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

82. Assassins (3)

The Phonoi Heart was vicious, not caring about the state of Erebus' body. It only wanted blood and death. He didn't use the dagger at this point and discarded it amongst the corpses. He desired nothing but to feel the death of the Devils with his own hands.

He moved like a feral beast, both hands now in the shape of claws. When he swiped them, the space around them trembled.

He created a chain from the shadows and threw it like a lasso, catching onto a Devil's neck. He yanked the chain, pulling the Devil towards him. The Devil wanted to resist but was too surprised to retaliate. When he got too close to the Phonoi Heart, he knew he was going to die. The Phonoi Heart thrust out his hand and pierced his claws into the face of the Devil. The Devil's body quivered and fell heavily to the floor.

He flashed to the next Devil like a malevolent specter, slicing him with his claws.

He was covered in wounds and blood but didn't mind it. He only laughed continuously. More Devils had tried to escape from the deranged human, but they were met with the assassin leader's blade.

"What in the hells are you?" The leader asked. 

The Phonoi Heart grinned. "Potential. I am Erebus' true potential."

"I believed we Devils were wicked, but you are evil incarnate."

A laugh bubbled from the Phonoi Heart. "Everyone has these ridiculous notions of good and evil. Hero and villain. Light and darkness. It's bullshit. You use the term 'evil' to excuse your inadequacies. So, no. I'm not evil. But, you wish I were nefarious because it hides your cowardice."

"Bastard," The Devil growled. 

The Phonoi Heart waved him off with a laugh. "Don't worry, assassin. You're in good company with the other cowards. One even calls himself an emperor."

"What do you want?" The Devil asked cautiously. 

"Everything," The Phonoi Heart sneered. "You see, Erebus has been fighting me for so long, but I can give him what he truly wants. I can give him power and vengeance. Hells. I can give him the realms. But you pathetic Devils stand to hinder my ambitions. I will not tolerate this."

He launched toward another Devil, his claws ripping through its flesh. Blood splattered on his face, but his smile grew wider.

"Worse, you think you can kill Erebus. No one is allowed to kill him." The Phonoi Heart roared and found a new victim. 

His claws wrapped around the new Devil's horns, and he roughly pulled. A loud crack thundered, and the Devil released an anguished scream. The Phonoi Heart snickered as he threw the severed horns at a Devil nearby.

The Devil recoiled, but it didn't save him from the Phonoi Heart's claws. They pierced into the Devil's neck. With a swipe of his hand, the Devil's throat was ripped open, and he fell to the ground. 

The Phonoi Heart watched as the numbers dwindled to single digits. 

"Do you think you can handle the rest?" The Phonoi Heart said to seemingly no one. He paused and sighed roughly as if someone had replied with an annoying answer. "You better thank me, you ungrateful bastard. I bought you time. You better break that annoying wall down because he's almost here."

His body trembled, and a cold-blooded laugh dripped from his lips. But the laugh suddenly contorted and turned into a long scream. It was so powerful that the ground rumbled, and the weakened Devils fell.

The carvings on Erebus' face faded, and the smile fell. "Fucking Phonoi Heart," Erebus growled.

The Devils backed away, but Erebus ignored them. He tied back his hair and found his fallen daggers. He sighed wearily as fingers wrapped around his daggers' handles.