The Demon Lord And His Hero

"The reaper will be disappointed when he meets you for a second time. And this time, I'll make sure that you don't return."

Syryn acknowledged the mer King's words with a few shallow nods.

"Why don't we let the reaper decide who he wants?" Syryn asked the crowned mer. "Neither of us wants to go so we can only leave it to him to choose."

Rowan was feeling a tendril of unease coil in his stomach.

The mer king sneered at the human seated on the throne. Syryn appeared to suit the throne despite how large it was for him. The mage's broadcasted confidence was no less than that of an Emperor's.

"Very well, invite the reaper then.."

"He's already here," Syryn replied. "We can't see him but he'll decide who gets killed."

The large crowd of mers surrounding them could not understand what Syryn was talking about. Neither could the king.

"Stop speaking in riddles, human."

The mer king's sights had never turned to Rowan but he was very aware of the anti mage and had a guard up against him. His subjects had informed him about the blond man's strange power. He had the ability to attack and kill without moving a finger. But the mer king had numbers behind him and he knew that neither could escape death when they were surrounded by hundreds of hostile mers.

"I will, if you agree to let the reaper choose his victim," Syryn replied.

The mer king did not answer him.

"Are you afraid, your majesty?" Syryn disdainfully asked the crowned mer.

"Because you've taken the trouble of inviting the reaper, I agree to play whatever game you've prepared." The king could not lose face in front of his men. His pride as the king of Silisia compelled him to take up the challenge that was being offered to him. Besides, the mer wasn't afraid of Syryn despite his wariness of Rowan. He was sure that whatever it was that Syryn had planned, it would be himself who would emerge victorious.

"Wonderful!" Syryn slapped his thigh and stood up. "Your majesty, you are worthy of your title!"

"Get to it. We have a kingdom to rebuild."

Syryn held up his hands to placate the impatient king. "Here's what I think we should do, your majesty. Ask your men to bring six mature jellyfish stingers. Five dry stingers and one loaded with poison."

The mage's eyes were bright with excitement as he instructed the mers. A game of chance. That was what he would play with the mer king. The winner would become king of Silisia, and the loser would die a painful death brought on by the toxin inside the jellyfish stinger. To everyone within hearing distance, it was quite obvious what kind of game Syryn had set up for them.

"You desire to gamble with your life. Is this what you mean by letting the reaper choose?" The angered mer king asked him. If he had known that he was dealing with a crazy person, he wouldn't have gone along with the human's game. If this was a contest of strength, he had no doubts about the result. But this game of chance had a 50/50 probability of killing him. Luck was a fickle mistress and he never relied on her gifts. Even so, the crowned mer could not see a way out of the game without making himself look like a coward.

The mage raised his chin and looked at the crowd as he declared loudly. "His majesty agreed to play the game! Everyone, did your king not agree? Did he not say that he would play whatever game I have prepared?"

"Our wise king isn't a crazed maniac like you!" A concubine shouted back. "There is no greatness in the outcome decided by luck!"

"But it isn't luck!" Syryn yelled back. "The reaper decides who goes to hell with him."

"You're crazy!"

"Your majesty, you shouldn't humour this lunatic's ideas!"

For once in his life, Rowan was of the opinion that Syryn's enemies were right. It sounded to him like a senseless gamble of their lives. Even so, he kept his mouth shut and prayed that Syryn knew what he was doing. The alternative was too terrifying to imagine.

"Look at all of you defending the king," Syryn mocked. "How about this then? The King may appoint a proxy to play the game. If he's so afraid of death then he can pass it on to a loyal and brave subject. Does anyone volunteer to replace his majesty?"

The mage looked at the crowd. Suddenly they were all quiet and shrinking away from Syryn's sharp gaze.

"Anybody?"

The mers looked at each other hoping that someone would volunteer.

"Your majesty," Syryn said to the king with exaggerated sorrow. "I guess you're on your own."

Despite their crowing earlier, no one was willing to die for the king when it came down to proving their loyalty to the crown. Not even the guards were willing to mess with a toxin that would cause so much pain that it led to the victim twisting in agony so much so that bones were broken before the sweet embrace of death claimed the unfortunate creature.

The mer king's steely cold eyes landed on every single guard and noble. It promised retribution when the situation with Syryn was settled. Overconfidence in his own strength had brought him this outcome. Now he knew that not a single mer was loyal enough to die for him.

"You," the king pointed at a guard.

The mer was gripped with fear. Was he going to die today?

"Are you familiar with jellyfish milking?" The king asked.

The mer nodded quickly while thanking his luck for having accompanied the prince with his jellyfish duties. He wasn't going to die today it appeared.

"Bring the stingers."

Syryn was a master of playing wily and dangerous games. Under normal circumstances, Rowan would trust him without reserve. But this Syryn's mind was compromised. The anti mage vaccilated between intervening and letting Syryn do what he wanted. In the end, he decided to trust that Syryn was still a conniving little fox and knew exactly what he was doing.