CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER ONE

The clang of steel against steel rang out across the battlefield. Fighting to keep his legs steady, Nalyx raised his sword – just in time, as the demon’s sword crashed down over his head. His whole body shuddered at the impact, and his feet slid backwards on the rocky slope. The damn bastard had taken the only few feet of high ground in the entire field, a small rise to the left of the swirling void that was the gate between their worlds.

Nalyx swung, driving the demon back. He forced himself forward, to the top of the slope, so that he was on a level footing with the towering beast. Not that it did him much good. The demon was still a whole foot taller than him – though he was no slouch himself at 6’2” – and it was stronger than him, and meaner, from the looks of the long canines that rose out of its lower jaw. The creature was mostly black, though it had grey patches over its shoulders and neck and a red streak down the middle of its chest. There were horns on its head and huge, curving claws at the end of its fingers. The demon let out a roar, swinging its massive sword again.

This time, Nalyx dodged to the side, narrowly missing the sharpened blade as it swung downwards, sending sparks flying as it collided with the rock they were standing on.

But though the demon was bigger, Nalyx was quicker. He used the half a second it took the demon to raise his sword again to dart sideways, slicing his blade through the beast’s arm. He severed both muscle and tendon, and though it hadn’t been the demon’s sword arm, the injury caused it to bellow in pain.

Then a second yell split the air, and Nalyx saw that another warrior had just arrived. And for all that he wanted to take this beast down by himself, even he would have been forced to admit that right now, he could use the help.

Calium, an eager lad of just twenty-two, rushed the demon from behind, stabbing into its back so deep the tip of his sword came all the way out the front of its chest. Nalyx used the moment of distraction to swing at the creature’s throat, and a spray of black blood spurted out, drenching him in the foul stuff. The demon looked almost surprised for a moment, before its sword dropped to the ground, joined a moment later by the beast’s great body, landing with a thud.

“About time,” Nalyx muttered, gasping for air. By the gods, that had been a close one. Over at the gate, the latest flood of demons attempting to cross into their world seemed to have slowed for the moment, though it was only a matter of time until they made another push. Renfold was fighting a small, green demon, almost toying with the creature before he eventually cut its head off – poncy show-off – and Hallix and Henrick – twins, and both of them massive men, over six and a half feet tall – were making quick work of dispatching a red-skinned demon with a long, black tail.

“Sorry I’m late,” Calium said, sounding almost cheerful. “I got stuck chasing a hellhound through the forest. Got the bastard in the end, but damn, they’re quick.”

“How much longer?” Nalyx asked, fighting to catch his breath. He checked the position of the sun. It was high in the sky, but still well short of the peak of its travels.

“Two hours,” Calium replied. “Not too much longer now.” Easy for him to say. He hadn’t just taken a beating from a beast twice his size and three times his strength.

“Fuck me,” Nalyx muttered. He wiped the sweat from his face on his sleeve, then spat on the ground to rid his mouth of the taste of the demon’s blood. “Where’s the captain?”

“Rallying the troops for the final push. These bastards always swarm the gate at the last minute.” It was true. The Gate of Chalandros – the doorway between the demon world and the human one – opened once every forty-six days. Twenty-three days open, then twenty-three days shut, the change taking place at exactly midday. And for whatever reason, the hoards of demons always decided to make a last mad dash in the final half an hour or so. It was the most dangerous time for the warriors who defended the gate, and for the civilians living in the city a hour’s walk to the south. Inevitably, one or two demons made it through in those final desperate moments, and if they did, the warriors would be faced with an hours-long trek through the sprawling forest to hunt down the creatures before they could harm any civilians.

“You’re looking a little the worse for wear,” Calium said, looking Nalyx up and down. He was filthy and he knew it, caked from head to toe in dirt, ash, demon blood and a few splatters of human blood as well, though thankfully not his own. Not this time, at least.

“Shut it, pretty boy,” Nalyx said, though there was more warmth in his words than genuine complaint. “You’d be a filthy mess too if you hadn’t decided to take a leisurely stroll in the forest.”

“Ha! Leisurely stroll, my ass. You try chasing a mutated dog that vomits fire. Gleeson was with me. Had to take an impromptu dip in the creek when the hound set his trousers alight.”

“Is he badly burned?” Forced teasing gave way to real concern for a moment. Nalyx had battled hellhounds before, and despite their relatively small size, he knew well enough that they could be just as dangerous as a beast three times as big.

“He’s got a few scalds on his leg, but nothing too severe. The captain sent him home early. Figured he’d done enough for this cycle.”

“Lucky bastard,” Nalyx grumbled. “The prick’s probably just playing it up.” Now that he knew the man wasn’t seriously injured, he was perfectly willing to gripe about his absence. “Gods, I can’t wait until we’re back there with him. I’m looking forward to a hot meal and a warm bath.”

“And a bonny woman to bathe you in the process?” Calium said with a smirk.

Nalyx grinned. “Not much point in going to all this effort if you don’t get to enjoy the perks.” It was one of the major reasons why so many men willingly volunteered to defend the gate. There was the noble calling of protecting their world from the demons, of course, but for the twenty-three days that the gate was closed, the warriors lived the lives of kings, given gifts of the best food from the citizens of the city, provided with the finest clothes, and cared for by the bevy of beautiful young women who served the warriors with their bodies, gentle hands and willingly opened thighs soothing aching muscles and battered spirits alike.

“Look lively,” Calium said, all traces of humour disappearing in an instant. “Looks like the next wave is starting.”