A light rain began to cascade across the empty street as Sir Melior helped his King climb from the sewers.
"Get me back to my castle," King Leandis grumbled, wrapping his arms around his torso. Galvan was still in the sewers, fighting those monsters to save him. And so was Sir Lucan.
"As soon as I'm safe," the king continued, "send as many men as you can to eradicate those fucking demons."
There was a snarl from behind them, and Sir Melior spun around to see a creature writhing through the hole in the stone.
"Your Majesty! Run, please! Make for the palace. Get help! I'll hold it off!"
The king turned and ran without questioning Sir Melior's request.
The knight turned to the demon, which snarled at him.
"Back away, you filth," Sir Melior spat, pointing his sword at it.
It cocked its head to the side and stepped forward.
Screaming out, Sir Melior slashed at the demon with his sword. It passed through the demon's body as if it were thin air.
"Impossible."
It was the demon's turn now, and Sir Melior scrambled backward as the creature lept toward him with an upraised sword. It cut through his armor, in the side of the abdomen.
Sir Melior cried out in pain as the demon ripped the sword free. He dropped to the ground, reaching a hand to his wound. It was deep, possibly even mortal.
He was going to die.
Gritting his teeth, Sir Melior managed to regain his footing, once again raising his sword. Not because it would do anything against this enemy. His job was to protect the king. In order to do that, they needed time.
Even if he couldn't hurt the demon, he could provide this distraction.
"For the king," he muttered beneath his breath. "For my kingdom. I, a knight, a protector of this world, will serve my duty."
*******
Sir Lucan pressed a boot against the demon's abdomen, pushing off the writhing tendrils. With the momentum, he tore the warhammer and the demon's axe from its chest.
Galvan.
Sir Lucan glanced back at the other man, who was dancing away from multiple strikes. He needed help.
"Here!" Sir Lucan screamed, raising the double sided axe in the air.
Galvan nodded, dropping his shortsword, as Sir Lucan threw the axe in a spinning blur. Galvan caught it by the handle and swung, decapitating two of the shadow demons at once. The third backed away uncertainly.
Sir Lucan caught the demon in the back with the sharp end of his warhammer, and the shadow dissolved away.
"Heh," the Sixth Son said behind him. "Not only strong, but smart as well. Talth always said he would get his revenge on us. But we never believed him, even after he stole the weapons. But now I see. He wished to create a group strong enough to kill us all."
The demon coughed, and golden ichor splattered into the sewer water.
"What is your goal here?" Sir Lucan asked. "Why do you want us dead? We wish no war against the Seventh."
The demon gave him a look that Sir Lucan could only describe as disgust. "Why should I care about your wishes? My father's are all that matter. The overworld shall be his."
He coughed again, pressing a writhing hand to his chest, where the gold blood continued to drain.
"Then we have no choice but to fight," Galvan said. "To kill every last demon. Starting with you."
The Sixth Son raised a hand. "No. I…have been weakened. This battle is lost for me. But I will return, Sir Lucan. This time with a much larger army. And my brothers. Once they hear of your strength, each would like a turn with you."
With that, the demon began to evaporate, tendrils turning to dust that floated down into the sewer water.
Galvan gasped as the Sixth Son's axe crumbled away. After a moment, he spoke into the silence. "Are they…gone?"
Sir Lucan sighed and stepped toward Athena, who was still unconscious. "For now."
He picked her up and slung her over his shoulder. She was lighter than he expected, no more than a sack of potatoes. How could someone so small cause so much trouble for our kingdom. King Leandis will have her dead within the hour.
*******
Leandis scampered behind the castle walls, gasping for breath. His crown had sunk down his forehead, nearly obscuring his eyes.
"Guards! Close the gates! We're under attack! Prepare for battle!"
He didn't stay behind to make sure they followed his orders. He had only one priority.
Elyse. Freya. Daelos.
His kingdom could fall. His people could be slaughtered. His most trusted friends could die to those horrid beings. But his family…they were all that truly mattered now.
Leandis could still remember the day he'd met Elyse, of House Gwyne. Their marriage had expanded his empire by hundreds of thousands of furlongs.
Not only had it been the perfect match up politically, but he'd found love for the first time. A person he could share anything with.
And together they had produced two perfect children.
He'd grown up with everything: enough gold to rule the world, a kingdom to inherit, and an army stronger than any other. But his family was worth more than all of those combined.
Keep your legs moving. Go. Go. Find them.
Screams of terror erupted from behind them as his guards engaged in battle. They would all die protecting their king. As they should.
Yet, Leandis desperately wished he could do more. A king must lead. Not run.
He'd always been a coward. Not much had changed since he'd become king.
Leandis dashed down a corridor and scrambled up a flight of stairs, shocking a group of maids scrubbing at the floors.
Following the dim lights of the candlelit hallways, he found his room. Ignoring the soldiers that stood sentry outside, he busted inside. "Elyse! Elyse are you here?"
A pile of blankets on the bed shifted slightly, and his wife sat up, peering into the darkness.
"Wh-what's going on?"
"We're under attack! Come on, I need to get you to safety!"
"Attack?" Elyse asked, jumping to her feet.
"Hurry, we need to go," he said, gesturing toward the door.
The bedroom window, lit by the light of the moon, suddenly darkened as a shadow crawled past it. The window creaked, and the shadow disappeared, crawling higher.
Where was it going?
"Daelos. Freya? Where are they?" It wasn't just a question. It was a command.
"To sleep, over an hour ago," Elyse mumbled.
Leandis dashed out into the corridor, taking the stairs three at a time. He remembered times when his joints no longer ached, and his body had been strong. Now the years on the throne had seemingly taken all of his strength.
Still fear and adrenaline kept him moving forward, nearly leaving Elyse behind.
Just down the hallway, glass shattered, and he heard a scream.
Freya.
"GET AWAY FROM HIM!" She screamed.
Leandis reached his son's bedroom shouldering the partially open door out of the way.
Before him, the shadow demon knelt over his son, one hand wrapped around his head, the other around the boy's shoulders.
It glanced up at him, a smile playing across its face.
Without hesitation, the demon ripped his son in two, tossing the torn head in front of Leandis' feet.
"A gift for you, King." It said, bowing over Daelos' dead body.
Freya screamed in horror, and the demon smacked her out of the way.
"Let this be your warning. We will return. And soon. Be ready to surrender your kingdom, and the world, to the Lord of the Demons."
Then, the demon lept from the shattered window, disappearing into the night.