Half an hour slipped by in the desolate building.
Kain leaned against a crumbling wall, observing the old woman who knelt nearby. Her back was hunched, and her eyes seemed calm yet vacant, suggesting a detachment that was unsettling. He spent that time engaged in a questioning dance, allowing her to speak as he began to assemble the pieces of their grim reality.
The kingdom was faltering.
That was the simplest summary he could muster.
The king, long past the point of effective rule, clung to his title. His authority was merely symbolic; decisions dragged on without resolution. Meanwhile, the empire of Molderia pressed against their borders, testing defenses that had begun to erode.
In the capital, the situation was hardly any brighter.
Food had become a rarity, even in areas once considered secure. Markets stood bare, prices climbed steeply, and word of shortages filled the air, rumors of caravans that failed to arrive and grain that disappeared before it reached the city.
Disease swept through the slums, tightening its grip and beginning to seep into the other districts.
Kain listened intently, releasing a soft exhale.
"…so nothing's changed."
The old woman offered no response. His gaze drifted towards the shattered doorway.
"Different world, same problems," he murmured. "Powerless kings paving the way for ruin, indifferent nobles, and the common folk caught in the middle."
He clicked his tongue softly and muttered, "Just a medieval Earth."
Before he could continue, rough voices echoed from outside.
Kain's demeanor shifted as purple mist coiled around him, his form blurring as he casually pressed against the wall, watching intently.
Three men entered the building, dragging a barely conscious body between them. Blood marred the man's tattered shirt, and he sagged limply as they pulled him forward.
They unceremoniously dropped him to the floor. He didn't even flinch at the impact. One of the men caught sight of the old woman, or rather number one.
His expression twisted in disbelief.
"What the hell are you doing here?"
She remained silent, merely shifting her gaze towards him, head slightly tilted.
The man frowned, irritation flickering across his features.
"…you deaf or something?"
He stepped forward, unsheathing a dagger from his belt.
"Didn't you hear me?"
Still, she offered no reply. Kain continued to observe without a word.
With a subtle gesture, three thin strands of purple energy slipped from his position, unseen by the naked eye. They moved swiftly and entered each man through their eyes before they could respond.
The effect was instant; all three froze, then screamed as something squirmed within their heads. Their cries were abruptly silenced, as if a force had plunged down their throats.
Silence settled over the room, a few tense seconds passing before their bodies relaxed. Their eyes, once turned pitch black, returned to their original hue.
In unison, they knelt, bowing towards the emptiness where Kain stood. He allowed his invisibility to wane just enough for his voice to resonate.
"Get up."
Without hesitation, they rose. Kain stepped forward, now visible, his gaze shifting between them.
"I want you to bring me people," he stated evenly.
"Not just anyone," he continued. "I want those who won't be missed. Drifters or beggars. Anyone who can vanish and wont raise questions"
They nodded, understanding his command.
"I require a hundred of them," Kain added. "Find a place to keep them, somewhere discreet, where no one will come looking, even if they hear noise."
He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in.
"Do it properly."
They bowed their heads in compliance.
"Yes, master."
Kain turned away, leaving the four of them on their knees, voices intertwining.
"Hail to you, master."
Without looking back, he retraced his steps to the castle as he had arrived.
He slipped through an open window and navigated the corridors, ultimately arriving at the throne room, where voices echoed from within.
Drifting inside, he leaned against one of the towering pillars, observing the scene unfold. Kanis stood at the center, his posture tense and his voice raised.
"We should attack now," he urged. "The empire is fractured, their forces are scattered. If we strike first, we gain the advantage."
Opposite him stood an older man, who bore an unsettling resemblance to Kanis.
He listened quietly before responding.
"Overextend ourselves, you mean?" he remarked coolly. "Even divided, their numbers dwarf ours. Their border forces outmatch what we can muster."
Kanis bristled.
"So we wait?"
"Indeed," the older man replied. "We fortify our position and let them wear themselves thin on this rebellion."
Though Kanis chuckled, there was no humor in it.
"Sometimes I wonder," the older man mused, "if we're truly related."
Kanis's ire flared, anger flashing in his eyes.
"That empty head of yours," the man continued mockingly, "certainly didn't originate from our father."
Without warning, Kanis's temper snapped, and he lunged forward, but a voice resounded through the room.
"Enough."
It was a weak voice, yet one that held authority.
The king struggled to rise from his throne, trembling slightly. A man beside him darted to provide support.
"Kanis, Lorna."
Each name cut through the air sharply, despite the strain they carried.
"Stop this… nonsense."
With careful steps, the man assisted the king down the stairs.
"Take His Majesty to his chambers," he instructed a nearby servant.
The servant bowed and guided the king away.
Once the king exited the throne room, silence enveloped the space. The older man turned back to the two princes, his gaze lingering between them.
"This," he said, his voice softer now, "is precisely why the nobility will rally behind me."
A faint smile graced his lips.
"Neither of you."
His words were quiet, yet they hit harder than anything Kanis had uttered. Without waiting for a response, he strode toward the door.
As he passed through the room, Kain sensed it.
A subtle but unmistakable energy grazed his consciousness, a faint prickle creeping along his arms.
Divine energy.
Kain narrowed his eyes.
The man paused at the door, frowning as he scanned the area where Kain stood.
Kanis held still for a moment, tension radiating from him. He glanced around the room, as if searching for something. Eventually, he exhaled and approached the door, nudging Lorna's shoulder with his own as he went.
The throne room fell silent once more.
Kain remained leaning against the pillar, contemplating the sensation he had experienced.
Then, a smile spread across his face.
"…interesting."
It felt different this time. When he had faced the knights, the divine energy had overwhelmed him, his instincts screaming for escape.
But now? It was merely discomfort he felt. Yet beneath that, something else simmered. Disgust, not fear.
Kain pushed himself off the pillar slowly.
"…so my demonic energy is higher."
His smile widened just a fraction.
"Good, very good."