Chapter 109: The Cave at the End of the Forest...
The darkness of the forest gradually faded behind them.
Nox walked silently behind the Marauder who had agreed to guide him.
Small golden Phoenix flames floated above the palm of his hand, barely illuminating a few meters ahead.
It was a faint light, but enough.
And what that light revealed was anything but pleasant.
Corpses. Dozens of them.
Enormous beasts reduced to skeletons.
Creatures covered in feathers.
Four-legged monsters with enormous fangs.
Even...
Human remains, scattered throughout the mud.
’I definitely chose the worst possible path.’
The Marauder kept walking, and every few steps he slightly turned his head.
He glanced back at Nox, as if waiting for an opportunity.
A moment of carelessness.
A single sign of weakness.
But every time he did...
He found the demon staring directly back at him without looking away.
The Marauder let out a low growl and faced forward again.
Neither of them spoke.
Only the sound of footsteps sinking into the mud and the distant wind rustling through the trees echoed around them.
Danger Sense never activated.
’At least it seems he isn’t planning to betray me... for now.’
They continued walking for several more minutes.
Then the landscape changed.
The trees gradually disappeared.
The humidity faded.
The mud gave way to dark stone.
And before them stood an enormous opening.
A cave.
Not an ordinary cave.
Its entire surface was covered with black minerals.
Crystals embedded throughout the walls, so dark they seemed to absorb light itself.
The Marauder finally spoke.
"This way."
Nox raised an eyebrow.
"You live here?"
"Yes."
The demon looked into the cave.
"I can’t promise the others won’t try to kill you."
Nox let out a small chuckle.
"I already assumed that."
The Chains of the Forgotten King materialized around his arm.
The black chains slithered through the air.
The Marauder instinctively stepped back.
"What are you doing?"
The chains immediately wrapped around his torso.
Then his arms.
Until they completely restrained him.
The Marauder struggled.
"I’m guiding you!"
Nox gave the chains a gentle tug.
"Relax."
"What?"
"I’m not going to hurt you."
The demon smiled behind the Marauder Mask.
"But right now..."
"...you look like my hostage."
The Marauder’s eyes widened.
"That won’t work."
"Why not?"
"They won’t stop attacking you just because you captured me."
Nox laughed.
"Maybe."
He gave the chains another small pull.
"Now walk."
The Marauder growled.
"Damn you..."
"Walk."
Resigned, he started moving again.
Nox followed.
◇◆◇
The inside of the cave was completely different from the forest.
The air was dry and cold.
Thousands of crystals embedded throughout the walls emitted a faint natural glow.
It was enough to clearly illuminate the path ahead.
’What a strange place.’
The tunnels branched off constantly.
One to the right.
Two to the left.
Another descending.
Another climbing upward.
Without the Marauder...
Nox would never have found the correct path.
"Much farther?"
Nox asked.
The Marauder answered without turning around.
"No."
They continued walking.
Silence settled between them once again.
Until Danger Sense reacted.
A tingling sensation ran across the back of the demon’s neck.
’Here we go.’
The chains automatically tightened.
Nox slowed his pace slightly.
The Marauder noticed.
"We’re here."
They turned down one of the final tunnels.
And then...
The cave opened up completely.
It was enormous.
Far larger than Nox had expected.
It looked like an underground city.
The walls were filled with natural hollows that served as homes.
Small campfires burned inside some of them.
Others contained mountains of bones.
And everywhere...
Marauders.
Dozens.
Perhaps hundreds.
Some devoured enormous beasts that were still bleeding.
Others tore apart human corpses.
Several simply sat in silence, watching.
Every single one of them slowly raised their heads at the same time.
Black eyes locked onto Nox.
’Well... I definitely found the whole family.’
The Marauder swallowed.
"Don’t do anything stupid."
Nox smiled.
"That doesn’t depend solely on me."
One of the Marauders growled.
Then another.
And another.
The shadows began to move.
Danger Sense exploded.
’Here they come.’
There were too many to count.
They disappeared into the darkness.
Then reappeared directly in front of Nox.
Every one of them with claws extended.
Ready to tear both the demon and the prisoner apart.
The Marauder’s eyes widened.
"Wait!"
Too late.
Nox sighed.
"Of course."
The chains shot forward.
They simply intertwined with one another, completely covering the space before the demon like an enormous metallic wall.
Claws slammed against the chains.
Sparks illuminated the cavern.
The Marauders jumped back in surprise.
But not all of them.
Two vanished into the shadows again.
This time...
They appeared behind the restrained Marauder.
"No!"
he shouted.
The claws came down.
Blood splattered across the stone floor.
One attack pierced straight through his shoulder.
The other ripped his back completely open.
The Marauder collapsed to his knees.
"IDIOTS!"
he roared.
But no one seemed to listen.
The others only stared at the horned stranger.
Nox clicked his tongue.
"You people are really difficult to deal with."
The chains retreated.
They coiled back around his arm.
The demon took a step forward.
The Marauders immediately tensed again.
"Listen."
Silence.
"I came here to talk."
No one answered.
"I crossed half of Mireveil."
Another step.
"I formed an alliance with the Peques."
Several Marauders tilted their heads ever so slightly.
"I formed an alliance with the people of the swamp."
A number of them began murmuring among themselves.
Nox continued walking.
"And now..."
"I want to speak with your king."
One Marauder let out a raspy laugh.
"You have no right."
Another bared his fangs.
"No one speaks to him."
Nox smiled.
"Then I’ll have to convince you."
The chains began moving once again.
The Marauders immediately returned to a defensive stance.
The wounded one spat black blood onto the ground.
Then he lifted his head.
"Wait!"
Everyone looked at him.
"This demon..."
He struggled to breathe.
"...could have killed me."
Nox remained silent.
"But he didn’t."
The murmuring grew louder.
The wounded Marauder pointed at the chains.
"He could have cut off my head."
He looked at Nox.
"But he spared me."
The black eyes shifted back and forth between the demon and the wounded Marauder, trying to understand what was happening.
Nox took advantage of that moment.
"If I wanted to wipe all of you out..."
He spread his arms slightly.
"...I would’ve already started."
No one answered.
"The only thing I want..."
He looked around the cavern.
"...is to talk."