The Solitary One

Prologue

Unknown Location

He couldn't see anything. It was dark. Very dark. Panting, he stumbled around the fallen parts of the building, fumbling, trying to find the exit. He was panting, his body was burning, everything hurt, but the fear pushed it all away. Adrenaline and panic together reverting him to the basic animal instincts.

He could have, technically, cast a basic tier one Flare, ensuring he didn't hit the fallen debris, saving himself both time and a lot of pain, but it didn't occur to him. He could cast a tier three Boost, which would take comparatively larger amount of mana, but that didn't occur him either.

In a couple of seconds, he reached the door, and instead of even trying to open the door using his shivering hands, he pushed, breaking the wood, getting the barest sense of relief before it was swept away by cold, mind-numbing fear.

In the slightly moonlit night, he made out the forest his lab was surrounded by. In hindsight, that might have been a bad idea, considering that there wouldn't be any witness. He turned, facing the door he just came out from, still slowly walking backward, though the visibility making him calmer.

Though, that calm was gone as soon he noticed the pair of crimson points of light. By now though, he had recovered enough of his head to cast Tremor, collapsing the entire laboratory on itself, hopefully crushing the thing that was chasing him.

His hopes were crushed when the debris, near where that thing would have been, was thrown off. A figure rose from the middle of ruins in a what would have looked like a staged scene, if he had stopped to consider it.

He didn't consider it. He watched in fear as broken bones, crushed organs and torn skin healed themselves in an almost instantaneous moment of absolute calm. Then, the tall man leaned forward, and pushed with his legs.

In that moment, he noted with morbid fascination that the small pile of rubble under his crumbled to dust. Next moment, his neck felt warm and wet, and then, darkness.

Daemon Mansion

"Is it done?" a soft, yet firm voice. "Yes, the plan has been activated. Three different people, executed in the same manner, their facilities destroyed. Our war against them finally comes out of the shadows."

The person who replied sounded like a posh butler in his late 20s, and there was some emotion in his voice. An emotion that made it feel like he was unburdened now, at least compared to before.

"Do not get too excited. After all, we will have to move faster now." The other voice was amused, as if he was completely free of any worry about the concern he had just pointed out. "Of course, my lord. As you say. Shall I make preparations for your visit to His Majesty, The King, tomorrow?"

"Yes. And send him a letter. After all, a Daemon never visits unannounced. At least, not to his allies."