The Demon king's Last oath

The night was eerily quiet as Caius rode along the narrow dirt road, the faint sound of his horse's hooves the only thing breaking the stillness. The road curved through dense woods, where twisted branches clawed at the sky like skeletal fingers. The air was thick, damp, and heavy with the faint scent of decay.

Caius's blue eyes scanned his surroundings, his senses sharp. He had left the estate only hours ago, but the weight of his decision lingered in his chest. Every sound, every flicker of movement in the shadows felt like a threat.

"They won't follow me," he reassured himself, though the thought did little to ease his tension. "Not yet."

The pull he had felt back at the estate—the thread of power tugging at his soul—was stronger now. It guided him forward, like a faint voice whispering in the back of his mind.

Somewhere ahead, something awaited him.

By dawn, the forest gave way to open plains, the rolling hills bathed in a pale golden light. Caius urged his horse forward, his exhaustion tempered by the faint warmth of the sun.

Ahead, the dirt road split into two paths. One led toward the distant outline of a small village, where thin trails of smoke rose from chimneys. The other veered west, disappearing into a dense thicket of trees.

Caius pulled the horse to a stop, his brow furrowing. The pull in his chest seemed to tug faintly toward the village, though he couldn't tell if it was the promise of answers or just the promise of rest.

As he considered his options, a faint sound reached his ears—a low, rhythmic thumping.

He turned sharply, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the horizon. The sound grew louder, accompanied by the faint tremor of the ground beneath him.

"Hoofbeats."

A moment later, three riders appeared on the eastern path. They were dressed in mismatched armor, their faces obscured by dirt and unkempt beards. Bandits, by the look of them.

The leader, a burly man with a scar running down his cheek, raised a hand to signal the others. They slowed their approach, their eyes fixed on Caius.

"Well, well," the leader called, his voice rough. "What have we here? A little lordling out for a morning ride?"

Caius said nothing, his calm gaze betraying none of the unease simmering beneath the surface.

The bandit leader grinned, revealing yellowed teeth. "You're a long way from home, boy. How about you hand over that satchel and that fine horse of yours, and we'll let you walk away?"

Caius's hand drifted toward the dagger at his side. "No."

The leader's grin faltered, replaced by a scowl. "Brave little thing, aren't you?" He nodded to the other riders. "Teach him some manners."

The two bandits dismounted, drawing rusty blades as they approached.

Caius slid off his horse, his feet hitting the ground with deliberate calm. He didn't reach for the dagger. Instead, he took a slow, steady breath.

The flames were already stirring beneath his skin.

The first bandit lunged, his swing wild and untrained. Caius sidestepped easily, his small frame moving with unnatural precision. Before the man could recover, Caius's hand shot out, grabbing his wrist.

For a moment, the bandit froze, his eyes widening as heat surged through his arm.

"Leave," Caius said quietly.

The bandit cried out, stumbling back as a faint scorch mark appeared on his wrist. His blade fell to the ground, forgotten.

The second bandit hesitated, glancing between his companion and Caius. But the leader barked an order. "Stop standing around! Get him!"

The second bandit charged, his blade slicing through the air. Caius didn't move until the last moment, his hand shooting up to block the attack.

There was a sharp crack as the blade shattered, a burst of heat surging from Caius's palm. The bandit stumbled back, his eyes wide with terror.

"What the—?"

The leader growled, drawing his own blade as he dismounted. "You little freak," he spat. "I'll handle this myself."

Caius turned to face him, his blue eyes glowing faintly. "I warned you."

The leader roared, charging forward with his sword raised high. But before he could strike, the air around Caius shifted.

Dark flames erupted from his palm, coiling around his arm like living serpents. The bandit froze mid-charge, his face pale as the unnatural fire licked at the edges of Caius's cloak.

"You're not human," the leader whispered, his voice trembling.

Caius's gaze was cold, unrelenting. "No. I'm not."

The flames surged forward, stopping inches from the leader's chest. He cried out, stumbling back as the fire scorched the ground where he had stood.

"Go," Caius said, his voice low and filled with authority.

The leader didn't hesitate. He scrambled to his feet, barking orders at his men as they mounted their horses and fled.

As their hoofbeats faded into the distance, Caius lowered his hand, the flames flickering out. His breathing was steady, though his heart pounded in his chest.

"I need to be more careful," he thought, glancing at the scorched earth. "If I keep using my power, it'll draw more attention."

As Caius mounted his horse, preparing to continue his journey, a voice called out from the shadows.

"Well done, boy. That was quite the show."

Caius froze, his hand instinctively drifting toward his dagger. He turned to see a figure leaning against a nearby tree, their features obscured by a dark hood.

The stranger stepped forward, revealing a slim figure clad in a travel-worn cloak. Beneath the hood, a pair of sharp silver eyes gleamed, their gaze fixed on Caius with unsettling intensity.

"Who are you?" Caius asked, his voice calm but guarded.

The stranger chuckled, their voice smooth and faintly amused. "Just a traveler passing through. But after seeing that little display, I couldn't help but introduce myself."

They stepped closer, their movements deliberate and graceful. "You've got power, boy. Old power. Dangerous power."

Caius's eyes narrowed. "What do you want?"

The stranger tilted their head, a faint smile playing at their lips. "To help you. Whether you like it or not, that power of yours is going to get you killed—or worse. You'll need someone who knows how to stay ahead of the game."

"And why would you help me?"

The stranger's smile widened. "Because the same people hunting you might just be hunting me, too."

For a long moment, Caius said nothing, his piercing blue eyes studying the stranger. Finally, he nodded.

"Fine," he said. "But if you betray me, you won't get a second chance."

The stranger laughed softly. "Fair enough, boy. Fair enough."

This marks the beginning of Caius's first alliance.