King's Kou: Do not awaken the knight in the beast

Chapter 24: Asmodeus

King Lycus was racked with his violent coughing. Blood splattered on the floor; the pope rushed to his side, calling out to the guards who had long gone and escaped in fear of the colossal monster standing in the colosseum.

The queen and the prince were escorted out by Cardinal Demetrius. Eros peeped at the king, waving at him with eyes as big and sparkly as a newborn's.

"Hurry up, father, you don't want to die, do you?"

Pope Uri and Rorik tried to use their joint force to move Lycus, yet he didn't budge from his spot. "Your Majesty, we have to leave, it's no longer safe here! Rorik, carry him if you have to!"

"Papa!" Theo warned.

A holy magic circle spread underneath their feet on the floor of the royal box. Salem jumped from tier to tier until he reached the cubicle where the king, pope, Theo and Rorik were. Uri glowered at him, cursing him to the very depths of hell.

"Why did you summon Behemoth?"

Salem shrugged. "I was hoping it would execute the prince in my stead. The prince seemed to be a spawn of one of the seven devils. I theorized it."

Rorik nearly went bald from hearing that. "You THEORIZED it? You mean to tell me that this mess you made was born from your ungodly speculations?"

"Should I repeat myself, cardinal? Besides, are you turning a deaf ear to what that monster behind me said? The king of this country is parasitized by one of the seven rulers of hell."

Lycus took in a sharp breath of air, grabbing Salem who stepped down from the balustrade. His skin was pale and clammy.

"I shouldn't have trusted a damn rat like you!"

Salem nodded, holding his shaky hands. "I agree with you. Who is stupid enough to trust a convicted murderer that easily?"

Lycus was attacked with another hack with heaves in the middle as a momentary break. Salem's hold on him tightened. "But you know, Your Majesty? Canaan still needs you. I'll let you live and suffer a bit more."

Rorik couldn't hold his temper any further, he hauled Lycus' shoulder back, directing the head of his hammer to Salem's head. Theo, understanding who the enemy was, brought out his pocketbook and pocketwatch, casting a spell to slow down Salem's movements. Pope Uri wheeled his scepter in between his fingers, light beams shot at the convict's direction. Salem fully squatted, extending his arms to Uri and Theo with two of his fingers up. He broke Theo's spell and deflected Uri's beams of light before spinning on his feet and tripping Rorik. He grabbed the king and leaped out of the box, tossing the man as if he wasn't wearing weight-bearing clothing and armor. His golden crown shimmering with exorbitant and precious gems fell off from his head. The mesh covering his face fluttered away, exposing his spellbinding features despite being pale and sickly in appearance.

Behemoth's eyes slanted in amusement. He pointed at Lycus' shivering form, deciding to help Salem one last time before heading off to his sanctuary. The zap of cleansing light reached the king. A shadow separated from the king's shadow, slithering away and acting as a watery black goo at the corner.

"Asmodeus, return to hell with your brothers. You know very well that this is not your land to walk upon."

Rorik jumped off the box, catching the king before he became a mere splatter of blood on the ground. His weight caused a slight tremble on the floor.

The shadow chuckled and slowly built the form of a man. Sunkissed skin surfaced from the lean flesh. A young man with rabbit ears and a pair of goat horns nestling on a bed of light coral hair continuously snickered. His wings had red feathers similar to a peacock's. He was wearing a red skirt tunic fastened by a golden belt with dangly golden straps. The tip of his swaying mischievous tail was shaped like a heart. He had a golden metallic forehead protector that glimmered despite the lack of light. There was a red sash hemmed with gold running diagonally over his muscular torso.