Shadow Kingdoms | Book 1 ✔ (REWRITTEN AS 'THE EXILED KING')

Chapter 13 - Demons

Ryhon could only stare in astonishment as a demon landed in front of him. It had blistery red skin and bat like wings. Huge curled horns gleamed wickedly in the firelight. The demon had a muscular chest and legs that ended with hooves. It stood as tall as a mountain and dark clouds swirled around the tips of his horns as he roared his anger out to the world. The demon opened its mouth and its throat glowed for a moment before it spewed a fireball and set fire to a couple of trees turning then to cinders.

"FREE!" The Demon roared.

Ryhon snapped out of his daze and muttered a curse under his breath. This was WAY out of control. That demon should have been banished to the very center of the Abyss, where were was a magical prison, but here he was. This demon was one of the Old Kind, Kashe' ovel, and as far as demons went, he was one of the most powerful. He was called Beyruk but in the Old Language, Be'veyuik.

Ryhon muttered an enchantment, "Byde re Be'veyuik ase carni."

Bind he, Beyruk, with chains.

Beyruk roared in anger as silver chains wrapped themselves around him, binding his arms and torso before snaking lower. The demon flexed his arms and the chains creaked dangerously. They widened, straining before breaking with a sharp snap. Bits of metal fell around Ryhon as he looked up.

"Uh oh."

Then he muttered another old charm.

"Tras eu yuret af shamsk re Be'veyuik ne va arid."

Take a tree and smash he, Beyruk in the head.

That one was improvised, but no sooner had Ryhon said the incantation had a tree dropped from the sky and fallen right over Beyruk's head. For any lesser creature that blow would have killed it, but Beyruk barely stumbled, much less collapsed.

Now a dangerous red spark kindled in Beyruk's eyes and he glared hatefully at Ryhon. The dark clouds swirled even closer and sparks of purple electricity could be seen building up in the swirling mass of darkness.

"Aw, crap!"

Ryhon had forgotten that Beyruk could do magi, a dark form of magic. Beyruk, also, used incantations.

His deep voice rumbled and the world shook from the force of his voice.

Almost immediately tendrils of the storm brewing sped towards Ryhon. That was impossible. Beyruk had to know his name to perform many attack magi at him. He dodged the magi and qucikly drew a sword out of the air, striking the tendrils of storm, dissolving them instantly. He took a fighting stance, drawing another sword from the air. The swords were dark as obsidian with a purple jewel in each hilt.

"Saymudah, yorei esdapa inori aspekta!"

Samuh, you cannot escape me. The actual thing that Beyruk had said was more like Samuh, you cannot me escape, but the ancient language was tricky that way.

"My name is not Samuh, you oaf!" Ryhon yelled up at Beyruk.

"Eh, but the magi worked, so one of your names must have been Samuh." Beyruk said in the human tongue.

Suddenly a large wolf bounded across the fiery clearing and growled threateningly to Beyruk.

"NO! DARYN, YOU FOOL, GET AWAY FROM BEYRUK! HE WILL SMASH YOU!" Ryhon cried desperately. He was not ready to lose another sibling.

The wolf growled but backed off a bit. Then he morphed into a man. Daryn's eyes flashed red briefly before resuming their emerald tint. Ryhon conjured another sword and tossed it at Daryn. Now they were ready. Twin watched the back of twin as they battled Beyruk, just as they had done before.

Beyruk roared before conjuring fireballs and throwing them at the brothers. Sidestepping easily, Ryhon and Daryn rushed at Beyruk, dodging the fireballs as they ran for the giant feet of the demon. Beyruk growled and stooped low before raising his hand to take a swipe at them. It was impossible to get away in time. Beyruk swiped his arm low over the ground, uprooting trees and plowing the ground.

Fate was with the twins when a golden halo of light expanded and encased Beyruk in a golden, translucent prison before they could be plowed down and killed.

Beyruk writhed and howled, imprisoned and unable to get free. Daryn gave a small canine whimper and shrunk back a pace as the magic stung his sensitive senses. He raked his fingers through his raven black hair, try frantically to calm his erratic heartbeat. Ryhon would surely hear it, and consider him a coward. He was not. Daryn merely grew uneasy around magic because of his wolf soul, his animal part. His wolf soul made him enormously nervous among mages and when magic was worked in his presence. He heard hoof beats and turned to see a ragged band of men, dressed in the patched rags of what once might have been called clothes. They rode closer and Daryn growled, an animalistic sound coming from his human throat. Two riders, riding in the lead, halted and then gestured for the rest of them to do the same. Ryhon had joined Daryn and stared at the newcomers.

"Hello there."

"Who are you? Do you mean us harm?" Ryhon demanded.

The boy in the lead frowned. His dark brown hair hung to his shoulders and he wore hunter's garb.

"Do you not know me, Ryhon?" He asked.

A faint spark of memory. A homeless boy. Beggars.

"Robert?" Ryhon asked hesitantly in a quiet voice.

The boy nodded. Ryhon surged forward and gave the boy a quick hug before looking over the rest of the group. Two boys stood out.

"Myrk?"

"Yup. That's me." He gave a wide smile, "He remembers me!"

Then Ryhon landed his gaze on the other boy. He wore the clothes of nobility, and had short, dark blond hair and a tanned face. He was handsome, but reminded Ryhon a great deal of someone.

"Who are you?" Ryhon asked the boy.

"Rillan."

"What family do you come from?"

The boy stiffened.

"I cannot tell you that."

"Why?" Ryhon pressed.

"You will hate me for what I am." Rillan said bluntly.

Robert shot the boy a warning glare, "I gave you time. Now you must tell us who you really are."

Rillan's face fell.

"Please. Can you try not to hate me right away?" He whispered.

They smiled kindly and nodded.

"Fine." Rillan took a breath.

Then he looked Ryhon dead in the eyes, unflinchingly. The stormy grey eyes meeting violet ones.

"Ravenstorm. My name is Rillan Ravenstorm."