Found Dark

"The Emperor's knight,he's getting too nosy i think knows I killed my squire".

Athena told Dark using a telepathic link as she sat under an Olive tree in the training ground.

She had dispersed her students early to save her strength for the hunt the next day,now she was resting,sipping a grape wine from the goblet she held.

"Hmmm...The Emperor's knight....so he believed not your account afterall....if so,then get rid of him as well".

"I don't know Dark... aren't we trying to save lives here by getting rid of this prince...do we have to take innocent lives in the process?I am a little confused here that's why I seek your counsul...wa..what do you think I should do?"

Dark laughed darkly and replied,

"Here's my consul princess,cut his head off and feed it to the beasts_"

."No!"Athena cut in, saying the words out loud and hitting the goblet forcefully on her thigh that part of it spilled on her in the process.

"I will not consent to that...there must be another way to go about this,I don't want him dead".

"Well maybe you want you_dead...Listen,when this news reaches the emperor... Death would be better off than what would happen and I warn you I won't get caught in the middle of it".

"Dark!... there must be some other way..we_we could buy him off or something"

Dark laughed again,only louder this time that his voice reverbated in her brain.

She almost cut off the link.

"The Emperor's knight?bu buy him off... hilarious".

Athena quickly searched her head for what next to say while running her fingers through her hair.

She didn't want him dead.Killing Luamisa was more than enough and the guilt still gripped her,it weakened her anytime she pictured the look of betrayal on Luamisa's face as she ran her sword through her.

Sometimes she felt like letting it out in tears but it still would remain,it was still there,one she would live with for the rest of her life.

This knight,she was attracted to him and for some reason whenever she saw him she felt something she couldn't explain,A feeling which somehow lightened her heart and melted her from within and yes she loved it,wanted more of it.

Now she regretted asking Dark,he might do something stupid and she dreaded him getting hurt.

"How about we tell him about the prophecy,I don't think he knows about it yet...Maybe he would see our reason for doing this,not for us..."Athena paused and placed a hand on her chest"For Delvin".

Dark's voice turned cold and stiff as a frown formed on his face.

"The longer this stays with him the more danger we are put in...since he is getting too curious I don't see the need leaving him alive....you have until today to convince him,if you fail tomorrow I will make sure he breaths his last"Dark said finally before cutting off the link.

Athena sat dumbfounded, staring into the sky for a while.

Then,in an instant she threw her goblet at the sand and yelled out in fraustration.

As Athena watched as it's red contents spill out and finally disappeared into the sand,she likened it unto the Knight's blood.

The Chief knight immediately shook off the thought as soon as it came.

No...she wouldn't let that happen,she would do everything to protect him starting with bring him to their side and making him see reason for it.

Athena knew of Dark's cold heartedness,he would kill even an ally without a second thought.

Killing the Emperor's knight wouldn't be an easy task but Gerald's magic power she knew was nothing compared to Dark's.

They were on entirely different levels.

So much for seeking counsel from a heartless being.

Athena sighed before she got on her feet, picked up the goblet and on her way handed it over to the maid that walked by before she started off to the great hall to attend the knights briefing.

**************************

The Chief Knight that stood by the door listening had heard all Dark's telepathic conversation with Athena.

Thankfully he was covered in Fripju lily so Dark wouldn't still percieve would be unable to percieve his smell.

He had just finished meeting with Some others in the plot and had left the room along with the rest of them,but as he shot the door the the room,he had heard Dark mention;

'The Emperor's knight' so he waited to listen.

Athena wasn't the only one that would prevent this he would never let Gerald get hurt.

The Chief Knight vanished as soon as he noticed Dark had severed the Link.

He appeared a few distance away before deciding to fly to the imperial palace.

He also had a knight's briefing to attend.

-------------------------------

"I don't understand why he is leading us in Urah's direction"Gaby told Farhat through a telepathic link as they both ran alongside the hell dog in a community close to Urah.

The trio were currently invisible to those around them and thanks to the Fripju lily they chewed on earlier they couldn't even be smelt at all.

"This can only mean two things...either Dark is hiding somewhere in Urah... probably has been there all along...or he just got there to carry out some evil plan".Farhat said as they turned down an old lane filled with old houses and mostly old people.

"We both know only people who live in the palace can appear in and out of the palace because of the pass spells the Sorcerors put on them_"

"Ummm....Dark himself is a sorceror he has to know that spell"Farhat reminded.

"Whu what is that dark sorceror plotting now?"Gaby said to himself lowering his gaze for a second before fixing it up ahead again.

"What am more concerned about right now is how you are able to use an invisibility spell...you are not even a midtier demon yet".

"It's a cheat spell...not really an invisibility spell"Gaby grinned."I used some materials I wrote about from one of my sorceror research book to cast this spell but the problem is..from my experiment on it,it last just an hour ".

"One hour!"Farhat said out loud.

"Shhhhhhhhh.... people will hear you...we just have to figure out where he is hiding and report back to the knights... within an hour we are sure to be done with that".

On getting to Urah's Royal palace gates Gaby teleported them inside then he swung Dark's old hat over the Hell dog's nose so it would pick up Dark's scent again and the hell dog took off.

"This is getting more weird...The Sorceror is in the Royal palace now"Farhat's eye widened as the followed the racing

"while we ran through the community,I overheard a sorceror talking about a briefing that would happen today the palace would be almost empty right now...he must be here for something and up to no good".

"So assuming he is here for the mean time how do we catch him?"

"I will report what we see to the Emperor's knight via telepathy...for some reason I deem him the best to trust with this information but if my telepathic link can't reach him from here,then any nearby knight would do... "Gaby said as they waited in a dark corner for a group of knights to walk pass them.

The Demon which lagged behind them all stopped at turned in their direction.

The moment his eyes met theirs,the boys shivered briefly.

"Doo...do you think he smelt or heard something?"

"No way!...we ate Fripju lily"Gaby said doubtfully as he swallowed with difficulty.

Gaby observed the armour he had on and the emblem on it then he took out his book and flipped through some pages.

"He's a general look at his emblem..."he told Farhat as he compared with the one he drew his book.

"Must be a top ranking General I heard few demons could feel with their 6th sense..they are really powerful.The sixth sense is a magic skill on its own known as Zetraq.Only two percent of demons in Delvin are gifted with that ability...and you know the good part? Sorcerors are excluded."Gaby read through his book.

Farhat eyed him for a while and slammed the book shut.

"Come-on this is not the time for this"

"I think he only percieves us but can't see or smell us...it's more like his intuition working against his five senses right now."Gaby muttered as he replaced the book inside his bag.

"Don't worry am sure he will leave"

"Whu... what if Phye barks?"

Gaby grimaced and finally shook his head

"By god Farhat you imagine the worst!...he won't because he listens to me and I told him not to"

The general walked towards them and sniffed in the air.

Making the knights stop to wait, watching as he did so.

"My lord,if I may ask...what are you doing".

The general raised a hand to stop the knight from talking as his eyes darted around.

"I feel a presence...it's coming from around here...but no one is here"

"My lord...we can't see anyone there either we will be late for the briefing". the knight reminded.

The general eyed the knight briefly then looked back in their direction before finally turning to leave.

"See...told you he would go".

Farhat heaved a relieving sigh and turned to Gaby who nodded in affirmation.

It was time to move again.

He rubbed on Phye and the hell dog knew what it meant.

It took off again with the two boys trailing behind and trying to keep up.

Phye stopped by an old door and Gaby opened it,following behind Farhat as they ran down a flight of stairs then turned down a long hallway whose walls held very dim flames in old candle stands

"Oooo.....now we are going underground...."

"Are you...keeping time".Farhat asked through each breath and Gaby took out a small hour glass.

"Yeah...we have about fifteen minutes left"

"We are not gonna make it!".

"Let's keep hope alive...or you can go back Farhat...I'll teleport you"

"No way in hell"Farhat muttered as his brows furrowed"We are this close to getting what we want and you want me backing out... are you even my friend?"

"I want you safe!"

"Don't make us argue this again...you should have thought of my safety before telling me about this whole plan or making me join you break into my uncle's library".

Gaby decided to let it go,knowing Farhat midst anger he could say something out loud and get them caught but he still meant what he said when he swore to protect him.

The helldog reached the end of the hallway and began tiptoeing.

Gaby noticed this and smiled to Farhat.

"That's a hunting dog for you,the Sorceror must be close and Phye must think our footsteps were being heard all along...he also doesn't want us getting caught".

Gaby observed their surroundings as they ran.

So far they hadn't seen any demons around nor percieved any either,even the place was barely ventilated.

Phye reached a wall and stopped then he began sniffing around it.

"Don't tell me this is a dead end!"Farhat cried out.

"No...must be a secret passage way".

"Push through all the bricks...one of them might give way...I _guess...."

Both boys carefully pushed on each brick till finally the floor paved way and they fell through.

Luckily Gaby muttered a quick spell to ensure their safe landing as they fell.

On reaching the ground they floated for a moment before dropping gently against the dusty concrete.

The boys followed Phye as he turned down another dimly lit hallway before arriving at a door.

Gaby placed his ear to the door.

He could hear two masculine voices,one hoarse and the other a bit more refined and gentle but he could barely make out what they were saying.

He motioned for Phye to wait and approached the open window further down, placing his ear all along on the walls to hear but he couldn't,the walls were sound proof.

Both boys stooped low and peered through it.

Their eyes caught sight of two male demons,one was seated,in the darkest corner of the room and hidden by the shadows while the other stood who was almost twice as huge as a Demon in it's stabe form stood adjacent to him.

Through the light rays that got in from the window opposite them and rested upon him,Gaby could tell he was tanned, though he couldn't fully make out his facial features.

The darkness encompassing the other demon unable to conceal the gold resting on his head gave way for it's visibility.

As they both sighted the crown on the other demon's head both boys jaw dropped as they stooped low again.

"It's...it's a king!".Farhat bellowed through telepathy,demonstrating with his hand hovering around his head as they tried to make the shape of a crown.

"I know..."Gaby replied still bewildered.

"Tell the other few demons I mentioned the new plan,and the Chief knight...she will know nothing of this...we can't afford to make any mistakes I want this smooth and I will make it smooth...I must depart for the briefing Tyran must be waiting for me"

"Your majesty...."Dark wanted to speak but the king cut him off with telepathy.

"Hold on!... we are not alone"

"I don't smell no one around"Dark replied back through telepathy.

As he made a move to turn towards the door,the King's next words stopped his head movement.

"I am one of the two percent of the demons in Delvin born with a Sixth sense magic...and I can tell you right now there is someone outside that door"

"Do I check it out?"

"You must but you must use space magic not your feet...not having percieved them means they used Fripju to mask their scent but too bad..."the king said as a small smile formed on his lips.

Gaby squinted his eyes and thought he saw a smile on the other demon's face which he could only be imagining...

But hold on...why did they both stop talking...could it be....

"They are by the window now listening and there is another presence further away though...I can't quite tell what it is..."The king said with his eyes closed as he slightly titled his head,his smile even wider now.

"Farhat we have to leave...and now!"

"Why?"

"Do...n't a...ask questions!"A terrified Gaby's voice quivered as he brought out the teleporting device and teleported them to Phye's side.

The king's smile now turned into a wide grin, exposing one of his sharp canines.

"No wait...they have moved now"he said calmly"About two meters away from the door to the right... go now!"

Dark nodded and vanished,appearing right in front of them the next instant.

On sight of him,both boys heart sank as they almost let out a loud gasp but together held it in as they stared right into the cold eyes of the monster in front of them.