Demon King of Tyranny Anos Voldigoad in The Eminence in Shadow

Chapter 17 - An Encounter with the Shadow Garden

As Anos took to the night sky, he found himself perplexed by the unexpected disturbance. His thoughts for some reason wandered to his brother, Cid. There had always been something about Cid that made him wonder if there was more to him than met the eye. It wasn't anything explicit, but a collection of small, seemingly insignificant hints that had aroused Anos's suspicions.

His mind also strayed to the elf women he'd noticed around their mansion from time to time. They were always dressed as maids and seemed to be following Cid around. They were extremely proficient in blending into the background, their presence barely noticeable unless one was actively looking for them.

Anos had yet to confront Cid about these suspicions. He was not one to jump to conclusions without substantial evidence. However, the explosion and the sharp magical signature he felt raised further questions. Could Cid be involved somehow?

While Anos suspected something, he was yet unaware of Cid's involvement with the Shadow Garden and the true identity of the elf maids. As far as he knew, they were merely maids. Little did he realize that the truth was far more complicated and that he was closer to it than he thought.

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On the ground, chaos ensued following the explosion. People were shouting, and the city guard was frantically trying to restore order, to no avail. The blast had been unexpected, a terrifying reminder of the fragile peace they lived in.

Amidst the pandemonium, Anos touched down from the sky, his crimson eyes immediately finding the epicenter of the explosion. His white uniform billowed behind him as he walked calmly towards the smoldering remains of what once was a substantial warehouse. His gaze scanned the ruins and the mutilated human corpses, not missing a single detail.

Flickers of highly concentrated magic, remnants of the explosion's force, lingered in the air. Anos closed his eyes, allowing the subtle energy to swirl around him, seeping into his senses. He recognized the magic signature immediately. It was familiar, a signature he had not sensed for quite some time.

Remembering the past encounter, Anos's brows furrowed. Months ago, a female Beastkin had attacked him in the Kagenou estate forest. The attacker had exhibited considerable strength and displayed a unique magical signature. At the time, Anos didn't think much of it, dismissing the attack as an anomaly or an impulsive act of a hot-headed Beastkin.

However, in the light of this explosion and the suspicions he had begun to harbor about Cid, Anos began to consider the attack in a new light. The Beastkin, he remembered, was brimming with uncontrolled excitement, attacking in a headstrong manner that bordered on immature. Her tactics, although raw and unrefined, were relentless, like a wild animal going for the kill. Despite her failure to land a significant blow on him, Anos could sense an undercurrent of raw power within her.

Now, as he pondered over the current events, a thought struck him. The magical signature of the Beastkin who had attacked him in the past and failed, although not identical, bore striking similarities to that of the explosion. Could it be that the Beastkin was linked to this disturbance?

Suddenly, the elf maids, the secretive behavior of his brother Cid, and the attacking Beastkin seemed to form a vague, interconnected web in his mind. Yet, he wasn't sure how to piece together these separate incidents into a coherent story. The explosion, he decided, was not a random act of violence. It was a calculated move, indicating an underlying motive that he could not yet grasp.

Just as Anos was about to delve deeper into his thoughts, a rush of wind, followed by an intensely aggressive magic aura, pulled him out of his reverie. With swift reflexes, he turned around to face the sudden threat, but it was too late.