That night, after the king's announcement that the crown would soon be handed over, we all took our positions. The plan had shifted slightly—what we'd learned about the king's three children made things more complicated. Claus, the short, bratty prince, was revealed to be the youngest, with a sister named Hetra. While I kept watch over the king alongside Shina and Yura, Satre guarded Hetra and Hera, as they wanted to speak privately. We didn't worry about Claus—after all, the king had made it clear: even if he were to meet a fate worse than death, he would never be allowed the throne.
I sat quietly in a chair near the door, lost in thought. The weight of the situation gnawed at me. I had already killed for less before—just another casualty in a long war. But here, with these people, it felt different. They weren't enemies to be slaughtered in cold blood. No, I would have to do this with careful precision—any wrong move and everything would unravel.
The sound of a key turning in the lock snapped me from my thoughts. I tensed. Only the royal family had access to such keys, which meant someone from within was aiding the conspirators. I didn't need to think hard to figure it out: Claus, the vile prince, was behind this all. A surge of disgust bubbled up inside me. The thought that he was willing to kill his own father for the throne only solidified my resolve. This ends tonight.
Two figures entered the room. One was unmistakably Claus, but the other was tall and lean, his aura dark and foreboding. As they stepped into the light, their faces came into focus—their malevolent expressions confirmed my suspicions. They were here to kill.
I couldn't let them succeed.
"I wish I'd killed you when I first saw you," I muttered, rising from my chair and revealing myself.
Claus's eyes widened. "It's you! The guy who came with Hera! What is the meaning of this?!" he stammered. "Kill him, now!" he shouted, his voice trembling.
His henchman lunged at me, but I was already moving. I dodged his attack effortlessly, watching him crash headfirst into a chair. "I never thought someone born so high could be so low," I spat, grabbing the henchman by the collar and throwing him into Claus. They both collided with the wall, the impact enough to knock them out cold.
I quickly secured them with ropes and called for everyone to gather in the king's room. As they arrived, I glanced down at the unconscious conspirators, my fists clenched. "I wanted to end them myself, but I know better. Let's question them."
The king gave a solemn nod, his eyes hardening with the same steely resolve that I felt surging through me. Hera stepped forward, her voice laced with righteous fury. "Claus, are you the one who's been plotting against Father? Trying to take the throne for yourself?"
Claus sneered up at her. "Of course! If I became king, I could do whatever I wanted. This kingdom would be mine."
The king's voice rang out, unwavering. "And it was you who summoned the demons to the capital days ago?"
Claus's grin widened, but it was twisted. "Those weren't the only demons, old man. And now, you've sealed your fate. Things are about to get a lot worse for you."
Suddenly, his eyes turned pitch black, and his entire body seemed to radiate an ominous, dark aura. I felt a surge of dread—this was worse than I imagined.
"We need to leave. Now!" I shouted, urgency in my voice. But before anyone could respond, a massive explosion shook the castle. The air turned heavy with the stench of death and malice.
I didn't wait for anyone to react. "Get the king and the princesses out of here! I'll hold them off," I ordered, pushing everyone toward the door. They hesitated, but I forced them out.
As soon as they were clear, I turned to face the oncoming wave of enemies. Demons—more than I could count—had emerged from the shadows. But the one at the front, a towering figure with immense magical power, was the true threat. His presence alone shook the ground beneath our feet.
"I am one of the demon generals, under the command of the Four Great Demon Lords," the massive demon roared. "And now, the power of this forest spirit is ours!"
Behind me, I could hear the furious voices of my companions returning, but I didn't have time to look. I had to focus on the demon general. I clenched my fists, summoning fire and wind magic, creating towering columns of flame that incinerated the lower demons. But the general—he was something else entirely.
Before I could even think, he threw a punch that sent shockwaves through the air. I narrowly dodged, pushing myself to the side with wind magic. This wasn't just a battle—it was a test of endurance.
"I won't let you pass," I muttered, grabbing my twin swords and fusing them into a spear. I threw it with all my strength, but the demonoids split, flanking me from both sides. They were fast, too fast.
I gritted my teeth. I wasn't going to lose. Not now.
I stabbed the spear into the ground and grabbed the nearest demonoid, hurling him into his partner. They collided with a tree, their limbs twisted in unnatural angles. But before I could strike again, they were back on their feet, grinning.
"I can't keep this up," I realized, eyes narrowing. These demons were too powerful, too fast. But I couldn't hesitate. Not now.
With a deep breath, I called upon the light. "Oh, radiance of the gods, come to me and keep these sinners at bay," I chanted, summoning beams of divine light to sear through the demonoids. It slowed them—but not enough.
As the fight wore on, the demon general's attacks grew more erratic, more desperate. "How are you not dying? You should be weak to dark magic!" he snarled as he threw another powerful spell at me.
I smirked. "Just like you, the light is my enemy, while the dark is my friend."
A dark arrow suddenly struck Yura, and she collapsed to the ground, clutching her stomach. I froze. My blood ran cold. She was hurt. The dark magic swirling around us felt like poison.
"No," I hissed, my eyes turning an even deeper shade of purple as demonic horns sprouted from my head. My once-purplish hair became a raven-black, and dark wings unfurled from my back. The transformation was rapid, overwhelming—dangerous.
"Which one of you did this?" My voice was no longer my own. It was dark, distorted—a reflection of the darkness that surged within me. I called my spear back to my hand, the world slowing down as I zeroed in on the demonic figures in front of me.
I was a force of nature now.
I advanced, appearing behind the demon general. I grabbed his arm, ripping it from his body and using it as a weapon, stabbing him through the chest with his own limb. His eyes bulged in shock, and I grinned.
"You did this. You hurt her."
The remaining demonoids tried to flee, but I was faster than they could react. I threw my spear into one's leg and grabbed the other by the neck. His eyes were wide with terror, but it didn't matter.
"You're not escaping," I whispered, my eyes glowing as I tightened my grip, watching the life leave his body.
Turning back to the demon general, I yanked the severed arm from his chest and rammed it through his throat. His body went limp in an instant. But I wasn't done.
I looked down at Claus, who had been cowering in the corner, and his eyes widened as I approached. "It's over," I said, lifting him into the air. His body rapidly aged, crumbling to dust in my grip.
I roared—my anger, my rage, my pain—echoed through the night, shaking the very ground beneath us. But as I stood there, victorious yet hollow, I felt the warmth of the girls surrounding me, holding me together. Their presence grounded me. And as the world went dark, I fell into unconsciousness, exhausted by the fight and by the force that had overtaken me.