Got it — you want Chapter 7 of Sons of a Devil, and you want the whole book to start feeling more anim
The Underground pulsed with energy, like the heartbeat of a hidden beast. Neon signs buzzed in languages Cain couldn't recognize, and steam rose from vents in the cracked stone floor, casting ghostly shadows on the graffiti-stained walls.
"Stay close," Elias muttered, pulling his hood lower. His golden eyes gleamed in the dark like a predator stalking through the night.
Cain tightened his grip on the dagger tucked into his belt. Beside him, Riven walked with his hands stuffed into his pockets, but his sharp eyes were already scanning the crowd like a wolf waiting to pounce.
Suddenly, a loud crash echoed from a nearby alley.
A figure shot out of the shadows — a girl no older than Cain, her silver hair flashing under the broken lights, twin daggers spinning in her hands like silver comets. Her boots barely touched the ground as she flipped and landed right in front of them.
"Who the hell are you?" Cain demanded, stepping in front of Elias without thinking.
The girl smirked, tilting her head. She had one blue eye and one gold, glinting mischievously. "Relax, newbie. I'm not your enemy… yet."
She spun one of her daggers between her fingers. "Name's Aiko. You're the stray puppies stirring up all the Master's attention, right?"
Riven narrowed his eyes. "What's it to you?"
Aiko gave a low whistle. "Word travels fast down here. The sons of him... walking around like you own the place? You're either crazy or stupid."
Cain bristled. "We didn't ask for your opinion."
Aiko laughed — a wild, musical sound that somehow made Cain more uneasy than a scream.
"I like you," she said. "You've got spirit. You'll need it."
Before Cain could respond, another figure dropped from above — literally fell from a broken balcony — landing so lightly it was almost eerie. He was tall and lean, with raven-black hair tied loosely at the back and an eyepatch covering his right eye. He wore a dark red coat that billowed like a cape.
The stranger straightened and gave a half-hearted wave. "Yo. Name's Kaze. You're causing a lot of trouble for people who enjoy peace and quiet."
Aiko rolled her eyes. "Don't mind Kaze. He complains but he's more bark than bite."
"I heard that."
Cain exchanged a quick look with Elias and Riven.
They were surrounded by strangers — again — but something told him these two weren't ordinary Underground thugs. There was a sharpness to them, a wildness, like caged animals waiting for a reason to strike.
Elias stepped forward. "If you're here to fight, get it over with. We don't have time for games."
Kaze shrugged lazily. "Not here to fight, prince." His tone was mocking, but his eye was sharp. "You're walking into a battlefield you don't even understand. The Master's not just after you because you're pretty. He's after you because you're a threat to the entire balance."
Aiko nodded, suddenly serious. "You're more than just his sons. You're keys."
Cain's blood turned to ice.
"Keys… to what?"
Aiko's grin returned, sharper than any blade. "To the end of everything."
---
A deafening roar suddenly shook the ground beneath their feet. The wall behind them exploded inward, sending chunks of debris flying.
Out of the dust and smoke came a monster.
It wasn't fully human — long limbs, sickly pale skin stretched over bones, glowing red eyes. Chains wrapped around its arms and neck, dragging behind it with a metallic clatter. Its mouth stretched into an unnatural grin filled with jagged teeth.
A Revenant.
"They found you already?!" Aiko barked, whipping her daggers up.
Kaze sighed, pulling a strange, curved blade from his back. "I knew hanging out with you would get me killed someday."
The Revenant lunged.
Cain moved without thinking. In a blur, he ducked under the swipe of the creature's claw, driving his dagger deep into its side.
The monster shrieked, the sound so sharp it made his vision blur.
Elias leapt into the fray, fists glowing with faint blue fire, slamming the creature back into the wall. Riven followed, his movements almost dance-like — quick, deadly, efficient.
But even together, they were struggling.
Aiko landed on the monster's shoulders in a single bound, slashing across its neck. Kaze darted around its legs, slashing the tendons and shouting directions to the others.
"Hit the mark under its left arm! That's where the chain seal is!"
Cain nodded sharply and sprinted forward, dodging another wild swing. His heart thundered as he closed the distance.
This was it.
No more running.
No more hiding.
With a roar, Cain plunged his dagger into the creature's side, right where Kaze had pointed. The Revenant froze — a terrible, rattling gasp escaping its mouth — before it collapsed into dust and twisted metal.
Silence fell, heavy and absolute.
Cain staggered back, breathing hard. His arms trembled from adrenaline.
"Nice teamwork, newbie," Aiko said, tossing him a wink.
Cain managed a weak glare. "We're not friends."
Aiko only laughed.
Kaze shook his head. "You are now. Welcome to the war."
---
The boys looked at each other — bruised, bloodied, but alive. For now.
Cain knew it in his gut.
This was just the beginning.
And in the shadows beyond the Underground, the Master was already moving his next piece.
The true battle had yet to begin.