Chapter 36
Morning rose gently over Soulburn, but the air carried a heaviness no sunlight could wash away. Everyone, Drufas, his team, Lucas, Jessica, Sophia, and the wolves gathered around the stone grave of Thessaria.
Theresa knelt first.
Her hand trembled as she touched the cold surface.
Behind her, the wolves lowered their head honoring their fallen ancestor.
Lucas, Drufas, and the others bowed in silence.
Prince Lucien stepped forward… but before his knees could touch the ground.
CRACK!
A violent streak of lightning sliced past his head.
His vision blurred.
The world dissolved.
White.
Endless white.
A realm without shadows, air, or sound.
"Where… am I?" Lucien whispered, turning slowly in the blinding emptiness.
Then...
In one blink, the entire world changed.
White melted into violent crimson.
He now stood in a volcanic wasteland, jagged rocks glowing, rivers of lava crawling like molten serpents. Heat pressed on him. The sky rumbled as if alive.
At the center of that hellscape stood a boy maybe sixteen, shackled by thick black chains. His head hung low. His long, pitch-black hair draped over his face like a curtain from a horror dream.
Lucien stepped closer, swallowing.
"Who are you…?"
The boy lifted his head.
And Lucien froze.
Eyes—blood-red, glowing like burning coal locked onto his.
In that instant–
Lucien snapped back to reality, gasping, stumbling as Lucas grabbed his shoulder.
"My lord, are you alright?" Lucas asked.
Lucien could barely breathe. Sweat rolled down his temple.
But then Lucas's expression shifted from concern to horror.
"My lord… your eyes…"
Everyone turned.
And stepped back.
Lucien's eyes were no longer human.
His pupils were vertical slits. His irises were glowing scarlet, gaze radiating fear, hatred, and ancient hunger.
Those being the gaze of a demon.
Jessica hesitated, stepping forward.
"Why… why do your eyes look like that?"
Lucien backed away, panicked.
"Don't come close to me."
Logan raised his hands slowly. "My lord… breathe. You're safe."
"How… how… HOW!!!" Lucien roared.
Above them, clouds swirled violently, darkening the sky.
"You… You sealed me away! After releasing me… now this weak body won't even MOVE!"
His voice layered Lucien's voice mixed with something deeper, monstrous.
"Come. Set me free!"
The ground trembled.
And just as quickly as the rage came Lucien collapsed.
Unconscious.
"This is bad," Logan muttered, lifting Lucien into his arms. "What do we do now?"
Lucien lay asleep in the room that once belonged to Ethan.
Everyone else waited outside, shaken.
Drufas broke the silence. "What was that?"
Logan clenched his fists, jaw tight.
"That… was a demon."
Lily gasped, stumbling back.
The archer marched forward angrily. "That's impossible! Demons died out centuries ago. You expect us to believe that!?"
Sophia glared at him.
"What's your name?" she asked, voice soft but sharp.
"M-me? I'm…Aeron,".
Sophia smiled without warmth.
"Alright, Aeron. Let me ask something. How does an angel look?"
"That's easy. Angels have wings and are beautiful."
"And demons?"
"Horns… tails… monstrous. Dangerous."
Sophia stepped closer until she stood directly in front of him.
"You're right about two things," she said quietly. "Demons are dangerous. Angels are kind. But appearances…"
She tapped his chest lightly.
"…are lies."
She paced slowly.
"If an angel came in perfect beauty, imagine how many evil people would use it. And if a demon appeared in its true hideous form, everyone would reject it before hearing a word."
She paused, looking up at the sky.
"My brother taught us something called…"
She snapped her fingers.
"What was it?"
"Bible," Logan murmured.
"Ah yes. The Bible." She folded her arms. "And it described demons and angels in ways that have nothing to do with horns or wings. Their eyes, their abilities, their presence… that's what truly reveals them."
Drufas swallowed. "So if a demon wanted to tempt someone…?"
"He would appear beautiful," Sophia said. "Perfect. Trustworthy. Because who would accept anything from a monster?"
Aeron said nothing, unable to speak.
Lucas stepped forward.
"For now, we focus on the link between the sealed demon and Prince Lucien. Something is merging. Or awakening."
Julia frowned. "How do we fix that?"
"At the moment… I don't know," Lucas admitted. "But when we reach the capital, I know someone who can help."
Drufas raised a brow. "But… weren't you banished?"
Lucas grinned.
"I was. Or at least the version of me that used to look like this face. I've seen my reflection and I know something's wrong."
Seraphine examined her unused weapon. "We never even got to try these."
Chris chuckled. "Worrying about that? Tomorrow we'll have fun with or without weapons."
Back in the Capital of Soulburn…
A woman with long, flowing black hair walked through the castle gates. She wore immaculate white knight armor, trailing with strips of elegant silk. Boots clicked sharply against the marble floor. Her gloves were pure white, unstained.
Every knight she passed dropped to one knee.
She didn't look at them.
She entered the throne room.
The king sat casually on his throne, leaning his head against his hand, a wicked grin curling his lips.
"Welcome back…" he said softly.
"Ledia."
To be continued…