I woke up from my beauty sleep happier than normal. Today was special.
Miss Eva, a servant of mine, walked in carrying my breakfast. She greeted me, "Good morning, Lord Zefar. You are looking fabulous today."
Eva loved to shower me with compliments I mostly ignored, but I was feeling generous today.
"Indeed, Eva. Today is going to be great. Are you sure you're not calling me fabulous because I am bare-chested?"
Eva blushed, looking away as I walked to grab a shirt. When she was sure I was done, she put the tray full of food down and turned to leave. She froze at the door, pointing out my most peculiar change in habit.
"Lord Zefar, why don't you wear your mask anymore?"
I froze as I put the berry I almost ate back down. "I gave the mask to an old friend. She deserved it."
Eva didn't probe any further. She walked away, leaving me with my thoughts and a tray of fruits. After having a few bites, I rose to my feet and walked to the window of my castle.
I looked far into the distance. I was expecting someone—a new visitor.
It had been two days since the war against Oma ended. I finally got answers to why Rose died, and the consequences of what I did to get them would soon enter Babel.
Rose gave birth to a son. She gave her life to make him go incarnate. Ironically, she named him Oma.
He was supposed to become the King of Oma, the Prince of Liberty, and a bunch of titles I forget. Well, that fate was dead. I buried it myself by killing his people, uncle, aunt, and father.
This boy was obviously furious and headed to Babel to end me. Oh, what a wonderful day.
I stayed at the window for an hour, waiting to spot Oma and the Summoned Legion approaching Babel.
Finally, I saw them in the distance. My Slayers were exhausted, barely standing. Hunter was holding the reins of the horse. Oma was sitting on it. They were slowly approaching Babel, and in less than two hours they would reach Victor's Castle.
I ran down the stairs, moving fast. I scared and surprised many of my servants and even a few of my wives. They had never seen me this excited before. How could I blame them? I exuded a cold Solomon aura anytime I came down from my room.
I shouted to everyone around, "Arise and shine, people! The Slayers are returning soon. I want the castle prepared and ready. They are bringing a special guest. He is the newest addition to my network of True Slayers."
They froze, shocked.
I joked, "Don't worry, guys. The worst he can do is kill me."
None of them laughed. They knew what my death could cause. The only reason Babel was what it was today was because of me and my four hundred Summoned Slayers. We had given our sweat, blood, and tears to get here.
It was funny how one True Slayer could end all that by taking my life. I wasn't going to allow it—not yet, at least.
He was a kid, and I wanted him to stay that way for a little while longer. How I would convince him to postpone his plan to murder me was a question for the heavens.
No matter. He would still be too hungry and tired to attempt such a thing in a castle full of people who would die to protect me.
Someone would call me mad, and they were probably right. I had lost my anger and maybe my mind. Rose's death broke me. The war I waged to avenge her changed me. The things I found out shocked me, and her ferocious son intrigued me.
I knew I had done him wrong. I wasn't going to apologize or beg him for mercy. He had every reason to kill me, but… he was just a child. Rose's only son.
And a True Slayer.
That combination made him both dangerous and fascinating. I would let him kill me when he earned the right.
I spent a millennium building my legend. There was no way my story could end at the hands of a child. Every legend needed a legacy. Oma, the son of Rose, was going to be that legacy.
I swore at Rose's grave to make her son greater than I ever was, and I meant it.
I could already see the kid's potential.
He stood alone against four hundred of my Summoned and commanded both fear and respect.
I remembered how I had to intervene and speak through my Summoned to ensure they weren't turned into meat for every predator in his jungle of monsters. Hunter killed his dad, making Oma the new King of Predators.
Every man-eating creature had converged to pay respect to Apex, Oma's dad. Hunter—my son and the Slayer who killed Apex—stood in the mist among the Summoned.
Oma threatened to turn them all into lunch for his monsters. Hunter was terrified and soon hopeless as I mentally informed him to find a way to bring Oma to Babel unharmed.
Since Hunter couldn't pull it off on his own, I had to step in, speaking through all the Summoned at once. I left Hunter to witness my negotiation skills.
"Oma, do you believe it now? Will you still pursue the man with dominion over death?"
Oma replied, "No man is above death. You're just an anomaly I plan to correct. Killing yourself instead of letting me do it told me all I needed to know. I am your weakness—a True Slayer, as you like to call me—and I will be your end."
I laughed through my Slayers, calling his bluff. "I await your arrival, Son of Apex, Heir of Rose, Prince of the Kingdom I destroyed. Find me. Show me you can end this. Who knows? You might die trying."
Oma accepted the challenge. I instructed my Slayers to escort him to Babel. Oma, however, agreed to spare the Summoned only if they let their horses get eaten by his assembly of monsters.
He kept one alive for himself. He would ride it while forcing my Slayers to lead him to Babel on foot.
They had been walking for two days now, and Oma, sitting on their last horse, didn't give a damn.