She never was a patient child. To her credit she had become more controlled over the years, her mouth no longer running in time with her busy mind and indeed I was proud, shockingly so, of what she had become. Of course I had no intention of telling her that, telling an assassin they were good at what they did was like telling the sun it was hot. It already bloody knew and I had no intention of swelling her ego- lest she become like someone else I know. I snorted, chuckling softly at my own humour as Malina expressed her desire to clean up the mess before it festered. What it would be to be young again, to have an energy that just never faded. I am fairly sure Malina, like many, still continue to see me exactly as I desire, they still see the Assassin King, the powerful white male who had lead the largest pack to ever stand within Moladion, the killer of Queens and master of cunning. I was still all those things, I was just older, maybe even a little bit tired though I had no intention of allowing anyone to see it, not yet. I needed them to believe still that I was capable of everything I had done before all over again and indeed, if last night and the incident with Zen was anything to go by, hell, I was still entirely as capable of killing as I believed. I’d left two bodies. I waited until Malina matched my stride, her smaller frame taking a moment to meet my own. Perhaps she would never be the towering hulk that Azrael and Ava had both become, but there was something to be said for a female swift and sharp, agile and indeed, one who did not have to bend down to grasp the throat of a victim.

I knew what she had come for, well before she had asked and indeed, as I stated before. I have always believed her ready. Since the first day in which I had back-handed her into the dirt for her insolence I knew that it would be she who would be not only my apprentice, but the one who would finish my work and indeed when the time was right, the one who would pass on her work to her favoured apprentice. Azrael was too...vain for the work I needed, he was not trained by myself and thusly not worthy to carry on my work though indeed, Arkell has done a fine job, Azrael is exceptional at what he does and it prides me to see just how great he has become. Ava too carries my name in her line and was trained by myself and yet she is not graduated yet, I cannot wait another year and indeed I have a task all her own set aside for my grandchild. It was always Malina, always, who I had known would carry out my work for me, her own apprentice finishing what she could not, after all, new names were added to the list each year, each time a demon managed to reproduce, although, a demon did not always Father a demon. She was right however, we had wasted enough time, with Isola’s throne secured I could turn my mind elsewhere. Malina continued to speak as we walked, my head nodding easily.

“You are right, they have survived to long, longer then I believed they would and though the fall of the sky did indeed take some from this earth to rot within whatever hell they were damned to, there are some who did survive, some we should eliminate before the first touch of winter, lest they breed and pass on the disease of their minds.”

This is our work, this is what we are created for, the reason Malina has trained the first four years of her life, to be this creature, to fight this war on demons and rid the earth of those unworthy of life. This is our Art and our cause, her blood was made angelic the moment she accepted our oath and learned our prayer. Malina was destined for this life and I am determined she will see it through. She spoke then of remains and of Tobias, the heckles along my spine lifting as I snorted in irritation. I had failed in my kill of Tobias, if only I had pressed my fangs a little deeper the boy would have died, to this day I do not know what stopped me, though I know I will never be able to bring harm to him. He is not for me to destroy, if he dies, it will be Malina who brings it to him. I made a promise to Aaliyah and I no longer possess the reflexes to take out a five year old male in his prime. Perhaps even Malina is not ready for him yet, perhaps he will be her Archdemon, the kill she will hunger for most and leave till last to savour. Yet she walks dangerous ground with such a kill.

“When the sky fell Tobias followed behind us, following the travelling packs and consuming those too old to keep up, those injured, weak or to young. When they fell in their exhaustion, Tobias fell upon them. He has never eaten this well Malina and....you have not seen how he has grown, but do not let size deter you, only understand the words I will give now. Tobias is a demon, a vile creature on this earth, but I have only recently discovered that there is blood of the Art within him, it is in his family which means that any children born from him and Aaliyah will be legitimate, I must recognise them. They will be Angel-born even if they are from him, because he has some Angel blood. There are no teachings on this Malina, no words for a child of Angel Blood gone vile, Aaliyah will have you believe he is fallen, not a demon, merely a dark angel yet this cannot be true, he feeds upon flesh. He is not my demon to kill Malina, when the time comes you must make the decision, you must decide what he is, but know that he is now mate of Aaliyah, that to kill Tobias you go against your own blood. But perhaps that sacrifice is necessary? The choice for Tobias must be yours Malina, think on it well.”

I paused, allowing her a moment to process all things. In the end, Tobias was a demon and yet, was a demon with Angel blood any better? Could she rob my grandchildren of there Father? Then again, he would probably eat them and defeat the purpose. I shook my head, speaking once more. The time had finally come, violet eyes seeking her own as we strode, the passing of a torch as it were, is a rather significant thing and yet, we are assassins, we need no show nor fireworks, simply a private space with no burning ears to hear what must be said. I paused within the tiny clearing we had come upon, moving to sit before her before I offered the words.

“This list is your own now Malina, no longer mine, though I will help you- for a time. This list is for you to add to or take from as you see fit. Do not forget Malina, never forget. The first names are those I am assured of, wolves who should not live. Jaidah, murderer of many, mother of Tobias. Fatality, crazed and violent yet unintelligent really, Tobias, mate to angels but killer of innocents, Ruvindra, she is not what you remember her to be, her weakness consumed her as did her grief, see her brought down. Seren, she is young but she has been adopted by Jaidah, take her while she is small and weak, Angel, her name is not as it sounds, she is crazed and deluded, imprint of Amir. Canine, I know little of her save for she is mad and dangerous, seen with Jaidah and Tobias for company.”

I paused once more, allowing her to digest before I spoke a final time.

“These names are those I suspect, remember Malina that until we are sure we cannot destroy. These wolves you must discover for yourself wether or not they are worthy of life, I have heard disturbing rumours of each of them. Jumanji, son of Jaidah, Phobia, once of Mirovis, Daemon, born of Hyperion and Fiera, vile of blood, Tesseract and Caligula, both of Ruvindra, the girl is a mute and Nero, mate of Ruvindra. Find the truth of these wolves and if they are proven to be demons, add them to the list- it is yours now.”



h e y e l
The King