Devil's Workday (Devil Aster Days Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

on the scene. He leapt down to join his Commander on the ground. Aster rushed over to make sure the child was okay.
    “Get this kid to safety, Archen,” he commanded him.
    “What about you, Commander?”
    “I’m going to push them back,” Aster said, picking up his sword. His men were trained and ready to contain the invasion should demons ever enter the city. Already, they were surrounding the area and closing the demons in. Eventually, the demons would try to exit the same way they came in.
    “Alright men, let’s close in on them!” Aster ordered, and everyone obeyed. Slowly, the men with their swords and spears and fireballs began pushing the demons back towards the opening they’d made in the gate. The lizards, being the weakest, were easily pushed back. The wolves resisted, but eventually caved when the men began prodding them with their spears and small fireballs. The gorillas flat-out refused to budge, and required much more persuasion.
    After much struggle, the men had closed in enough that the demons only had one place to go: outside. It was the devil’s victory, as the demons fled the city. The soldiers began to cry out in shouts of success, happy at their victory. But Aster did not share their joy. He was relieved they had forced them out, no doubt about that. But he was not happy those demons got away. In his mind, if they had invaded once and gotten away with it there was no reason why they wouldn’t return to try again another day. He hated them. He wanted them dead. He was going to track them down and kill every last one of them. In his mind, that was the only way to ensure everyone’s safety.
    Aster clipped his blade to its holder on his back and brought out his wings. “Make sure all civilians are alright,” he called to Archen.
    “Where are you going?” Archen asked.
    “Out there,” Aster pointed out the hole in the wall, “don’t follow me.” Before Archen could raise a rebuttal, Aster was gone through the opening. Venus arrived just in time to see him go.
    “What’s he doing?” she asked, concerned.
    “Being foolish,” Archen replied.
     
    Aster followed the demons far out into the desert, dropping massive fireballs on them like bombs from an aircraft carrier. The fireballs weren’t intended to kill them; they were intended to only cripple them. After he’d hit enough of them, stunning and crippling them, he dropped to the ground and drew his blade. They were now sitting targets for him. He rushed from demon to demon, slashing at them with no compassion. Their dying cries summoned even more demons, which Aster continued to slash through without hesitation.
    Something took over. His usual calm, polite demeanor was temporarily gone, replaced by seething hatred. He had become even more ruthless than the demons he hated. If they attacked, he slashed even harder. If they ran, he hated them more. He lost track of time. He was covered in blood. He was out of breath from swinging his blade, but couldn’t stop. The sun was completely gone now, and he was left in the darkness with only the demons and his own murderous intent.
    And there, in the distance lit by his own flame he saw the sword in the sand again. He hadn’t even realized that he had cut his way out there. He was alone now. Not a demon in one piece remained, the sand dyed red with their blood. Suddenly, he didn’t feel like killing anymore. His arm dropped limp at his side, his blade now dragging in the sand behind him as he approached the sword in the sand. He’d finally made it.
    He plunged his own blade into the sand next to the other sword. It had been a long time since he’d last seen his Commander’s sword, and truthfully he never thought he’d get it back. But there it was. Gripping the cold hilt, he removed it from its resting place. Sand drained from all the little nooks and vents, as if the sword itself were finally breathing again. The sight of Commander Clarus’s sword instilled a long-forgotten sense of