The Demon Lord Is An Angel
Chapter 120: A Reply

Chapter 120: A Reply

"Hold that thought," Kir smiled awkwardly to Noir, before heading downstairs.

He realized halfway down that he’d forgotten to put on his shirt, but decided against returning upstairs when the knocking became a pounding at the door.

"I’m coming, I’m coming," Kir said, pulling the door open to find a drunk Amarena and a not-drunk Arcca - the adventurer’s guild clerk.

"You’re Kir, right?" the orcish man asked. "Can you take her off my hands?"

"Sure," Kir said, stepping in to support Amarena as the two of them guided her to the couch.

"Sorry to drop her off like this-"

"We had a battle!" Amarena suddenly belched. "I like ale!"

"-she’s quite the lightweight," he grimaced. "Figured I’d bring her back since she paid for everything..."

Kir opened his mouth and then thought better of correcting the man. Technically he’d paid for everything, but at least no one had died.

"She told me about your dead friends... I’m sorry for your loss," Arcca nodded sympathetically.

"Oh, um... thank you," Kir said, rolling Amarena to lay on her side. At least now he knew demons could get drunk.

"I have two messages for you," Arcca continued, reaching into his pocket. "One from Warmancer Cadence and one from Norneau..."

Kir stood fully, accepting the slips of paper.

Not knowing which was which, he opened the first and read, Brooker is heading your way. He’s pulling all the Syndicate teams closest to Darlbridge. Get out of there while you can.

Kir swore. If Brooker got to the town, there was no way he wouldn’t find out it was where Kir had grown up. He might as well set fire to Bridget and Darlae’s home himself...

As soon as the thought of fleeing arose though, Kir felt it replaced by a different realization. He could fulfill his oath. He could end Brooker and show the world that he was not someone who would flee from the cause he’d bound himself to...

A moment later he smiled.

"So uh..." Arcca clearly knew the message he’d delivered. "I’m supposed to stay out of the way... And send a message back when I get the chance, assuming you, you know, leave or..."

Kir shook his head. "Tell that slaver when he arrives that this is where he’ll find me. I’m not running, and he’s not going to survive our next battle," Kir said.

"I’ll, uh, do that. And for what it’s worth, I’m sorry about the second message," Arcca stepped backward toward the door before abruptly turning and leaving.

Kir opened the second letter, and almost immediately his face fell.

Do not answer. Rain is gone. Heaven knows.

"Heaven... knows..." Kir felt his heart constrict. What had happened? Rain and Kordia were the only two people in Norneau who knew his parentage... Even Chancellor Lumin only knew the circumstances of Kir’s father. For anyone else to have found out, must have meant...

The Professor and the Knight Commander must have gotten a message out. Kir had sent his message to Kordia and Rain... But if Rain was gone... what did that mean? Was he safe? Did they find out he knew about Kir? Or was it just because they were roommates... Or was he just out for vacation?

A million worries twisted Kir’s guts. Why was the message so vague? Nothing about the reply indicated anything about what he should do...

A sudden pressure on his leg tore Kir’s attention back into the present.

"You look like a gutted afanc," Amarena said.

"I feel like one... whatever that is," Kir replied.

"Was my hearing correct? Did you promise a battle?" Amarena asked, her eyes glinting with bloodlust.

"I did... the slaver who hired the adventurers you fought is coming here. I aim to destroy him and everyone he brings with him," Kir crumpled the messages in his hands.

"Hahah! Then you have my sword. I cannot wait to see how you really fight, Heresy-Son," she sat up heavily, licking her lips and pushing her mane of hair back. The look she gave him was sultry, but Kir wasn’t in the mood.

"I need to tell the others," Kir said. "We might not have much time."

"Time for what?" Noir asked from the stairs as he came down, finally dressed.

"Brooker- the leader of the slavers from the outpost is coming here. I aim to destroy him," Kir said.

Noir paled for just a second before steel entered his eyes. "Good... How can I help?"

"Just stay here and help Amarena get sober. I’m going to go find Kord-" Kir shook his head, internally flinching at his mistake. "I’m going to find Stella and Sam. Once that’s done, the three of you can leave while Amarena and I take care of the battle."

"No," Noir replied. "I’m staying with you."

"Noir, please listen. It’s my turn to protect you and Sam, so just go. If I don’t make it find somewhere to live in peace."

"No, you listen to me, Kir. If you die, there’s nothing stopping them from chasing us down. I’m not going to live another day, much less years, wishing I hadn’t run away. I’d rather... I’d rather fight! And nothing you say is-"

Kir rubbed his temple with his fingers. "Alright," he interrupted.

"I said nothing is going to-"

"I said alright!" Kir raised his voice.

"Oh," Noir bit his lip awkwardly.

"There should be a couple of crossbows in the basement," Kir said. "Try them out and tell me if they need adjusting... After I find Sam and Stella I need to test out how much casting I can do with only one seal remaining. Oh, if you can, please gather up all the pieces that fell in the bedroom." Kir finished his instructions to Noir, who nodded.

Amarena tilted her head trying to get a look at Kir’s ears, but the remaining seal was on the opposite side to her.

"You sound like you have a plan," Amarena said, giving up her attempt to peek and leaning heavily against the back of the couch.

"I wouldn’t be much of a mage without one," Kir replied.

He didn’t have a plan. But he had time, he hoped, and he was going to use it.

First, he sent out a surge of awareness through his bond with Stella. It wasn’t nearly as painful as when there had been two seals, but it still hurt enough to make him think twice. The response he got back was...

Concern. Confusion. Urgency. A sense of direction off in the woods...

Kir swore. "Something’s happening. I need to get to Stella right away," Kir said.

Without waiting for a reply he rushed out the door, deploying his wings and flying in the direction he’d sensed his familiar in.

After a couple of minutes, he sent another "ping" for Stella’s attention out, reeling in the air as he realized "That was a bad idea..."

The direction he got back brought him over a relatively clear patch of the forest. And he realized that the triangle of new growth was where he’d first tested out using magic to create a neutron flare.

A burst of light drew his gaze and Kir saw them. Stella was standing in front of Sam, using her fire to hold off a furry creature the size of a house.

Behind her, Sam clutched a knife, their face pale and sickly-looking.

Only when Kir landed heavily on the creature, gripping into its flesh with his clawed feet, did he realize that it was a monster.

A strange feeling drew in from his wings, mana, but corrupted and twisted. It filled him with a sensation like cloying sugar... and in his chest he felt as if his veins were constricting from anticipation.

Up close, the beast was like a cross between a boar and a gorilla. Massive tusks projected out of its mouth. That mouth turned towards Kir, the neck much longer than it had appeared to be from the air. Turning its head almost completely around, a halo of red began to form between its teeth-

Kir shifted into his war form in order to force the creature down before grabbing one of the tusks and snapping it. His act interrupted its nascent ability, causing it to spew painful but harmless mana over Kir as its growl of anger became a cry of pain.

Before the creature could finish crying out in pain, Kir jammed the bone into its eye, digging inward until he drove the spike into the monster’s brain.

The roar he unleashed then was primal, filled with the pent-up feelings of frustration that he bore for the fact that what prospects he’d had for a peaceful life seemed shattered at his feet.

After the creature finished letting out a rattling death gasp, Kir ripped it apart, sending its head flying in one direction as he tore it limb from limb. When he saw the blue-veined mana crystals that had replaced its heart and lungs, Kir gave himself to his instincts and bit into them. Viciously he chewed the mana-flesh, even as the person inside him wanted to gag at the wet sensation of crunching, popping bronchi, and the taste of blood.

When he finally withdrew from his bloody feast, remembering Sam and Stella, he found them cowering where they’d held their stand, in the crack of a split boulder.

"You alright, boss?" Stella asked as he looked at her.

Kir realized then what a bloody sight he was.

"No... No I’m not alright. Nothing’s alright..." Kir placed his face in his palm as he sat heavily, barely keeping his tail out of the creature’s pooling blood.

Behind Stella, Sam puked.

"They’ve been doing that every morning for a couple of days now," Stella said. "At least, I think that’s what they were trying to tell me..."

"Stella, we need to get back to the house. The slavers are coming, and I intend to destroy every last one of them," he said.

"I get it, Kir," Stella said, "At least I think I do... but once we get back, you may want to keep Sam out of it."

"I won’t make them fight," Kir replied. "In fact, I’d rather they got out ahead of the battle."

"I don’t think Sam’s going to manage that," Stella said, "You see..."

"I’m pregnant," Sam spoke. "...It’s Caroon’s..."

"Oh." Kir’s eyes widened.

Oh no...