Slayer's Heart: Prolougue--Chapter 2

Darkness thickened the air, except for the frequent flashes of lighting that sliced a short path through the blackness. The heavy rain pounded Sufoh's body, each drop biting him with chilling teeth until the next drop struck. Something was going to change, and on a night like that, change was never a good thing.
Still, he rode on alongside his lord across the vast field and up the mountain outside of the Macari forest. Under his sodden cloak, he clenched a small stone tablet covered in illegible markings. After nearly twenty years of searching, Sufoh's lord had found it, and together they would bring his dream to fruition.
"We are almost there!" his lord cried, his voice barely perceptible over noise of the storm.
Almost there. Did that mean it was too late to turn back, too late to prevent what was about to take place? Perhaps, but even if it wasn't, Sufoh knew that his lord would not turn back, not after coming this far, not after his quest for power was nearing its end. At this point, there was nothing that could stop him.

The gate rose out of the ground, a giant stone structure shaking the earth around it. The stone gate depicted six beasts with an unknown script beneath each one. Sufoh had no idea what it meant, or if anyone else did.

'The Sin Demons'

The first was a flaming monster with six arms and no legs. The second was a winged beast—one wing was like that of a bird and the other like that of a bat. The third was a faceless creature with many horns and its claws, wrapped in chains. The fourth had four arms, six legs and fangs like a snake; its back was covered in spikes. The fifth had the silhouette of a man, but its eyes glowed white in the darkness of the night. And the sixth, which sat in the middle, was a flaming monster, which had all of the other monsters' attributes, with the exception of the white eyes. Its own glowed bright red
As the gate opened, and an eerie blue light crept out from the world behind it, the storm calmed, and both Sufoh and his lord were swallowed up by darkness.

The Slayer's heart. It is not a style of Swordsmanship so to speak, but more a state of mind in which a warrior must rid himself of sympathy, pain, love, hatred, and most importantly, fear. It was developed by the Xandria wolf pack, the strongest pack of all of the giant wolves of the Supernatural world. When I met one of those wolves, I was a broken boy who knew nothing but a sword style created to give one man the power to slay an army. That wolf taught me to use the Slayer's heart, and I mastered it, determined to avenge the death of my parents and protect my sister, the only one not savagely killed, at all costs. That was years ago and now, there is no man in this land that does not know the name, Sufoh.

Chapter One

On the night of the Macari bandits' final expedition, the full moon shone brilliantly over the quietly sleeping forest where the Macari tribes rested, blanketing them in its soft light. The season of Life had harbored a great gathering season, and with the season of Death fast approaching, the Macari soldiers could finally go home to be with their families. The end of the gathering season was always joyous occasion for the tired soldiers. The Macaris were completely inactive during the cold seasons of Death and Slumber, for they constantly lived in secret.
They had no choice but to hide, for though they possessed great wealth, said wealth was stolen from nearby cities and towns. Thievery was what Macaris did, what they were known for, and they had many enemies because of that. Of course, this didn't matter at all. There was no one that could defeat the Macaris, but if they were to expose themselves, their enemies would be tempted to join forces and attack, and they would never have peace in their land.

The night the soldiers and bandits returned home for the season was quiet and peaceful. That was the way Sufoh liked it. He sat on the roof of his majestic home located only a few miles away from Lord Jayis's palace, and the wind brushed his thick black hair over his blood-red eyes and dark face as he looked out over the small houses, well camouflaged with the surrounding forest. There wasn't a single person out tonight, even the wolves were sleeping. It seemed that everyone was relieved that the Macaris had had such a prosperous season. The season of Slumber would go by smoothly. Yes, it was a relieving thought, but Sufoh had something else on his mind, an incident that only he and Lord Jayis knew of, and neither of them spoke of…ever.
Sufoh's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps on the rooftop. He placed a hand on his sword and readied himself to strike. He saw the silhouette of a woman. On her back hung two swords. As she stepped into the path of the moonlight, Sufoh recognized her long, smooth black hair. In the light of the moon, her eyes matched it perfectly. Her face was absolutely beautiful, with the exception of the deep scar on her right cheek. Sufoh reminisced on the day she got it; he had put it there during a sparring session. That was many seasons ago.
She took a seat beside him and looked out into the village, trying to see what he was so intrigued by. When she didn't find it, she looked up at the moon. Sufoh was silent. It was as if he didn't even know she was there.
"The moon is lovely tonight," she said. "Why don't you look up at it? It's far more appealing than the village."
"I am not in the mood, Eve," Sufoh replied, tonelessly.
Eve took Sufoh's head in her hands and turned it to look at her. "Come on Sufoh," she said. "It won't be long before the season of Death approaches. Clouds occupy the night sky a lot during that season; this might be your last chance to see it for a while. We've rounded up every piece of food and treasure in this land. You could at least smile for me."
Sufoh didn't smile, nor did he do anything else. His eyes were void, and his face was vacant. Looking at him, it wasn't hard for her to tell that something was troubling him. He was a very deep thinker to be so young, so he pondered things that would seldom cross most people's minds. But, contrary to what his look said, Sufoh hardly ever truly concerned himself with anything.
"What's the matter?" asked Eve.
Sufoh shook his head. "Do not worry yourself with my troubles. It has been a good season and you should go home and rest. You have earned it."
"I don't think I want to rest until I know that you will." Eve stared into Sufoh's eyes—his eyes, they were so empty and malevolent, but she loved them. Sufoh's entire soul was in his eyes. The same eyes that struck fear into the hearts of his enemies, comforted his friends, none more so than Eve. As Sufoh took Eve's hand and turned to face her, the rare sight of the legendary Slayer's smile warmed her body.
"You are right," he said, looking up. "The moon is quite lovely tonight. I guess neither of us will be resting, but we have an entire season for that, after all."
Sufoh's change in disposition brought a smile to Eve's face. It was good to see Sufoh in a good mood, as rare they came, even if she only imagined it to be that way. There were so many people that didn't know him, so many that thought him to be a ruthless, bloodthirsty, murderer, and though their perceptions of him were justly assumed, they were still so very wrong. But, that was one thing that only those closest to Sufoh knew, and that was how he preferred it.
Eve laid her head on Sufoh's lap. With all that the tribe had been doing to prepare for the coming season, it had been a while since they had been alone. Sufoh's position in the army precluded him from being with a woman that wasn't amongst Lord Jayis's most loyal warriors, which Eve was not. She didn't care though, and she knew Sufoh didn't care either. He refused to show it, but she knew that Sufoh loved her as much as she loved him.

A ray of sunshine beamed through Sufoh's window, gently pulling him from his slumber a few hours after dawn, which for him was quite late. Getting up so late was a luxury that a man of Sufoh's status was not afforded often, but there wouldn't be anyone attacking the lord today. Not that anyone would dare attack him, with or without Sufoh by his side.
Lord Jayis was also a very skilled warrior, in his own right, but a man of his status didn't even dress himself, let alone draw a weapon. To fight is an absolute last resort for a Macari lord, and of all the lords, Jayis was known as the most powerful. This, of course was not because of his own ability, but because of the White Wolf tribe's reputation of being bold, or foolish, enough to tamper with the Supernatural, and the copious ranks he commanded; the most notable of which was none other than Sufoh, whose job as guardian was to protect Lord Jayis from all danger at any cost.
Sufoh performed that job well.
He was known to always stand close behind his lord, staring down all potential attackers with his bloody glare, and if one was foolish enough to even give the impression of an attempt to harm the lord, his blade cut them down, as swift and silent as death itself. Merely the reputation for having control over a man like Sufoh was enough to keep Lord Jayis safe, so Jayis often gave Sufoh tasks that he found too difficult for any other man or too dangerous for himself. Since the season was now over, Sufoh would have a few days to himself before he would have to go back to the palace.
Sufoh walked into his sister, Kidja's, bedchamber. She slept peacefully. Sufoh stared at her, deep in thought. She was a small girl of only twenty-eight seasons. Her hair was thick and black, like Sufoh's, but much longer. She had no blemishes, no battle scars, and no signs of the things that his family had been through, things that had cost him his childhood and cost his parents their lives.
Sufoh envied her innocence, wishing that he had had the chance to experience the carefree life of a small child as long as she would.
Beside her bed rested two hookswords. Kidja loved to fight. It was the only reason Sufoh taught her. However, she rarely, if ever, saw any real action because Sufoh didn't like the idea of his little sister being a warrior. She was all he had left, and if anything happened to her, he could never forgive himself. That was why he swore to protect her, no matter what.
Sufoh gently rocked Kidja until she began to stir. She sat up, yawned, stretched, and finally opened her eyes.
"Surprise."
"Sufoh!" Kidja leapt into her brother's arms. "You're home. Was this really the last time? Will you be leaving again?"
"No," said Sufoh, brushing back a lock of Kidja's hair, "I will be right here in the village until the season of Awakening."
Kidja hugged her brother as tightly as she could. She was so happy to see him, and seeing Kidja happy always made Sufoh happy. He didn't love anyone the way that he loved her.
"That reminds me," he said as he put Kidja down, reached into his shirt, and withdrew a shining jewel that was half ruby and half sapphire, hanging from a thin gold chain. "I stole this from a city in the east. I thought you might like it."
Kidja took the necklace. "Sufoh," she gasped, admiring the gem, "you could build a castle with what this is worth. Why are you giving it to me?"
"It is a stone, Kidja. It is worth nothing to me. You are the only treasure I have, and there is nothing too valuable for you. I would turn day into night if it would make you happy; you know that."
Kidja hugged him again. "I love it. Thank you so much."
The short silence made way for a knock on the door. Sufoh picked up his sword and went to see who it was. When he opened the door, one of Lord Jayis's courtiers stood in his doorway. "Sufoh," the courtier began, with a tone far too elegant for any self-respecting man to use, "the lord Jayis requests your presence at a banquet to celebrate this season's gatherings, tomorrow at dusk."
Sufoh nodded.
The courtier rode away on his wolf, and Sufoh closed the door behind him. He then went back into his bedchamber. He lay down on the soft feather bed and stared at the ceiling. The peace of the season's end finally settled on him, and he began to drift off to sleep. Just as his eyes started to close, Kidja ran into the chamber and leapt onto his chest.
"Who was that?" she asked.
"A courtier," said Sufoh. "Jayis is having a banquet tomorrow."
"Why?"
"To celebrate such a great gathering before the season of Death arrives."
"Are you invited?"
"Of course I am invited."
"Who else is invited?"
"Probably the other lords and their guardians."
"Are you going?"
"I see no reason not to."
"Can I go?"
Sufoh sighed with exasperation. "Yes, Kidja, you can."
Kidja climbed off of Sufoh, laughing happily about the banquet. She ran into her bedchamber. Sufoh took a deep breath, glad to have quiet at last. The soft bed cooled every nerve that it touched, comforting the tired warrior. Before long, he was fast asleep.
It seemed like only seconds later that Sufoh was awakened by an ear-piercing scream from Kidja's bedchamber. He grabbed his sword and ran to the room almost knocking Kidja over as she scrambled to find him. When he knew that she was safe, Sufoh sheathed his sword and held his sister as she started to cry.
"What is wrong, Kidja?" Sufoh asked, dropping his sword to the floor.
Kidja trembled in his arms. "I had a terrible vision, just now. You, Lord Jayis, and I were in a room full of black serpents. They attacked and began to rip Lord Jayis apart. You tried to save him, but you couldn't, and then they attacked me. I could feel them tearing at my flesh. It hurt, Sufoh." Kidja began to cry again. "Then…then you came and you saved me…by letting them eat you instead. Sufoh, why am I seeing things like this? Does that man something bad is going to happen to you?"
Sufoh picked Kida up and lightly stroked her back, calming her fright. "Listen to me," he said affectionately, “I have sworn to protect you with my life, and that is a promise that I intend to keep; but I have also vowed never to hurt you. You are far too young to be concerned with what happens to me. Just know this; no matter what happens, I will make certain that you are happy. When you grow into a woman, when you marry, when you have children—"
"When I join the army," Kidja added.
"Yes, if you wish to do so. Do not worry about me, Sister. I will stay alive, no matter what happens."
"Promise?"
"I promise." Sufoh put her down. "And if you have anymore of those bad visions, I'll fight them off myself."


Chapter Two

Nine people were seated at a long table in the banquet hall of Lord Jayis's palace, filling the air with noise of their conversation, mostly of the men that they killed during the gathering season. Each one wore the finest of clothing, as they always did, and ate the fattest of their stolen livestock. At the very end of the table sat Lord Jayis. To his left was Sufoh, and next to him, Kidja.
Lord Jayis was a tall, burly man with dark skin and a naturally bald head. His face was just as stony as the rest of his body, allowing few variations in his facial expressions. The brass-hilted sword he carried on his belt was wide, strait, and double edged. Whereas Sufoh's was slender, slightly curved, and only bladed on one side.
The other six men at the table were the other Macari Lords: Lord Jeridot of the Blue Fire tribe, Lord Hortar of the Silver Moon tribe, Lord Crean of the Crystal Water tribe, Lord Sain of the Yellow Sun tribe, Lord Thessis of the Golden Sand tribe, and Lord Irrvan of the Crimson Blood tribe.
"There are a lot of lords," Kidja whispered to Sufoh.
"There are only seven, Kidja," Sufoh whispered back.
"I know, but if we are all Macaris, why do we need seven lords? Why can't Lord Jayis be everybody's lord?"
"Everything the Macaris do is for our race's protection," explained Sufoh. "We are divided into seven tribes because if we were to all live in one place, under one rule, that ruler could become corrupt. If he then decided they want to join forces with our enemies for their own personal gain…"
"Trouble?"
"Big trouble. Also, if our enemies were to somehow find us, their chances of finding all seven tribes are slim, so if one tribe is attacked, there will be six more to defend it."
"I guess that makes sense," Kidja muttered. She didn't seem to agree with the concept, but Sufoh understood that she—though she was exceptionally intelligent for her age—was probably too young to completely understand politics.
After deciding not to go into further detail about the lords and tribes, Sufoh continued enjoying the feast along with everyone else until Kidja's hand accidentally nudged the sword of Lord Jeridot.
"I believe you owe me an apology," Lord Jeridot said rather quickly.
"Why is that?" Kidja politely asked.
"You touched my blade. You are a female and a child. You haven't the right to touch my weapon. Now, ask my forgiveness."
Although this was a truth, Sufoh had never taught Kidja about the other Macari lords and how they saw her as nothing but a girl, where as Lord Jayis viewed her as the darling sister of his most loyal soldier and guardian. For that reason, Kidja's answer was as simple as it was innocent, "No."
Jeridot's eyes grew wide as a vein appeared on his forehead. "How dare you disrespect me? I shall have you put to death!"
Sufoh's hand moved to the hilt of his sword, but he felt the hard knuckles of Lord Jayis covering his weapon. Sufoh's eyes moved up and met Jayis's in a steely gaze. "What do you think you are doing?"
"This is not the time, Sufoh," Lord Jayis whispered. "Let me handle this. We don't need anymore enemies, especially ones that can seek us out."
Sufoh continued to hold his position, unfazed. Lord Jayis knew what the look in Sufoh's eyes meant—for Jeridot, himself, or anyone else that dared offend or harm the child in any way. He quickly stood up with a glass of wine in his hand.
"May I have your attention, everyone?" Lord Jayis announced, distracting Lord Jeridot and, hopefully, giving Sufoh an opportunity to calm down and rethink his next move. "Macari leaders, let us take a brief moment to honor the young man who has made such a successful gathering season possible. At only sixty-one seasons, he has slain more men than all of lords combined, and has added a new legend to the already fascinating stories surrounding our great race, the 'Legend of Slayer.'
“Thanks to him, the Macaris will prosper until the next season of Awakening, and the Golden Age, once thought to be at its end, will continue for many seasons to come. And when the time comes to come out of hiding, we will strike our victims with the deadly force of the one called Slayer!
"Lords." He raised his glass. "To Sufoh!"
The lords all raised their glasses and cried, "To Sufoh!"
Sufoh courteously bowed to them all.
Kidja shouldered Lord Jeridot. "He's my brother," she warned.
"Lord Jayis." Lord Irrvan raised his voice to be heard over the other lords. "This warrior, this 'Slayer,' if you will," he said without acknowledging Sufoh's presence, "I don't blame you for keeping him by your side if he's such an effective killer and guardian, but I've heard that he has no master, just a thirst for blood. How do you control such a man?"
Lord Jayis turned his attention to Lord Irrvan and said, "I am not this boy's master, just his leader. Contrary to rumor, Sufoh is a perfectly normal man. He has a lovely home and takes good care of his sister. He is perfectly capable of 'controlling'—as you say—himself."
"But don't you fear that he may turn on you?" Lord Sain asked. "Just look at his face, always fixed in that somber expression, and he rarely speaks to anyone, even you! For all we know, that boy could be plotting against us as we speak."
Lord Jayis laughed. "You act as if Sufoh is some kind of villain. As long as he has been at my side, Sufoh has not once disobeyed me. Never once has he questioned me, or my judgment, no matter how dangerous the mission I give him. Do you know why? Because he trusts me as his leader, and I chose him as my guardian because I trust him with my life the same way he trusts me with his."
Not all of the lords agreed with Lord Jayis, but they could not argue. Sufoh had been fighting for him for a long time, and he had never turned on an ally. As they sat and continued to talk amongst themselves, the sounds of the lords' words quieted in Sufoh's mind as he wandered back to the night that worried him so.
"The Golden Age is coming to an end," Lord Jayis had told Sufoh, two seasons prior to that terrible night just one season ago. "In but a few seasons, the Macaris may have to travel west and conquer the rich land there if we want to survive. As you know, this will be extremely difficult, considering the size and strength of their armies, but I believe I have found a way to make us more powerful. It is a power even greater than yours, my friend. I believe that I may have found a way to gain the power of the Supernatural. If I can open the gate and access the Supernatural world, our tribe will be unstoppable."
"What makes you think you can control the Supernatural?" asked Sufoh. "Taming wolves is a lot easier than taming demons."
"With the key…" answered Lord Jayis, half entranced by the thought. "As long as I hold the key to the Supernatural world, the Sin Demons cannot escape, and that means their world will be mine to command. Just imagine it—an army of Macaris, you, and demons at my disposal. The legions I'll slaughter! I just need you to retrieve the key for me. And I know I can trust you to do so."
"Of course you can, my lord."
"Good. Of course, you can tell no one of this. When you get the key, return here as quickly as possible."
Sufoh bowed his head. "Yes, your lordship."
Two seasons later, the time had come for them to ride to the top of the mountain and open the gate. There, Lord Jayis would retrieve the power he so eagerly sought…

When everyone finally left the banquet hall in the early hours of the morning, Sufoh sent the half-sleeping Kidja home while he stayed to talk with Lord Jayis.
"Jayis," Sufoh began, "do you remember the incident two seasons ago?"
Lord Jayis's face went suddenly serious with a touch of fear. "I do."
"I cannot help feeling that something is terribly wrong and that what happened that night is the center of it. Kidja's prophetic visions are becoming clearer, more real. They are scaring her. I do not know how much longer we will be able to keep this hidden. We must seek assistance."
"No!" Lord Jayis's skin turned ashen with terror. "We cannot tell anyone, Sufoh! Do you understand? Nothing is going to happen. It's all over, so let's just try and forget about it."
Under my direction, we will infect him like we've infected no one before. Sufoh shook away the wicked voice in his head. "Jayis," Sufoh raised his voice, something the soft-spoken warrior didn't do often, "Kidja's visions are of our deaths. They always end with me sacrificing myself to save her, and you are always the first to die, always consumed. It is the demons, Jayis. I know it is. We must stop them before—"
"Enough!" Lord Jayis silenced him. "I will tell you what we must do—"
Strife.
"—We must never speak of this again. Nothing is going to happen to me, and if it does, let it. I sealed my fate the moment I opened that door."
Karma.
With those words, Jayis left Sufoh alone in the room. The changes were happening faster than he thought they would. Soon, it would be too late to save him, but saving Lord Jayis wasn't Sufoh's concern. Not anymore. Kidja was in danger, and no matter what happened, he would protect her, and he would vanquish anyone or anything that dared to imperil her.

Sufoh left the palace angry and frustrated. As he walked through the village, he thought of that night once more…
They had ridden in the dark, all the way up the mountain. The storm had attacked even more viciously as they drew closer to the top, but they pressed on, riding relentlessly until they finally reached the top. Then, it was time. The two warriors dismounted, and the second they did, their wolves ran away. Sufoh hadn’t blamed them. He almost wanted to follow them.
"Give me the key!" Lord Jayis shouted over a clap of thunder.
Sufoh handed Lord Jayis the stone tablet. It released a red mist into the air that rose despite the pounding rain. Lord Jayis slowly laid the tablet on the mud-soaked ground and waited with uncanny patience. Not long after, the earth rumbled, causing both him and Sufoh to stumble. The rain fell faster and harder as the thunder boomed with deafening power. The wind blew with bone-breaking force, and lighting struck the ground every second. It was as if nature itself struggled futilely to prevent what would soon occur. Nothing could stop this lord, not at this point.
Out of the earth rose another tablet. This one was black with silver markings identical to those on the key. The new tablet stood a hundred times the size of the first, and its pictures stood out more clearly than those on the key. The tablet depicted the six beasts with more lifelike fury. Sufoh knew these beasts as the legendary Sin Demons, six evil beasts that were said to have crawled out of the darkness before light was brought upon the Earth. Legend had it that those demons brought the first evil to humankind.
"Jayis." Sufoh spoke for the first time since they had set out. "As your guardian, I must advise against this for your own safety. It is not too late to destroy the key and turn back."
"What's the matter, Sufoh?" Jayis antagonized him. "Are you afraid of the Supernatural?"
"Do not be ridiculous," answered Sufoh. "You know I fear nothing."
Jayis drew his sword as the gate began to open. His hand trembled. Sufoh stood with his hand near his blade as well, but he stood as still as a rock beneath a lake. The two watched as a blue light split the gate open. The rain ceased and the thunder hushed. The world stood still. Only darkness surrounded Sufoh and Jayis. The deeper-than-night pitch of it seemed to move on the ground and stretch into the sky until all they could see was blackness and each other.
"What's going on?" asked Jayis, his voice quivering.
Sufoh looked at him with surprise but more so with anger. "What do you mean, 'What is going on'? Why do you not know?"
Lord Jayis probably wouldn't have answered Sufoh's question, even if given the chance. Without warning, the six beasts depicted on the stone tablet crawled out of the darkness. Sufoh and Lord Jayis prepared to fight. The eyes of the beast with the silhouette of a man grew brighter, and Jayis stood still, frozen in place. It reached out to take Lord Jayis. When Sufoh realized that Lord Jayis was unable to move, he ran toward the beast, unsheathing is sword, but before he could cut into the arm, the monster and Jayis had disappeared with all of the other demons following.
Sufoh was left alone. He stood still, ready to fight. He would let nothing catch him with his guard down. He stared off into the endless blackness and wondered if he would ever get out. It didn't matter right then, though. At that moment, he just wanted to kill the first demon he saw. He did not, for the first demon he saw took the form of a human, and Sufoh had no idea that this was actually a demon.
He was a dark haired man with light brown eyes. His skin was a pale brown and he was about the same height as Lord Jayis. His right eye had a deep scar beside it, all the way down to the middle of his cheek. Strangely enough, this scar was bright blue, in stark contrast to his dark nature.
"Hello, Sufoh," he said. A peculiar vibration rang in his voice. Sufoh could feel millennia of human anguish radiating from it.
Sufoh wrapped his fingers around his sheath, placing his thumb on the sword's hilt. "Do I know you?" he asked.
"You did," the demon answered, turning his eyebrows down, "once. That, of course, was a long time ago."
Sufoh thumbed his blade out of its sheath and glared at the demon.
"Don't give me that look," the demon said, "it doesn't faze me. I must it admit, however," he grinned, "you're far more amusing now than you were as a child. Who ever thought that a sad little child like you could possess the will to become a Slayer? Speaking of which, how is Jorah doing?"
Sufoh let his sword fall back into its sheath. "Who are you?"
The demon placed a hand on his own chest, as if somehow hurt that Sufoh did not easily remember him and said, "My name is Fear. The other demons you saw were my children, the Zorbrians."
"The Sin Demons," Sufoh muttered.
"Correct," said Fear. "The Sin Demons, the essence of all evil, the legendary beasts, sealed away in the Supernatural world, never to emerge. No one ever would have guessed that we could spread our influence to this world, without actually being here. I personally pride myself on being the only evil to exist in all beings."
"Nothing exists in all beings."
"That's where you're wrong, at least half wrong," said Fear, with a touch of anger in his voice. "I and I alone have managed to reach everyone and everything. Even from the Supernatural world, my influence was never forgotten. Even the strongest of men cannot escape me. I, Fear, have managed to strike every single soul in this world…" He paused and stared at Sufoh with pure hatred burning in his eyes. "…except for you, young Sufoh. There are many in this world that claim it, but I know that you are the only being in your world or any other, that is truly fearless.
"No matter, though. You see, Sufoh," Fear began circling him. Sufoh stood still, not even following the demon with his eyes. "Before," he continued, "I was only spreading my influence, my spirit from another world, but now, oh, but now that is no longer true. I can enter man like walking through an open door. I will sweep this world with a gale of terror that will make simple existence a nightmare for everyone you love. You may have no fear now, but by the time I'm finished, your greatest fear will be Fear itself. Your fear will make you weak, and I'll take pleasure in slowly killing you."
"You're a fool." Sufoh drew his sword. "Sin Demon or not, you could never hope to kill me. If you believe otherwise, I will be more than happy to change your mind. Prepare yourself!"
Sufoh charged at the demon like lightning and cut into his chest. Fear fell to one knee, holding his wound. His blood ran red, but not like a human's. It was darker, much darker. Fear started to laugh. He rose up, laughing as blood spilled from his body.
"Pathetic little human. You really might be as good as they say you are. I will fight you, Sufoh, but in due time. If I kill you now, there will be no one to free us."
"Free you?" Sufoh lowered his weapon to his side. "Were you not just freed?"
"Not yet, but soon. You see, your greedy lord wanted our power, and he will gain it, but he will also gain our spirits. We will control his every will. Under my direction, we will infect him as we've infected no one before.
"He will even come to hate you, and then he will betray you for fear that you will betray him. As his fear grows, so will the strife that comes along with it, when he is killed, we will be free."
"Your plan is impressive," Sufoh admitted, "but anyone who tries to kill Jayis has to go through me, and in case you do not know, they will never get through alive. Jayis will not die if I have anything to do with it."
A wicked grin formed on Fear's face. "You'll have something to do with it, alright. You will be the one who kills Lord Jayis and frees us. Then the fun begins."
"You are awfully cocky," said Sufoh, "or awfully stupid to tell me your plan and expect it to work. As long as you are trapped in your world or Jayis's body, I have to choose to kill him."
"Yes, that is true," Fear nodded and then glared at Sufoh. "I am rather 'cocky', as you put it. But trust me; I have a reason to be. You'll kill your lord, and it will not take you long to do so."
"You may control a lot of things, but you cannot control what I do."
Without responding, Fear stepped back and began to fade into the blackness. Just before he disappeared, he looked up at Sufoh with an impish smirk and asked him, "How much do you love your sister?"
Sufoh felt what he could only imagine was his own heart falling silent as Fear faded away. Within moments, blackness faded out to the real world, and the demon was gone. The downpour had subsided to a gentle shower, and Lord Jayis lay on the ground, unconscious. In his hand, he held the key to the Supernatural gate.

By the time dawn came, Sufoh realized that he was home and stood at the door. A passing breeze pressed its frigid hand against his back as he contemplated telling Kidja what was happening. Why her once pleasant visions are becoming deadly, and why, if this continued, he might be responsible for the world's destruction.
"So, what are you going to do?" A low voice came from behind Sufoh. He turned around to see a giant wolf. He stood inches taller that Sufoh, on all fours, and nearly twice that in length. His grey eyes beamed in the night, and his silver-white fur was, spiky and dull from age, not filth. His whiskers hung longer than most of the wolves' but as he spoke, his teeth were clearly as sharp as fleshly forged daggers.
Sufoh's wolf, Jorah. He was one of the original wolves brought into the Natural world by the White Wolf tribe when the rift in the Supernatural world was discovered. Very old, but also very wise and still an astounding fighter. Jorah was given to Sufoh's family as a gift, generations ago.
Jorah lie down beside Sufoh, putting his massive head slightly above eye level with him. "So, what are you going to do?" he repeated. "Are you going to kill Lord Jayis and free the Sin Demons, or are you going to try and find a way to exorcise them on your own. If you do try to do it alone, you know that will prove extremely difficult. Kidja may just be a girl but you and I both know she is wise far beyond her years and a lot more knowledgeable about the Supernatural than you are."
Sufoh stared at Jorah. "How did you—"
"I spent the first four hundred seasons of my life in the Supernatural world," said the wolf. "I can sense the presence of a demon a mile away, and I've never felt a demon presence as strong as the one in Lord Jayis. Anyway, are you going to tell Kidja? You need to."
Sufoh sat down on the ground, his mind racked with confusion. "I know that, but if I get Kidja involved, it will endanger her life."
Jorah stood up. "Well if you don't get her involved she and the rest of us are in grave danger. Consider it, Sufoh."
Jorah walked away and Sufoh opened the door. Kidja stood before him, her usual merriment consumed by sorrow. She had heard every word spoken between them.
"What has happened Sufoh?" she asked, tears already running down her cheeks.
Sufoh knelt down in front of Kidja and placed his hands on her shoulders.
"Kidja," he said, "I need you to listen carefully to what I am about to tell you. You cannot be afraid, because I will need your help."