\n\u201cI don\u2019t see it,\u201d Hinaru confessed through gritted teeth, dropping his head in frustration and embarrassment. \u201cI\u2019ve stared at that cage for half of the day and I have not seen anything but empty bars.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\nHe felt a hand settle on his shoulder. The Chain Breaker, the head of the Demon Guard stood behind the ornate, velvet-cushioned chair where Hinaru sat. The man had remained in the stone hall with him and waited patiently for hours, allowing a potential new initiate every opportunity to pass this final test. But it had been wasted time.\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cForgive me, Breaker Allito,\u201d Hinaru said, trying to keep the stinging in his eyes from resolving into tears. It was bad enough he had to admit defeat, he would not have the highest-ranking soldier in the city see him cry. He could not live with that shame. \u201cI\u2019ve failed you. I will collect my property from the barracks and leave at once.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cYou will not,\u201d said the old soldier behind him. \u201cYou have failed no one and you are not going to be banished.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\nThe Chain Breaker walked around the chair to stand in front of Hinaru. His craggy face, marked deep with the passage of time and painted with a gray stubble along his jawline, was surprisingly kind. He paused a moment, waiting for the younger man to look up and meet his eyes. \u201cYou have passed every other test we have administered. You are smart, courageous and, if your instructors are to be believed, one of the finest swordsmen they have trained in years. Even if you can\u2019t see the demon and are unable to join the Demon Guard, you have earned a place with us, Hinaru.\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cAnd, the test is not necessarily over.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\nThe leader of the Demon Guard pointed to the wall on Hinaru\u2019s right, indicating an assortment of twenty-three swords hanging from metal brackets. Each weapon had a gleaming, narrow blade the color of milk. They appeared as delicate as porcelain, but Hinaru knew they were made of the hardest substance known to the Realm. Forged in Hell, and stolen from the demons during the human uprising, they were nearly indestructible. And they were the only defense men had against any future assault from the underworld.\n<\/p>\n
\nSeveral tens of empty brackets were also visible on the wall.\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cHow many pale blades belong to us?\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cFifty-seven,\u201d Hinaru answered immediately.\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cFifty-seven,\u201d Breaker Allito repeated. \u201cVery good. You have been paying attention to your lessons. Of those fifty-seven, thirty-four are currently in the hands of guardsmen and twenty-three remain hanging uselessly on our wall. That is not good for us. That leaves us weak and vulnerable. We need men to wield the swords.\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cBut, we need the right men.\u201d The graying soldier turned his back on Hinaru to face the cage located in the center of the hall. It was a gleaming white monstrosity, all sharp edges and jagged points welded together. The structure was four paces wide and four paces deep; rising from the floor to the height of two tall men. \u201cDo you know why we have the cage, Hinaru?\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cTo test new potential soldiers,\u201d he responded. This was common knowledge. \u201cYou cannot kill a demon if you can\u2019t see it.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\nThe Chain Breaker flapped a hand dismissively at his answer. \u201cYes, yes. But, do you know why the cage was built?\u201d He spread his arms wide, encompassing the metal structure before him. \u201cThe humans collected almost two hundred swords from the demons in the uprising. Why do you think building the cage was so important that men would destroy most of the weapons Lars Itarsa, the first Chain Breaker, worked so hard to gain?\n<\/p>\n
\nTwo hundred, thought Hinaru. That was not part of his training. Why would anyone use a hundred and fifty swords to build a cage when those blades could be so much more useful in the hands of trained soldiers?\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cI didn\u2019t know about the other swords, Chain Breaker. I thought we always had the cage. I don\u2019t know how to answer your question.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\nBreaker Allito nodded, expecting such a response. The man hooked his thumbs into his red leather, sword belt, then turned back to face Hinaru. \u201cIt is not a secret, but neither is it discussed much openly. Many thought it a mistake at the time, and some still do now. But that decision was made long before I was even born, so questioning it serves no good purpose. I can tell you the reason it was done, however, if you care to hear the explanation.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\nHinaru nodded quickly, and the Chain Breaker smiled at his eagerness; an expression that sat unexpectedly well on the old soldier\u2019s time-worn face.\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cWhen men organized and revolted against the demons, we won because we outnumbered them, and they had grown careless enough to allow us access to weapons. They did not believe that we were intelligent enough or courageous enough to turn on our fearsome masters. At the time of the uprising, every man, woman, and child in the city could see the demons. We believed this was normal and did not find the fact remarkable.\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cThirty years later, during the Second Wave, the demons almost took the city back. We were lucky there were only a few tens of the creatures that attacked our walls in that assault. Even so, many men died. We discovered that of those born after the uprising, only about one in five could actually see a demon. At first, we thought this was because of something the demons had done to blind us to their presence, but that idea was soon discarded.\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cThe truth of what was happening was discovered when survivors of the original uprising shared stories of the demons murdering and eating children by the hundreds. Four out of every five children born were killed. It was believed that these numbers could not be coincidence. Do you see?\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\nThe Chain Breaker paused to allow Hinaru an opportunity to answer, but the young man had not yet made a connection between the story he was hearing and what the soldier wanted him to understand. When it was obvious his young student was unable to respond, the older man continued.\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cOnly one in five men has ever been able to see a demon. When the creatures ran the city, they eliminated those that could not see them. A slave is of very little use if it cannot see its master.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\nLight dawned in Hinaru\u2019s eyes as he digested the information. The people of that time believed that everybody could see demons because everyone alive had the ability. They also thought the death of children at the hands of the demons was a random act rather than the specific selection process it truly was.\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cI think I understand. The cage allowed them to test their soldiers and find out who could see the demons. So, the demon in this cage is dead? The body was collected after the Second Wave?\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cOf course, it\u2019s not dead,\u201d snapped Breaker Allito with some disgust at the suggestion. He began to pace, slowly making his way around the chair where Hinaru perched. Hinaru was forced to shift sideways and crane his neck to follow the Breaker\u2019s movements. \u201cA dead demon decomposes too rapidly. Besides, why build a cage to hold a corpse? No, the demon is quite alive.\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cWhen the Second Wave was over, and the Chain Breaker of that time, Samanth Ken, realized the nature of the problem, he gathered the soldiers who had proven themselves able to see the enemy. He formed the first Demon Guard, then collected all the white-metal weapons in the city and placed the pale blades in the hands of those that could most effectively use them. Finally, he put the members of the Demon Guard in charge of the rest of his forces. He made certain that at least one of them was always on the city wall, watching for the demons\u2019 return.\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cTime passed. Forty years went by and there were no more attacks. Members of the Demon Guard were growing old and dying, and there was no effective way to test for new recruits. Breaker Ken, himself, eventually died, and Todrick Bortu replaced him. Breaker Bortu was the man who ordered the cage built. He knew that when the last of the Guard was gone, the city would be unable to properly protect itself. The best they would be able to do was to arm men at random and hope by sheer chance that the right people were fighting when the demons came again.\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cBecause the white metal is the only thing we know that can effectively harm or hold a demon, he ordered that most of the swords the Realm possessed be reforged and made into a cage. He justified his actions, explaining that the only way to protect future generations from the same uncertainty experienced in the Second Wave was to capture a demon and use it to test new Guard members.\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cHe was taking a great gamble, because if the demons came again after the last of the Demon Guard had died of old age, the reduced number of remaining swords lessened our chances of survival. Although not building the cage, he believed, carried bigger risks.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\nBreaker Allito dropped a heavy hand onto Hinaru\u2019s shoulder, startling him. The old soldier leaned forward to speak softly into his ear. \u201cBut, you can guess what happened next, can\u2019t you? We are, after all, still here.\u201d He stood, not waiting for Hinaru\u2019s answer, and resumed his pacing.\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cWhether by a fool\u2019s luck or by divine intervention, the Third Wave struck the city barely one year after the cage was created. We turned the demons away from our walls and captured the creature that now resides in the cage before you. It was fortunate that Breaker Bortu took the gamble that he did, as it has been over a hundred years since the Third Wave was defeated and there have been no subsequent assaults on the city. There is not a man alive today that has ever seen a demon.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\nThe Breaker paused in front of Hinaru and pointed a finger, directing his gaze to the center of the great hall; to the gleaming white bars. \u201cExcept for the one trapped in this very room.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cWe are alive today, Hinaru, because of the foresight of the Breakers who led this city before me. They decreed that only those who can see our enemy may become soldiers of the Demon Guard. I will not go against their orders. However\u2026\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cYes?\u201d asked Hinaru when the Chain Breaker paused. \u201cHowever, what?\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\nThe Breaker smiled again, his bright, blue eyes sparkling kindly. \u201cHowever, the decision does not have to be made today. You may come back tomorrow morning and try once more to see the demon. It does not happen often, but there have been instances of soldiers who failed on their first attempt yet were later able to see it. Perhaps you will be one of those few.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\nBreaker Allito patted the younger man on the cheek like an affectionate parent, then turned and strode away.\n<\/p>\n
\nHinaru remained in the chair a moment longer, listening to the soft pad of the Breaker\u2019s leather boots on the stone floor as he exited the chambers. A door opened, hinges groaning slightly as it swung out then back to its closed position.\n<\/p>\n
\nWith one last disgusted glance at the empty cage, Hinaru rose to his feet and stormed angrily across the room to the main entrance of the great hall. There were only two ways in and out of the Chamber of the Demon, as it was called by the soldiers in the barracks. The Breaker had exited through a private passageway to the south that led to his personal chambers, while Hinaru retreated to the massive, wood and metal, double doors at the north end, through which he had originally entered.\n<\/p>\n
\nAs he pushed through the doors, back into the labyrinthine passages of the Demon Guard\u2019s keep, he was intercepted by one of the guardsmen.\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cHold up, Hinaru. I\u2019d like to speak with you, if I may.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\nThe man was tall and thin, with a long beard of black hair oiled and twisted to a single braid that hung almost to his belt. He wore the red and brown uniform of the Demon Guard, and pinned to the left breast of his shirt was a small gold medallion in the shape of a closed hand. His name was Oatha, Hinaru recalled. He held the rank of Fist; responsible for the training and supervision of five soldiers. Hinaru stopped and bowed formally.\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cOf course. How may I be of service, Fist Oatha?\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cFirst, you can stop bowing. I am not here as a fist, but rather as a friend.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\nHinaru blinked, unsure what to say.\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cYou didn\u2019t see the demon?\u201d continued Oatha. \u201cNo, don\u2019t answer that. I already know you did not. How could you? There was nothing in that cage to see.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cWhat?! What do you mean by\u2026.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\nOatha draped a friendly, but firm, arm around Hinaru\u2019s shoulders. He guided the confused young man down one of the many hallways. \u201cWalk with me, Hinaru. A moving conversation is much harder to overhear, and I do not want what I am about to tell you to become common knowledge.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\nThe two walked in silence for several seconds, Oatha occasionally glancing down branching hallways, or cocking his head slightly as though listening for pursuing footsteps. When he seemed satisfied that they were not being followed or spied upon, he spoke.\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cThe demon in the cage is a test designed to remove undesirables from the Demon Guard. It is a final challenge for anyone who has passed all the other requirements but, for one reason or another, is still deemed unfit by members of our order. Before you pass the test, a current member of the Guard must judge that you are worthy to join us, then let you in on the secret of the initiation.\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cI have seen you spar, and I know you are quick witted enough to make a fine addition to our ranks, so I have decided to give you the information you need to pass this test. Just as another member of the Guard did for me before I joined.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\nHinaru paused, forcing Oatha to stop and turn to face him.\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cI still don\u2019t understand,\u201d Hinaru said, his face pinched in thought. \u201cIt isn\u2019t real? But what about the white metal? What about the swords, and what the Chain Breaker told me about the Third Wave?\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\nOatha placed his hands on Hinaru\u2019s shoulders, squeezing lightly and forcing the recruit to meet his gaze. \u201cI believe that demons used to exist, a very long time ago. They seem as reasonable an explanation as any for the origin of the white metal. But they have been gone a very long time and I think it highly unlikely they will ever return. They probably died out following the Third Wave.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\nOatha slipped a hand behind Hinaru\u2019s back and started them walking again.\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cRegardless, whether there were ever demons in the first place, there aren\u2019t any now. If there was a demon in that cage, it died over a hundred years ago because there is nothing at all currently between those bars.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cThe Chain Breaker told me\u2026.\u201d Hinaru began.\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cYes, I know what he told you,\u201d Oatha interrupted. \u201cThe older officers will never openly admit the truth. Particularly not the Chain Breaker. The Demon Guard is an elite force, destined to carry the pale blades and defend the city from the hordes of Hell. So, consider this: how elite would the Guard be if it became common knowledge that there are no demons? Even though it is a lie, the cage is a symbol of our position. The secret must be kept if the Guard is to survive.\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cI believe in you, Hinaru. I think you belong with us, and I think you can keep our secret. That is why I am talking to you, now. I\u2019m going to tell you how to pass your final test.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\nHinaru stopped again and bowed deeply toward Oatha. \u201cThank you, Fist Oatha. I will not disappoint you. What do I need to do?\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cIt\u2019s simple,\u201d said Oatha, taking Hinaru\u2019s arm with exasperation and standing him back up straight. \u201cYou must describe the demon in the cage.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\nHinaru\u2019s face fell. Was Oatha toying with him? Was this all an elaborate joke by the Fist before the soldier escorted him to the gates of the keep and kicked him out?\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cFist Oatha, I have not seen a demon. How can I describe something I have never seen?\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cThat is the easiest part,\u201d Oatha assured him. \u201cI\u2019m going to tell you what to say to the Chain Breaker. You must describe the creature exactly as I explain it to you. That will let the Breaker know that you have been approached by one of us, and that you are not just guessing.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cI\u2019m listening.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\nOatha held up one finger. \u201cFirst, the creature is hideously ugly. Its face is a cluster of horns and spikes over a massive mouth filled with long pointed teeth. It walks on two legs, standing half again the height of a man, and it has two arms that each end in narrow hands with three, clawed fingers. Although tall, it is still slender, and the body moves like that of a serpent. But most importantly, you must mention that in the center of its chest\u2026\u201d\n<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n\u201c\u2026there is an eye the size of two closed fists, blood red in color with a slitted pupil,\u201d Hinaru finished.\n<\/p>\n
\nThe Chain Breaker nodded and smiled his pleasure at Hinaru\u2019s description. \u201cThat is indeed our demon. Congratulations, young Hinaru. I welcome you as a brother and as a member of the Demon Guard.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\nThe old soldier raised a hand, gesturing to the wall of swords. \u201cGo and select your weapon from among the pale blades.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\nHinaru rose from the padded chair he had grown to hate so much only the day before. Today, however, he felt nothing but triumph. He bowed deeply to the Chain Breaker, then turned to face the wall of milky-white weapons. He stepped slowly, deliberately, toward the demon-metal swords, savoring the moment. As he drew near, one weapon in particular drew his attention. It was not noticeably different from its kin, and it did not call out to him with any kind of magical urging; still, it held his eye. The sword was beautiful \u2013 they all were \u2013 but this one just seemed \u2026 right.\n<\/p>\n
\nReaching out with a shaking hand, Hinaru grasped the pommel. From that moment, the pale blade was his. He turned to the Chain Breaker and laid the blade flat across his chest, from left shoulder to right hip, in salute to the commander of the Demon Guard.\n<\/p>\n
\nThe Chain Breaker drew his own blade and returned the salute.\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cThere is one more thing, Guardsman, that you need to know before you return to the barracks to celebrate with your brothers.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\nHinaru thrilled at being addressed as Guardsman. It was a title he had worked his entire life toward achieving, and to hear it from the lips of the Chain Breaker was an ecstasy he knew he would remember for the rest of his life. \u201cYes, Chain Breaker? What do I need to know?\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\nHe almost expected the Breaker to tell him that there was no demon in the cage and that it was all just an elaborate hoax to keep the Demon Guard in charge of the city, but then he recalled Oatha\u2019s statement that the older officers never discussed the matter where others might hear.\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cThe sword you hold, Guardsman, is more than just a weapon. It is also a key.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cA key, Chain Breaker?\u201d Hinaru asked, wondering if this was a literal statement or some sort of analogy.\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cBreaker Bortu not only built the cage and trapped a demon, he also anticipated a time when the demon might die. An empty cage is a useless thing if it can never be opened. So, in preparation for the day the cage would need to be opened and re-secured, Breaker Bortu created a lock for it that would only open with a special key.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\nThe Breaker pointed toward Hinaru\u2019s chest. \u201cThat sword in your hand is the key that opens the lock.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cMy sword?\u201d asked Hinaru, incredulous.\n<\/p>\n
\nThe Chain Breaker nodded. \u201cAnd mine,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd the swords on the wall, and those on the belts of every Demon Guard soldier. There are fifty-seven keys to this lock. None of which must ever be used until the day that the cage is empty and needs to be refilled.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cUntil the cage is empty\u2026.\u201d Hinaru repeated to himself.\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cEnough talk,\u201d said the Breaker, returning his sword to his belt then clapping his hands together. \u201cIt is time to show off your new blade to your comrades and to celebrate the addition of another Guardsman to our ranks. Find your friends and tell them I ordered them to buy you ale and a meal. I do not expect to see you again until you report to Fist Grana for your patrol assignment, two days from today.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n
\nHinaru sat with three of the younger guardsmen that he had befriended while going through training. The men had claimed one of the badly hewn wooden tables in a back corner of the ale house, choosing to be as far from the cook fires in the kitchen as possible on such a warm humid night. Like his companions, his new pale blade hung from a ring on his belt rather than in a scabbard. The Demon Guard wore their swords in this fashion so the cream-colored blade was always visible, and even if they were out of uniform, as the four guardsmen were this evening, anyone with whom they came into contact would immediately know their status.\n<\/p>\n
\nThe table held wooden bowls and plates that had hours earlier been used to serve Hinaru\u2019s and his comrades\u2019 meals, but these dishes had quickly been emptied and pushed to one side to make room for worn pewter mugs, and a procession of pitchers of frothy amber liquid. It had grown late, and Hinaru was quite drunk by the time the majority of the tavern\u2019s customers had vacated the business to return to their homes. Only Hinaru\u2019s party and a few other stragglers currently remained in the establishment.\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cWell, you may be ready to carouse all night, Hinaru,\u201d said one of the men sitting across the table from him; a youth about Hinaru\u2019s own age. The boy had mousy features, with a long straight nose that tapered to a point and narrow black eyes. The guardsman pressed his hands flat on the table and pushed himself unsteadily up to his feet. \u201cBut, I need to be on the wall when the sun comes up tomorrow or the Breaker will use my balls to feed his pet demon.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\nHinaru raised his mug. \u201cIt\u2019s still early, Morro,\u201d he pleaded. \u201cHow about just one more?\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cSure,\u201d agreed Morro. \u201cJust one more. Then just one more after that, and then tomorrow I can try to explain to my fist why I missed my patrol. I like you Hinaru, but not enough to have Fist Grana mad at me.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cGrana?\u201d asked Hinaru. \u201cHey, Grana is supposed to be my fist, too!\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cWell, I wish you better fortune than the rest of us have had with old Grana,\u201d said Morro, raising his mug in salute then downing the last of his ale before slamming the cup back to the table. \u201cGuardsmen, old and new, it has been a pleasure. Hinaru, congratulations, and I will see you on the wall.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\nAs Morro staggered away in search of the exit, the other two men at Hinaru\u2019s table also stood to leave. They expressed their desperate need for sleep and apologized for leaving him with an unemptied pitcher still on the table. Despite Hinaru\u2019s protestations for them to stay, they clasped his hand, clapped his shoulder, and bid him goodnight.\n<\/p>\n
\nAlone at the table, Hinaru grabbed the pitcher and refilled his mug. Leaving now would feel like a defeat, but if he at least finished the ale before making his way back to the barracks to pass out, he could tell himself the party ended because he was ready for it to end and not because he had been abandoned. He brought the pewter rim of the cup to his lips and drained most of its contents in three large swallows.\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cWhere did your friends go?\u201d asked a feminine voice, surprising him.\n<\/p>\n
\nHinaru coughed and sputtered, then lowered his mug and glanced over his shoulder while mopping at his chin with his sleeve. One of the tavern\u2019s serving girls had approached his table and now stood beside him, her head cocked to one side and a bemused smile on her face. She was pretty, in a fresh, innocent way, with a heart-shaped face and sparkling brown eyes set above a delicate upturned nose. Her long dark hair had been pulled behind her head and tied so it trailed behind her to the middle of her back, although several shorter locks had pulled free at some point during the evening and now curled against her cheek. The girl\u2019s figure was a delight as well, and the open laces at the top of her wool blouse showed a generous amount of flesh.\n<\/p>\n
\nHe smiled back at her. Hinaru had noticed her earlier that night when she had taken their orders for food, but he could not recall her name. He did however, recall the way she had winked at him when she caught him glancing down into the depths of her partially exposed cleavage.\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cThey deserted me for the company of their beds,\u201d Hinaru responded, snorting derisively. \u201cSleep is apparently more important to them than celebrating the newest of their numbers.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\nThe girl\u2019s eyes glinted excitedly, and she moved around the table, clutching up her heavy skirts to perch lightly on the bench across from Hinaru. \u201cYou\u2019re one of the Demon Guard?\u201d she asked in a breathy voice. \u201cYou have seen the demon?\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\nHinaru tapped at the pale blade hanging at his hip. \u201cYou\u2019ve seen my sword,\u201d he responded. \u201cYou know I am.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cHow wonderful,\u201d she said. \u201cWas it terribly frightening? The demon?\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\nHinaru merely looked at her, blearily. It had not been frightening at all for him, but he could not say that to this girl. He remained silent, trying to think of an appropriate retort, but ideas moved slowly in the mush the ale had made of his brain.\n<\/p>\n
\nThe girl, apparently mistaking his lack of answer for bravado, spoke again. \u201cOf course, it wasn\u2019t,\u201d she blurted. \u201cYou are a soldier. Demon Guard.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cI\u2019m Bethan,\u201d she said, reaching a hand out toward Hinaru. Her forearm was pale and slender, but well defined from years of carrying heavy platters and pitchers in the tavern.\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cHinaru,\u201d Hinaru answered. He clasped her fingers lightly as though prepared to kiss the back of the proffered hand but, realizing that the table between them made the gesture impossible, he quickly released her.\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cHinaru,\u201d Bethan repeated. \u201cSuch a strong name. Fit for a warrior.\u201d She blushed slightly as she realized that perhaps she was gushing a bit more than she had intended. \u201cSorry. I have not had many opportunities to speak with one of the Demon Guard.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\nHinaru nodded, pursing his lips and gazing at the table in a manner he hoped looked wise and contemplative. \u201cThere aren\u2019t many of us to speak with.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cNo, there aren\u2019t. Only a very few of us are able to see demons.\u201d Bethan lowered her head slightly, forcing herself to look upward to keep eye contact with Hinaru. \u201cSooo, \u2026 Can I?\u201d she asked.\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cCan you what?\u201d asked Hinaru, confused by the turn the conversation had taken.\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cSee the demon?\u201d Bethan clarified in a low voice. \u201cWill you show it to me?\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\nHinaru sat bolt upright, glancing around the tavern to see if anyone else had been listening. He placed his hands on the table and leaned in as close to Bethan as he could get over the obstruction. He whispered, \u201cI can\u2019t! I can\u2019t take you into the Chamber of the Demon. You aren\u2019t a soldier.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cThe only ones allowed into the chamber are the Demon Guard, and the guests of the Guard,\u201d Bethan said calmly. \u201cI could be your guest.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\nBethan reached across the table to grasp the ale pitcher. She leaned forward, refilling Hinaru\u2019s mug and at the same time allowing her blouse to fall a fraction lower. \u201cBesides,\u201d she continued, \u201cif you show me the demon, perhaps I might by willing to show you something in return.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n
\nHinaru pushed at the heavy wooden door, swinging the right half out and away from its counterpart on the left.\n<\/p>\n
\nFist Oatha had been on-duty guarding the Chamber of the Demon tonight, which was fortunate. It was the only reason Hinaru had even risked bringing Bethan here. Anyone else might have turned him away, but Oatha had been the one who had taught him the secret of the empty cage and, if anyone was likely to turn a blind eye tonight, it would be him. They shared a bond. That, and Hinaru had promised Oatha two free pitchers at the tavern of his choice the next time they both had a night off.\n<\/p>\n
\nOatha obligingly slipped away to patrol the surrounding hallways, telling Hinaru that he and his \u2018guest\u2019 needed to be gone when he returned. Hinaru had agreed, thanking him profusely.\n<\/p>\n
\nHinaru held a finger to his lips as he and Bethan entered the chamber. Oatha might be gone, but if they made too much noise and drew the attention of the Chain Breaker then the beautiful sword on Hinaru\u2019s hip might be back in a bracket on the wall by morning.\n<\/p>\n
\nHis plan was to show Bethan the cage, commiserate with her briefly when she realized that she could not see the demon, then return with her to her room at the tavern to pass the rest of the night.\n<\/p>\n
\nHinaru braced the door as Bethan entered, then allowed the heavy portal to swing back shut under its own weight. Bethan paused at the north end of the chamber and Hinaru indicated the cage to her with a flourish of one hand.\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cIt\u2019s awful,\u201d said Bethan, lifting a hand to her mouth in surprise.\n<\/p>\n
\nHinaru looked at the jagged spikes and wickedly sharp lines of the sword-forged cage and agreed internally that it did look quite intimidating. He recalled his own awed reaction during the first time he had seen it. He stepped toward the white-metal structure, indicating with a crooked finger that Bethan should follow. It wasn\u2019t until Hinaru had walked all the way to the center of the chamber, just a few paces away from the cage, that he realized Bethan was not behind him. She remained unmoving by the northern door.\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cShould you be that close?\u201d she asked from across the room.\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cIt is perfectly safe,\u201d said Hinaru, distractedly peering at the front bars of the white enclosure. \u201cThis cage has been intact for over a hundred years, it will hold a few minutes longer.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\nStepping closer, Hinaru found his attention drawn to a flat metal plate inset among the bars about shoulder height from the floor. The plate was the same pale metal as the rest of the cage, but it was a smooth square surface with none of the sharp edges or angles that defined the rest of the structure. In the center of the square was a slit as long as his thumb and not quite as wide as his smallest fingernail.\n<\/p>\n
\nStaring at the narrow opening, Hinaru was reminded of Breaker Allito\u2019s words.\n<\/p>\n
\nThat sword in your hand is the key that opens the lock.\n<\/p>\n
\nHinaru drew his weapon and raised the point up to eye level. The gap in the plate looked just large enough to fit the blade of his sword. Breaker Allito had also said the cage must never be opened unless it was empty. Was he telling Hinaru it was okay to open the door? Perhaps he was suggesting that each of the Demon Guard should try their sword in the lock to make sure it worked, just in case the opportunity ever came to place a new demon in the cage.\n<\/p>\n
\nHe placed the tip of his sword to the opening and pushed. It slid easily through the slot, stopping about halfway in. Hinaru exerted pressure on the handle, trying to turn his blade in the keyhole, but it refused to budge.\n<\/p>\n
\nHe put more strength into his effort. Still, the lock held fast.\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cWhat are you doing?\u201d asked Bethan, her voice high and slightly unsteady. \u201cPlease, stop.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cThere\u2019s nothing to fear,\u201d Hinaru assured her, beginning to strain as he twisted the grip of his sword with both hands now.\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cIt\u2019s awful,\u201d Bethan moaned. \u201cI can\u2019t stand it. It keeps looking at me with that horrible red eye.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\nThere was a loud, harsh clack, as of something long frozen suddenly breaking loose. The sword rotated in Hinaru\u2019s hands, stopping after only a quarter turn with the high bright tone of metal slapping metal. Hinaru felt a moment of exhilaration, followed by a sickening dread as Bethan\u2019s last words penetrated through his alcohol-addled mind.\n<\/p>\n
\nHe turned his head to look at the girl.\n<\/p>\n
\n\u201cWhat did you \u2013?\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\nThe cage door burst open, the edge striking Hinaru in the chest and shoulder, driving him backward. He fell, sprawling to the ground on his back; his head striking the paved stone floor with a hollow thud. The impact on the stones left him momentarily dizzy and nauseous. The room began to spin around him.\n<\/p>\n
\nHinaru looked up in time to see Bethan grab up her skirts and flee the chamber through the north door. He thought she might be screaming, but the noise could also have been his ears ringing from the blow to his head.\n<\/p>\n
\nFighting against the debilitating dizziness, Hinaru placed his elbows behind him and attempted to push himself up from the floor. A heavy weight descended onto his chest, crushing him back to the cold stones and squeezing the breath from his lungs.\n<\/p>\n
\nToo late, he realized what he had done.\n<\/p>\n
\nSomething massive and malevolent knelt on his chest. He could hear it panting; could feel its hot breath washing over his face.\n<\/p>\n
\nHinaru began to weep with shame at his arrogance. He had wanted to be a hero, someone the people would look up to. Instead, he had acted the fool and condemned everyone to suffer for his vanity.\n<\/p>\n
\nHinaru still could not see the demon that loomed over him, but there was no mistaking the feel of the clawed hand that closed around his throat.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cI don\u2019t see it,\u201d Hinaru confessed through gritted teeth, dropping his head in frustration and embarrassment. \u201cI\u2019ve stared at that cage for half of the day and I have not seen anything but empty bars.\u201d He felt a hand settle on his shoulder. The Chain Breaker, the head of the Demon Guard stood behind the …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":105856,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,19941],"tags":[19942],"class_list":["post-137591","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fiction","category-tcl-33-autumn-2019","tag-the-colored-lens-33-autumn-2019","entry entry-center"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/thecoloredlens.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/137591","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/thecoloredlens.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/thecoloredlens.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/thecoloredlens.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/105856"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/thecoloredlens.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=137591"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/thecoloredlens.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/137591\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":137592,"href":"http:\/\/thecoloredlens.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/137591\/revisions\/137592"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/thecoloredlens.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=137591"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/thecoloredlens.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=137591"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/thecoloredlens.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=137591"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}