Raevynn ran a wet stone down the length of her blade repeatedly, sharpening it until her own hands would bleed just from getting close to it. The battle coming up would be a big one, and she wasn’t about to lose it because her sword got dull from slashing too many bodies in half.

“Hey,” came Morokai’s voice from the doorway. “We’re gonna head out soon. Are you almost ready?”

Raevynn stopped sharpening her sword and looked up at Morokai. “Yeah,” she said, sheathing her blade. “Just say the word.”

Morokai sighed, and Raevynn’s expression turned to a frown. Morokai only sighed like that when he wanted to talk about something. “Listen Rae,” he started, sitting down next to her. “I need to make sure you’re not going to do anything stupid when we go out there fighting.”

Raevynn looked at Morokai. “I want revenge, Morokai. We all do.”

“I know,” he said quickly, not letting Raevynn add anything else. “But we all have to fight him together, you understand me? I know that he killed your mother but he hurt all of us.”

Raevynn stood up, keeping her back to Morokai. “This isn’t just about my mother. He tore Mikhal’s family apart, Morokai. He’s killed so many innocents for no reason at all. We all want his head, dammit, and there’s nothing I won’t do to get it.”

Morokai put his hand on Raevynn’s shoulder, spinning her around to stare him in his eye. His cold, heartless eyes. “If you do that I will personally see that you will have hell to pay, Raevynn!”

Rage built inside Raevynn. She still managed to reply with the utmost calm. “After all the hell you already caused me, Morokai? There’s nothing more you can do.”

*****

Raevynn opened her eyes and sat up immediately. Another dream of the old days... she was having too many. Raevynn looked around. She was sitting on top of a large, comfortable bed, still wearing her cloak. Raevynn stood up, threw her cloak off and onto the bed, and walked over to the basin of water on the windowsill. A light breeze cascaded through the open window, and the sun was about to set. Raevynn looked down at the surface of the water. Her long red hair was perfectly straight and fell down to her elbows, as usual. Her usually white, yet lively face was pale and sickly. Her normally vibrant purple eyes were greyer than anything at the moment. In fact, the only thing normal about Raevynn’s face was the scar that spanned across her right eye; the perfect scar that one sharp claw leaves behind. Tears welling up in her eyes, Raevynn splashed water into her face, and proceeded to wash the dirt and sour memories away.

While she was busy at the basin, a man slipped into Raevynn’s room. He was slightly taller than Raevynn, but much older. His hair was short, spiky and coloured brown. He wore a royal blue tunic with matching baggy pants. A scabbard was tied to his belt and a beautiful jewelled hilt stuck through the top. The man held a travelling pouch in his hand, which he threw on the bed as he arrived. He walked over to Raevynn, his deerskin boots not making a sound, and put his arms around her waist. “You’re late,” he whispered into her ear.

Raevynn stood upright and turned to face the man, returning the embrace. “I’m sorry Mikhal. But, I...” her hands closed into fists, trembling with a combination of fear and anger.

The man, Mikhal, frowned. His ocean blue eyes softened. “What happened?” he said in a calm, controlled voice.

Raevynn took a breath and looked into the man’s eyes. “Someone almost beat me to the mark.”

Mikhal sighed. Raevynn was very particular when it came to her job. “Okay. Who was it?”

Raevynn broke eye contact and spoke into Mikhal’s chest. “... Kyia.”

There was a pause as Mikhal processed the name. “... So, they know you’re alive.”

“I assume so.”

“Perfect,” Mikhal said, breaking their embrace and walking over to a stone pillar in the centre of the room. Making a fist, Mikhal moved to punch the wall, but was able to stop himself before he did. “Just perfect. Now we’re really dead.”

“Mikhal-”

“Dammit Rae, you know it’s true!” Mikhal turned to face Raevynn, one arm leaning against the pillar. “You and I have become the very things they were against. As soon as that gets out they’ll come after US next!”

Raevynn sighed and walked behind a changing screen. She took off her sweaty work clothes and started to throw on a violet shirt with one long bell sleeve and a pair of blue leather Capri’s that went down to her knee. “As long as they don’t know what we did, we’re fine. Besides, I don’t think Amon or Morokai would ever try to kill us.”

Mikhal sighed and walked behind the screen just as Raevynn finished getting dressed. “I don’t care,” he said, a single tear running down his cheek. “You’re all I have left, Raevynn. If I lose you I have nothing.”

Raevynn smiled and gave Mikhal a light kiss on the cheek. “The same goes for you.” She grabbed a scabbard with a plain- looking sword in it, tied it around her waist, and started to exit the room. “Now come on; we’re gonna be late for dinner.”

Shaking his head, Mikhal followed. When he caught up to Raevynn in the dark hallway, he quietly said “I bet you anything they have another job for us. Ever since our first contract there’s so much more we could do for them.”

Raevynn sighed. “I don’t deny that you’re probably right but the thing is we could use the work. Besides, getting in these guys’ good books is the best thing for us right now.”

After a couple more minutes of walking through the dark hallway, the two came to a door. Ever the gentleman, Mikhal extended a hand and rapped lightly on the wood. The door swung open on its own after a couple seconds, and revealed a simple candlelit room with a large circular table being the only visible contents.

“Please, sit down,” said a deep, cold voice from somewhere at the sides of the room.

Raevynn and Mikhal walked to the table and started looking around the room for the source of the voice. “By all means,” Mikhal said, hand resting on the hilt of his sword. “You first.”

The cold voice started to laugh deeply. “Ever cautious. I like that,” it said, and suddenly the candlelight extended to brightly fill all the corners of the room. A man wearing the same black hood as the others stood in front of Raevynn and Mikhal. This man was not wearing a hood; instead, a wooden mask painted red covered his face. The mask was carved into the shape of a snarling bear, and the eyeholes in the mask glowed a bright green. “It will make things a little more interesting.”

Raevynn, whose hand was also resting on her hilt, popped the sword out of its sheath about three inches. “Who are you?” She said, dreading the answer.

The man ran a hand through his wild brown hair. “I am Rangi. I am pleased to make your acquaintance at last, my dear.”

Raevynn and Mikhal exchanged shocked looks. “Rangi, as in one of the Six Demon Kings?”

“Five,” the King corrected them, taking a seat at the table. “I believe it was you that killed the sixth one three years ago, my dear.” He took a sip of the goblet in front of him. “But never mind that. Yes, I am the Lord of the Beasts; the Land-Dwelling Demons.”

In spite of themselves, Raevynn and Mikhal forced themselves to bow. This confused Rangi. “Why do you bow to the Lord of the Beasts? Are you-“

Mikhal gulped, and then righted himself. “My mother was a dog demon,” he said, not mentioning his father. Although, from his tone of voice, it was quite obvious that his father was human.

Raevynn, too, stood up straight. “My mother and father were panther demons,” she said with a hint of disgust in her voice.

Rangi chuckled lightly. “Enchanting. To think you two are under my domain, and I did not know. Absolutely thrilling.” He took another sip from the goblet.

“Just a second,” Raevynn interjected, remembering something Rangi said. “If you knew that I had killed your master, why did you hire me? Wouldn’t you rather kill me?”

Rangi sighed, and then stood up. “It is a thing of the past, my dear. We have moved on.”

Mikhal blinked. “I’m not sure I follow.”

Rangi started to pace around the table. “I shall explain. Whenever a lord meets an early grave, the remaining lords compile a list of candidates that could replace him. These... competitors, if you will- are trained in the necessary fields, and are pitted against each other. There is but one rule. The last demon alive is the new King.”

Raevynn was still confused. “Why tell us this?”

Rangi sat back down. “I am getting to that. The man I just had you kill, my dear Raevynn, was one such competitor. He, however, was secretly meeting with a priest. Trying to rid the world of us Lords.” Rangi took another sip of his drink. “You can see why we hired you.”

Mikhal looked at Raevynn with an expression that plainly said ‘Does this guy ever shut up?’ Raevynn gave him one back that said ‘No.’

Rangi coughed to regain their attention. “But I do digress. We seem to find ourselves one candidate short of a full load, and I would love for you to take his place, Raevynn.”

Raevynn backed away from the Lord. “What? Why me?”

Rangi laughed. “You were able to slay the last King with relative ease. Why not?”

Raevynn, at a loss for words, stared at Rangi. From the look on her face, she was obviously torn. “Just a question. Why should I join your ranks when the man I’m competing to become killed my own mother, killed Mikhal’s entire family?”

Rangi took another sip from his goblet. He seemed very calm. He steepled his clawed fingers. “I have a question for you this time. Which seems better to you; dealing with the human race, which outcast you and your sister as soon as they knew your identity-”

“How do you know about-”

“-Or,” Rangi ignored the conjecture, as if the answer was quite obvious. “Or commanding the entire kingdom’s worth of demons and never having to worry about your loved ones being slain again? You would call all the shots.” Rangi stood, green eyes glowing a little softer. “Just think- the revenge you have been lusting for three whole years would come as easily as snapping your fingers.” Rangi snapped his own for emphasis.

Raevynn looked away from Rangi. He had a point; no more would the demons kill her own if she was their commander, and the humans would not be able to stop her... In fact, she would be so powerful bringing them back would not be out of the realm of possibility... It sounded too good to be true.

But what about your morals? Raevynn could see the lofty figure of Morokai standing in front of her with a disapproving look on his face. Lusting for power already got you in trouble once, he scolded. Raevynn closed her eyes. Shut up, she told Imaginary Morokai. You can’t tell me what to do anymore. Raevynn opened her eyes and looked to Mikhal. “What do you think?”

Mikhal sighed deeply, as if he had been avoiding that question. After a long pause, he sighed and took her slightly shaking hands in his. “Whatever your decision, I’m behind you, Rae.”

Raevynn nodded. She then turned to face Rangi. “I have decided... that I still need to think about it.”

Rangi tilted his head, but nodded. “Reasonable. Understand, though, I will need an answer in no more than three day’s time.”

“Fair enough,” Raevynn said, facing Mikhal again. “I hate to come and go, but I need someone’s advice.” She looked at Rangi for the last time. “Excuse me for skipping out on dinner, but this is quite sudden. I will see you soon.” She kissed Mikhal on the cheek, turned her back to the both of them and proceeded to walk out of the castle.