INFINIX

CHAPTER 5: SLAVE DEMON.

CHAPTER 5: SLAVE DEMON.

[ WAKE UP! ]

The voice of the gods’ system made Mark open his eyes and look up at that gigantic rock floating thousands of kilometers above him in the sky. For a moment, he didn’t know where he was, not even who he was. He had briefly lost consciousness.

Finally, he remembered everything that had happened—and that those thieves had attacked him and hurt Lyra.

“I have to go for Lyra,” Mark said, but when he tried to get up, pain shot through his entire body.

He was completely covered in bruises from head to toe, and some of his wounds were bleeding enough to make the idea of walking back to where he had left Lyra almost impossible.

[ PICK UP THE SWORD ]

Mark looked a short distance away and noticed that Xilos’ sword was stuck in a rock just a few meters from him.

[ YOU WERE VERY LUCKY ]

[ THE SWORD COULD HAVE CUT YOU IN HALF ]

[ LUCKILY FOR YOU, IT SLIPPED OUT OF YOUR SHIRT ]

“Good thing I met Lyra, because you weren’t much help,” Mark complained as he picked up the sword, wincing in pain.

[ LYRA IS DEAD ]

“What did you say?” Mark asked, stunned.

The news froze him in place. He swallowed hard, staring at the sword for a full minute.

[ I CAN’T FEEL HER ENERGY ]

Silence weighed heavily in that place. Mark just stared at the sword, thinking about how that person had saved his life and sacrificed their own without even knowing him.

[ SURELY, THOSE THIEVES ARE LOOKING FOR YOU ]

[ YOU MUST CONTINUE YOUR PATH, XILOS ]

“I already told you!” Mark shouted, losing control. “I’m not Xilos! My damn name is Mark!”

The frustration in his head was hard to handle. The pressure of being in such a ruthless place was already overwhelming without having to endure the insolence of the gods’ system.

[ YOU ARE XILOS ]

[ YOU ARE A DIRECT DESCENDANT OF APOLLO ]

[ END OF DISCUSSION ]

“Screw you!” Mark hurled the sword forcefully. “I’m done with this stupidity! I’m going home!”

[ WARNING! ]

[ YOU MUST RECOVER THE SWORD OF XILOS ]

[ IT IS DANGEROUS IF IT FALLS INTO THE WRONG HANDS ]

“Drop dead!” Mark snapped, continuing to walk, grimacing in pain.

At Oxlarder Castle:

A very important meeting was taking place around the throne of skulls. Present were the new king of Oxlarder, Kronx; the king’s general of armies, Clen; and the general of the demonic armies, Fix.

They were all powerful demons who had faithfully served King Xhen for many years—until one day they decided to overthrow him so that a demon king could once again sit on the throne of skulls.

The meeting was to decide the next step. They had already accomplished one of the hardest parts; now they needed to decide how to move forward.

“We must take the other two kingdoms. We must have absolute control of INFINIX,” declared Kronx.

“Keemer and Grodox can wait. First, we should free the demon race that has been enslaved by the gods for a thousand years,” argued General Fix.

“The king is right. We can’t wait. Perhaps those two kingdoms are already planning to reclaim the throne of skulls—especially if they know Prince Xjien is still alive,” Clen said.

“That only strengthens my point. This might be the only chance to free our race from a millennium of s*****y,” Fix insisted.

“Fix… You are an excellent general and the best demon warrior I have ever known. I respect you, and that is why I have decided to confess the truth about my plans for the demon people,” Kronx said.

“Plans?” General Fix asked, confused.

“I have no intention of freeing the demon people. I need them to keep producing food and wealth for the kingdom,” Kronx admitted.

“What the hell are you talking about? You’re a demon too!” Fix shouted, stepping closer to the king as if ready to strike him.

General Clen quickly drew his sword, and in seconds, Fix felt the threatening edge of steel at his neck.

“Don’t forget you’re speaking to the new king of Oxlarder,” General Clen said, gripping the hilt.

General Fix swallowed with difficulty, feeling the blade graze the skin of his neck. Clearing his throat as best he could, he decided to do the smartest thing possible in that situation.

“My apologies… Your Majesty,” Fix said, giving a small bow. “The kingdoms of Keemer and Grodox will be yours.”

“Much better,” Clen said, sheathing his sword.

On the roads of Oxlarder:

Mark had been walking for nearly an hour. His muscles were beginning to get used to the pain of his wounds and bruises, making his grimaces less frequent.

[ WARNING! ]

[ YOU MUST RECOVER THE SWORD OF XILOS! ]

“I heard you! I heard you the first hundred times you said it!” Mark yelled, fed up with the gods’ system’s persistence.

[ WITH THE SWORD: YOU’RE EASY TO KILL ]

[ WITHOUT THE SWORD: YOU’RE A DEAD MAN WALKING ]

“I’ll be fine. I just want to go home,” Mark said.

He kept walking, glancing at his strange new appearance reflected in the water of the stream running alongside the road, when his stomach growled again, reminding him he hadn’t eaten all day.

“I’m starving,” he said, holding his stomach.

[ WARNING! ]

[ YOU MUST RECOVER THE SWORD OF XILOS ]

“You’re right… Maybe I can sell that stupid sword and buy some food for the trip back home,” Mark said.

[ YOU’RE AN i***t! ]

“Wow! Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?” Mark joked, mocking the gods’ system.

That’s when he noticed fish swimming in the stream. They were strangely colored, but at that moment, hunger made colors the least of his concerns.

He used a piece of cloth from his shirt and a fishing technique his father had taught him to catch one of those fish. It was a fairly large one—about a kilogram. Enough to fill his stomach.

He quickly made a small improvised campfire with dry branches and the spark from two rocks. At that moment, he was grateful to the gods for those summer camp skills his parents had forced him to learn as a child.

He skewered the fish on a stick and set it beside the fire to cook. In just minutes, the fish took on a delicious look, color, and smell. His stomach growled, and his mouth watered uncontrollably. He couldn’t wait to take the first bite.

He glanced at the exquisite fish for a moment, then turned briefly to put out the fire. But when he turned back to grab it, he was met with the sharp blade of a dagger held by a hideous figure—half demon, half man.

“Move, and I’ll slit your throat,” the horrible figure said, biting into and savoring the delicious fish.