Chapter 11 - Darkness Begins
The Demon King stepped into the Underworld in his human form. The cold, cracked floor echoed under his boots as he walked straight toward the obsidian throne that towered over the dimly lit chamber. As soon as he sat down, his human illusion began to fade, revealing the ancient, monstrous form beneath: sharp, otherworldly features, glowing red eyes, and skin etched with black markings pulsing like veins of fire.
From the corner of the room, Lilith appeared and walked toward him, her steps deliberate and respectful. She bowed deeply.
"You're back," she said, her voice low, almost unsure.
The Demon King stared ahead for a long second before finally shifting his gaze to her. "I have a task for you," he said flatly. "And this time, you can't fail me."
Lilith straightened. Her expression was calm, but her jaw tensed slightly. "I won't fail you. Not this time. I promise."
He rose from the throne with eerie grace, his gaze never leaving hers as he slowly approached. When he stood before her, he lifted her chin with a single finger.
"The elders from the ten realms," he said, "they know. They've found out my slave is alive. They're already looking for him. That can't happen. You have to stop them. Eliminate them quietly if you can. Brutally if you must. Just make sure they never discover that he's been right under their noses all along."
Lilith blinked. "What do you want me to do?"
The Demon King chuckled softly, a dry, menacing sound. "It's time to destroy the human world. Not just warn them, not just scare them. I want darkness to spread across the earth like a plague. I want humans and supernaturals alike to understand something very clearly. The Demon King shows no mercy."
She nodded once, slowly. "As you wish."
…
Back at Brighton Academy, Keal rubbed his temple as he wandered down the now-empty hallway. Classes had ended for the day, but his mind was racing far too much for him to relax. There was no sign of Enzo. For once, his absence was actually a relief.
Keal entered his dorm and shut the door behind him. He let out a slow breath and dropped his bag on the floor. The silence felt strange. Nice, but strange. At least for now, he didn't have to pretend he was totally fine sharing space with the literal Demon King.
He collapsed onto his bed and stared up at the ceiling. His fingers clutched the blanket beside him.
"Maybe he's gone somewhere far," he muttered to himself. "Maybe this whole thing will just fade away."
That hope lasted all of three minutes. A low rumble shook the windowpanes. Thunder. Then another. Louder this time. Keal sat up immediately and looked toward the window.
"That's weird," he said quietly, pulling the curtain aside.
Dark clouds churned overhead like smoke, thick and unnatural. The color of the sky looked wrong. Not just stormy. Wrong. Like the world outside was holding its breath.
He stood, panic rising in his chest. Something wasn't right.
Just as he reached for the door, about to run out and see what was going on, he froze. Someone stood on the other side. And the moment he opened it, he found himself face-to-face with Enzo.
Keal's breath caught. He didn't move. Didn't speak. Neither did Enzo, not right away. He just stepped into the room with the kind of casual energy that made Keal's skin crawl.
They stood there, staring at each other. The thunder outside cracked again.
Keal took a step to the side. "I was going out."
Enzo moved to block him. "Where to?"
"What do you think is happening out there? The sky looks like it wants to swallow the earth."
Enzo turned his head and looked out the window with a faint smirk. "You're scared."
"Of you? Maybe," Keal said. His voice was steady, but his hands were clenched into fists. "But I'm more scared of what you're planning. Are you the reason the sky looks like it's dying?"
Enzo didn't answer right away. Instead, he slowly walked closer. "Why are you asking questions you already know the answer to?"
"I don't know anything anymore," Keal snapped. He tried to step past Enzo again, but Enzo caught his wrist and pushed him back against the doorframe.
"You really think you're going to run from this? From me? You belong to me. You always have. They can look for you all they want. It won't change what you are."
Keal shoved his hand away. "I'm nothing like you. Whatever you think we had—it's over. If it ever existed at all."
Enzo laughed. A deep, mocking laugh. "You can say that all you want, but you already know the truth."
Keal didn't reply. He just turned and walked out the door.
Enzo let him go. "See you soon," he muttered under his breath.
…
Outside, chaos had started to stir. Students and staff were running out into the courtyard, pointing at the sky. It was darker now. Black clouds twisted like something alive, and the thunder hadn't stopped. There was no lightning. Just endless rolling thunder.
Keal pushed through the crowd, his thoughts still stuck on what Enzo said. He tried to shake it, but the words clung to him.
"You belong to me."
He paused near the steps of the west building when he heard the doors open behind him. He turned.
Lydia stepped out first, her usually neat uniform replaced with a dark leather suit. Her hair was tied back, and her eyes looked focused. Lora followed, also dressed for battle. And then came the wolf guy Keal had seen during orientation but never really talked to. His tall figure moved with quiet confidence, and he carried a massive blade strapped to his back.
Keal raised an eyebrow and stepped toward them. "What the hell is going on?"
Lydia looked at him but didn't slow down. "We're heading out."
"Heading where?"
"To the human world."
Keal stared at her, confused. "Why?"
She stopped then and looked directly at him. Her voice wasn't loud, but it was firm. "Because it's in danger."
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