Bani emerged from a veil of shadows. He landed without a sound. The ancient catacomb received him with silence. Cold air crawled across his skin, carrying the smell of damp stone, old blood, and something that had been dead for far too long. Water dripped somewhere in the darkness.
Drip. A pause.
Drip.
The sound traveled through the winding tunnels, growing thinner with every echo. Bani stood motionless. His head tilted slightly.
Footsteps. Fast. His hands moved on instinct. Two shadow daggers formed within his grasp, their black blades shimmering faintly beneath the weak light. The footsteps grew louder.
Then two figures stumbled around the bend.
Girls.
They were running as though the very concept of stopping had become a luxury. Silvia's silver hair was tangled and dirty. Her clothes were torn, her body bearing several injuries. Beside her, Lyra's crimson hair clung to her face, and her silver spectacles hung crookedly from her nose, one lens cracked.
Neither noticed Bani. They simply ran.Then came the growls.
Deep. Guttural. Hungry.
Bani slowly turned his head. Two enormous silhouettes emerged from the darkness behind the girls.
Skin-walkers.
But unlike the humanoid creatures Bani had encountered elsewhere in Gorgoroth, these things looked as though nature itself had suffered a mental breakdown while designing them.
Their backs were broad and hunched. Their limbs were unnaturally long, ending in claws that scraped against the stone with every step.
Their jaws stretched far beyond anything a jaw had any reasonable business doing. Rows of jagged teeth filled their mouths.
Their eyes burned with hunger. They had been hunting Silvia and Lyra. Now they had found another target.
Bani.
The masked boy stared at them.The creatures stared back.
For a brief moment, nobody moved.
Then one of the Skin-walkers roared. Bani sighed beneath his mask. Apparently, he had arrived at the wrong place.
The first monster lunged. Its claws tore through the air.
Bani twisted aside.
The claws passed within inches of his head.
The second Skin-walker attacked from behind.
Bani ducked.
BOOM!
Its claws smashed into the wall, sending fragments of stone flying. Bani rolled beneath its arm and drove a shadow dagger into its side.
The blade sank deep.
Black blood spilled across the floor. The creature roared.
Bani withdrew the dagger.
The first Skin-walker was already upon him.
He crossed both blades.
CLANG!
The claws struck.
The force hurled Bani backward several meters. His boots scraped against the stone as he fought to maintain his balance.
The creature charged again.
Bani disappeared.
His body dissolved into darkness just before the claws reached him.
They struck empty air.
A moment later, Bani emerged behind the monster.
Both daggers plunged into its back. The Skin-walker screamed. It twisted violently.
One claw caught Bani across the shoulder.
Fabric tore. Blood appeared.
Bani didn't flinch.
Shadows spread beneath the creature's feet.
They wrapped around its legs. The monster stumbled.
Bani stepped forward. One dagger entered its chest.
Then the second.
The Skin-walker convulsed. And collapsed.
Silence returned.
For approximately one second. The second monster charged.
Bani turned.
Too late.
Its enormous body slammed into him. He flew backward and crashed through a stone pillar.
The ancient structure broke apart beneath the impact.
Dust swallowed the tunnel.
The Skin-walker pounced.
Its jaws opened.
They were wide enough to make Bani briefly reconsider the advantages of having a normal-sized enemy. He caught its wrist.
The impact nearly crushed his arm.
The creature's other claw descended.
Bani twisted. The claw smashed into the floor. He drove one dagger into its throat. The creature recoiled. The second dagger followed.
Straight through its skull.
The monster collapsed beside him.
Silence.
Real silence this time. Bani slowly stood. Blood trickled down his shoulder. He glanced toward the tunnel. Silvia and Lyra were staring at him.
Neither spoke.
Their expressions were almost impressive in their contradiction.
Amazement.
Horror.
And the dawning realization that the masked creature standing before them might somehow have been the least dangerous thing in Gorgoroth.
Lyra cautiously raised a hand.
"Who are you?"
Bani tilted his head.
The faceless mask stared back at her. He said nothing.
Then his body dissolved into shadows. He vanished.
Silvia's raised hand remained frozen in the air. Lyra stared at the empty tunnel.
"...Was that supposed to be reassuring?"
Silvia slowly lowered her hand. "I don't think so."
Neither girl knew whether they had just encountered an enemy... or an unlikely savior.
Far away, within the ruins of Gorgoroth, Ravik tightened his fingers around a small runic artifact.
Beside him stood the creature wearing Krail's appearance.
The ruins around them trembled. Growls echoed from every direction.
They were coming.
Countless Skin-walkers descended upon the ruins.
Ravik didn't hesitate. He crushed the artifact. Runes exploded into light. Space twisted.
A circular gate tore open before them, revealing the ancient catacomb tunnel through which they had entered Gorgoroth five days earlier.
"Move!"
Ravik rushed through. The false Krail followed. Behind them came the growls.The gate collapsed the instant they crossed through. The pursuing creatures slammed against the closing barrier.
Then silence.
Ravik stumbled forward and leaned against a stone wall, breathing heavily.
Five days.
They had entered Gorgoroth as four demons. Only two had returned.
Or perhaps it was more accurate to say that only one had returned as himself.
Ravik looked toward the horses.
Two remained.
He walked toward them and untied both.
"Go."
The animals hesitated.
Then, apparently deciding that freedom was preferable to whatever awaited their masters, they galloped into the wilderness.
The false Krail watched carefully.
Every movement.
Every habit.
Every expression.
Everything was information.
They mounted their remaining horses and began the journey back toward the Demon Realm.
The moment the false Krail settled onto its horse, however, the animal began behaving strangely.
It kicked the ground.
Shook its head.
Its ears flattened.
Ravik frowned. He watched the horse for several seconds. Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
But he kept his suspicion to himself.
Sometimes survival required silence.
And sometimes silence was simply the most polite way to wait for someone else to make the mistake first.
Hours later, they reached Bezubeel's manor.
Inside the office, Bezubeel sat behind his desk.
A holographic rune hovered above the table, connecting him to the Demon King.
Their conversation was calm. Almost boring.
Then the doors opened. Ravik entered.
The false Krail followed.
Bezubeel's golden eyes immediately settled upon the second figure.
He said nothing. He simply watched. Ravik bowed.
"My lord."
"Report."
Ravik began. He explained everything. The guardian. The failed teleportation Their separation.The Skin-walkers. The deaths of their comrades. Their discovery of the Elixir Worm. Their escape.
Bezubeel listened without interruption.
When Ravik finished, the demon's expression became slightly colder.
"You said you encountered creatures capable of changing their forms."
"Yes."
"They were extremely adaptive."
"Yes."
Bezubeel narrowed his eyes. "Am I wrong?"
"No, my lord."
Bezubeel leaned back. His gaze shifted toward the false Krail.
"Tell me, Krail." A pause. "What was your horse's name?"
The false Krail remained perfectly still.
For half a second.
Then it answered. "Hornoc."
Bezubeel smiled. It wasn't a pleasant smile.
"Your horse doesn't have a name."
Silence.
Bezubeel slowly removed his golden spectacles.
"You told me something years ago." He placed the spectacles upon the desk.
"You said you would never name another horse after Hornoc."
The room became very quiet. The false Krail's eyes shifted toward him. Bezubeel stood.
"Krail."
The creature said nothing.
"You have brought a creature into our lands."
Bezubeel's eyes sharpened. "One that should never have been allowed to leave Gorgoroth."
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then the false Krail smiled. Its body changed. Bones cracked. Limbs elongated. Joints bent in directions they had no right to bend.
Black spread across its skin. Its mouth stretched into a monstrous grin. Its body continued growing.
And growing.
Until its head smashed through the ceiling.
Its distorted voice echoed throughout the manor.
"I'm impressed, demon." The creature laughed. "Not many could discover me." Its monstrous eyes gleamed.
"Not many could force me to reveal myself, either."
It looked toward the ceiling. "Looks like the world has changed after centuries."
Bezubeel remained calm.
"Ravik."
"Yes, my lord?"
"Evacuate the people."
Ravik glanced at the enormous creature. "And the guards?"
"Tell them not to assist."
Ravik hesitated.
Bezubeel's eyes hardened.
"That is an order."
Ravik immediately left.
Minutes later, emergency bells rang throughout the manor.
Citizens fled. The surrounding streets emptied. But The false Krail would not allow the citizens leave before it attacks. It understood.
Bezubeel was isolating the battlefield. He was removing every possible casualty. When the final citizen disappeared from Bezubeel's mana sense... the creature attacked. Its enormous fist tore through the air.
Bezubeel stepped aside. Another strike. He ducked. A claw swept past his face. He moved again. The creature became faster. Its attacks became more violent. Yet Bezubeel continued avoiding them. He wasn't merely dodging. He was studying. Every movement. Every technique. Every alteration in mana.Every tiny change in the creature's body. The Skin-walker roared. "You cannot avoid me forever!" It swung again.
Bezubeel stopped. His hand caught the creature's fist. The impact shook the manor. The Skin-walker stared at him.
Bezubeel smiled. "You wanted to show me adaptability." His fingers tightened around the enormous fist. "Then let me show you mine."
Mana erupted. Reality changed. The manor disappeared. The streets vanished. The sky ceased to exist. Everything became a vast sea of reflections. Countless mirrors stretched endlessly in every direction.
Each surface reflected another world. Every movement created another reflection. Every reflection contained another possibility. At the center of that endless sea stood Bezubeel.
His golden spectacles reflected thousands of versions of himself.
The Skin-walker stared around. Bezubeel raised one hand.
SOUL WORLD MANIFESTATION : SEA OF REFLECTIONS