"Do you mind coming down for a chat, Rey?" Zalathar called up to him.

  Rey had stood still in his spot from the moment he had recognized the Sovereign show himself. The chief question in his mind was—what the hell is this Dickwad doing here, and what does he want with me? Try as he might, he couldn't find the answer. This was new territory to him. The future was changing, while it still maintained some things the same. However, this would change a great many things. He was sure of that.

  Kassandra stirred beside him. "R-Rey?"

  She was more than afraid. She had a fear in her eyes that wrenched his heart. The last time he saw that look was when she was dying, and knew that no one could do anything to save her. That was a memory that was seared into his brain. He had thought he would change it, but he was less sure with each passing day.

  He wasn't sure why, but Zalathar's coming had shaken his confidence. He tightened his arm around Kassandra, reassuring her that it would be okay, but it was more for himself. It felt good to hold her so close, for he didn't know what he was walking into. It could very well be the last time he talked to her. He could very well be walking to his death.

  With that, he moved for the stairs, but Kassandra grabbed hold of his hand.

  "Don't die," she whispered.

  "I'll try."

  Moving down the steps felt like he was moving to the gallows, and the hangman was an ultra-powerful demon against whom he could do nothing. He had failed once when he trusted him, and now he was not even an ant compared to the demon.

  Why now?

  The question rang in his head again. This was highly unlikely. Zalathar had said that he had given them a year, so why was he here? The others moved about their business, not knowing that their overlord was waiting outside for Rey.

  Some, like Gloria, passed him dirty looks, and he couldn't help but snort, as her wish of getting Rey out of her hair could very well be fulfilled without her even knowing about it.

  Okay, Rey, remember to keep your trap shut and listen. Can you do that for me?

  Seems like it. He responded to himself.

  No, seems like it. You have to, or that donkey dick-riding, cum gurgling fuck will get away with it again. You're not strong enough. Remember that.

  He did, but he wasn't sure his mouth did, which had gotten worse in the last five years, thanks to Hell and his little demon side. He basically cussed off or provoked anyone that he could when he was a demon, and even now, he had a hard time controlling himself.

  Finally, he reached the castle door, and Ajay ran up to him.

  "Where are you going?" He asked.

  "For a walk."

  "I'll come with," the lad said.

  "Not this time."

  Rey opened the door, and whatever argument that was building in Ajay died immediately when he saw Zalathar. He started with a bewildered look at the S-Tier demon who waved at Ajay, and it was quite something the lad didn't piss himself, or maybe he did and just dried his clothes immediately.

  "Ah, Reyan, how have you been keeping?" Zalathar said in a friendly tone.

  The same tone he used to use when they were catching up or bantering with each other. All that time, he made Rey think he was his friend. All those years, he made a fool of him, made him think they were on the same side. That once they dispatched his brother and took over Hell, they would rule together. All that time, he must've laughed behind Rey's back.

  He was never his friend. He used him and manipulated him into doing his bidding. He killed his grandmother and then saved him from making her think he owed his life to the backstabber. The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. The grip on his scythe tightened, and he wanted nothing more than to jump on the shifty bastard and impale him, but he swallowed that anger.

  "Aside from the demons that keep trying to kill me and eat my soul, not too bad. Though the view is shitty, and the locals are worse. I have a demon locked up in the castle who I thought was my friend until he attacked me and tried to drink my marrow. I don't have spare clothes, so I guess I'll be going around looking like a hipster who's still stuck in the 2010s. Besides all that, I can't complain." Rey smiled. "Oh, did I mention that everyone I loved and cared for is dead. That really stung, by the way."

  Zalather smiled. "I see you're progressing quite well. I always had high hopes for you."

  "Gee, thanks. That means the world to me."

  "Walk with me. Let's talk."

  "What about everyone else? Why can't we go inside and sit down to talk?"

  If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  "Because I have some things to say that I don't think you would want me to reveal to your fellows. Oh, and you don't have a choice. As a matter of fact, take any word from me as a command, or I have a Minion with a very powerful blender."

  "I didn't like smoothies anyway. Lead on, O mighty prince of Hell."

  Zalathar snorted, but deep down, that comment stung. Rey knew he hated being called that, but this version of Rey wasn't supposed to know not to call him that.

  "You see, Reyan, you picked quite a nice Talent. The ability to see the future has made things quite easy for you, hasn't it?"

  Rey shrugged. "A little bit. It's filled in all the gaps you left out on purpose."

  Zalathar chuckled. "That was the whole point of it. I'll admit, the sadistic side of me left things vague to watch you humans figure it out on your own, and the deaths in the trial and error would have been hilarious."

  Rey smiled a little. So, you can see me at any given point.

  "And I'm taking that pleasure away from you," Rey said. "Hence, the visit. You want me to stop revealing the future and let people figure it out themselves, which mostly involves them dying."

  Zalathar looked impressed. "Maybe you can see the future indeed. I couldn't have put it better myself, and a few days ago, I would've thought that too, and it was chaffing my balls that you kept revealing everything. So, every time you did, I grabbed a relative of yours that still breathed, flayed them alive, and made myself this nice coat. How does it look?" He spread his arms wide to show off the drab, brown leather coat.

  "Which part is Uncle Reyan?" Rey asked.

  "The left arm and most of the left breast," the demon lord replied.

  "Good. I hope you made it hurt."

  Zalathar frowned. "I was expecting a different reaction since I imagine you were named after him."

  "I wasn't." He just left it at that.

  This time, he didn't want to get even the least bit close to the traitorous demon. The truth was that he was named after Uncle Reyan. The bastard was his father's younger brother, and despite having the means to do so, he didn't take Rey in when his parents died, despite even promising Rey's dad that if anything happened to him, he would look after Rey. After all, Rey's dad had practically raised the fucking ungrateful fuck. His reason was that he was never home because he was always traveling for work. The real reason was that the asshole was a selfish bastard who didn't want anything to do with Rey. He was more than happy to buy Rey lavish gifts, but beyond that, Rey might as well have not even existed. If it weren't for his Grandma, Rey would've ended up in foster care. He would've spat on Uncle Reyan's skin if he knew for sure it wouldn't offend the Sovereign.

  "Hmm," Zalathar mused. "I honestly thought that this would affect you more."

  Good thing, this is my second time round, you constipated fuck.

  "So, if you don't want me to stop revealing the future, then do you want me to keep revealing it?" Rey wanted this conversation to end as soon as possible before he fucked up by saying what he truly felt.

  "Well, you see, as much as I would've enjoyed the torment of you humans, then I had the realization that I have a lot of shards invested in you all. So, it would be to my benefit that maybe one of you succeeded."

  It was Tibras, his Minion, who had given him this revelation. Zalathar was incapable of coming to this realization on his own.

  The demon went on. "So, I give you the charge to get as many people as you can to D-Tier by the end of the year."

  Rey nearly tripped over his feet. "I'm sorry, what?"

  "You heard me. I'm making you the de-facto leader of your group, and that is your unholy mission, bestowed upon you by your patron Sovereign."

  "Just tell me straight, how many do you want alive?"

  "Half that started this life-changing journey."

  "You have got to be fucking shitting me," Rey snapped.

  Last time, only he had made it to the D-Tier by the end of the year. Everyone else perished before then. Kassandra almost made it, but that fucking prince finished her off. Rey was especially looking forward to mangling his body again.

  He drew a few deep breaths and got control of himself. "Listen, the future shows only me surviving to the end and making out of your VIP lounge of nightmares or what you call the Kingdom of Night."

  "I figured as much."

  That almost gave Rey pause, but he went on. "The best I can do is three people, and that is if I fuck around with the future a lot. By a lot, I mean, I take a mammoth sized wrench to its nuts and hope it doesn't clap back."

  "Then do that, or you'll learn how I reward those who disappoint me." Zalathar smiled. "Well, you better hurry back and get started. Otherwise, your Unokir might come to pay you a visit faster than you expect."

  Rey scoffed. "Now, you can see the future, too, can you?"

  "No, but I know how madness works," Zalathar said. "You humans are so predictable because most of you work off of emotions rather than facts and logic. Emotions make us do unhinged things. Some totally mad things, and trust me, I know a thing or two about madness."

  Then someone screamed in the castle. Rey turned to the castle and saw a man bursting out of the castle door with blood on his hands and mouth. It didn't take a genius to figure out it was Phil.

  Zalathar laughed. "You'd better hurry, or you may lose another like you lost dear Phil just now."

  Rey left him there and sprinted towards the castle.

  "And remember our deal, Rey," Zalathar's voice echoed throughout the clearing.

  Rey ignored it. For now, he had other concerns. He shouldered his way through the door and almost ran in but closed the door behind him in case a demon sauntered in. He heard commotion on the second floor. He flew up the steps two at a time. There was a crowd in the rooms to his left.

  [+1 Endurance]

  He pushed through the people who parted to let him through. Dr. Bahar had her hands around Gloria's throat, who was on the floor in a small puddle of blood. Blood flowed from between the doctor's fingers, staining her clothes red.

  "What happened?" Rey snapped.

  "She freed Phil while we were all upstairs watching you with Zalathar," Kassandra said.

  "And he gave her the right thank you for her stupidity." Rey gripped Ajay by the collar. "Cauterize her wound."

  He frowned at him because, of course, he didn't understand. For all his smarts, the man was still mostly a kid.

  "Burn her!" Rey shouted, making many flinch. "Form a small flame and press it to her wound. It'll staunch the bleeding."

  He wanted to snap at the doctor for not thinking about it sooner. Ajay bent down on his knee and formed a small flame on his hand, as Rey had said. It was a surprise to everyone but Rey that the lad was performing well under such pressure. That dungeon did wonders for him. Some yelped, and Gloria screamed as her skin burned and she fell unconscious.

  "It's okay," the doctor said, checking her breathing. "She might be fine if I can heal her with my magic quickly enough."

  They parted as Sergei carried Gloria to the room that had become the doctor's clinic. Kassandra pulled him aside while the others were busy watching the ambulance.

  "What did Zalathar say?" She asked.

  "That I'm fucked."