Some mentions of torture and violence coming up.

CHAPTER FOUR | The Search Begins

A heavy steel door slammed shut, bringing all the eyes in the dark hallway to the man who entered.

“Lord Zrox.” A solider greeted him with a bow.

Zrox walked past him without stopping. The solider followed him, hurrying to match his pace.

“Any progress?”

“Not yet. We’ve tried multiple methods to get her to talk, but she still hasn’t given us any answers.” The soldier said nervously.

“We did do a background check on her though. From what we found, she used to work in the castle as a maid for several years. Perhaps she was plotting to kill the king to begin with and jumped at the opportunity when lord Jaeyong—I mean, his majesty was searching for an assassin?”

Zrox was silent. He navigated the dungeon with only dimly lit torches to light his way.

At the very end of the hall was another heavy steel door with a barred-up window at the top of it. The solider rushed to open the door for him, and they both entered a cell where two other soldiers were standing beside a woman shackled to a stone wall by her arms and legs. Black markings resembling snakes were printed all around her body. Her silk garments were torn and dirtied with blood.

Zrox eyed her scrutinizingly. Her head was hanging down with her black hair covering her face.

“Look at me.” He ordered her.

The woman didn’t move.

“I said, look at me.” He squeezed her jaw and lifted her head. Strands of hair stuck to her wet face. Her rage filled eyes glared at him with a red glow.

Zrox glared back at her with red eyes to match, ”Tell me why you wanted the boy.”

No answer.

“Speak up or I’ll make you.”

The woman maintained her silence.

“Fine.” Zrox breathed and blue light burst from his hand, sending an electric shock through the woman’s body. She wailed in pain and panted heavily when the shock subsided.

“I don’t…. know anything…” She gasped.

Zrox charged up the blue light again without warning. The woman’s body shook violently from the force.

The soldiers in the room coward in fear at the sight. A demon’s power sure was a frightening thing.

When the light stopped, the woman coughed and desperately in air. “HIS BLOOD! I NEEDED HIS BLOOD!” She finally admitted.

“Why?”

“His blood….” She struggled to catch her breath. “I wanted it…”

“I asked why!” Zrox squeezed her jaw and the woman quivered.

She glared at him and a snake-like hiss slid out from the back of .

Blue light sparked from Zrox’s hand.

“HE’S THE KEY!” She spat out frantically, not wanted to fall victim to the light a third time.

The light disappeared. Zrox’s eyes widened for a split second then his expression became neutral at her words.

“I thought so.” He murmured to himself.

“My lord? What does she mean by “the key”?” The solider behind him piped out curiously.

Zrox raised his hand to quiet him and gripped hard on the woman’s jaw once more. She whimpered and hissed.

“How are you so sure?” His hand sparked with light, but the woman reacted immediately.

“Wait, Wait, Wait!!” She cried, “Back when the king was… when his father…I saw what he did… I saw it then… when he was hurt… his blood came out gold…” She felt rushed and was unable to formulate a proper explanation.

Zrox removed his hand from her jaw and thought over the information he received. “That’s all I needed to know.”

“Um, sir? What does she mean by his blood being gold? And what does the former king have to do with this?” The soldier timidly asked.

Zrox’s hands burst into blue light and beams of it filled the room, zapping the three soldiers and the demon woman. The soldiers collapsed, lifeless, and the woman went limp.

“Sorry, but I must keep this information to myself.” He eyed the dead soldiers and exited the cell without an inkling of remorse.

◅♕♕♕▻

“Chan, you should get some rest.” Woojin suggested while placing his hand on Chan’s shoulder.

“I’m fine. You rest. We will head out as soon as the sun is above the tree line.”

Chan stared out over a cliff that had an amazing view of the forest below. Behind them was a small crackling fire Woojin had started to keep them warm during the cold night. Next to it was an agitated crow locked in a cage made of ice. It’s wing was visibly burnt.

“Demon, human, or elf, you can’t keep going without any sleep. You’ll crash at this rate.”

Chan shook his head, “I can’t rest now. Not until I’m sure the king is safe.”

“I’m sure he is.” Woojin crossed his arms and watched as the tiniest sparkle of sun peeked out from the horizon.

“From what you explained to me, there is only one known demon that can conjure up demonic crows like the one we caught. Correct?“

“Correct.”

“And you believe he’s the protector of this so called “Key” you mentioned?”

Chan nodded, “I’ve only heard legends about him, but he does fit the description.”

“Then, wouldn’t that make his Majesty the key?”

“I believe it’s possible. I don’t see any other reason for a demon like that to take him.”

“If it’s true, then that demon has to be keeping him safer than anyone else possibly could right now.”

“But if I’m wrong,” Chan paused shortly, “then Jeongin is running out of time.”

No matter what his fellow soldier told him, he wasn’t going to feel at ease until he had Jeongin safely by his side.

“Have a little faith.”

Woojin nudged him with his elbow.

Chan opened his mouth to comment, but the crow’s incessant cawing cut him off.

The two soldiers turned to see the bird crazily flapping its wings and scratching at the bars of its cage. Feathers fell to the ground and wisped away along the cool breeze.

“What’s that things problem?” Woojin asked.

“It wants to get back to its master.” Chan answered, approaching the cage and kneeling down to examine the bird. “That’s why I caught it. It should lead us straight to that demon—and hopefully, the king.”

Woojin joined him on the ground and flinched slightly when the bird squawked in his face.

“Maybe we should get going now since the bird seems so riled up?”

“We can’t. It’s safer to move when the sun is up. We’ll run into more trouble than we need if we travel in the dark.” Chan straightened up and stood closer to the fire.

Woojin nodded in silent agreement.

Just then, an ominous wind swept through the forest. The fire instantly burnt out and chilling moans like those of lost souls echoed in the darkness.

The crow went wild in its cage, growing increasingly anxious towards the eminent danger.

Woojin got up from the ground and jumped beside Chan. He pulled his sword from its sheath and held it out in front of him.

“What the hell is that sound? Do you think it’s a demon?” Woojin questioned while scanning the shadows of the forest.

Chan unsheathed his sword and slid his hand across its blade so icefire engulfed its hilt.

“In this forest? Definitely.”

As the wind picked up, the sound of dogs barking pulled their attention to multiple pairs of red eyes that appeared in the darkness. Silhouettes dashed around, closing in on the two men from all directions. Chan and Woojin pressed their backs together and followed their enemy’s movements.

“What are they?!” Woojin tried to make out the main features of the demons with what little light he had to see them, but they were moving too fast.

Chan swept his hand across his blade to absorb some of the icefire and formed a blue spherical flame in the palm of his hand. He tossed the flame into the darkness and the fire exploded into sparks that revealed about ten of the zombie-looking canines before burning out. The creatures hissed and scattered.

“They look like conjured demons, similar to that crow. Which means someone must be controlling them from somewhere.”

“How many do you think there are?”

Chan sidestepped and Woojin moved with him so they rotated with their backs still connected.

“Hard to tell…. I’d estimate around 40 or more. Do you think you can handle that?”

Woojin grinned. “How long have you known me? I’ve fought more demons along side you than this measly bunch. You know I don’t go down that easily.”

Chan huffed and a smirked found its way onto his face. “Don’t underestimate your opponent just yet.”

“Yes sir!” Woojin gladly agreed.

A slew of demons dove out of the dark trees and gathered to attack the two men.

Chan twisted his sword like a fan and icefire mowed down a collection of the canines in front of him. He then gripped his sword and drew four “X”s that exploded into flames out fo thin air, setting some of the creatures on fire.

Woojin was quickly overrun with demons. He sliced and kicked, maintaining a small circle of space between himself and his enemies.

One demon leaped straight at Woojin and the male stabbed it clean through. Its weight pushed him backwards, but his back fell against Chan’s for support. The demon co