The Flower Among the Flames

Chapter 29

"You killed him." Zhu was furious and unnerved from the carnage that took place before him. He stared down at Seulgi's lifeless body, lying in an expanding pool of blood. What warranted this? What could they have possibly gained from his death? Taking a knee, he placed a weathered hand against Seulgi's neck. He was still warm, Seulgi's face appearing peaceful for someone who had been killed so violently.

"You didn't need to kill him," Zhu growled, eyes shooting spears into the demon relishing the adrenaline in his veins.

The demon tilted his head towards the General, the abyss greeting the man with veiled emotion. Despite the concealment, the emotions were bleeding through just like Seulgi's lifeless corpse. Elation. Joy. Satisfaction. Clearly, the monster could not understand the man's reason for being upset.

"This was not part of the plan–"

"Plans change," the demon snorted, lifting up his bloody arm against the sunlight. Beautiful. Just beautiful. His blood was so red and fresh. Nodding his head, the demon continued, "He wasn't going to help us anyway. Typical of a descendant of Cheol-won; they are all stubborn to the core. Think of my actions as...cutting a loose end, General. He was bound to strike at any time."

"Loose end?" Zhu spat harshly. If there was any phrase he hated the most, it was claiming that he was cutting a loose end. It was an excuse for justifying murder. Sure, Seulgi was their enemy, but to kill him by such unnatural means....Unacceptable. But the plan...why did he ruin our plan?

"Why are you so angry?" The demon was generally surprised with the General's reaction. "He was neither your friend or comrade. Seulgi was your enemy, was he not? Why do you react in anger after I killed him?"

"With him dead, his friends will exact revenge," Zhu boomed, standing himself up with stiffened movements. His left eye twitched in fury and his breathing was growing heavier. There was no explaining manners and ethics to a demon. They wouldn't understand humans nor would they bother trying to learn. He felt as though he was wasting his time on this cloaked figure, and honestly, he probably was.

"No matter." The demon waved his warning off, making his way to sealed doorway. "By the time we are done here, General, his friends will be unable to do anything to stop me."

"Me?" The General narrowed his eyes. "Don't you mean 'us?'"

The demon paused in his stride, craning his head to the side to glance at the old man. Seemingly unperturbed towards his slip-up, he answered, "But of course. I. You. I was referring to our power as a combined force, friend."

Zhu was unconvinced. Even if the demon's voice was masked, Zhu could still hear the suspicious tone in his voice and could see the gears turning in his head. Something else is going on here. He's not associated with Sheng Shao, I bet. Zhu thought to himself bitterly. He could think anything he wanted, but it didn't change the fact that Seulgi was dead. There was nothing he could do. Zhu would fair no better than him against such a strong opponent. Even still, the fact that he was tricked all this time only spurred waves of shame.

Losing interest in the human, the demon glanced back towards the old paper seals on the metal doors. To any ignorant soul, these parchments looked like some sort of decoration or superstitious ward. It was anything but that. He knew that brute force or spells would not nearly be enough to break them. No. It required something else. Something even more precious. The demon asked, "Do you know what these are, General?"

Zhu was next to the demon now, running a hand over the cold doors. Although these parchments were probably centuries old, the dust and age did not affect them. The writing was clear as day, but the language was nothing he had ever seen before. He shook his head honestly. "Some sort of magic seal."