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I nodded, my heart heavy with the weight of my decision. I was willing to betray my men by aligning with Apollyn just to save them. My heart leaned heavily toward this decision because I couldn't bear the thought of losing them, even if the outcome wasn't favorable—to me or them.
"Well? Do we have a deal?"
Chapter 22
Sadie
As soon as I ceded my will to Apollyn and allowed myself to be pulled back into Shadow World with him, I could feel the energy start to crackle around me. A surge of power pulsed through me, blinding me with its intensity. Then, I felt a sudden jolt like I had been hurled into a vortex of pure energy. The air pulsated with a supernatural force and the world around me started to distort and unravel. We stood right outside the doors of the shadow mansion in Shadow World.
Apollyn loomed over me, his commanding presence threatening to overwhelm me. His eyes were dark pits of unending power and terror, his tall stature creating a menacing silhouette in the fading light. I took a step back, my body trembling in fear and nerves at being in his presence. I knew that I must align with him, that I had no other way to save my friends, but it made me feel sick to my stomach to be making such a desperate bargain. As I glanced into his eyes I saw a wild unpredictability, and I wondered what sort of danger I was truly getting myself into.
I was teetering on the brink of a cataclysmic choice, the consequences of my decision looming heavy. My heart thudded against my ribcage and my breath came in shallow gasps asApollyn appeared before the inhabitants of Shadow World. Shock reverberated through the assembled crowd, fear and outrage etched into their faces. Demands for the return of his sons filled the air, but Apollyn was quick to assert his power - his voice thundering through the chaos, silencing all dissent. The weight of his presence left no doubt in anyone's mind who held the upper hand. Not wanting to anger the former king of Shadow World. The spectators disappeared immediately after that.
"I have returned, and all is well," Apollyn stated. "My sons are still alive."
I watched in disbelief as Apollyn turned to me, a smile playing at the corners of his lips.
"Come, my dear," he said, gesturing for me to follow him. "I have a final test for you."
Apollyn ushered me to a great chasm on the eastern edge of Shadow World. Peering down, I shivered at the sight; a gaping maw of pitch-blackness, shrouded in an ethereal swirl of murk and mystery. The shadows crept upwards and seemed to beckon me to the depths below.
The shadows were visible, struggling to escape the deep hole they were trapped within.
Apollyn turned to face me and said, "This is your test. Demonstrate that you've mastered the magic I need. Gain my trust.Raise my horde from the shadows.”
I gasped at his words and hesitantly nodded my head in agreement. I was taking a big risk, using powers that I wasn't entirely sure I could control. My heart was racing, and I wondered if Walker knew what a risk he was taking by allowing me to attempt this. Closing my eyes, I focused all my energy on the task at hand: raising a defunct demon horde from the pit. My hair stood on end as energy coursed through me and my heart raced in anticipation. Calling upon my darker power, I directed my calls and chanted to raise the horde. Slowly, I began to drawpower from within myself; quietly chanting ancient incantations until I felt a weight begin to press against me from all sides.
I grabbed Apollyn's wrists in a firm grip and channeled immense power from him. He didn't try to escape, showing that I had a clear grasp on the task at hand and how far I was willing to go. Apollyn seemed impressed by what he saw.
I drew upon more power until dozens of demons began rising up out of the depths of the pit—their forms twisting and turning before us in perfect harmony with one another's movements—an army of darkness rising up from the depths. Black shadows suddenly transformed into physical demons with horns and glowing red eyes.
Finally, after what felt like hours but was probably only minutes, my task was done and Apollyn simply nodded his approval.
Apollyn took over, muttering one simple command that caused the demons to freeze in place. The demons look confused, disoriented, and almost scared as they realized they had been brought back from the dead.
"I've done what you asked. I raised your demon horde. Now please, release Altair, Morpheus, and Dominik from the flames." My voice was laced with vitriol.
"Very well. Your test is complete. You passed with flying colors," he said. "For proof, I shall show you what I agreed to do."
Next, I gasped in amazement as the scene played out. My men were freed from their burning bindings and brought back to Earth. From the void, Altair, Morpheus and Dominik were hurled, only to land in a golden wheatfield. Apollyn had cast his black magic and, when all was said and done, the void was gone and so were the minions I had summoned for him. Suddenly, it clicked.
“You had me raise a demon horde just to kill them again," I gasped.
Apollyn nodded. “My most loyal demon horde to date. They have followed me for centuries. Even followed me to Earth as shadows when my son massacred them after taking Shadow World. I promised I would raise them one day when I returned here.”
"They helped you attack the vampires when I was visiting Nostro, didn’t they?”
"Yes. That was my sacrifice. Something great I was willing to give up to accomplish the feat you asked me to,” he said. “I used them to destroy the void. The thing is done. Now it’s time for you to hold up your end of the bargain. Besides, with your talent, I can create and raise one thousand more armies, one after the other. It will just take a while, but I am a patient man.”
Having no idea what Apollyn planned to sacrifice, I swallowed. I was just glad my men weren't in danger or pain anymore.
"One more thing, dear Sadie."
"What..." I almost rolled my eyes.
"You can't go back to Earth. I mean you can, but you shouldn't. Your enemies are many and powerful. They will fear your magic. Every time you use your power to teleport, your humanity will slowly start to fade away until it's gone completely, and you transform. Haven't you felt that after every attempt and success you made?"
My chest tightened at the thought of losing my humanity. "I have."
