CHAPTER 23: INVASION

Khal pulled Merlin up to her feet before releasing her hand. She wiped her face clear of tears, her expression resolute.

Don’t worry sis... I promise I’ll save you.

Khal stared at Merlin for a few moments, a slight grin creeping onto his lips.

She’s of more use to me alive than dead. Since I killed Renold, the Leywin family will definitely try to find out who did it and seek revenge on me. If I keep Merlin alive, she can fabricate a story to buy me some time.

Khal turned around, walking towards Hagan’s grave before stopping in his tracks.

’Wait a minute. Where’s Pat?"

Khal looked around the area, but there was no sign of him.

Merlin scratched her arm nervously, a bead of sweat running down her forehead.

"Uh, when I had struck you with my lightning the first time, I saw him get flung over in that direction over there."

She pointed to the far left of Hagan’s grave. Khal looked over at where she pointed and saw Pat lying flat on the ground unconscious.

Khal walked over to him, with Merlin following behind. He stood over pat, staring at him intently; Pat just layed there unmoving.

Khal bent down, glaring at him, looking for the slightest movement. Pat’s eyelid twitched for a mere moment, a vein bulged in Khal’s forehead, his expression annoyed.

"You sat here playing dead while I was fighting for my life."

Khal lifted his finger above Pat’s eye, poking it forcefully.

"AHHH!" He screamed, quickly standing up, holding his eye.

"Damn you! Didn’t you already get what you came for? Just leave and stop bothering me; you’ve done enough damage to my master’s resting place."

Khal grabbed him by his head tentacle, lifting him off the ground, glaring at him.

"Look, I don’t have time for this right now. Hagan gave me some information that I’m sure you already know about and how serious it is. I’m supposed to speak to him once more through his grave, meaning I need to know how to open it, so shut up and tell me how to do it.

Pat crossed his hands under his eye before sighing.

"It’s the same process as how the guy before broke into the master’s most prized possessions. Since you were chosen by the master, your blood is able to open everything sealed inside the tomb; that includes his grave."

Khal dropped him to the ground before getting up and walking back over to Hagan’s grave. He stood over Hagan’s grave, pulling a throwing knife out of his inventory and placing the blade against his palm.

He tried to slice it, but his skin was too dense to do any damage, so he coated it in mana, and with force he pressed the blade at his palm with force, slicing his palm, immediately clenching his fist.

Blood poured out onto the grave, and steam hissed out of the sides, finishing with a loud boom.

That should do it.

Khal held onto the side of the gravestone and began pushing. The gravestone was incredibly heavy; Khal used as much strength as he could, slowly moving it, sweat dripping from his face until it finally fell to the ground.

Inside laid Hagan. His body was still completely intact, holding a dusty old book to his chest.

Khal pulled Merlin’s slave contract out of his inventory, speaking to it, his voice low.

"If she attempts to harm me in anyway, kill her." The contract glowed in response; Khal placed it back into his inventory, refocusing his attention on Hagan.

Khal reached out, placing his hand on his arm. Immediately, he felt a zap to his brain, his consciousness fading away elsewhere.

Khal regained his consciousness; unlike before, he was inside a dark void, nothing in sight. He waited for a few moments for Hagan to come out or for a memory to be played but nothing happened.

What’s going on? Something should have happened by now.

Khal began wandering in the void, looking around for what felt like hours, until finally, in the distance, he spotted a figure, its back turned to him.

"Hagan?" Khal spoke, just loud enough for the figure to hear him.

It turned around, staring at him for a few moments before tilting it’s head. Khal got a good look at the figure now. It wasn’t Hagan. Its hair was far too long and its body too slender.

"Well, isn’t this a surprise?" The figure spoke, its voice feminine.

Khal stepped back, a bead of sweat dripping from his forehead. Something’s not right.

"I noticed he left a fragment of soul deep inside his consciousness, devoured it, and left a fragment of mine, but to think someone would sneak their way in here." The figure began walking towards him, each step sending waves through the void.

Khal stared in horror, slowly stepping back. "That voice... I recognize that voice.

"You’re not from universe 346H8990, are you? That means your from a whole different world of humans... Yes, humans... Its been so long since my last human."

The figure began pouring out a sinister aura, her mana covering the entirety of the void in front of Khal.

A massive wave of fear hit Khal; it wasn’t just his own but her aura was instilling fear into him.

"Your... Your—"

FWOOSH!

She dashed off towards him, her face coming into view. Her nose was nonexistent, her pupil was shaped like that of a snakes, her mouth, which filled up half of her face, was lined with sharp teeth.

She reached out towards Khal, her tongue dangling out of her mouth.

"Show me where your world is. "SHOW ME WHERE I CAN GO TO FEAST!"

Just as her hand was about to touch Khal, his consciousness was pulled out of Hagan’s mind, his body falling to the floor, breathing heavily.

HA-HUFF-HU

Merlin quickly sat next to him, holding his hand, worry in her gaze.

"What happened!" She shouted.

Khal just sat there, staring at Hagan’s grave, his deep breaths not slowing down.

"Shit... I saw her face.

Elsewhere.

A woman sat in a bathtub, a glass in hand, seemingly holding wine. She was about to take a sip before stopping. A grin crept onto her face.

"Is something the matter, my lady?" A lizard-looking woman in a maid outfit asked.

"Yes, there is something, but more of a blessing than a problem. It seems one of my soul fragments found a new universe to devour, and you wouldn’t believe what race they are."

"What is it, milady?" The maid asked.

The woman raised her glass into the air, her grin widening into a sinister smile. The world around her coming into view. Her bathtub stood on top of thousands, if not millions, of dead bodies. Bodies from numerous races as far as the eyes can see.

"Humans."