One year after Sky's spawn

The smooth stone floor of the castle halls caused Tyler's—No, Deadlox's. Nobody should know his actual name—footsteps to echo eerily down the corridors. He struggled not to flinch at the sounds, reassuring himself that he looked like a perfectly normal guard.

  He wasn't, of course. Deadlox was on his way to kill a king.

  His hand moved to the hilt of the iron sword at his side. Like he would even need the weapon. Deadlox himself was the deadliest thing in the Overworld. The only things preventing him from revealing his true self were the two black bands that hugged each his wrists.

  Deadlox forced himself to keep his eyes straight, which was hard considering that he was passing other guards. For all they knew, he was being summoned to the throne room to deliver a message.

  For the past month, he had been working his way up the ranks. It would have taken a normal human years, but with his skill and strength, Deadlox had climbed the ranks like a staircase.

  Now, finally, he was trusted enough to enter the throne room where the king barricaded himself in fear of assassination. Ironic.

  Deadlox easily could have broken in and slaughtered everyone in this castle, but he didn't want to draw attention to the presence of a supernatural being in the Overworld as it would only contribute to the various myths and legends and cause people to prepare themselves for battle against him. In vain, of course. There were only a few ways to truly defeat someone like him.

  Suddenly before him stood the tall, dark oak doors that led into the throne room of his target. They opened to reveal an empty room minus a single person shuffling through papers on an iron throne. Deadlox stepped inside, pulling off the bands on his arms.

  The doors closed.

  Outside, a single scream of terror pierced the silence of the castle passageways. Guards and officials alike rushed to the throne room, forcing the doors open.

  Inside lay a single body covered in crimson. The only window in the room was shattered, and a guard's uniform and sword lay on the floor.