The burning city of Nethoria trembled beneath a sky stained crimson by fire and smoke.
Lothan stood motionless among the ruins of the royal palace.
His mother's lifeless body rested nearby.
His younger brother was gone.
Countless innocent demons had fallen.
And now, floating above the shattered kingdom, stood the people responsible.
The leaders of the invasion.
The architects of this massacre.
The Demon King stepped forward, his royal cloak fluttering in the hot wind.
Though wounded, his presence remained imposing.
The human commanders looked down upon him from the sky.
At their center stood a man dressed in white robes.
The moment Lothan saw him clearly, his heart froze.
"Elias..."
The name escaped his lips.
Elias Veridian.
The human diplomat who had visited Nethoria countless times.
A man welcomed into the royal palace.
A man who had shared meals with the royal family.
A man Kael had called "Uncle Elias."
The traitor smiled.
"Your Highness."
The Demon King's expression darkened.
"Why?"
The simple question echoed through the battlefield.
Why?
Why betray them?
Why destroy centuries of peace?
For several moments, Elias remained silent.
Then he laughed.
A cold, unpleasant laugh.
"Peace?"
His voice dripped with mockery.
"You actually believed humans and demons could coexist forever?"
The Demon King's eyes narrowed.
"We proved it."
"No."
Elias shook his head.
"You merely delayed the inevitable."
Lothan's fists clenched.
The traitor continued.
"Humans fear what they do not understand."
"And demons are far stronger than humans."
"It was only a matter of time before humanity chose survival."
"You manipulated them," the Demon King said.
Elias smiled.
"Of course I did."
Those words struck like a blade.
Not only had he betrayed them.
He was proud of it.
"You slaughtered children," Lothan growled.
"You murdered innocent people."
Elias looked down at him.
His expression remained unchanged.
"History is written by the victors."
Something inside Lothan cracked.
His demonic aura exploded outward.
The ground shattered beneath his feet.
Nearby soldiers stumbled backward in fear.
Even some of the human commanders flinched.
They had never felt power like this before.
The strongest demon in history was losing his patience.
The Demon King raised a hand.
Immediately, Lothan's aura settled slightly.
"Lothan."
His father's voice remained calm.
"Do not let your anger control you."
Lothan lowered his head.
The anger remained.
But he obeyed.
For now.
The Demon King looked toward Elias once more.
"You have started a war that will destroy both races."
"Perhaps."
Elias shrugged.
"But humanity will survive."
Before anyone could reply, a new figure stepped forward.
Unlike the others, this man wore silver armor covered in strange runes.
An enormous sword rested across his back.
The moment he appeared, the air itself seemed heavier.
The Demon King's expression changed.
Recognition.
Concern.
"Lothan," he said quietly.
"Be careful."
"Who is he?"
"The Hero."
The title sent a chill through the battlefield.
For generations, humanity had spoken of a legendary warrior chosen by heaven itself.
Most believed it was merely a myth.
Apparently, it wasn't.
The Hero slowly descended toward the ground.
His boots touched the ruined courtyard.
His blue eyes met Lothan's crimson gaze.
Neither spoke.
Neither moved.
For several seconds, the world seemed to hold its breath.
Then the Hero spoke.
"You are Lothan Xander Maeve."
"I am."
"I've heard much about you."
Lothan's voice turned cold.
"And I've heard enough about you."
The Hero sighed.
"I did not come here for slaughter."
"Yet you stand among murderers."
The Hero remained silent.
Perhaps he had no answer.
Or perhaps he knew Lothan was right.
Suddenly, Elias stepped forward.
"Enough."
He raised his hand.
At once, hundreds of magical circles appeared throughout the sky.
Lothan's eyes widened.
The entire invasion had been a distraction.
This was their true objective.
The Demon King immediately understood.
"No!"
The magical circles activated.
Countless beams of light descended upon the capital.
Buildings exploded.
The city screamed.
The attack struck without mercy.
Thousands of demons died instantly.
Lothan stared in horror.
The city he loved was being erased.
Piece by piece.
The Demon King made his decision.
"Lothan."
His voice was unusually serious.
Lothan turned.
His father smiled sadly.
The same smile he had worn when teaching him to use a sword.
The same smile he had worn when praising his achievements.
The smile of a father.
"You must live."
Fear gripped Lothan's chest.
"What are you saying?"
"There are people who still need you."
"No."
The king placed a hand on his shoulder.
"No matter what happens next..."
His voice softened.
"Do not forget who you are."
Lothan shook his head.
"No."
The king's eyes turned toward the sky.
His power erupted.
Golden energy engulfed his body.
Every demon and human froze.
The Demon King had unleashed his full strength.
For the first time in centuries.
The heavens trembled.
The ground cracked.
The magical circles began collapsing one after another.
The human commanders panicked.
"Stop him!"
"Kill him!"
The Hero charged forward.
Several commanders attacked simultaneously.
But it was too late.
The Demon King had already made his choice.
He would sacrifice himself.
The massive wave of energy surged upward.
Thousands of magical formations shattered instantly.
The sky itself seemed to split apart.
Then—
A brilliant flash consumed everything.
Lothan could only watch.
The explosion illuminated the entire kingdom.
For a brief moment, the battlefield became silent.
When the light faded, the truth became clear.
The magical circles were gone.
The enemy attack had been stopped.
But so was the Demon King.
He stood in the center of the ruined courtyard.
Motionless.
His body covered in glowing cracks.
Like shattered glass.
Slowly, he turned toward his son.
A proud smile appeared on his face.
"Lothan..."
His voice was barely audible.
"You were always..."
Crack.
"...my greatest pride."
The king's body dissolved into countless particles of light.
And disappeared.
Gone.
The final pillar holding Lothan together vanished.
His father.
His mother.
His brother.
His people.
Everything.
Taken from him.
For several moments, he simply stared at the empty space where his father had stood.
The battlefield became eerily quiet.
Then Lothan lowered his head.
No tears came.
No words followed.
Only silence.
A terrifying silence.
Dark energy slowly began gathering around him.
The ground cracked.
The sky darkened.
Even the Hero stepped backward.
Fear appeared in his eyes.
Because everyone present realized the same thing.
The strongest demon in history had finally broken.
And what would emerge from that grief...
might be far more terrifying than any war.
To be continued...