Chapter 132

Chapter 132: Chapter 132

Caedos was far too enraged to acknowledge the hunters by fighting them directly. He knew his people were being torn from their homes and taken captive to be war steeds, he had lived through it, but the knowledge was nothing like the gritty reality.

By the time he could contain his rage, the building was already up in flames, the once captive Hounds gathered in the narrow street, their gazes holding a well of words.

Caedos turned his attention on them, trying to focus on the limiters around their necks and not their jutting bones or the varying injuries they sported. He approached the nearest Hellhound next to him and then paused, looking around.

If someone more competent than the hunters in the now-burning building made an appearance, it would be just him against them. He would rather not expose the beaten-down Hellhounds to that.

He shifted and stepped back, carving out a large portal to the Deep Woods. Without a single exchange of words, the Hellhounds immediately swarmed into the portal, desperate to return home.

Caedos stood until every last one was safely in the Deep Woods, he wanted to do nothing more than continue his search for captive Hellhounds, black smoke spilling out his lips from his simmering rage.

But he needed to make more arrangements before going on to rescue more, he had to set up structure and defense or the rescued Hellhounds would just fall prey to a new set of captors.

So he stepped into the portal as well, leaving behind great plumes of smoke rising to the sky.

He stepped out into Avalan, the portal had been created as close to the old castle as possible, which was where he had situated the hiding survivors. They were all hurrying out of the castle when he made an appearance, to look for old friends and family once lost.

The rescued Hellhounds were all gathered in a circle, most wearing dazed expressions like they hadn’t yet realized they were saved. Only one of the Hellhounds was attempting to rip the limiters off another with his teeth.

He was still young compared to most of the others but he looked no better, as haggard and emaciated as the rest. But it didn’t stop him from trying his best to chew off the magical bonds of a particularly old Hellhound.

The Demon was so weak that he couldn’t bring himself to sit upright, laying on his side with his eyes closed, accepting the younger Hellhound’s futile attempts.

"Your Highness!" Calls of his title came from the earlier survivors as they gathered around him.

Caedos had little to say to them, he had only just met another Hellhound a few days ago after he was birthed from the trees. They said little back, the hope in their eyes saying enough.

He walked right over to the young Hellhound trying to take off the limiter, crouching neck to them to attempt it with his hands, reminded of Dulce doing the same for him.

The young Hellhound pulled back to let him try but his eyes didn’t hold the endless well of hope as the others, it was fiery like he was prepared to resume chewing at the limiter regardless of whether Caedos chose to help or not.

The limiter burned Caedos’ hands, the magical bonds remaining intact no matter how much strength he put into it. It didn’t deter or daunt him, it only made him realize how much strength Dulce possessed. The Vampire had ripped off his limiter with so much ease.

In a heartbeat, he shifted, his Hound form immense. With a hard jerk of his head, the limiter snapped under his sharp teeth, the old Demon’s Hound form fading away instantly.

The young Hellhound immediately nudged at the frail old Demon still laying on his side on the ground.

"Thallan," One of the survivors said hoarsely, the single word weighed down with centuries of grief.

Caedos didn’t have the time or the familiarity to share in their grief, turning to the young Hellhound next. It was painstaking work to rip the limiters off each and every captive Demon from the group of nearly fifty Hellhounds trapped in their Hound forms.

But he dedicated himself to it, breaking the bonds with as much care as he could, so as not to add to their injuries. Although the Hellhounds didn’t care, their dim gazes holding deep exhaustion like they wouldn’t care if their throats were ripped out as well.

"Ardan," Caedos called to the young Hellhound with fire in his eyes as the freed Demons were helped into the castle to be treated.

He stopped, the injuries he sported more gnarly in his human form, the only clean part of his body the strange green pants which looked like they were made of the same material as vines.

Demons possessed incredible healing capabilities, so it spoke of how thin they had all been stretched to lose the ability to heal themselves.

"Your Highness." He said with deference, his back straight, unbroken.

"Tell me everything you know," He said shortly.

"There’s another stable close to where you found us," Ardan plunged right into it without hesitation, "There are several stables in the city of Ibaeron. Some are like ours, to house weaker, older Hounds who are often rented out like horses, to pull the carriages of the high-class Fiends. And ever so often, some are bought..." He trailed off, some of the fire in his eyes dimming. "To die on the battlefield."

Caedos’ gaze shuttered, listening intently. After the first sight he was greeted with on the quest to save his kind from captivity, it was less as surprising but no less enraging.

"There are stables with Hounds purely for show," Ardan said shrewdly, "Grand Duke Morkoth has the largest stable in Ibaeron, some say there are nearly a thousand kept in it."

"Rest well. I’ll return." He said quietly, turning to walk away. The name Morkoth was familiar, the hunters who had tried to capture him had mentioned him several times.