As the kingdom of Winsel started to face a crisis of confidence caused by the slips on Ensalder’s policies and the threat of the Uprising from the neighboring kingdoms, Anarim started to think that his son was ill and unfit to rule. This was justified by his indifference when one of the biggest kingdoms in the Underworld, the kingdom of Drundas, fell to the Uprising. The Schelkz family was reportedly caught and executed. That fact should’ve alarmed him, but it did not. Ensalder simply shrugged it off and focused on his failing policies.

What made Anarim more concerned was how he asked his brothers and sisters to help quell the Uprising happening close to the kingdom, apparently deciding that the Uprising was a serious matter. He insisted on deploying most of the soldiers, with his siblings as commanders. This decision made the castle empty, with only a group of retainers and the royal guards making the rounds, along with the advisors. Anyone sensible would see this as an invulnerability and even foolishness in the king’s part.

By this point, Ensalder’s advisors, bar Anarim, did not question all the questionable actions of their kings. They agreed to everything the king suggested, and even suggested something that, in Anarim’s eyes, made things even worse. Anarim tried to object, but despite an acknowledgment on their parts, it felt so hollow and insincere. It was not only alarming, but also insulting, considering Anarim’s status as a former king.

Then, the horror came to light when Anarim started to realize something was wrong. One day, as he walked through the empty castle, he decided to talk to Khielis about Ensalder, hoping that she noticed something. To his horror, when he entered the king’s residence, he could not find Khielis and Eshdar. He started to wonder what happened to them and considered asking Ensalder about it. But his better judgement told him that his son had something to do about it and he decided not to make Ensalder suspicious of his intents.

Anarim already had experience in stealth and staying anonymous, skills he mastered during his time as a commander under his father’s rule. True to his personality, he would not attempt an open engagement unless necessary, which was not always the case. He employed this skill to check places the members of the royal family would never check. Anarim’s suspicions started in the dungeon, where they kept hounds and vulpine hounds that could potentially be enemies of the kingdom. He always was curious when it came to the dungeon, for he was forbidden by his father to check it, and he never went down there during his own rules, only hearing the results of an interrogation from someone assigned there. He already knew the dungeon would be a harrowing place where tortured souls were, but he had no choice but to check the place that no one, especially the royals, would dare go without feeling dreadful.

He needed to check that area, to confirm the fates of Khielis and her son. He did not want to know what he would witness, but he steeled up and, using his subterfuge skills and experience in staying out of attention, managed to get inside the dungeon past a door made from ashen ‘trees’ of the Underworld without alerting the guards. Anarim gulped as he slowly closed the door behind him, not wanting to see the atrocities his son had done, away from his eyes. He still held on to the fact that Ensalder was still himself, but those thoughts quickly dissipated as Anarim saw what the dungeon was.

Or at least what it had become. He saw several jail cells and doors leading to rooms where he could see glimpses of torture devices that he started imagining what they would do to a hellhound’s body. He shook his head, trying not to be distracted. He was there to find Khielis and Eshdar, not to admire torture devices.

He was fortunate that the dungeon was empty, for he would not be able to find the two among the prisoners. He managed to find Khielis and Eshdar in a room deep underground where there weren’t many natural light source. Eshdar was put in the middle of a circle that seemed to be demonic in origin, made from blood and entrails of an unfortunate prisoner. Khielis was on the side, drugged and unconscious. Anarim thought he was too late to save Eshdar, but as he examined the baby cub, he sighed in relief. Eshdar was just sleeping.

He then shook Khielis and said, “(Khielis, wake up! Come on, wake up!)”

The drug seemed to wear off as Khielis slowly woke up and said, “(H-huh? Father king?)”

“(We have no time to spare. Grab Eshdar and get away from this castle).”

“(W…what’s wrong?)”

“(I don’t want to believe it, either, but your husband’s lost it. Trust me, it hurts to say this to my own son, but with this, I have already seen--)”

“(No, not yet. This is just the beginning, Anarim Winsel).”

Anarim turned and went face to face with someone he thought to be his son, but instead, he was someone else. His son, however, stood at the side, apparently in a trance.

The vulpine hound was someone he knew from his past, and someone he had already suspected from the start. The Hunter disappeared after being expelled from his court, to Anarim’s relief. But even after that, he was still wary that his former advisor was still in the kingdom, somewhere.

It was proven right by his presence.

“(Khalhess),” said Anarim. “(Of course, it’s got to be you. Why didn’t I think of it before)?”

Then, to Anarim’s surprise, when Khalhess spoke, it became clear that it was something far worse.

“(Khalhess? Oh, you mean the owner of this body).” ‘Khalhess’ chuckled. “(He was a petty fox, thinking that he knew how to bargain with a demon. He really should have known that I am not just any demon he can summon. Too bad his soul burned out before I could claim him. Such weakness).”

“(Then Ensalder…. What have you done to my son?)”

“(He is my servant now),” said the demon. “(Your son has been under my thrall long before you realize it. I prefer to play the long game, you see, to sow seed of chaos. To my amusement, that seed is already planted. All I need to do is to make it grow).”

“(When did this…?)”

“(Does it matter? You only have yourself to blame, wretched king. I think that’s his word for you. The original owner of this body wished to conquer the other kingdoms, to know that he’s right and his king is wrong. Well, that isn’t what I want. I want chaos).”

“(Then what is this?!)” Anarim pointed at the demon circle. “(What are you trying to do with his son?! Tell me, demon!)”

“(You don’t need to know, Anarim Winsel. In fact, this is a good opportunity).” The demon turned to Ensalder. “(Kill him, my servant. Sever your bond).”

Ensalder slowly walked towards Anarim, knife in hand. He really was going to stab Anarim and was completely under the control of the demon. But then, to Anarim surprise, Ensalder’s eyes slowly turned so that they looked directly into Anarim’s eyes. That was the moment Anarim realized that Ensalder was still aware and was trying to fight against his enthrallment.

And he did. The knife attack was too predictable for an experienced fighter. Anarim managed to dodge and kick Ensalder’s arm, causing him to loosen the grip on the knife. He then did a leg sweep, causing Ensalder to fall as he helped Khielis get Eshdar and rushed towards the door. He kept running without even stop to wonder why the royal guards looked at them in confusion.

Before long, he got to the stable where he found a Blood Beast mount and quickly put Khielis and Eshdar on it. He could hear the sounds of soldiers coming towards him. Giving Khielis and her son the highest priority, he said, “(They’re looking for me now. I’ll try and draw them away. Do you know how to ride a H’lik?)”

Khielis nodded.

“(Do you still visit your father often? Doesn’t he have a stable somewhere away from the kingdom?)”

“(He still does).”

“(Good. I will try and draw their attention. Ride close to the lava river and cross the stone bridge. From there, you are on your own. The Outer Plains can be dangerous, so I hope you know what you’re doing).”

“(I will do what I can to get to my father. And my king?)”

“(Call me Anarim, Khielis).”

“(Anarim…what will you do? Ensalder, what will happen to him?)”

“(I’ll try and snap him out of it. Get Eshdar to safety and don’t look back. Tell Shadar to bring in reinforcements).”

Khielis grimly nodded, understanding what Anarim was trying to do.

“(Go! Now!)”

Khielis quickly rode on the H’lik, with Eshdar safely tucked in with a shawl that Anarim provided her. He then turned around and ran back into the castle, where he could hear arrows being shot at him. His nimbleness and agility were still there despite his age, and he quickly distracted the soldiers to keep Khielis and Eshdar safe. He needed to release Ensalder from his trance, knowing that his son still had a chance to be free from the demon that ensnared him.

Unfortunately for Anarim, getting to his son was not an easy matter. Even worse, he had no allies. The royal retainers and the guards were all under Ensalder’s employ, and like the king, they were enthralled by the demon taking over Khalhess’s body. With his other children far from the castle, he was all alone.

Soon, he found himself in front of a dead end. He turned around to see Ensalder and the other royal guards, all enthralled, approaching him.

“(Ensalder, snap out of it),” said Anarim, brandishing his knife. “(I know you can do it, son).”

His son, unable to hear his father’s voice, commanded his soldiers to attack his father. Anarim had no intention to be swarmed, so, using the wall behind him, he ran up and acrobatically jumped to a ledge on the other side of the wall, reaching a ledge and quickly climbed to the balcony.

But to his surprise, he heard a clap, turning to find the demon already waiting for him.

“(How did you…?)”

“(How? This is your own room),” said the demon. “(You think I don’t know where you stay, Anarim Winsel?)”

Anarim, realizing that he was cornered, couldn’t jump back down, not when the soldiers were still there, waiting for him. However, he could see the exit, and without delay, attempted to escape.

But he fell into another trap. As he ran towards the door, two guards staying out of sight tackled him and quickly subdue him as they held his hands behind his back. The demon then stood from where he was sitting and said, “(You shouldn’t have let your grandson go, Anarim Winsel. Then again, it doesn’t matter. I can still find another sacrifice).”

“(You sick bastard),” said Anarim as he struggled from his captors.

“(I am a demon, after all. Well…considering that you’re still quite young, you can be a good replacement).” The demon then licked his lips while making a devilish grin. “(Yes. You will do).”

“(For what?)”

“(Tie him up).”

The guards did not hesitate. Anarim could see that they already had ropes ready. Without delay and with great expertise, they tied his hands on his back, holding them in place with an expertly done box tie. He could still try and kick his way out, but then, the demon snapped his fingers.

To Anarim’s shock, one of the guards forcefully yanked off his clothes, ripping those that couldn’t be pulled off. Before long, all he had on him was his fur and the ropes tying his hands. He was then forced to bend on his table and held in place while the guards forced his legs apart. Anarim started to become terrified of the situation. He was helpless, he couldn’t do anything, and he was at the mercy of the demon that possessed his former advisor.

“(Haven’t had such fresh meat in forever),” said the demon. “(Oh, don’t worry, mortal. I’m not going to eat you. This body doesn’t have the carving of a hellhound’s meat. Well, can’t have everything, can’t I?)”

“(W-wait!)” said Anarim, fearful. “(It doesn’t have to be this way! D-don’t do it, please!)”

“(You can beg all you want),” said the demon. “(Makes it even more exciting).”

Anarim couldn’t believe what would happen to him. He couldn’t even struggle out his captors. He could feel the demon tracing his back with his claws, then licking his ears. Anarim let out a yelp of surprise, already terrified.

His pleas and calls for help fell into deaf ears…and everything from this point forward was so traumatic he chose to forget the details.

It was a nightmare that plagued him for years. He couldn’t do anything but scream on top of his lungs when the demon violated his body. All sense of pride and dignity were instantly replaced with a mortified feeling that persisted for years.

He did not remember how long he was being held in his own room, but he remembered being tied up and his mouth was full of something he bit into, all while he was at the mercy of the demon. He wasn’t sure if it was his private amusement or for something else. In any case, all he ever wished for was for his son to not be forced to witness what the demon did to him.

The sting from the whip lashes the demon gave him was still apparent, even after 25 years. It had not fully healed, mostly because of the gash it created and the searing hot tip the demon used. After the rape, came the torture, and little by little, Anarim sensed that he was losing himself. He started to slip away, and to his own horror, he started to enjoy the treatment.

He kept holding on, resisting and staying strong, but the demon was too relentless. This was also the reason why he did not remember what happened to him after he blacked out during the torture. In fact, Anarim believed that he might’ve blocked that memory as he was mortified by it. If he ever remembered the details…he might as well kill himself.

The demon must’ve known what he was going to do, hence the bit gag. He couldn’t even bite his tongue to kill himself, further shattering his psyche and self-esteem. Yet, it didn’t matter. Everything was a blur at a certain point.

The next thing he remembered was his old friend and brother-in-law, Shadar Ahlessi, lightly slapping his face as he called for his name. He had lost consciousness by this point.

“(Anarim! Anarim, wake up!)” shouted Shadar as he was cutting the ropes tying his wrists to the bed post. “(Stay with me!)”

Anarim could hear Shadar’s voice faintly ringing in his head, along with moments of consciousness. Shadar tried his best to wake Anarim up, knowing that if he couldn’t, he would die.

However, Anarim did not regain consciousness. He would only properly wake up later. He woke up in a bright tent apparently illuminated by an artificial light. He raised his body, trying to make sense of what happened. Was it a nightmare?

Soon, he realized it wasn’t a dream as he felt his body ached and the very prominent pain under his tail. The realization caused him to scream again, panicking as he looked around, wary and afraid of the demon that used Khalhess’s face.

Upon hearing his scream, Shadar and Khielis rushed into the tent, with Shadar embracing him.

“(Anarim, it’s okay!)” said Shadar as he tried to comfort his friend. “(It’s over. He’s gone. He’s gone…).”

“(N-no),” Anarim shook his head. “(No…).”

Anarim could vividly remember that moment where he was the most vulnerable. He remembered he was crying and was at a loss of words. He lost his dignity and he almost lost himself. He wailed as Shadar and Khielis comforted him.

Anarim was out of commission after his traumatic realization. After a while, he recovered, but was still reluctant to go outside his tent, feeling that he lost his face.

But then, he did not need to. When he came to, someone came into the tent. However, he was not a Hunter, but a hellhound. He was not vulpine in appearance.

“(Ah. You’re awake. How are you feeling?)”

“(I-I…).”

“(Don’t worry. I know it’s been hard for you),” said the hellhound. He then proceeded to check him as Anarim confusingly looked around.

“(W-who are you? You’re not a Hunter).”

“(I’m a doctor),” said the hellhound. “(You have been unconscious for six days, though you did wake up two days after I tended your wounds. It…wasn’t exactly a very pleasant sight. I’m sorry).”

“(What happened…to me?)”

“(Don’t try to think about it, friend),” said a familiar voice. “(I can’t let you go into shock again).”

Anarim turned his head to the source of the voice. It came from a gruff-looking Hunter who was wearing a more conservative clothing compared to what Hunters usually wore.

“(S-Shadar…. Wait…where’s Ensalder? Where’s…).”

“(Khielis’s resting right now. Ensalder’s gone),” said Shadar. “(Your city was in ruins. It’s people massacred. It’s like a bloody nightmare).”

Shadar’s distress was apparent, though he tried his best not to alarm Anarim after what he had been through.

“(Then, I met your daughter. Her army survived an ambush and quickly rode back to the city. She was as appalled as I was. Then, we got into the residence area and…and we found you).”

“(I…vaguely remembered you calling me),” said Anarim.

“(It wasn’t pleasant),” said Shadar, shaking his head. “(To see you, our king, suffer something so degrading…how can you even call him your son, Anarim? How?)”

“(Who…who did you meet?)”

“(Sastura).”

“(Is she here right now?)”

“(Coordinating the evacuation of the survivors).”

“(H-how long have I…have I been asleep?)”

“(Almost a week. We are no longer in the Underworld. We are in Avicelis now. The surface dwellers are kind enough to help us. I was surprised by how many hellhounds there are on the surface. Guess we can get settled up and think of what to do next).”

The surface world? He never knew there was a portal so close to the kingdom. However, the sight of someone he knew made him relax. For a while, he could try and forget the traumatic experience. It took him almost a year to recover, though his body had healed, helped by the hot springs of Avicelis.

But despite his recovery, he could never forget his son’s entranced look, and the demon that took over his former advisor’s body. That demon twisted his appearance to the point that nothing resembled Khalhess anymore, just a body of a Hunter. He did not want to think the worst. He did not want to think that, to torment him further, the demon allowed Ensalder to watch. In fact, if he did something even deplorable….

Anarim did not want to think about it. He did not want to believe it. It was this realization that he decided to lock this memory away.

No one should experience something so traumatic.