Chapter 2
TWO
The two suns are slowly rising into the sky as I surreptitiously make my way outside the palace. Shielding my energy signature, I take the staff exit so no one can spot me.
With a little luck, my parents won’t notice my absence until midday, at which point I should have already left Aperion.
If all works out, that is.
Kai may not have given me too many details about this mission of his, but it’s standard practice for the regiment to meet with Commander Azerius before a mission to get direct orders.
Once I’m out of the palace, I leave the premises on foot until I’m sure I am outside the range of the protective runes of the place. Even if I hide my energy signature, if I teleport while on my family’s land, they will know.
The staff who awoke with the dawn, ready to start the day’s chores, pass by me without recognizing me.
A smile pulls at my lips. It seems like my disguise worked.
I styled my long hair in a bun and hid it under a black nondescript hat. I put on an old pair of dark gray pants and a loose woolen jacket to make it seem like I’m a street urchin. I also went through the pain of binding my breast to ensure no one can tell I’m a female.
Swinging my small bag containing my military uniform over my shoulder, I double-check to make sure I’m off my family’s land before I teleport to the Center for Military Advancement—the official building that houses all the send-off events for missions.
Getting inside the building is easy. For a military building, the security is quite lax. I go in search of a restroom to change into my uniform and then look for the event room.
I let my shield down and expel a burst of energy fly from me as I let my hearing roam through the building, listening to all the chatter.
The moment I hear the word Anthropa , I follow the source of the sound until I reach the designated room.
There are around fifty people inside. Eighty percent of them are male and only twenty percent are female. Despite the fact that the military is advertised as a free-for-all opportunity, there is still quite a disparity between the numbers of males and females.
It all comes down to ability and spiritual energy. Like me, a lot of high-ranking females are expected to marry well and are seldom given the opportunity to hone their abilities. The ones currently in the military are largely young females who have not yet been forced to abandon their vocation for a mate.
Unfortunately, most of them will be forced to quit at some point.
I’ve yet to meet an older female who’s made her profession her priority, mostly because it’s not always up to them. If they have a living family, best believe that they will be forced to give up their career dreams sooner or later.
Years ago, I did not think this would be me. In fact, I had resolved to be the exception.
The first female general.
Little did I realize that it would not be up to me any more than it is up to the other females.
Would I be able to refuse the marriage and run away? Yes, of course.
But then my family would disown me and I would be branded a disgrace. No one in Aperion would look kindly on me, and the military would categorically not accept me anymore.
After all, family is the most valued thing for Aperites. And if you’re willing to betray your family, who is to say you will not betray your realm, too?
As I get to the room, I sneak in among the people at the end of the line and keep my head down.
My brother is at the front of the room, giving a speech about the particularities of this realm. I’m only half listening, though, since I am more concerned with not getting caught.
Only moments later, silence descends in the room.
The crowd parts as a tall figure enters.
Commander Azerius.
He’s dressed in a dark uniform with a purple belt wrapped around his waist that houses a white sword—the famed sword that has the power to kill a deity. Magical runes are etched on half of his face, swirling in different patterns as if they have a life of their own.
A shiver runs down my back. He is scary. But my apprehension is mixed with a sense of awe as he strides to the front of the room to join my brother.
Commander Azerius is a legend in itself.
I’ve only seen him in person a few times, but it never fails to leave me breathless. He exudes so much power, confidence, and discipline that it’s hard not to admire him.
He is feared and hated—with good reason. But he is also a damn good soldier. The very best Aperion has to offer.
No one knows the full extent of his powers, but there are whispers that he is more powerful than all the Supremes combined.
My brother inclines his head at him.
“General Molokai has already briefed you on the particularities of Anthropa,” he starts in an authoritative voice. “It is of utmost importance to ensure that those demons do not consume souls and ascend.”
Everyone nods.
“But there is something else you need to be aware of.” He pauses. “A few of our scouts have sent word that they have sighted Sons of Tenebreis outside of Tartareia.”
Gasps erupt in the room.
Sons of Tenebreis? In Anthropa? But…
“I have not been able to confirm these accounts, but I would like you to be vigilant. I have already dispatched a small squad in charge of tracking the Sons of Tenebreis. But if that proves to be true, it is even more imperative that you do not allow any demon to ascend to a high level since they will likely feed that power back to the Sons of Tenebreis that control them.”
“But… How can it be?” someone asks. “There has not been a sighting of a Son of Tenebreis in thousands of years.”
Azerius regards the room with a bored expression on his face.
“The Chalice,” Azerius states. “It appears they might be using the Chalice to move between realms.”
My mouth parts in shock. Everyone has the same reaction.
The Sons of Tenebreis have been locked in Tartareia for more than seven thousand years. Although they couldn’t leave their realm, they could remotely control demons. They used those lower-level demons to feed on the souls to increase their power. With every passing millennium, the Sons of Tenebreis became stronger and the barrier in Tartareia weaker. But so far no one has seen an actual Son of Tenebreis break free.
To hear that they might have found a way to get out of Tartareia? That is…
Terrifying.
We have a hard time keeping up with the myriad of lower demons preying on mortal souls as it is. The last thing we need is to have the Sons of Tenebreis out in the open.
If a high-level demon is powerful, then a Son of Tenebreis is infinitely more so. They are the elite warriors of Tartareia, the descendants of the Dark Seven themselves.
Aperion led multiple wars against Tartareia. But they were all before my time. Still, if rumors are to be believed, a Son of Tenebreis is as strong as an Aperite Supreme. And that is…absolutely chilling.
“They have the Chalice?” Someone finally dares to ask.
Azerius nods.
“It appears that when Elias absconded with the Chalice, he joined the ranks of the Sons of Tenebreis.”
It was a huge scandal a few years back when Elias, the King of the House of Bronte, and his high priestess disappeared together with the Chalice, the House of Bronte’s most prized artifact.
Each one of the fifteen Houses of Aperion has one such artifact that was passed down by the fourteen Primordials. Initially, there were only fourteen Houses, a direct link to the fourteen Primordials that created Aperion. But the House of Psyche and the House of Moirai became separated soon after their creation. Their artifact, too, was split in two.
Given that the Chalice is imbued with the pure energy of a Primordial, it is exceedingly powerful. It doesn’t surprise me that it would allow the Sons of Tenebreis to break free of Tartareia. But it does shock me that King Elias betrayed us and joined them .
Why?
Why would he have done that?
Why did his high priestess do it?
Just like every House has an artifact from the Primordials, they each also have a Temple and a high priestess in charge of guarding said artifact. Both the kings and their high priestesses take a vow to the Source to protect the artifact with their lives.
How could have King Elias and his high priestess gotten around that vow? It is physically impossible to do so.
“This is an alarming development, of course. But I am monitoring the situation closely,” Azerius continues. His voice is…deadpan. There is no sign of alarm there, though I’ve never seen him exhibit any type of emotion before.
“I will now leave you to prepare for your journey. Make Aperion proud.”
With that, the sea of people parts again for him as he departs the room. When he’s gone, everyone is quiet, mulling over this new information.
Most of the people here were born after Tartareia was sealed off. But we’ve all heard the stories from before—of how scary and powerful the Sons of Tenebreis were.
Aperion and Tartareia were always at war. And because of that, the lifespan of a deity before was much shorter. We might be immortal, but we are not impervious. And the Sons of Tenebreis were one of the few things in the universe that could kill deities—just as deities could kill them.
In the seven thousand years since Tartareia was sealed, everything changed. No longer were the demons the most feared thing. Now it was… Azerius and his sword. The God Killer.
But where death at the hands of a Son of Tenebreis left the essence of a deity alive for the House of Psyche to cultivate it and prepare it for a future incarnation, Azerius’ sword annihilates the very essence of a deity.
We exchanged bad for worse.
But despite the fear surrounding Azerius, he never does anything without a motive.
His executions are not random. They are the result of a fair trial. And to be sentenced to execution means you’ve done something.
Aperion is nothing but fair in that regard.
That hasn’t stopped people from reviling Azerius. That also hasn’t stopped me from admiring him.
The most loyal soldier of the realm—and the most powerful.
“You’ve heard Commander Azerius. It is imperative that you do not allow any demon to ascend. Ideally, we should be exterminating them while they are amorphous.”
“But how do we do that without harming mortals?” someone asks. “If they are amorphous, they will likely possess a mortal.”
“Indeed.” My brother nods. “But there is one exception. If enough time has passed since possession, the demon has already consumed its vessel’s soul. In that case, the mortal is already dead. What’s left behind is only a carcass.”
“How will we know?” the same person asks.
I nod, curious about that, too.
In the past, we’ve usually avoided harming a mortal if it was the demon’s first possession for fear its soul might still be present. As deities, we are prohibited from messing with mortals’ lives. That means we cannot kill them, but we cannot save them either if their time has come to pass under normal circumstances. Of course demons present a rather abnormal circumstance. But still, we were taught to never take chances since the punishment would be…death. Killed by Azerius. Rather poetic if you ask me.
“You will each receive a small crystal. If a mortal touches it and it does not change color, then the soul is intact. If a mortal touches it and it becomes red, his soul has been consumed and now the only being inside that carcass is a demon. You may then act accordingly.”
I blink. I’d never heard of such a crystal before or it being used.
The crystals are being passed around from front to back, and of course, by the time my turn comes, there are no more crystals because they were based on the exact number of the regiment.
Damn it.
Perhaps I can do it without a crystal?
But just as I think of ways I can still fight demons without the assurance of the crystal, my brother’s eyes connect with my own.
Oh no!
His eyes narrow at me, and he shakes his head, his expression promising retribution.
I give him a feeble smile.
“You are dismissed. You may gather your belongings and prepare for departure. We will meet at the portal in one hour.”
The crowd disperses.
I’m rooted to the spot, waiting for Kai to chastise me but also thinking of ways to appeal to his brotherly love so he will allow me to come with him.
“Minerva,” he grits out.
Here it comes.
I take a deep breath.
He stomps his way toward me.
“Please, please, please, please, please,” I burst out as I get to my knees and kowtow to him. “Please, please, please, please?—”
“Get up.”
“Please, Kai!” I continue to beseech him while bumping my forehead onto the hard floor in another kowtow.
“Get up, Minerva!”
“Please let me join you. One last time. Please, Kai…”
His hands cup my shoulders and he swiftly pulls me up to my feet.
He glares at me, his cheek twitching with displeasure.
“I already told you no. How did you even get in here?”
“Your security is not very tight,” I say as I give him an awkward smile.
“I’m taking you home,” he snaps.
“What? No, no. Please, Kai. This is my last chance.”
“You were officially discharged from the army, Minerva. I can’t just?—”
“You can! You’re in charge of the regiment. I’m sure you can squeeze me in.”
His lips flatten.
“Please? One last time, I promise.”
“Mother and Father will not like it,” he grumbles.
“I will deal with them. I’ll take the punishment. I’ll even tell them I forced you. Just please…”
I’m close to tears as I realize he may very well send me home. Only a few seconds separate me from this place to my home should he decide to teleport there. And once my parents find out… They will lock me away for good until the wedding. I will not be able to go anywhere. They might even bind my powers to ensure my cooperation.
“One last mission,” I whisper.
Kai stares at me, deep in thought.
“You will behave?” he asks eventually.
“I will only kill demons. I’m good at what I do. You know it. And as Commander Azerius said, you need everyone to be extra careful. I can be helpful, Kai.”
He doesn’t reply.
Taking his hands off me, he steps back and paces around.
I swallow hard in an attempt to ignore my rising anxiety. He can’t send me home. Not yet.
“Please,” I whisper again.
Once more, he doesn’t say a word.
If anything, he looks pissed.
His entire body is tense. His features are tight and scary.
He stops his pacing.
Swiveling, he marches toward me, stopping suddenly.
I instinctively take a step back, ready to run if he’s decided to return me home. I cannot go back yet. And if he won’t let me join his regiment, I suppose I can try to sneak into Anthropa on my own.
Pulling something from his pocket, he thrusts it toward me.
I blink, not sure I’m seeing this right.
“This…”
“You will need it to assess the demons,” he mentions in a low voice.
I take the crystal from him with both hands and carefully cradle it against my chest. I’m so scared of doing or saying the wrong thing and have him send me back that I simply stand still as a statue, my lips firmly shut.
“One last mission,” he finally says. “Go get ready.”
Not one to take my good luck for granted, I give him a wide smile and jump up to kiss his cheek.
His brows go up in surprise, and a small smile pulls at his lips as he watches me leave.
I did it.
I convinced him.
My heart beats wildly in my chest.
For a moment, I truly thought he was going to send me back.
But Kai isn’t my favorite brother for nothing. He might not say it outright, but I know he’s not exactly thrilled about my parents’ plans for me or the fact that I had to quit the military when I was doing so well.
He knows how much I love to be on the field and how dedicated I am to my job.
Yes, I might have a small authority problem, but I make up for it in other ways—namely killing twice more demons than everyone else. That is my plan for this mission too.
If I can do something extraordinary, maybe kill a high-level demon, or even a Son of Tenebreis, Commander Azerius will praise me for my abilities. And when he’ll hear I am going to quit, he’s going to insist I don’t, that I’m a valuable asset of the army and for the whole of Aperion.
My parents and Theron will not be able to say a thing against Commander Azerius. He is the ultimate authority, after all.
I smile to myself.
Yes! I just need to distinguish myself in this mission and I might escape my fate.
A few years back, a deity was given a medal and special treatment for killing the most demons in a mission. Even if I don’t kill a Son of Tenebreis—though I would love to, just to say I did it and watch Theron’s face mottle with jealousy—as long as I kill the most demons, I might get a distinction.
My plan is made, and an hour later, I’m standing in line with the other soldiers as we go one by one through the portal.
Anthropa, here I come!
Maybe I shouldn’t be this happy about going to war, but how can I not when killing demons is so much fun?