Dusk and Ash (In Progress)

Chapter 11

By the time Durmhain had finished recounting what happened, the sun had crested the horizon and the chill of night had dispersed in its warm radiance. The camp had already woken and broken their fast. Food had been brought over, which Durmhain had gratefully accepted and devoured as quickly as his queasy stomach could manage. Qulkest had eaten his food more methodically, patiently waiting as Durmhain continued his story between mouthfuls of food. The only detail of the story Durmhain had withheld was the necromancy, as he suspected Qulkest would have slain him on the spot. Qulkest had hardly looked at Durmhain the entire time and only interrupted to ask clarifying questions, but otherwise had remained silent, his dark eyes stoic and unreadable.

After stroking his stubbled chin in thought for some time, he turned to Durmhain and asked. "You say you have made a pact with a demon?"

"In... a sense," Durmhain said. "It's more of an agreement, sir."

"To do what, exactly?"

"It was a spur of the moment arrangement. We both wanted to be free of the Nithians. For now, I am his vessel in this world. To be honest, I'm not sure what he wants from me."

"May I speak with him?"

Durmhain hesitated, but then nodded. Kunuum?

Whatever you do, don't move.

What do you-?

In the bright morning light, Durmhain's shadow elongated and contorted until Kunuum rose from it in his raven form, shadows billowing from his wings.

Immediately, Qulkest drew his sword and brought it to Durmhain's throat.

"Greetings, human soldier," Kunuum said as he casually perched on Durmhain's shoulder. "How can I be of service?"

"What powers has this man bought from you?"

"I'm still a bit hazy on that myself. This is the only time I have ever bonded with a human, so-"

Qulkest pressed the blade to Durmhain's throat, cutting it slightly so a small rivulet of hot blood dribbled down.

"Mmm... not one to beat around the bush, I see. Before I was enslaved by the Nithians, I served as a wisdom keeper and guide for the dead. In conjunction with other demons, I was the source of power that enabled the Nithians to turn their prisoners of war into Husks."

"So you have the power to enslave others?"

"Not exactly. Though I was the keystone to tapping into others' minds, the manipulative power came mostly from the demon Omnox."

A slight breeze blew through the field, but it felt to Durmhain as if an arctic wind had blown through him, and he shivered.

Qulkest's brow furrowed. "You have yet to tell me what powers you bequeath, demon."

"As I said, I don't know how direct contact with a human will unfold. He told you about his phase shift into the Abyss, correct?"

Qulkest nodded.

"I had no idea that was possible. I certainly could not do that with an inanimate vessel. Even if I somehow succeeded, I would have lost my tether to this world as we would have both drifted into the Abyss. But together, Durmhain and I somehow managed to come back."

You are mostly telling the truth... right? Durmhain asked.

Mostly. You're the one who omitted the necromancy, so that falls on you.