 is going on ahead in the trucks to reinforce the gate. As we only have limited vehicles, the others will join us on foot. It’s not much, but the Xegin will assuredly get there before the main army can reach them.”
“Is one squad going to be enough to defend the gate against their entire army?” Max asked.
“It’s going to have to. The Xegin outplayed us here. Still, there isn’t much they can do to the Imperial Gate in the first place,” Mitchell explained, and then pointed at the truck. “If the lieutenant says you can help us, it’s good enough for me to let you join the advance team. Come on, hop aboard.”
Pent was first to climb into the back of the armored truck. Max followed suit, smiling at one of the Human soldiers. Mitchell nodded and went off to join another truck. Keta leapt in to join his friends.
“Keta, I just want you to know you never cease to amaze me with these crazy ideas of yours,” Pent said, as he lounged back in his seat, eyes closed. “How do you manage to say you are a man of peace, and yet, at the first chance you get, you jump into a war. And on the side of Humans, nonetheless.”
There was an uncomfortable silence, and several of the soldiers began to fidget. They obviously wanted to say something else, but Max was sitting nearby. They clearly did not want to pick a fight with the two Demons that had just entered their unit.
Despite everything, Keta knew this was the best option. “We are not here as soldiers of the Humans. We are here as peacekeepers. It’s my duty to prevent as much bloodshed as I can.”
Pent still looked unconvinced. Max leaned forward. “Keta, do you really expect this to end without any fighting?” Even he looked skeptical.
Keta looked at his two comrades sadly. He was suddenly very aware that though the two Demons had chosen to aid him, they did not know (or perhaps in Pent’s case cared little for) the things that Sanction stood for. They were Demons, a warrior race after all.
“Max, Pent, don’t forget what our goal is in all this. We can’t become involved in any of these disputes on any side. But we also can’t let them destroy each other. Even if our mission is to stop the Brotherhood, we should not ignore a war such as this,” Keta said calmly.
“And what gives you that right?” The outburst came from one of the soldiers who had gotten to his feet. He was like the other soldiers in the truck, a young man, barely older than Keta. Around him, some of the others began to murmur in agreement.
Still, Keta would not allow his wish to avoid fighting to be interpreted as meekness. Xuan had taught him that lesson very well when they were younger. He stood up and met the soldier’s gaze, standing almost a head taller.
“The right? What gives you the right to do any of this? When you take a man’s life on the battlefield, do you cling to the belief that you are justified because you are at war? That it is not considered killing because you do it in the name of your army?” Keta asked, his unnatural golden eyes glaring at the young man.
He’d heard it all before. From soldiers, mercenaries, even the Brotherhood members he had clashed with in the past. They never stopped to think about exactly what they were doing.
He rounded on the rest of the soldiers. “I’m here to try and prevent you from having to go out and kill the Xegin or be killed by the Xegin. Because nothing will be gained by such brutal methods. You’ll just enter an endless cycle of hatred and vengeance.”
Several of the soldiers looked away to hide their embarrassment. The soldier who had gotten up took a step back, gritting his teeth. Max looked amused, the smile on his face widened. But Pent had opened his eyes, and Keta once again saw that look. The look that said he and Keta would never see eye to eye on this particular subject.
So be it, Keta thought to himself. But he would convince these people. “I’m going to try and talk to the Xegin. Something is not right with all this. Whatever happens afterwards, at least I will have tried.” And with that, Keta took his seat beside Max, who clapped him on the back.
“Keta, you’ve got quite a way with words. You’d make quite a good clan leader, I reckon,” Max said. Keta was grateful to have the Demon with him. It’d been a while since he’d felt what it was like to have a true friend around.
Pent leaned in. “Not bad, not bad. But remember, if things get hairy out there, we’ll need to either defend ourselves or flee,” Pent said. He looked at Keta for a second to let it sink in. “Just so you are aware, of course.” And he returned to his position.
The truck’s occupants went silent. Pent had that effect around others. He just had that sort of aura. So they spent the remainder of the trip not speaking. Keta had to calm his nerves, so he sat back and closed his eyes for a moment, knowing that things were about to get heated and he’d not get the chance to rest anytime soon.
END OF PART I
INTERLUDE
INFERNO
To the east, the Empire and its cities rested peacefully. There was nothing in the world that could ever hope to oppose its armies. Not the Xegin nor the Demon clans. They were just too powerful.
The Demon clans were spread out thin in the Shadowlands, no organization, no leaders. The Xegin could have at least managed to defend Teforia, but they were embroiled in war. It wouldn’t be long before the Empire’s spies caught wind of it.
And when that happened, an invasion would occur. The Empire had been waiting for an opportunity to destroy the Xegin for betraying them for years. And they would seize the moment.
“How terrible to force them into this position,” Inferno muttered softly, looking out over the ledge. Several Human soldiers lay dead beside him, heads separated clean from each body. He could not afford a commotion. As much as he detested their kind, he disliked brutality.
And yet, he was forced to do increasingly barbaric acts. Inferno sighed. He had infiltrated the farthest end of the Imperial Gate, away from the fighting, so that he could keep an eye on the events unfolding with the Xegin.
The Xegin were more impressive than he had given them credit for. They had sent a
decoy for the Humans. And their general, Erisda Walker, had encountered them. What he would have given to be privy to that conversation.
“Ah, Erisda...what I would give to have things not ended the way they did with us,” Inferno muttered sadly. Once, he had called the young man a friend. But that was history and he could do nothing but move forward.
He had allowed the Humans to send a runner to alert their forces, before slaughtering the remainder. He needed them to be able to fight back. There needed to be more chaos.
The Brotherhood of Shadows...they had been once been his family. Just as Sanction had once been. Until they had been taken from him.
The day Xehemoth died. The man who had raised him and given him a purpose in life. Taught him how to control his powers and help the common people. And even though they hadn’t seen eye to eye on most things, Inferno still respected his former mentor.
The Humans had killed him. Inferno had warned Xehemoth that in the end they would end up dead by their hands. And so it had come to pass. That was the moment he had decided that he would end the Empire.
A flash of light behind showed Inferno was no longer alone. After turning around, he saw that Formetis had just appeared from her gate of darkness. Inferno had been through it before. Normal people could only stomach it briefly. But she thrived in the energy.
Formetis was a Human, only fourteen years old. The short girl with long black hair was small even for her age. Inferno knew better the extent of her powers, so in a way, the unassuming look suited her. Let their enemies fall into a false sense of security.
Inferno braced himself as Formetis threw herself into his arms. Inferno inwardly sighed, but he patted the girl on the head. She always had been the affectionate type. They had been together since she was young after all.
Inferno and Xehemoth had taken the girl in and become her guardians. Xehemoth was too focused on Keta and the others, so he had looked after Formetis most of her life. He had come to regard her fondly, even if she was Human.
“It’s good to see you, little one,” Inferno said softly. The girl pulled back, and then began to glance around warily, her eyes widening at the sight of the corpses. “Forgive me, I forgot to clean up before you arrived.”
“No, it’s fine...I just wasn’t expecting it,” Formetis said, though the shakiness in her voice told Inferno that she was still having a tough time dealing with all the death lately. He was doing his best to keep her out of the bloodier missions.
“You are a terrible liar, kid. But no matter. I’ll do my best to keep you out of the thick of it. Eh, come closer,” Inferno said, reaching to the girl’s face. She flinched as he touched the slight discoloration of a bruise on her cheek,.
The girl pulled away, turning her back to him. She folded her arms across her chest. “It doesn’t hurt. I’m fine.”
“You can’t keep letting the others do this to you,” Inferno said. That bruise was probably Milaryna, he thought with a scowl. The woman was beautiful but she was very vindictive.
“It’s fine. It’s fine. It’s almost all over, anyways, right?”
Inferno nodded. The Xegin would attack the gate and the ensuing siege would undoubtedly generate more chaos. It would be enough in a few days. They only had one more job. “Have you found the last girl?”
“Yes...and no. I have located the general area the source is coming from. It’s...it’s in Aurora,” Formetis said.
Aurora? How fortuitous indeed, Inferno thought to himself. Fate had finally dealt him a winning hand. He already had a way into the city without raising suspicion. All that was left to do was find this girl and wait for the chaos to envelop the land. Soon it would all be over.
Inferno turned to Formetis. “Find the girl and retrieve her. Milaryna will stand by and monitor the situation. I’ll need you to check back with me every night as usual for an update. Can you do this for me, child?”
The girl beamed at this and nodded. “You can count on me. I won’t let you down. I’ll find her as quickly as possible.”
Inferno had faith in his Brotherhood. Dranon had been killed by Keta’s meddling and Celran had been captured. But Forsythe had proven surprisingly competent, despite his limited combat capabilities. And Milaryna was a Greater Demon like himself. How could they lose?
Tempting fate there, you fool, Inferno chastised himself. He could not allow himself to be arrogant. “Then you have your orders, little one. Go out and make me proud. Let’s finish this once and for all.”
The girl gave him one more hug, and he allowed it because she needed the encouragement. She opened the tear in the air with her dark magic and vanished from sight after stepping through it.
Inferno stepped forward, curious, but the magical veil evaporated not long after Formetis disappeared. “Good luck, little Formetis. Do your duty for the good of the Demon clans,” he muttered to nothing in particular.
It was nearing midday, and by now the Xegin would be close to engaging the Humans at the gate. Still, for a moment, Inferno wanted nothing more than to lie down. He was tired of watching, of planning. He wanted for just a few minutes to be without thought. He closed his eyes, but the peace never came.
He would only know peace when this was all over.
PART II
MACHINATIONS OF WAR
8
“Keta!”
The sound of his name forced Keta awake. He blinked wearily, then shook his head. When had he fallen asleep? Glancing around, he saw that there was no one else in the truck, save for Max standing beside him.
“How can you sleep before a battle, Keta? Such a thing makes the blood boil,” Max said, and Keta could feel his anxiety. That was unusual for a Demon.
Keta couldn’t blame him though. They were trying to step in between a war of the two major powers of a nation. It was foolhardy even as an idea, but now they were attempting it.
“We’re not here for a battle. We are here to try and prevent one,” Keta reminded him. He made his way off the truck and saw that the soldiers were all headed towards a massive wall. “I take it that is the Imperial Gate?”
Max nodded. Keta had to stop to take in the majesty of the structure. He had spent time travelling the world over as a part of Sanction with the old Master. The only thing that could be compared were the fortress cities of the Empire.
Well, this used to be Empire territory, Keta reminded himself. It stood to reason that it was one of the few bastions that could repel them.
Master Xehemoth had always told him that the Empire would never attack even the colonies on the other side of the gate, because of how efficient the Xegin were. And an assault on the gate was an exercise in futility.
“What do you think the Xegin’s goal is here? Even with a surprise attack, they can’t possibly think attacking this thing is a good idea,” Max spoke up from in front of Keta. He was admiring the fortress as well, it seemed.
“I have no idea. But from what I’ve heard of the Xegin, they don’t make moves unless they are assured of the outcome. Unless we find a way to stop the fighting, I’ve got a bad feeling about all this,” Keta said.
There was a loud noise and the gates began to open, exposing the inside of the fortification. A soldier stepped out and began to address the newcomers. Their guide, Mitchell, had disappeared amidst the chaos. Not wishing to fall behind, Keta made his way forward, Max following close behind. He gripped Giselle’s ornament. He needed to…
A hand grabbed him. Instinctively he reached up and caught it, twisting around and trapping his assailant in an arm hold.
“What the hell?”
The newcomer was one of the Human soldiers. Keta quickly released the man, stepping backwards. Beside him, Max was laughing. “I’m so sorry. I reacted without thinking,” Keta said.
He became acutely aware that he was surrounded. Other soldiers had drawn weapons. Max frowned and dropped into a fighting stance, hands curled into fists. The one who had approached him rubbed his shoulder. “Who the hell are you, and why are
you here?”
“Peace, Max,” Keta said, trying to soothe his friend. The last thing he needed was to start a conflict before he could speak with the Xegin. He held out his hand to show Giselle’s medal. “My name is Keta Night. I was sent here to help. One of your own, Giselle, gave me this to show that she approves my mission.”
The soldier took a good look at the ornament. Keta only now realized something. Where was Pent in all of this? He hadn’t been with Max when he had awoken. He hoped the boy wasn’t planning something crazy.
“That is Lieutenant Leclair’s, no doubt about it. What could that girl be thinking sending an outsider out here when we are at the onset of a siege battle,” the man said, waving a hand in exasperation.
“I offered to speak with the Xegin. I know one of them, and I think she might listen to me. If so, I may be able to get all the fighting to stop,” Keta said. He had to believe that this was the best path. Tianna would listen to him.
The dark haired man met Keta’s golden eyes. He seemed to be sizing him up. “I’ll never understand what it is the people up at HQ do. But if you are here to help us out, I won’t complain. Name’s Henry. I’ve been put in charge of new arrivals by Lieutenant Kae.”
The man extended a hand, and Keta shook it. After Max had exchanged the same pleasantries, Keta said, “She told me I was to report to this Lieutenant Kae. Can you take me to him?”
The man grunted, waving a hand at the influx of soldiers. “I’m a little busy at the moment, as you can see. But hang on. You there!” He bellowed at another soldier, younger and blonder than he was. The youth rushed up in a panic. “Disregard your orders for now. I need you to take this man to see the Lieutenant.”
The soldier nodded briskly, and he became their guide as they stepped inside the Imperial Gate. Keta was astounded at just how large it was. The inside looked like the city they had just left. Soldiers were posted at the walls where a similar gate remained closed opposite.
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