Morning light filtered through the trees, pale and quiet.
Marcos stood at the edge of the forest, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon. Far away, the sky shimmered with a deep crimson glow, as if the land itself were burning. The sight made the air feel heavy.
"That way," Marcos said.
Liza stepped beside him and followed his gaze.
"So… that's Llahala."
Marcos nodded once.
"Let's go."
No one spoke after that.
The four began walking toward the red-stained horizon, leaving the safety of the forest behind them.
Within the Forest
Their footsteps echoed softly between the trees.
Sara leaned closer to Liza, lowering her voice.
"We're really going to the Demon King's domain with this overconfident man," she whispered.
"Do you honestly think he can kill him?"
Liza kept her eyes forward.
"Do you think we have any other choice?"
"Yes," Sara replied. "We could seek the gods. They're on good terms with the elves."
Liza's expression hardened.
"But didn't Father forbid us from ever interacting with them?" she said quietly.
"Whenever the gods visited the kingdom, he sent us to the underground chamber."
"The gods are still better than him," Sara muttered.
"I don't believe this man is truly strong."
"He killed the Demon King's Sixth Sinner in a single second," Liza replied.
Sara clenched her teeth.
"But the Demon King is on a completely different level."
A calm voice interrupted them.
"Don't worry," Marcos said.
"I'm on a completely different level too."
Sara stopped walking and turned sharply.
"You're extremely overconfident," she snapped.
"Do you even understand how powerful the Demon King is?"
Marcos slowed and looked at her.
"No. Can you tell me?"
Sara inhaled sharply.
"The Demon King is the strongest dark magician in existence," she said.
"Even the Sixth Sinner could wield fragments of his power."
"So the Sixth Sinner borrowed the Demon King's power," Marcos said.
"Yes!" Sara shouted.
"And you killed him by luck!"
Marcos shrugged.
"Then I'll kill the Demon King by luck as well."
Sara stared at him.
"It's not that easy," she said quietly.
"I know," Marcos replied.
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
"We're going to die."
No one answered.
Days passed.
And with each passing day, the forest changed.
Trees grew twisted, their trunks bending unnaturally. Dark veins split through their bark like spreading wounds. Leaves thinned, then vanished, replaced by brittle branches clawing toward the sky.
The ground no longer softened their steps. It crunched beneath their feet—dry, fragile, layered with ash.
Birds disappeared.
Then insects.
Soon, even the wind felt reluctant to pass through.
Silence swallowed the path ahead.
At one point, they came upon the remains of a broken shrine. Its stone pillars had collapsed, symbols carved into them violently scratched away as if someone had tried to erase their existence.
No one spoke.
That night, the red glow of Llahala burned brighter than ever.
Nightfall
When they made camp, the air felt heavy, almost oppressive.
"How long until we reach Llahala?" Eris asked softly.
"By tomorrow afternoon," Marcos answered.
"It's strange," Eris said.
"There hasn't been a single village."
"Yes," Marcos replied.
"It is."
Eris hesitated.
"Where's Sara?"
"She went to find food," Liza answered.
"…Don't you think she's been very quiet lately?" Eris asked.
"She's tense," Marcos said simply.
Footsteps approached.
Sara returned, carrying a few berries and a small piece of meat.
"Did you find anything?" Liza asked.
"Yes."
"That's enough," Liza said. "Let's eat and rest."
They ate quietly.
Soon after, the sisters fell asleep.
Late Night — The Campfire
Marcos remained awake, standing guard.
The fire crackled softly, shadows stretching unnaturally against the trees.
"What happened?" Marcos said lightly.
"Is my little elf scared?"
Sara stood a short distance away, her shoulders trembling.
"Marcos… I want to talk."
He turned toward her.
"Alright."
Her composure broke.
"Why don't you take this seriously?!" she cried.
"You talk about killing the Demon King like it's nothing!"
"Because of you," she shouted, tears streaming down her face,
"my sisters are walking straight toward death!"
Her legs gave out, and she collapsed.
"I already lost my father," she sobbed.
"And now I'm going to lose my sisters too!"
Marcos knelt and pulled her into a firm embrace.
"Believe me, Sara," he said softly.
"No one will die."
She clutched his clothes.
"You better be telling the truth."
"I am."
The Boundary of Llahala
Morning came without warmth.
The forest ended abruptly.
Beyond it stretched an endless desert—red and black dunes rolling beneath a burning sky. The land was cracked and lifeless, heat distorting the horizon as ash-filled wind scraped against their skin.
"So this is the great desert Llahala…" Eris whispered.
"This entire desert," Sara said quietly,
"is ruled by the Demon King."
Marcos nodded once.
"Llahala is his domain, Every grain of sand listens to him."
He stepped forward, then stopped.
"Are you sure?"
"Once you enter, there's no turning back."
Liza didn't hesitate.
"Yes."
One by one, they crossed the boundary.
Together, they stepped into the burning desert—
And entered Llahala.