Dusk Town

Chapter Eighteen

Trent brought me to a balcony where you can have a clear view of the courtyard. Tom's description is really accurate. Ghouls are bestial creatures. They're so thin, gray and scaly skin, few hairs on top of their head, large round eyes gawking on its next prey. They walk like a hyena and to be honest they even look like one. They are looking up on me, you can sense an insatiable hunger from them that only a human flesh can fill up. Imagine me in front of them, completely vulnerable and they would gladly consume every single fiber of me.

Tom joined us at the porch. Sebastian look up to me for a brief moment, he changed his clothes too. Where is his tracksuit though? Black loose long sleeves, black pants, black shoes and sharp red eyes. He became taller, almost like a shadow. He has limbs of a man but longer and dark sharp nails. His cane appeared on his hand and he stomped it on the ground. It produced a loud and terrifying sound. Some froze out of fear while some remained rigid and ready to attack. Then his cane made this black cold mist that gave shivers to anyone. It felt so empty and uncertainty--no, it is the morbid feeling of death. I couldn't see anyone inside the mist even Sebastian. This is much smaller than what he did on Moonfall but it's still dreadful. I am confident that he will not lose himself here.

After a few seconds, Trent ordered Sebastian to halt. The black smoke disappeared and it revealed a bloodbath. He killed those ghouls in just a second but there are some who are still alive but they're curled into a ball, bawling their eyes out of fear and sheer terror.

"Fucking show off," Trent said. "Why would you do that? You know we need loads of them, right? You arrogant bastard! Come meet us at the main hall."

Sebastian returned to his human form. Even if I know he's not going to hurt me, I still can't get used to his demon form. Especially when he talk with that deep, unsettling tone. We went to the main hall again like Trent said. He sat on the throne and three of us stood before him.

"I'm sorry the chairs are in the dining hall, you can get one if you want," Trent said, sitting comfortably. "But we don't have time for that so we need to speed things up. So, Sebby and I talked earlier about his "situation". He asks for my help and being an old friend of him, how can I say no, right? So we have a plan."

"Since I am Callum's target. I'm sure he's going to come here to kill me. My plan is to get Callum away from everyone. So no one will get hurt," Sebastian said in a calming, reassuring voice. "Let this abandoned world be the battlefield. Moonfall took too much damage when we fought there."

"Excuse me? It's not abandoned! I'm still here!" Trent protested. "So we wait for Callum to attack here and I'm sure he will bring ogres and witches with him. That's why the ghouls will assist us too."

"There's one thing I need to ask from you, Quinn," Sebastian said, looking straight into my eyes. "No matter what happens, stay here inside the castle and never leave. I will nullify our contract for the mean time so Callum won't see this and won't think of targeting you instead. It's undeniable that when he saw this emblem and he found out I have a contractee, he will use you against me. We can't let that happen too."

Sebastian took my left hand and cover the emblem with his palm, he said a chant and the markings instantly vanished. It stings just like the first time I got it.

"I'm sorry I still can't let you go," Sebastian stated.

"I know. I'll do what you say and stay here."

I can't risk escaping from him. I know he'll know the minute I attempted running away from them. I just have to follow his orders like a good dog will do. I don't know why but my mood changed abruptly. I felt irritated by them, no, just to Sebastian. I am being reminded that they're basically my abductors. The promise that he made is just his way of manipulating me. Nothing else matters for him other than getting what he wants. I can't let myself get drunk by his promise.