Their hands were still shaking, and they couldn’t believe they had survived an encounter with the strongest primordial. Merlin sat on a rock, still thinking about Heylel’s last words.
He tried to deny them so many times, but deep down he knew it was the truth. "I’m related to the devil," Merlin said with a laugh, but the sadness in his eyes could also be seen.
"Are you okay, Merlin?" Laila said as she stood behind him. His depressed energy was shrouding the entire village, making all his friends concerned.
"I have spent so much time trying to defend my people. I fought against people who called us demons, but it seems they were right. We really are the spawn of the devil," Merlin said. Tears poured from his eyes, and this was the first time Laila had seen the man so sad.
"The sins of the father are not the sins of the son. Just because your kind carries the blood of an evil creature does not make you evil," Damon said, sitting on a rock watching the sunset. "Humanity carries far more evil than I have seen in any of you guys. And you should remember Heylel carries the blood of an angel in him, and that same blood runs in you."
Merlin’s green eyes shined bright from the kind words he heard from Damon. He stood up and wiped his tears. "Thank you," he said. The pain in his eyes was still there, but looking at the people that surrounded him made him feel better.
He cherished the new friends he had made and hoped to protect them until the end.
"Let’s get moving. We have to go to the capital, and it’s only a day’s journey," Merlin said.
Their journey had taken them to different kingdoms, but Alexander felt like they weren’t any closer to freeing his kingdom from the demons that invaded it. "Will we find any more chaos weapons in the capital?" he said, concerned for his people.
"I really don’t know. But this kingdom is the most advanced human civilization in this part of the world," Merlin said.
"And what’s the name of this kingdom?" Laila asked as she followed behind Merlin.
"The kingdom of Zaloa," Merlin said.
LUST
The closer they got to the capital of the Zaloa, the colder it got. It was starting to take a toll on their Nergal bodies, but they pushed forward until the capital was in sight.
The entire capital was surrounded by a huge wall, and the only way to get in was to pay the gate toll.
They stood at the gate where the knights were eyeing them. They were strangers with glowing eyes, and that would make any normal human scared.
"You guys must not be from around here," one of the knights said.
"Yes. We come from the western continent," Merlin answered.
"You must have gone through quite a journey," the knight said. "The entrance fee is one gold coin each," he added.
"Alright, but we haven’t passed by any merchants, so our money is still that of the western continent," Merlin answered as he handed the guard 5 gold coins.
"Gold is gold, strange traveler. As long as it can be used, then we will accept it," the knight said. He opened the gate and they walked through. "Welcome to the kingdom of Zaloa."
This kingdom wasn’t like anything the others had seen. The vehicles used weren’t dragged by horses, and the streets were being illuminated by some kind of magical lights. "It’s amazing, isn’t it?" Merlin said to the others, and they just nodded.
"There are kingdoms out there even more advanced than this, but for now just enjoy this one." Merlin put out his hand and one of the vehicles stopped.
It was a black box with wheels, and it looked like a basic carriage, but it was somehow moving without the need of a horse. Their eyes shined with excitement, and they all wanted to be first to get into this machine.
"Where to, sir?" the man driving the vehicle said.
"Take us to the nearest inn," Merlin said. Smoke blew from behind the vehicle before it started off, and unlike the shaking of a horse carriage, this one was more steady and smooth to ride in.
The lights in the streets amazed them, and the kingdom was lively even at night.
The buildings were also different from other places. The architecture in this kingdom prioritized space, and it made this kingdom look less magical, but it was beautiful nonetheless.
"We are here, sir," the driver said.
"How much will that be?" Merlin asked.
"5 bronze coins," the man said to Merlin.
The others were busy staring at the inn. Their eyes couldn’t believe that such a prestigious place would be an inn.
"Is this really the right place?" Laila asked.
"Yes, it is," Merlin said.
The inn looked better than the homes of some nobles back in her kingdom, so it shocked her. "We will be staying here while we search for any weapons that might help us defeat the demons," Merlin said.
The warmth they felt once they entered the inn was pleasant. The place wasn’t like any inn they had ever seen, and it looked like a palace inside.
"Welcome to the downtown inn. How may I help you?" a woman standing behind a desk asked.
"We need five rooms, please, and we will be staying here indefinitely," Merlin said.
"Alright, sir. For five rooms, it will come to 5 silver coins a night," the woman said. Laila looked at Merlin, concerned about how much he was spending on them.
"Merlin, I feel bad just letting you pay for everything. I can pay for the rooms," she said.
"I’m happy to pay, hon. I’ve been around for too long, but I haven’t had a chance to actually spend any of the money I accumulated over the years," he said.
The innkeeper gave them their keys and they proceeded to go upstairs.
Finally resting on actual beds felt amazing, and all this after their intense battle with Heylel.
Merlin was sleeping on his bed when a knock disturbed him. He got up, and when he opened the door, Laila was standing in front of him. She wore a white dress and her hair was tied up.
"Hey. You still owe me a date, so let’s go explore the city," she said. Her eyes were locked on Merlin, and he couldn’t help but blush.
"It’s the middle of the night. Are you sure you wouldn’t want it to be in the daytime?" Merlin said.
But Laila just grabbed his hands and pulled him along.
The night sky looked majestic, and the two moons shined brightly. Merlin looked at Laila and her grey eyes were shining brighter under the moon’s light.
"You look beautiful," he said.
"Stop trying to flirt and take me somewhere to eat," she grumbled, and he let out a little chuckle.
The kingdom had so many restaurants, but most of them were closed at this time.
They went door to door searching for a good restaurant, but none could be found.
"Help me!" A woman’s cry echoed through the streets. Laila and Merlin quickly turned around and followed the cry for help, and within a dark alleyway, two men were dragging a woman.
She was trying to get loose, but their grip on her was strong. "Let her go!" Merlin screamed at the men.
They stopped and looked at Merlin and Laila. "Mind your own business," one of the men said.
"This is our business," Merlin growled. One of the men came running towards them with a sword in his hand.
"DLROW NEZORF," Merlin chanted and the man froze up in an instant. His friend looked shocked.
"What have you done? This woman has committed so much crime-" the man stopped as the woman he was dragging held him by the throat. She turned his head and kissed him, and his eyes turned red.
He jumped towards Merlin and Laila like a madman, swinging his sword and throwing fireballs at them. But Merlin simply knocked out the guy.
"What have you done to him?" Laila asked the woman that was crying for help earlier. She stood there smiling before falling into her own shadow.
She reappeared behind Merlin, and a small blade was placed on his throat. "I just used the lust that exists inside every man. It’s easy to control a man that’s lusting over you," the woman said and kissed Merlin.