Reborn: Demons Trap Read online

  Authors Note:

  This is the second to last book in this series. I apologize for the long wait in the past few books. As many of you know my heath has not been good and after a surgery to take a portion of my left lung I went through a slight bought of depression. Aside from I got stuck on the third chapter on how to proceed with the story. I knew the end game but it is the small details that one gets stuck on not the big one. I hope the last book in the series out soon but I currently don’t have internet so I have to drive thirty minutes to town in order to get on. I hope to soon have that remedied but medical expenses mostly wiped out my funds. I have many other books in the works that I hope to have coming out soon so I hope my loyal readers will continue to support me. May all of you enjoy your life to the fullest while you can.

  D.W. Jackson

  13-1

  Ash was standing in a large open field. The grass below his feet was dyed deep red with the blood of countless demons and humans. The bodies of the fallen were strewn about in front of Ash that it looked like an endless tide. Some were missing limbs while others looked as if they had been through a blender but all of them had one thing in common. Their dead eyes were looking directly at him.

  Looking down at the body lying at his feet, Ash felt his her lifeless eyes. Her face was twisted in an eternal look of pain. Her small chest long bereft of life was torn open with small bits of white bone shining through. Unable to shed a tear Ash turned his head and found Mia laying not far away with the fletching of an arrow peeking through her throat. Her right arm had seemed to reach toward him and her face almost seemed as if it had a pleading look upon it.

  No matter where he looked Ash could see the face of someone he knew. His wives, friends, and fellow soldiers; all of their bodies lay before him. A harsh cry rose from his throat and reached out over the death covered hill but not even an echo would answer Ash’s pained call. His strength failing him Ash fell to his knees in front of a small body. He could easily tell that the body belonged to a young child but he didn’t have the heart or stomach to turn it over to see if it belonged to someone he knew. He couldn’t take seeing the death of another loved one.

  Raising his head Ash looked to the sky. The sun was shining weakly between the coverage of clouds that blanketed the sky. As if responding to Ash’s cries of anguish the sky started to weep as large rain drops started to fall from the sky. The blood on the ground mixed with the rain water and slowly started to flow in small rivers.

  Ash closed his eyes as the warm water soaked his body. A few seconds later the smell of metal and the taste of copper filled his mouth as some of the rain slipped into his mouth. Confused Ash opened his eyes to see that the rain was not clear but a deep red. Reaching out his cupped hands he let the bloody water fill his hands. His mind on the verge of collapse Ash couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of everything.

  Ash jumped in his sleep quickly looking around the dark tent that he was currently sharing with Li and Eun. Suppressing the shot that lingered in his throat Ash used the back of his hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead. It was not the first time he had such a dream. Every night since the last battle Ash had dreamed of nothing but death. Each night the scene he witnessed changed but each one had something in common a great deal of death and many among those belonging to people he cared deeply about. Taking a shaky breath Ash slipped out of bed and started to ready for the coming day. He hadn’t had a good sleep but that wouldn’t stop the army from marching. Death was calling, and nothing seemed to stop the call of death.

  During the day Ash marched with the army toward the enemy capital. By night his body was tired and was ready for sleep but each night he fought off the wariness only to succumb to it and was soon plagued with his tormenting dreams. He never slept long before his nightmares overtook him. When he had talked about his nightmares with Fay she had looked at him with eyes filled with a mix of pity and understanding before hugging him tightly. She had encouraged him to tell the others. Telling him that talking about it could only make it easier on him. Even if he didn’t get rid of the dreams he would have someone to share the pain with.

  Ash had proven himself on the field of battle but he was not a born soldier. He had been born in a world that was mainly founded on peace. It was a far cry from what he had come to find. Ash had strength and was in a position that forced him to the forefront of each battle. His wives each knew about his dreams and each of them took a different attitude toward him concerning them. Ash was surprised that none of them spurned him for them, not even Tolarea who seemed to live for battle, though her idea of helping was more training.

  As Ash tried to calm himself he felt something soft and warm wrap around him as a soft voice just above a whisper spoke in his ear. “It’s ok,” Li said in her sing sung voice as she hugged him lightly from behind. Ash couldn’t find any words to respond so he reached up and lightly grasped Li’s hand and tried to immerse himself in the feeling of being wrapped in her warmth before lying his head back down, to brave once again, the torturous sleep that was sure to plague him.

  That night like the others Ash slept uneasily. This time it was not an open field atop a hill but within a large city. He was standing tall atop what was left of broken and battered battlements looking down on the city below. There were numerous dead bodies scattered about but there they were all human. The demons were still alive standing below the wall looking up at him with reverent eyes. Ash started to say something when he heard a soft whistling sound. Turning his eyes skyward it looked as if a large black cloud was trying to blot out the sky. While he was looking up he hear the first cries, turning around he noticed in horror that it was not a cloud but arrows that had covered the sky and were now making their deadly return to the earth. Just as the scene became unbearable Ash felt something warm holding him and part of his mind remembered that this was only a dream.

  The next day Ash walked beside Fay as they moved across the uneven terrain as they made their way through a small rocky section. The two could easily ride horses or other pack animals but Fay had said the feeling of the ground beneath one’s feet could help heal the soul. Ash didn’t feel any healing due to the hours of endless marching but the sound of the army as it marched filled his ears and the dust kicked up stung his eyes making it hard for him to dwell much on his own inner turmoil.

  Little was said between Ash and his friends during the long hours of marching. Fey would be the one who would often fill the silence with an abundance of information. She didn’t keep her information just about military affairs but also about mundane and simple things. Sometimes they didn’t talk about anything more important than different types of tea, where they were from, and how to prepare them.

  When Fay wasn’t talking Ash often started to listen in on the soldiers as they marched. Unlike Ash the trained demon soldiers didn’t seem to be affected by the bloody battle. The soldier’s talks were vastly different than what Ash had thought they would be like. They talked about simple things but mostly they talked about what they would like to eat. Ash couldn’t believe that something as simple as what food they wanted seemed to fill the air. Looking at the amassed soldiers Ash had to admit that they were imposing but when he looked at them in smaller groups they seemed to act like a group of young children. When Ash mentioned this to Fay she had just laughed. “Get more than five men together at one time and you will find that they all turn into little boys again. Why do you think I have stayed the general over the army for so long? Want boys to act like men the best choice for a leader is a mother to scold them.” Fay said with a slight smirk giving Ash a sly wink.

  Ash couldn’t help but let a small laugh slip from his lips the first in days. He had to admit that the words rang true and not just in some small
way. Even though he had grown up without a mother it was the one thing he had missed the most and though she didn’t look it every action that Fey took screamed mother or maybe grandmother. That was not to say there were not times that he wished to have a father as well but it was far more often for him to wish for a mother or more likely call for one when he was alone at night. Ash could still remember when he was a small child and had been shut out of his foster home during the rain because the adults didn’t trust him with a house key and they had gone somewhere. Sitting in the rain as it washed over him Ash had cried out for his mother whose face he couldn’t even remember. Ash didn’t know when it first happened but He had started to call Fay, mother Fay. It had first started as a joke but it had quickly became the norm.

  Today as they marched, Ash read over the enemy movement reports that had come in the night before. So far no large armies had been discovered within the kingdom of Heluria, as well as none coming in from outside though there was always a chance that one had been overlooked though with eagle scouts flying far and wide it was very unlikely that any large number of soldiers would be missed.

  The real news that interested Ash was what was happening within the capital which they were now only a few days away from. It seemed that most the soldiers had been used in the last large battle and the king was trying his best to consolidate what he had left while at the same time doing his best to conscript anyone within distance old enough to hold a sword into the army. This included any child over fourteen, women, and anyone else still strong enough to lift a sword. In the past few days the villages they passed was completely empty. It was more than slightly eerie to see the abandoned houses with their doors swinging open. The trail between villages were littered with broken wagons and goods that people had left behind in an attempt to outrun the demon army. Ash didn’t know what the king had told them but then again he most likely didn’t have to say much. The demons were what many women used to scare their children into behaving.

  The news that Ash had received alerted him to the knowledge that the capital was doing everything possible to reinforce the city walls and train the newly conscripted soldiers. Their spies were able to tell where the weak parts of the city walls were but that was not the biggest nor the most important news. The king had seemed to have gone crazy, always keeping a full contingent of guards with him at all times, killing anyone who said the smallest thing that didn’t agree with his ears, among other things. This knowledge let Ash know that he had at least a fairly good understanding of Ash’s ability to warp. Sadly the king’s fear was working against him since one of the guards that had been assigned to guard him was one of the demon spies that had the ability to change their shape. The ability could not allow them to change their height but thankfully one of the guards was close in size to the spy and was quietly killed and replaced and now they knew almost every move the king made since he wouldn’t even sleep without at least ten guards in his room to safeguard him.

  When he heard this Ash had suggested to have the king assassinated. Fay had quickly shot down the idea saying that it would only add an extra layer of confusion and fear within the capital and had a good chance of making the battle even more intense. She went on to say that it could also paint a bad picture of the demon kingdom among the other reigning monarchs. Which was the one thing that Ash wanted to stay away from the most. It was not hard to win a single war against a nation but if all of them turned against the demons at the same time then it would be a hard fought and nearly impossible war to win. Though at one time the demons had scoured the land they had a large ally at that time and were much stronger than they are now. The first generation demons were almost gods compared to the ones living now. It was not only that their blood had been watered down with children from the other races but also between each other. Though they were all demons there was a large difference between each clan. In truth each clan could be considered its own race and there were none among them that was a completely purebred any more.

  This interbreeding may have weakened their fighting power but Ash felt that it was the right course of action for the demons. They were created to be nothing more than war slaves but with each generation they gained a little more of their freedom. Not just in a small way either. As the demon blood weakened so did the demon curse that held them so strongly to Ash and the previous demon kings. It would still be an unknown number of generations until they were completely free but each step was one in the right direction.

  Ash could see the usefulness of the spirit connection between him and the demons but it still bothered him. He had made himself accept the slave system in this new world but that didn’t mean that he liked it and having a whole race that was at their very heart slaves bothered him whenever he thought about it. Thankfully unless it was pushed at him it was hard for Ash to notice the hidden chains that tied the demons down.

  “Ash,” Fay said dragging Ash away from his internal musings. Unlike the other generals Fay had no problem calling Ash by his name. Not even his wives called him by his name when he was around the soldiers but Fay was unfazed by the thousands of people watching them from the corner of their eyes. Whenever Fay called him by his name a few of his wives especially Tolarea would give Fay a harsh look though not once did any of their dare voice their objections. Ash could only internally chuckle at the thinly veiled jealously.

  “Yes,” Ash answered back quickly almost like a child caught off-guard by his mother.

  “I was saying that we should march through the night so that when we make camp we will only be a day’s march away from the enemy capital,” Fay said after rolling her eyes to show her annoyance at Ash’s inability to pay attention.

  “Shouldn’t we camp slightly closer to the city?” Ash asked more than a little confused about Fay’s suggestion.

  “If we had the numbers and ability to completely surround the capital then yes but we just don’t have the number of soldiers for a complete siege of such a large city. Our best bet would be to hang back observe the capital for a few days before we make our move. I don’t know why by it doesn’t feel right. The march to the capital was far too easy and seeing how the enemy soldiers used civilians in the previous battle along with the illusion traps I want to know everything that I can before we find ourselves falling into a trap,” Faye explained.

  “I guess that is the reason that you are in charge,” Ash said with a half concealed smile.

  “NO!” Fay said in a reprimanding tone. “I told you countless times that I am not the one in command of the soldiers…You are.”

  “I know…I know,” Ash said defensively holding up his hands while sighing in his heart. Fay had decided to let Ash take the reins of the army or at least that it was it was supposed to seem like to the army but no matter how he viewed it Ash was nothing more than a small child being led by the hand. Every day it was just the same thing over and over. Fay would offer advice…or so she called it when in truth is was nothing more than a faintly veiled order. Even though he knew that it was nothing more than a charade Ash couldn’t help but letting his shoulders drop slightly as he had the order passed down to the other generals who would then pass it down among the ranks until every last rank and file soldier was aware of the new set of orders from their king.

  Just as Fay had “suggested,” the army marched through the night and didn’t stop until a few hours after the sun had risen. Though they were still a good distance from the capital Ash could see a few of the towers of the castle if he squinted his eyes.

  Though everyone was tired no one was allowed to sleep until the basic camp defenses had been arranged and that included Ash. Ash himself didn’t have much to do beside watch as the others worked. It was bad but Ash was silently happy since he was struggling just to keep his head upright while fighting back a yawn. Once his tent was up and the guard rotations were set Ash was finally allowed to sleep. He was so exhausted that as soon as his head hit the pillow he was already snoring loudly.

  As he slept Ash
’s mind was once again filled with images from the battlefield. He found himself standing in front of a long line of bodies that had been neatly lined up just as they had been back in the city where the last large battle had taken place.

  Ash looked down at the cold and frozen faces of the dead as a pang of guilt attacked his heart. Ash had seen the same faces time and time again. It had been the same faces he had seen after the battle when he walked among the dead. He knew that during the battle it was very unlikely that he had personally killed any of the citizens that lay among the dead but it still didn’t ease the pain in his chest. If it was by his blade or not the reason for the war was still on his head and thus their deaths were in some part on his shoulders. Since he had seen the same faces night after night they didn’t bother him as much now as they had the first time he had looked upon them.

  Bending down Ash moved a stay strand of hair out of the face of one of the dead that lay among the crowd and gave her a faint smile when her eyes suddenly shot open staring at him with glassy eyes.

  Slightly startled Ash stood up with a small jump but when the body below him didn’t move further he breathed a sigh of relief and calmed his beating heart.

  Looking around Ash noticed that the eyes on everybody was open and their heads were turned toward him. Ash took a deep breath and closed his eyes paying that the dream would end with nothing more happening. When he opened his eyes again Ash found that all the bodies were gone and he was now standing on a large hill looking down on a plain of bones that had been in the open so long they had long been bleached white by the sun.

  13-2

  Time passed by quickly as Ash tossed and turned waking only five hours after he had fallen to sleep. The sun was still up but the camp was silent as all the soldiers except those on watch were sleeping soundly. Moving quietly so that he wouldn’t wake the others who were still breathing softly Ash carefully got dressed and walked out of his tent and breathed deeply letting the fresh air fill his lungs and dispelling some of the tension left over from his dreams.