Chrysalis

by Kayne Sampson

  Keta glared at the Demon. “I can’t!” he yelled at last, the fury escaping him. He stopped and let himself breathe, and then added, “I can’t. I’m not like you.”

  Pent’s eyes slanted, and he pulled back and crossed his arms. “No...you’re not. And that’s why I’ve come to say goodbye.”

  “Goodbye?”

  The boy nodded. “You insist on involving yourself in every little conflict.”

  Keta felt a twinge of annoyance. “That is how Sanction operates, Pent. I have told you that from the very beginning.”

  “Precisely. I allied myself with you for convenience, but I cannot operate like that any longer. Nor can I watch you almost kill yourself every other day.”

  Keta could hear the strain on the boy’s voice. It almost seemed like the boy was worried about him. Still, he had to ask. “What do you mean by that, Pent?”

  Pent turned gleaming eyes on him. “One of these days, be it your constant goodwill or an enemy you spared, you are going to get yourself killed. I cannot dissuade you from this path, nor can I watch you do it to yourself.”

  He was right, he did hear concern in Pent’s voice. This was rare for him. “I see,” was all he could say in response.

  “However, before I go, we have some business to attend to, you and I.” He walked forward, and revealed something he had been concealing. And Keta’s heart raced. He was holding the sheath of Abyss.

  Staring at the weapon, he could remember exactly what it had felt like when he had killed Dranon. The Demon spirit within had nearly overpowered him before he had discarded the weapon. How could he hope to control it?

  Even now, he could hear it calling to him. They had been together so long that the spirit’s whispers carried to him even when he was not holding it. Because just as it was in his mind, he could peer into the mind of Abyss.

  Pent noticed the reaction. “I heard what happened. It is...unfortunate. But it is understandable. You are not a Demon. You cannot hope to harness it’s true potential.”

  Keta realized what the boy was getting at. “Pent, you cannot use it. You are too young. Abyss will claim your soul!”

  Another smirk crossed the boy’s face. “Ha, don’t lump me in with a novice like you. My will is not weak enough to submit to possession. I need more powerful weapons. To that end, I challenge you for Abyss. Here, after that display the other day, I doubt you have the courage to wield Abyss against me.”

  And he tossed a sword of ordinary make, most likely from the armory. Instinctively, his hand reached out to catch it, lifting it and moving it. It felt alien to him. He had spent the last few years used to the weight and feel of Abyss.

  “A nameless blade for a coward.”

  Keta looked up, and he could see the smirk on Pent’s face. But he wasn’t mad at the boy. Rather, he felt nothing at all.

  “Take it. I’ve no wish to fight,” Keta said, suddenly realizing just how tired he really was. Despite the power the blade held, he had no desire to ever see Abyss again.

  Pent didn’t say anything at first, just looked at him with eyes of disdain. Then, he hoisted the strap over his shoulder, the way that Keta always did, and started towards the door.

  But before he left, Pent turned back to him. “My advice to you? Leave all this behind and let Sanction die. You are not worthy to lead anything, Night. A warrior who does not fight is worthless. Farewell.” And Keta watched as Pent Telim walked out of his room and out of his life.

  ***

  Pent followed the figure in silence, for a few minutes. He had acquired Abyss from Keta. Or rather, the fool had abandoned it. He just couldn’t handle the power of the sword. After all, it was a Demon blade.

  Keta was soft, and he had become a liability to Pent. There was no need to partner with him any longer. Max was useful, but the older Demon had bonded with Keta. He wouldn’t leave his new friend behind.

  Surrounded by idiots, Pent thought to himself. None of them had the conviction to make the harsh choices. In the end, it would be up to him.

  “You’ve been following me for some time now. Why not come out and say hello.”

  The person he had been following had stopped, and though he had not turned around, Pent knew that they were addressing him. This person was skilled, which made more sense that he needed to confront him.

  “I’ve been meaning to speak with you for a while,” Pent explained, abandoning the shadows and walking forward to meet his prey. The figure lowered his hood, revealing himself. The Human general Ivaldi.

  Ivaldi looked around. “You seem to have picked an interesting time to speak with me. It’s late, you shouldn’t be out. Come, I should escort you home.”

  Pent crossed his arms. “Don’t belittle me. I am a Demon, not some weak Human child that must be coddled. But then, you understand Demon culture well, don’t you?”

  Ivaldi raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean by that?”

  Impatiently, Pent pointed at the older man with a finger. “What I mean is that I am a Demon of the Frostclaw clan, known for our hunting abilities. You see, our sense of smell is quite potent. It allows me to track most creatures in this world, due to their unique scent.”

  That got a slight reaction out of the man, who tried to cover it up but it was too late. This man was a great actor it seemed. Pent was almost impressed.

  “When I first found out that a Demon was masquerading about as a Human, and a general in their army nonetheless, I was amused. However, it occurred to me just recently. If the Brotherhood of Shadows were to have an inside man in Teforia, this would be the perfect cover.”

  Ivaldi had been stroking his chin with his hand, listening to Pent’s words. As he wore a mask, his face would betray no emotion, though he did seem as if he was deep in thought. It was rare that Pent could not read someone, but he was at a loss here.

  When the man finally did speak, he was calm. “Ah yes, the Frostclaw clan. I had failed to calculate for that possibility. I applaud your deductive skills, child. Very impressive.”

  “So you don’t deny it?” Pent said simply.

  Ivaldi smiled and spread his hands. “What good would that do? It would do nothing but insult your intelligence and I would not do that to you. I respect your abilities and your instincts.”

  Pent didn’t know how he felt about this man speaking so friendly towards him. He had not been anticipating it. He was not one for words after all. Words were just tools that those who couldn’t fight used to control others in his experience.

  He wouldn’t let that happen here. “If you are of the Brotherhood, then you must know that we are enemies.”

  Ivaldi waved a hand dismissively. “We are only enemies because you choose to be. You say that I am your enemy, yet we have only spoken today. Perhaps you and I are more alike than you know.”

  Pent was irritated now. The man was trying to coax him with fancy speaking. He had no interest in words. He was interested in actions. “Enough. I did not come here to debate with you. I have come to find out what you know.”

  Ivaldi nodded in acknowledgement. “Very well. What would you like to know?”

  “I need to find my sister.” Pent said. His mission was far more simple than Keta’s. He had killed Dranon and avenged his father. All that was left was to rescue Ophelia.

  Ivaldi sighed. “I am sorry, but the girl is necessary to the goals of the Brotherhood of Shadows. Though it pains me to involve one of my Demon sisters, I must act for the greater good of the clans.”

  Pent went for his weapons and they were quickly in his hands. He had decided that he would use swords he was most proficient with, leaving Abyss resting in its sheath. “If you won’t bring me my sister, then I won’t hesitate to cut you down,” Pent said.

  Ivaldi looked sad when he spoke next. “The pain you must be feeling...I understand it. I have a sister as well. I would do anything in my power to keep her from harm. And I have. The bond between siblings is a beautiful thing.”

  The man looked up at the sky, the
moonlight illuminating his mask. For a moment, Pent’s anger vanished. This man did not seem like a bad person. Even so, he was an enemy.

  “If you understand, then help me. I only want to keep my family safe.”

  The man turned back to him. “Forgive me, but I cannot. The Brotherhood of Shadows must think of the future of all the clans. If necessary, were my sister needed as a sacrifice...I would have no choice. All for the prosperity of the Demon clans.”

  This was going nowhere. Another damned zealot. It seemed that when it came to the Brotherhood, this could only ever end one way. Luckily for Pent, it was a way that he was quite proficient in.

  “Very well then, it seems this is inevitable. However, if I am to fight against you, I’ll wait until you shed that Human disguise so that you may fight as an honorable Demon,” Pent said, holding his weapons at the ready.

  The man looked at Pent for a moment, as if peering into his soul. Then at last he spoke. “Yes...I suppose that we must. This magic...it was not crafted by me. It was created by one of ours, a young lady named Formetis who controls...interesting magic.”

  Pent flinched upon hearing the name Formetis. She had been his friend...or so he thought. But she had betrayed him. He spent his waking days concocting ways to defeat her in their next inevitable fight.

  “However, I agree that we should do battle as Demons,” Ivaldi said, interrupting Pent’s thoughts. He pulled something from his pocket. It had the same glow that Formetis emitted when she channeled her dark magic. He held it tenderly, turning it over a few times before throwing it to the side. Then he began to distort, and slowly began to morph. “Let me introduce myself to you.” The voice had changed, no longer youthful, but deeper and coaxing.

  The man was becoming larger, his clothes starting to constrict to compensate this new bulk. His hair began to change, growing longer. He tossed aside his mask, revealing a pair of glowing red eyes. Pent watched the crazy transformation as it unfolded, and stared at the end result with a shock.

  “Greetings. My name is Inferno. I am the one you call the master of the Brotherhood of Shadows.”

  Pent smiled. So this was it? He had reached the end of his goal. This man was the one who had trained Keta, the uncle that Max spoke so highly of, the Demon who carried the hopes of his people.

  And yet, circumstances might lead to Pent having to kill him. So he did the best thing he could come up with. He didn’t think. He just attacked.

  But something was wrong. One move and he was on the defensive somehow. He had not even seen the man remove his sword. Pent was forced to pull back and retreat, but Inferno was relentless. An inferior opponent would have been overwhelmed.

  Pent was fortunately not inferior. But at the same time, he was unable to gain any momentum. The Demon was lazily deflecting attacks, and with each one, got closer towards him.

  What’s happening? Pent thought to himself, panic rising. I’ve been training my entire life for situations like this. How is he casually stopping me? Something about the way Inferno held himself pissed Pent off.

  With a grand flourish, Pent attempted to regain ground. Instead, the red haired man broke through his attack and kicked out with his right leg, catching Pent in the ribs. His side exploded in agony and he stumbled backwards, eyes wide in surprise by the events unfolding.

  Formetis had defeated him because she had accursed magic. But sword fighting was his specialty. He couldn’t lose here. Ignoring the pain, he recalled his training with Xuan and went on the offensive again.

  Pent was swiftly disarmed of Mileda, which hit the ground and left him exposed, Inferno’s weapon tip pointed at his neck. “What the hell?” Pent growled. He had begun to attempt one of Xuan’s maneuvers, but had been stopped instantly.

  Inferno gave him a grin. “You have the gall to try a technique that I myself taught to my students?”

  Damn! I forgot. Keta and Xuan must have trained together as kids, Pent realized. If Inferno was Keta’s master, it was only logical that Xuan was his student as well.

  Inferno lowered his weapon, and stepped back. “I’ve heard of your exploits. Quite impressive for a boy. I’d expect nothing less from the child of Peter Telim. However, you know nothing of this world.”

  “I know enough to stop you,” Pent said defiantly, though he could not shake the uneasy feeling he was having. Perhaps such a rash battle plan was not recommended. He decided to forego two weapon fighting for the moment and adopt a one weapon stance.

  Be very careful, Pent. Something about this man is different. Don’t underestimate him, Susanoo warned, vibrating as a sword in his hand.

  “Don’t worry, I won’t make any more mistakes. I’ll find the flaw in his defense,” Pent whispered. This was a battle between two warriors, both committed to the duel. He just had to focus.

  But the longer the two crossed blades, a realization began to form in Pent’s head. He tried to shake it off, his pride unable to allow him to accept it. But he couldn’t ignore it any longer.

  He was outmatched.

  “How? How are you beating me?” Pent finally asked, stepping away, breathing heavily.

  Inferno raised an eyebrow, and dropped his guard. He was not even winded. “Ah, the arrogance of youth. I remember a time when I too was young and believed that I was better than my elders.”

  “Don’t insult me. I have trained for years to master my sword skills, without rest. So why can I not defeat you!”

  At this, Inferno let out a great laugh. “Don’t be a fool. The difference in our abilities is much too grand. You are nothing more than a child. You need years before you can even stand before me.”

  Pent could hold back no longer. “Die!” He yelled, gripping Susanoo and moving forward. He swapped from Xuan’s stance, opting for his father’s stance instead. More speed and greater mobility when compared to the brutal power of the former.

  He was too slow. Inferno had evaded his strike, and Pent very narrowly avoided the counter. He was put on the defensive, leaping backwards to avoid the attacks. Inferno had adopted a new stance as well, specifically to counter him.

  “You chase us because we hold your sister? She is the key to salvation for our people. And yet, you’d rather we die in the shadows?” Inferno bellowed, moving faster than Pent. He was hit in the stomach by the man’s free hand.

  “Urgh…” Pent muttered, barely managing to stay upright. He was forced to raise a sword to stop Inferno’s blade from cutting him in two.

  “My entire village was burned to the ground when I was younger than you. Only my sister survived,” Inferno growled, pushing on the sword, trying to break Pent’s guard. “The man who raised me died before my very eyes. My life has seen more atrocities than you can possibly imagine.”

  Pent let out a snarl and commanded Susanoo to empower him. He felt the sword draw blood from him (his hands had begun to bleed from the exertion of the battle) and he felt new strength. Enough to repel the large Demon.

  Pent could see the surprise in Inferno’s eyes. He had probably not been expecting such power. That was the hidden potential of his weapon. With it, Pent could surpass even Demon limitations.

  Ice coursed through his veins as Pent felt the power of the storm within. Now, like this at least, he could understand the true power of magic. And it opened up a whole new array of battle tactics.

  I can do this. I can defeat this man!

  With a quick step, Pent closed the distance between him and his foe. He thrust forward, and Inferno anticipated the move. With a well timed parry, he knocked aside the strike and aimed to counter. Before he could, the Demon let out a gasp.

  Pent smiled as ice encased Inferno’s weapon. Susanoo worked in tandem with him, as the Frostblade. His smile quickly turned to a grimace. His blood was being drained to power her. He had to end this quickly.

  Pent shook his head, and aimed a cut at the man’s neck. Sword useless, Inferno retreated backwards. He frowned, looking from Pent to the frozen weapon in his hand. And then he erupted int
o flames.

  Pent stepped backwards from the burning man, heat threatening him. The Demon’s flame quickly melted the ice from his weapon. In the heat of the battle, he had forgotten why this man was named as he was.

  And as quickly as it started, it was over. The Demon let the flames die, his hair returning to normal. He lifted the sword and gave it a few swings as Pent stared in disbelief.

  “Why?” was all Pent could mutter.

  Inferno let his sword drop to his side, and gave Pent a curious look. “Why? Because I do not need anything else to defeat you. It is as I told you. You are nothing to me right now.”

  The comment washed over Pent, and despite himself, he let his emotions flare. This man had displayed a grand show of power, and casually mentioned that it was beneath him.

  Careful Pent. You musn’t let him goad you so, Susanoo warned. She could sense his deteriorating state of mind.

  “I won’t let him humiliate me any further,” Pent roared. He was through playing games at this point. He still had one ace up his sleeve. Reaching up, he removed the strap from his shoulder. He grabbed the hilt and let the sheath slide off.

  This caught Inferno’s attention. He was eyeing the weapon with interest. “How very curious…”

  Pent held Abyss in his left hand, and Susanoo in his right. He had the power of the storms within him, and now he had to tap into the power of the Demonic blade of shadows.

  The power that Keta refused to employ.

  With renewed vigor, he met his opponent head on. His swords swirling like a metallic tornado, he pressed the giant Demon, forcing him to give up ground. Inferno was smart, avoiding trading hits with Susanoo. But he could not keep the defense up forever.

  A new power was enveloping Pent’s body. Every step was a little faster, every swing a little stronger. His mind was anticipating every attack, every move, every thought that Inferno had.

  So why does Inferno not look concerned at all? Pent thought to himself.

  Pent saw the opening, many moves ahead, and he went for it. Inferno did as he anticipated, and after he completed a series of events, Pent struck at the Demon’s unprotected neck. Blood splashed to the ground.