As Kairos held Gilen tightly, the boy trembled in his grasp. But for the first time since arriving in this wretched place, a flicker of hope ignited within him.
"You are a brave, Gilen," Kairos admitted, finally releasing him.
"You think so?" Gilen wiped his tears, his voice uncertain.
A faint smile played on Kairos' lips. "Of course. Look at you—when I was in your place, I couldn't stop crying." He ran a hand through Gilen's hair. "Stand tall. You are brave."
A trace of color returned to Gilen's face, but his voice was still laced with concern. "Are you going to get me out of here, Kairos? I want to see my dad."
Kairos fell silent. He knew the truth—Gilen could not exist in the demon realm unless he completed the Trial of Blood. The thought stoked a cold anger within him. What was he supposed to do? Tell the boy the truth? That survival meant devouring his own father? No—that would only worsen things.
"Kairos… did you hear me?"
Kairos nodded. "Don't worry. Tomorrow, you'll be in a happy place."
A sudden bang against the cell bars shattered the moment.
"Time's up," the guard growled.
"Please, just five more minutes!" Valkos stepped forward, his voice firm. "Let him talk to the boy."
The guard sneered. "I said time's up."
Before the argument could escalate, Kairos raised his hand. "It's okay, Valkos. I'm done."
He turned to Gilen, meeting his gaze. "Be strong. I'll come back tomorrow."
The boy nodded.
Kairos stepped out, the cell door clanking shut behind him. Gilen's eyes remained fixed on him. Kairos gave him a final smile before walking away with Valkos.
As they climbed the stairs, Valkos sighed. "Well done, Kairos. I knew you'd reach out to him. But I wish you had more time—to encourage him to complete the Trial of Blood."
"I wasn't planning to tell him that," Kairos replied, pulling his cloak over his shoulders. "Telling him that devouring his own father is the only way to survive would've made things worse."
"Then what do you propose?" Valkos pressed as they stepped into the cavern.
"I'll see."
Uncertainty laced Kairos' voice. He had no answer. Encourage the boy to kill his father? And if he did… would Gilen even be able to do it? The questions swirled in his mind.
"Hey. You with me?" Valkos sighed. "Honestly, Kairos, there's no way out of this for him. If he wants to see the day after tomorrow"—he cleared his throat—"he has to complete the Trial of Blood."
Kairos said nothing, but Valkos' words held truth. A cold, inescapable truth.
As they stepped out of the Corridor of Thorns, Valkos chuckled. "That took longer than I expected. I need to hurry back to the academy."
Kairos barely registered his words. Too deep in thought, he hadn't noticed how far they'd walked. It was already midday.
They reached the force field and Valkos gestured to the guards to open. The demons stationed there opened the force field and moved to let them through, but one of them sneered.
"How was visiting your long-lost home, Kairos?" The demon chuckled. "I hope it brought back wonderful memories."
"Come on, let's not do this," Valkos interjected.
But Kairos met the demon's gaze directly, his voice calm yet absolute. "You're right. Coming here did bring back memories." He held the demon's stare. "And I'm truly grateful you let us in. I had a wonderful time."
The demon stiffened. This… was not the reaction he expected.
He had mocked Kairos before, but the man before him was no longer the same. He wasn't strong enough to be a threat, yet something about him sent a shiver down the demon's spine. Was it… fear? The realization unsettled him. His grip faltered, his sword slipping from his grasp.
Kairos still watched him, his expression unreadable.
The demon clenched his jaw and bent to retrieve his sword, feeling an odd sense of relief at breaking Kairos's gaze.
"Hey, what are you doing?" his comrade snarled.
Valkos and Kairos walked past without another word.
The first demon stood, but his legs trembled involuntarily.
The second demon narrowed his eyes. "What's wrong with you?"
The first demon swallowed, still watching Kairos disappear into the distance. "He truly is a demon."
Kairos and Valkos walked in silence, each lost in thought.
Finally, Valkos spoke. "Kairos, I believe you'll handle this situation." He hesitated. "Please… convince the boy."
Kairos remained silent.
Valkos sighed. "See you tomorrow. After the trial, meet me at my house."
Kairos gave a small nod. He watched as Valkos disappeared into the crowd.
Valkos was a good demon, always seeking to help. But even he knew—kindness meant nothing in the face of absolute law.
Gilen had only two choices.
Kill.
Or be slaughtered.
This was the unshakable truth of existence, carved into the bones of the world itself. The strong feasted, the weak perished. Mercy was a delusion, survival was the only creed.