The battlefield was a grisly scene, with hundreds of headless bodies scattered across the blood-soaked ground. Chaka, striding confidently through the carnage, made his way toward Maria and Lyra.
With a theatrical flair, he dropped to one knee before Maria, taking her hand in his. "Ah, my fair maiden," he began, his voice rich with exaggerated drama. "Your eyes are like galaxies, deep and infinite. And your flowing hair—ah!—like the very threads of fate itself. Join me on my noble quest to slay the fallen evils of this world!"
Maria recoiled instantly, yanking her hand away with a look of pure irritation. Her sharp gaze traveled from his mask to his bare chest and then to the makeshift leaf skirt he wore. "Don't be ridiculous," she snapped, brushing off her hand as though trying to erase the memory of his touch. "If you want to court a lady, maybe start by taking off that ridiculous mask. And while we're at it, look around you!" She gestured to the battlefield. "This is a blood-soaked mess, not the time or place for your nonsense."
Lyra, leaning casually against her floating wind barrier, burst into laughter. "Ha! This guy is something else," she teased, grinning at Maria. "Come on, Maria, why not give him a chance? Imagine the adorable little juniors running around."
Maria shot Lyra a withering glare, her lips curling in disgust. "Give me a break. That's the most horrifying thing I've heard all day."
Meanwhile, Alonso stepped out of the carriage, his icy aura faintly trailing behind him as he approached. His expression was calm but laced with mild irritation. "So, you're Chaka," he said, his tone measured. "Cheng mentioned you. But tell me, why did you kill them all? You could have left at least one alive for questioning."
Chaka stood, brushing off his knees, and turned to face Alonso. His posture shifted dramatically, from playful to menacing. "Oh, it's you—the Ice Sovereign," he said, his drum floating ominously beside him. A sudden glint of seriousness crossed his eyes. "You've got a five-million-coin bounty on your head. That's a lot of money."
Alonso raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "So, you're after the bounty? A criminal organization's bounty, at that. Go ahead, but you'll lose your adventurer's license. It's not worth it."
Chaka shrugged with an exaggerated grin, his drum inching closer to his side. "With five million coins, why would I care about that?"
Seeing the tension rise, both Maria and Lyra instantly got serious, Maria's hand subtly moving to her weapon. The atmosphere thickened, but before anyone could act, the king emerged from the carriage, Marcel following close behind.
The king, his usual jovial demeanor intact, laughed heartily. "Ha! Chaka, it's good to see you again. But really, you're going to risk your chances at that SSS rank evaluation over a mere five million? You've been pestering me and Cheng for a recommendation for months now. Do you want to spoil it all here?"
Marcel chuckled, shaking his head. "You haven't changed, Chaka. Still jumping into things without thinking."
Chaka sighed deeply, the menace draining from his posture. "Alright, alright," he said, waving his hands in mock surrender. "I wasn't serious. Just wanted to test his abilities, that's all. And besides," he smirked, his tone turning playful again, "I couldn't help but notice he's hogging all the beautiful women."
The king roared with laughter, clapping his hand on Marcel's shoulder. "I knew it! You're just jealous! But how did you know they were his subordinates?"
Chaka tapped the side of his mask, his voice smug. "Have you forgotten who I am? My instincts are second to none."
Alonso, still annoyed, stepped closer. "Instincts or not, you still haven't answered my question. Why didn't you leave even one alive for questioning?"
Chaka grinned, completely unfazed. "Relax. These guys were nothing but low-level scum chasing a bounty. They probably didn't know anything important. But," he added with a mischievous glint, "if you don't believe me, why not ask them yourself?"
Before Alonso could respond, Chaka With a dramatic flourish, Chaka raised his hands and struck his drum with a resounding Dum! A ripple of ominous energy spread across the battlefield, chilling everyone to their core. The mangled body of the assassins' leader, whose head had been blown off, began to jerk upright. The grotesque sight drew gasps from everyone present as the man's head seemed to reform, flesh knitting itself together as though time were reversing. His eyes glowed a menacing red, completing the unnatural resurrection.
Alonso narrowed his eyes, a flicker of shock breaking through his usual calm demeanor. "What the hell is this? Necromancy?"
The king stepped forward slightly, his face grave as he peered at the grotesque display. "No… this isn't necromancy. It's an ancient form of magic passed down through bloodlines, known as voodoo. A magic of curses."
Maria and Lyra exchanged uneasy glances as they watched the corpse of the dead leader begin to walk toward them.
Marcel grimaced, his hand instinctively resting on his weapon. "There's been a long debate about whether voodoo is inherently good or evil, but in most parts of the world, it's seen as a dark and malevolent art. Practitioners often commit vile acts, sacrificing humanity for power.
Chaka is one of the rare few who doesn't kill for power—or so we hope."
Alonso turned to Marcel, his voice sharp with curiosity. "What do you mean by that?"
Lyra, arms crossed, chimed in, her expression skeptical. "Voodoo practitioners often make human sacrifices to their 'god' in exchange for power. The more sacrifices they offer, the stronger they become. They're also said to wield control over the dead."
Chaka laughed, his tone smug and theatrical. "Not a god, darling—a true demon. Don't confuse those silly creatures you call demons on this plane with the ones I'm talking about. True demons dwell in the spiritual plane, the same as the dead. That's why we can control the dead when we channel their power."
Alonso's expression shifted as pieces of knowledge resurfaced in his mind. "True demons…" he murmured. "I remember reading about them. They were created alongside angels, meant to embody chaos and destruction, while the angels represented order. Their power is so overwhelming they can't even manifest on this plane, unlike angels."
The king, Marcel, and Chaka all turned to him in shock. Chaka stepped forward, his drum swaying beside him. "Hey, how the hell do you know that? That's information only initiates are supposed to know."
Alonso chuckled, brushing off the question with a smirk. "Oh, really? Guess I'm just lucky. Every time I remember something, it turns out to be hidden knowledge. Yet the things I can't recall? Public information. Funny how that works."
Chaka tilted his head, his tone shifting to a mock-seriousness. "Well, that's a neat trick. For the record, we kept the 'god' story alive to make ourselves more palatable to the public. But yes, it's a true demon we serve. And if you ever meet a voodoo priest, be cautious. True demons lust for blood constantly."
Maria, her arms crossed and an unimpressed expression on her face, scoffed. "Oh? And what makes you so different, Chaka?"
Chaka grinned, standing tall with exaggerated pride. "Ah, fair maiden, I'm glad you asked. Let's just say I have a blessing—that's all you need to know."
Maria raised an eyebrow. "Don't flatter yourself, and stop calling me 'fair maiden.'
Chaka laughed smugly. "Oh, come now, no need to play hard to get. I can see you're intrigued."
The king, shaking his head, interrupted with a chuckle. "I'm surprised a god would bless you, knowing you're tied to a true demon. And why are you sharing these secrets with us?"
Chaka shrugged nonchalantly. "Simple. I want that SSS-rank recommendation. Gotta earn your trust, don't I?"
The dead leader, now fully reanimated, stopped in front of them. Chaka gestured toward him and looked at Alonso. "Well, Oni, ask your questions."
Alonso nodded and stepped forward, his tone calm but commanding. "Alright. Tell me, how did you know about the carriage's location, and where did you get your information?"
The leader's glowing red eyes fixed on Alonso as he spoke in a hollow, emotionless voice. "Red Raven gave us the information."
Alonso crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing. "I already knew that. Be specific. Which agent of Red Raven? What's their name? Who handed you the intel?"
The leader paused, then replied mechanically, "It was Maxwell Craft, the city lord of Forest Hill City. He provided the time and route the king would take. But… he never mentioned the women with the king—or you."
Marcel's fists clenched, his face dark with fury. "That bastard! This is treason of the highest order! Your Majesty, let me deal with him personally."
Alonso raised a hand to stop him. "Wait. Leave this to me. I'll have one of my subordinates handle it. We've been trying to infiltrate Red Raven for some time now, and this is the perfect opportunity."
The king turned to Alonso, his expression firm. "Fine. I'll leave it to you. Marcel, do you have any objections?"
Marcel hesitated, then nodded reluctantly. "No, Your Majesty. But on one condition." He turned to Alonso, his eyes blazing. "Bring Maxwell Craft to me. I want to deal with him myself."
Alonso nodded, his tone cool and assured. "Fair enough. Consider it done." He turned back to Chaka with a faint smirk. "See? You just have to know the right questions to ask.
Chaka looked around at the blood-soaked battlefield, his expression a mix of smug satisfaction and theatrical disdain. "Well, well. What a mess! Allow me to tidy up," he declared, his voice dripping with exaggerated self-importance.
He lowered himself to the ground, sitting cross-legged with his drum resting squarely on his lap. His movements were deliberate, almost ritualistic, as he placed both hands on the drum. Closing his eyes, he inhaled deeply, his expression shifting into one of mock reverence. "Hum, hum… I, Chaka, offer the souls of these dearly departed. Accept my humble offering, oh great spirit! Ha ha ha!" He laughed maniacally, his voice echoing across the battlefield. Then, with a sharp breath, his tone turned serious. "Hum… hum… hum…"
His hands struck the drum in a hypnotic rhythm, the beats resonating through the clearing. Bam, bam, bam. Be-be-be-be-be. Bam, bam, be-bem-bam! The sound was mesmerizing, the air vibrating with the cadence.
The bodies of the assassins began to rise, their blood and limbs levitating unnaturally, as if pulled by an unseen force. Maria and Lyra exchanged uneasy glances while Alonso watched with detached curiosity. A swirling vortex of energy formed above the drum, sucking in the bodies, blood, and even the remnants of broken weapons. The scene was both eerie and mesmerizing as everything spiraled into the drum.
When the last trace of carnage disappeared, the drum emitted a crimson glow before returning to its original, unassuming state. The battlefield was left spotless, as though nothing had occurred. Chaka stood, brushing dirt from his legs with a smug grin. "And just like that, a masterpiece of cleaning. You're welcome," he said, bowing theatrically.
He turned to Maria, his expression shifting to one of exaggerated charm. "Fair maiden, I must now take my leave. But before I depart, may I have the honor of knowing your name?"
Maria gave him a flat look, clearly unimpressed. "Maria. Just call me Maria."
Chaka placed a hand over his chest as though her name had physically struck him. "Maria. A name as radiant as its bearer. If fate wills it, we shall meet again."
He turned toward the others, offering a casual salute. "Ice Sovereign, Marcel, Red Woman, take care."
Lyra's face twisted in irritation as she snapped, "My name is Lyra, not Red Woman!"
Alonso chuckled, shaking his head. "Actually, after we've finished our business in the capital, I'll be joining you, Abigail, and Cheng."
Chaka's grin widened as he adjusted his drum on his shoulder. "Oh, truly? Then that means I'll have the pleasure of seeing the lovely Maria again. Ha ha ha!" He laughed as he began walking away, his drumbeats echoing behind him. Bam, bam, bam.
Alonso, however, couldn't suppress a small smile as he watched Chaka disappear into the distance. "What a character that guy is," he mused aloud.
Everyone nodded in agreement, though the exasperation on their faces showed they were happy Chaka had finally left.