Malphas gave his demon-magic another push as he probed through the gateway and to Earth with his mind. He felt many pathetic minds, none glowing with Earth-magic. A bright stab of pain slashed at him through the portal. He’d found someone with magic, a lot of it.
It must be one of the Order’s greatest Casters, the demon thought.
Gritting his teeth, Malphas extended his magic toward his enemy, trying to sense his power and skill, but all he felt was confusion and fear . . . strange. And then the words ANTs and what-ifs drifted through the connection, confusing the Demon Lord even more.
“This isn’t a great Caster or Warrior of the Order, it’s just an Earther who doesn’t know how to use their magic.” A smile stretched across his bird-like face as he opened his eyes and released his demon-magic. “Good. I’ll destroy him first, just in case.”
A flash of light attracted his attention. The Demon Lord spotted Krak and Rylee as they stepped through the gateway and back into Agartha. With a powerful beat of his enormous wings, the demon lifted off his perch high atop the castle wall, his dark form merging with the dull, grey sky. He glided silently through the air, eddies of ash circling the tips of his wings. When he landed, Malphas’s eyes fixed on the two monsters before him, a perpetual scowl carved into his raven-like face.
“Why have you returned so soon?” Malphas asked. “The moon hasn’t set on Earth yet.”
“Humans attacked us, my master.” Krak’s eyes glowed red, signifying he was still under the demons’ influence. But it didn’t stop the gremlin from lying; it was something they did. Gremlins can’t tell the difference between a lie and the truth.
“Attacked? By how many?” Malphas paced back and forth, his huge bird feet kicking up small clouds of soot and ash.
“At least a dozen, maybe more.” Krak glanced at Rylee and shook his whip, warning the imp to stay silent. “We fought them off as we made our way back to the cave, so we could return to Agartha and report to you, my master.”
Malphas clenched his hand into a fist and shook it in the air. “They must know my plans and are preparing.” The demon turned and glanced at his minions. The smallest inhabitants of Agartha gathered near, for they were the only ones who could pass through the doorway without all the Skull Keys in place. He turned to Rylee. “Did you dig through the wall inside the House of the Dead?”
Rylee bowed. “Yes, master. I found a series of tunnels hidden beneath the structure, just where you predicted.”
“Master, we found the first Skull Key.” Krak bowed, a hideous, toothy smile on his face.
“What?” Malphas flapped his wings, rising a foot into the air, then settled back on the ground. “Which did you find . . . the Skull of Fear?”
Krak straightened and shook his head. “No, my master, it was the green one, the Skull of Life. It was closest to the entrance of the catacombs, and we found it in perfect condition. The humans may have tried to destroy it, but they were unsuccessful. That’s likely why they hid them instead, but I found the first skull’s location.” The gremlin glanced at Rylee and shook his whip ever so slightly again.
“Good work, gremlin. What did you do with the Key?”
“I placed it in its location over the cave entrance. It’s locked into place, the magic of Agartha holding it there.” Krak smiled again, his stained, needle-like teeth reflecting what little sunlight penetrated the gray sky overhead.
“Excellent. Now we can send more creatures through the doorway.” Malphas glanced at his followers and smiled, which was challenging to do with a raven’s beak for a mouth. “In fact, with the first Skull Key in place, it may be possible for me to cross over as well. With my demon magic, the doorway should allow me to pass.”
“Yes, my Master.” Krak bowed.
Malphas flapped his midnight-black wings again and took to the air, a hurricane of ash lifting off the ground and enveloping his army. He gained altitude, then landed atop the remains of a stone wall. Glaring down at his subjects, his eyes flared blood-red, strengthening his control over them. A faint, high-pitched whine came from the demon, a side effect of his enslaving magic.
“We must speed up my plans. I want three imps, three gremlins, and four gargoyles to go through the doorway with me. We’ll find more Skull Keys and use them to strengthen the gateway between the worlds, letting more Agarthans transit to Earth.”
Krak flicked his wrist into the air, cracking his whip high overhead, then cheered, glaring at the rest of the monsters. The congregation screeched and shouted their support, many of them glancing nervously at Krak and his whip.
Malphas extended his wings and shook them, demanding silence.
“Soon, my friends, we’ll have a new world teeming with life. Agartha is nearly dead, but Earth will support us for centuries.” Malphas raised his muscular arms into the air, clawed fingers spread wide. “Nothing is more important than finding the Keys. When you find a Skull Key, you must bring it to the cave entrance and put the skull in its place on the stone arch. I doubt the Earthers have the magical tools to pull the skulls from the gateway and steal the Keys, but we will still guard them. Let nothing deter you from this task.” He stomped his foot on the wall, part of the stone crumbling and falling to the ground under the piercing grip of his talons. “If any human tries to stop you, teach them what it means to suffer. The Earthers must learn who is in charge . . . and that’s me!” He clenched his hands into angry fists. “The Super Blood Moon comes in one more day. During that eclipse, the doorway between worlds will open and stay open, but only if we have all the Skull Keys in place. Let no one stand in our way.”
Malphas tilted his bird-head back and screeched into the air. Sparkling magic formed on his feathery body, then burst outward, covering his unwilling servants with glistening shards of fear. The Agarthans moaned and wailed as their own personal nightmares came to life within their minds, devouring their ability to think. Many fell to the ground and writhed in terrible agony. And as quickly as the magical wave of terror appeared, it disappeared, a cruel reminder of who was in charge.
As the monsters stood, Malphas swept his gaze across his subjects. “That’s the smallest taste of what the Earthers will do to you if we fail. I will protect you against them, but success rides on your shoulders. You must find the keys.” His eyes flared bright red again, cementing his control over his army. “No mercy.”
“No mercy,” his troops repeated.
“NO MERCY!” Malphas shouted.
“NO MERCY!!” his followers screamed, their eyes like glowing coals of hate.
“Go and prepare yourselves. Leave all metal behind and be ready for battle.” Malphas leaped into the air and soared high, his mighty wings driving him faster and higher until he reached the summit of his newly captured castle. The Demon Lord settled at the top of the partially shattered marble dome, tucked his wings onto his back, and surveyed his kingdom. He’d destroyed the foolish King of Agartha and taken control of everything, but it wasn’t enough. Malphas needed a new home for his army, and he wanted Earth. And as the previous Agarthan king learned, Malphas takes what he wants, and nothing will stop him from taking Earth.