[Atlas Grandeur - Book Four]
After the King's and Zenon's words, Morio and the others are tasked to find the last beacon of Demonear power, in order to make the first steps towards finally overcoming the greatest demon out there.
Through tales of Er...
With all the noises storming in from the outside, darkness became nothing but a remnant of the past.
Long gone were the quiet nights of Palan, and therefore came everything surrounding the people's celebration.
After all, they had a good reason to throw their goblets into the air whenever a strike was sent. Demons were much weaker than humans, and an excuse for such a form of entertainment.
Fists were clenched, and words were kept silent only for the other party to split blood on the arena and soak the stones below.
Then, the human would triumphantly scream, throwing their helmet and turning to the masses.
Cheers followed, and eventually echoes drifted between metal bars surrounding the entire dark stone maze, deep into the depths of the prison. One such whisper meant trembling, closed eyes fearing for what was to come.
Demon mothers, trying to keep their composure while the child sulked in fear, or others, raging about what was to come. Hands soon landed, demanding answers, a fair trade, even if nothing was to come.
The guards strolling smirked. After all, it seemed things were a one-way street.
The only one who wasn't complaining still managed to reap some of that darkness. Shi Hon's cell was further below, and no window met either wall. Even then, echoes were only hushed, but he heard them as much as always.
"When's my turn?" he asked, breaking the loose conversation between one guard and the other, holding their goblets.
Two turns and one soon grinned.
"People from below never peek their heads out. Unless it's the higher duke's orders to finally get rid of the vermin."
"I see." Shi Hon uttered, his eyes turning towards the wall. His sharp nail traced the dirt and finally met the stone, ripping another line through the countless many already there.
The guard took notice, taking another hasty, drunk step.
"How many years does that make?" the guard added, before the other laughed, strolling away.
"How about you make a bet?" Shi Hon smiled. "Since it's the same way you bet on things in the arena. Either the human or the demon wins, but knowing your chances, it's always on your side." he spun his finger around, before pointing it forward. "It'd bet too. If I was up there to fight, I'd kill my enemy."
"So confident in your own words, demon." the guard fixed his helmet. "If you're so strong, then why don't you make chaos of this cell you're in?"
"I want to give you a fair opportunity. I've been gathering power for more than seven years at this point. One tap of the finger is all it will take, in the very end."
The guard tried to squint, focusing his drunken thoughts on the devil's words. Either way, he scoffed, slowly turning to the staircase.
"Is that another bet, then?" Shi Hon asked, and he halted, temporarily. "If I do make it out, will I win something?"
"No betting." he shook his head, before treading upwards.
Shi Hon's hands slid down the chamber bars, as one twitch of his finger led to it almost digging into the ground. He glanced at the dark wall and all the other remnants of stalactites that made this half-man-made cave.
The noises outside echoed again. The human was the winner and all that span the circles meant that the higher duke was coating himself in all the goodness that humans were.
Were, because Shi Hon knew the extent of their brutality.
Yet, he sat still, spinning his finger.
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