Tartarus Beckons, Edmund Batara [bts book recommendations .TXT] 📗

wearing your body as a garment and eat them while you look on. It will tear out your veins one by one for its enjoyment. Those deeds, and worse, it has committed through the millennia! And you want pity for this foul demon?”

He let the orb slowly constrict for a while and then abruptly closed his hand. The resulting fist was tense with the apparent exertion of enormous strength. It was as if the stranger wanted his hate to accompany the crushing of the entrapped demon. With a final despairing cry, the sphere quickly became smaller and eventually disappeared. A stern expression of utmost satisfaction graced the demon lord’s face. He became shorter and now stood as a tall man who still towered over the trio.

Tyler was now completely confused. He could understand a demon lord hunting the remnants of a rival house, but to do it with such hate baffled him. Not to mention the statements made by the stranger about the hideous acts the now-gone gallu had committed. They were uttered in a tone which clearly condemned such actions – angry and hateful disapproval of what demons do.

A demon lord who does not like what demons do? Isn’t that a contradiction?

As the immobile Tyler stood thinking about the bizarreness of the situation, the stranger continued to stare at the mage. Then he suddenly appeared in front of Tyler and both hands went up to grab the mage’s throat.

Aw, shit! He’s still mad! thought the mage as he saw the threatening movement.

As the demon lord’s hand touched Tyler’s skin, the mage felt a slight jolt. But the hands of the angry entity were unexpectedly thrown aside, and a strong energy field threw him back a few feet. The being didn’t fall into the ground, but obviously struggled to stay on his feet. The anger vanished from his face, replaced by a thoughtful expression.

Without warning, a firm force of power lashed out at Tyler. It ripped his shields apart, and threw him back several feet. Still held immobile by the entity’s spell, the mage could do nothing as his body slammed against the uneven ground. Pain wracked his back.

“What was that all about?” Tyler asked his AIs as the pain ran through his back muscles.

“From what we could determine, a light tap compared to what that being is capable of. A high probability exists that it was but a test,” replied Hal.

“A test and a light tap? That’s funny. Ha.Ha.Ha,” answered Tyler. His body might be still, but his mind was not. But he couldn’t help being sarcastic given his present situation.

“His touch was repelled, sire. So, he decided to test whether his offensive spells would work against you,” said X.

“A test for that? His immobility spell worked, didn’t it? There was no need for throwing me!” cried out the outraged mage.

“A spell usually utilizes the native energy of this world. The immobility spell was one such spell. The one which flung you back was intertwined with some energy from the demon’s dimension. He knew what he was doing,” said Hal.

“And?”

“As expected, it shredded your shields, but couldn’t break through your body. Sheer kinetic energy threw you back. The same thing happened with Supay. The presence of Elder energy in you made sure of their inability to penetrate through your skin. It’s an energy against energy contest anyway,” clarified X.

Elder energy in my body? Oh, right. Hal and X, thought the mage.

It dawned on Tyler that any energy thrown directly against him would not penetrate his body, though the physical effect, like the kinetic force X mentioned, would still have its impact.

Oh, good. Spellcasters can’t tear me apart, but they can batter me to death, Tyler thought with disgust.

“And that weird jolt which happened when he came in contact with my skin?” the mage asked.

“It appeared that the Elder energy which permeated your body through us was totally incompatible with anything containing energy from a demon’s dimensions,” Hal explained. “A fortuitous situation, but the explanation is not within our databanks.”

“Now, more importantly, what is he doing now?” asked Tyler. He couldn’t see the demon lord from his position.

“He’s still staring at you,” came the answer from Hal.

Tyler felt himself being lifted back to a standing position, and found the demon lord a few feet away.

“That was interesting,” said the entity. “A reaction I have never seen before, even from a visitor. You’re a strange one, mageling. And that in itself is curious – a visitor with magical power.”

The mage felt the immobility spell fade away. And found temper getting the better of his tongue.

“Why the hell did you do that for?” he shouted.

“A test, nothing more. I didn’t break your back, so don’t complain. And I have already laid low two demon realms and taken their power for myself, so don’t start something you’d regret,” warned the being.

Tyler forced himself to calm down. He reminded himself of the almost Titan-like level of power he had sensed. It cooled down his temper faster than expected. He tried another tack in the conversation.

“I am confused. You say you’re a Demon Lord and yet you hunt demons,” asked the mage.

“True. But demon wars are common in our scheme of things. But there’s more to that in my story. I was human once. Or thought I was human. A long time ago. I became a demon hunter for revenge, and found I was a demon myself. The scion of the lord of one of the nine demon realms! So, I literally became what my original title was – a demon hunter. I had colorful human titles before – Scourge of the Dark, the Whip of Hate,” laughed the being, but the amusement was tinged with bitterness and pain.

“I still don’t understand,” said Tyler.

“It’s a long story. Perhaps in another time and place. My world is in the endless, barren and desolate plains before the realm of Ereshkigal, where I do what I do best – hunt demons. Your name, mageling?”

“Havard, First Mage.”

“Titles really don’t matter to me, Havard. Power does. But if we ever cross paths again, know me by my human