by Michael Sisa
VOLUME 6: PROLOGUE
VOLUME 6: CHAPTER 1
VOLUME 6: CHAPTER 2
VOLUME 6: CHAPTER 3
VOLUME 6: CHAPTER 4
VOLUME 6: CHAPTER 5
VOLUME 6: CHAPTER 6
VOLUME 6: CHAPTER 7
VOLUME 5: CHAPTER 8
VOLUME 6: CHAPTER 9
VOLUME 6: CHAPTER 10
VOLUME 6: CHAPTER 11
VOLUME 6: CHAPTER 12
VOLUME 6: CHAPTER 13
VOLUME 6: CHAPTER 14
VOLUME6: CHAPTER 15
VOLUME 6: CHAPTER 17
VOLUME 6: CHAPTER 18
VOLUME 6: CHAPTER 19
VOLUME 6: CHAPTER 20
VOLUME 6: EPILOGUE
AFTERWORD AND WHERE TO FIND ADVANCE CHAPTERS
VOLUME 6: PROLOGUE
“Did something good happen? You look quite happy, Elder.”
The Elder—a demon whose body resembled a withered tree—was smiling, his eyes closed. A small broken horn protruded out of his forehead and a pair of almost inconspicuous, tattered black wings sprouted out of his back.
He opened his golden, snake-like eyes. “Ah,” said the Elder. “Just… reminiscing. I didn’t expect to see a familiar face now, of all times.”
The two demons were currently deep inside a large cavern, comparable to the size of the whole capital of the Kingdom of Lukas. Above them, several large kalrane stones dripped down, forming spikes. Each of them glowed brightly, illuminating the cavern, as their tips aboveground continuously absorbed light from the sun.
“Familiar face?” asked the other demon. He greatly resembled the Elder, but looked much younger and bulkier.
“Luvart, you’ve met Tristan before, right?” said the Elder.
Luvart narrowed his eyes. The name sounded familiar.
The Elder chuckled. “You don’t remember? The human child we encountered back then.”
Luvart finally remembered. Indeed, they had picked up a dying human child hundreds of years ago. The child was so gravely injured and had lost so much blood that simple potions and healing spells from priests would have been useless. If the child hadn’t encountered the Elder, he would have died.
“That annoying brat who pointed his sword at us the moment he woke up?” spat Luvart.
The Elder laughed heartily. “Isn’t that the normal reaction? When a human sees a demon?”
Luvart sighed. The Elder was too soft on those humans. Had the child pointed his sword at other demons, his head would have been blown off his body in an instant. No questions asked. Truly, that human was fortunate to have encountered someone as benevolent as the Elder.
“But Elder, he should be dead by now,” said Luvart. “It’s been hundreds of years since then. It’s unlikely that he’s still alive.”
“It isn’t Tristan, but his descendant.”
“Descendant?”
The Elder slowly nodded. “His descendant finally got rid of the pact.”
Luvart’s eyes slowly widened. “B-But how? They said that the method used by humans had been lost along with the fall of the Magic Empire over a millennium ago!”
“Luvart, humans are no different from us demons. Although their lifespans are short, they are capable of tremendous growth. Although the Magic Empire fell, the humans were bound to eventually regain their former glory once again. Everything is only a matter of time. This severed pact… it’s indisputable proof of the humans’ ability to grow despite their fleeting lives.”
Luvart simply listened and didn’t utter a reply. The Elder had stood by this belief for more than a thousand years. Even when the demons ravaged the Magic Empire to the ground, only the Elder and his tribe tried to stop the demons from massacring the remaining humans.
The Elder’s broken horn and his small tattered wings were the aftermaths of that battle. The injuries he sustained that day were so massive that he hadn’t managed to fully recuperate even after all these years.
Luvart looked at the five-meter wide ice crystal at the center of the cavern. It used to be almost as large as the cavern itself, but the ice magic maintaining the spell had slowly melted with the passage of time, despite the fact that the Elder regularly enforced the ice prison with his mana. It was only a matter of time before the demon enclosed inside it woke up.
Just thinking of this sent shivers down Luvart’s spine.
If it woke, the world would be turned upside down. With the Elder’s current weakened state, he would probably die without even putting up a decent fight. Luvart was sure that the moment the creature woke up, the members of their tribe would be the first to be erased from this land.
“Elder, how much time do we have left before the ice melts?”
The Elder gazed at the ice prison. “A year at most. It’s a pity, but it’ll probably be the end for us Arzomos.”
Arzomos. One of the three strongest tribes of demons.
The tribe responsible for the eternal slumber of the Demon Lord Kalkarus. The same tribe who sealed the creature currently sleeping in the ice prison—one of the three strongest demons in history—Demon Lord Barkuvara.
Unfortunately, the countless wars took their toll on the tribe and only around a hundred of them remained.
Right now, the Elder and the current tribe leader were the only ones keeping the demons at bay. Even the High Demons didn’t dare venture into human land in fear of the Elder and the tribe leader’s wrath.
If even one of them died, the balance in power would be tilted, and the demons would revolt and forcefully open the portal.
“Elder, I’ve been meaning to ask this for a long time now,” said Luvart. “But why are you so fixated on those humans? Even the tribe leader sees those mortals in favorable light.”
The Elder looked into the distance. A smile slowly formed on his face as memories of a distant past resurfaced in his mind. “The current tribe leader and I made a promise to that man.”
“A man?”
The Elder closed his eyes and nodded. “A human. A very powerful one at that.”
This was the first time Luvart had heard of this. He had asked his father before why their tribe was trying to coexist with humans, but only received a vague reply.
“A powerful magician who killed two demon lords in the past.”
Luvart was stunned. He looked at the creature sleeping inside the ice prison. “T-Two demon lords? Elder, why haven’t I heard of this before?”
The Elder looked at Luvart with eyes filled with understanding. “You are still young. It was long before you were born. At that time, fifteen hundred years ago, humans were feared by demons.”
Humans were feared by demons?
Impossible.
Why would demons, who could live for more than a thousand years, fear those short-lived mortals? It was preposterous. If Luvart hadn’t heard this story directly from the Elder’s mouth, he would never have believed it.
“Even that guy trapped in the ice prison was close to death several times after fighting that human. He was lucky, since the two demon lords before him were killed on their first encounter with him.”
Luvart had heard before that the two demon lords preceding the one currently trapped in the ice prison had been short-lived. But he didn’t know that it was because they’d been killed by a mere human.
“You made a promise with the human?” said Luvart.
“That’s right, a promise.”
The Elder trudged toward the ice prison and stood right in front of it. He stared at the creature trapped inside.
“That fateful encounter… We were around your age. No, younger. Your father and I encountered the human on our journey to the Frost Mountains of Yleonor. We were sure we were going to die back then. The human was like a God,
capable of destroying the whole mountain, capable of tearing the sky above.
“Your father and I were trembling with fear as we resolved to fight to our deaths. Deaths befitting warriors of our tribes.” The Elder turned around and looked at Luvart. His eyes glimmered as he recalled the memories of a distant past. “But do you know what he said to us?”
The Elder chuckled. “I can still remember his words clearly, even after all this time.” His lips formed a broad smile. “Go back. If you’re looking for the frost dragons, they have already fled. I’m so sick of fighting after brawling with those lizards for days. Just this once, I’ll pretend I didn’t see you.”
The Elder laughed, as though it was the most hilarious thing he’d heard in his life. “Such conceited words, but we were sure that he could easily back them up,” said the Elder. “Your father and I readily accepted the human’s offer. We were simply glad that we managed to preserve our lives. But, Luvart, fate is such a twisted thing. We encountered him once again, and again, and again. For some reason, each and every time, the human spared us.”
The human would not hesitate to cull a demon lord but decided to spare young demons? There were several things Luvart couldn’t understand. If someone was that powerful, killing the Elder and his father would have been as easy as breathing. If Luvart was in the human’s shoes, he would have killed his enemies in a heartbeat.
Was it foolishness or was it mere benevolence of the strong?
“On our fourth encounter, we decided to follow the human on his journey throughout the land. Your father and I were still young back then. We grew up indoctrinated, believing that humans were enemies we should slaughter on sight. But that man—Evander—was different. He wouldn’t hesitate to annihilate an army of demons trying to invade human nations, but he would always spare the lives of those who had no intention of harming the human race. Demons, beastmen, dwarves, dragons, savages—he treated everyone just the same. Children shouldn’t be punished for the sins of their forefathers, Evander told us. That time… was a truly blessed encounter.”
“But, Elder…” said Luvart. “If a human as powerful as him existed, why did the Magic Empire fall into ruin?”
Sorrow momentarily appeared in the Elder’s eyes. “Human lives are short-lived, Luvart. I heard that he tried extending his life through a spell but failed. Evander… he was already long dead when the demons tried annihilating the human race.
“Sometimes, I wonder… What if his spell worked? What if he was still alive back then? I’m sure the Magic Empire would have survived the Cataclysm with his help. It’s such a shame that someone as powerful as him was born a human. If he had the lifespan of a demon, he would have achieved far greater heights.”
VOLUME 6: CHAPTER 1
“Sword of Morpheus?” said Lark.
King Alvis had met Lark several times before, but this was the first time he had witnessed the young man become visibly flustered. Even when the demon appeared and spoke to them, he’d remained calm, as though it was an everyday occurrence.
“That’s right,” said Lady Ropianna. “Sword of Morpheus. Ah, I think I still have that thing with me. Let’s see.” She fumbled in her pocket and took out a stone sparrow. “A royal court magician called Wisgarus sent this message to the captain of the royal knights before his death.” Sorrow was hidden within the elderly magician’s voice.
She handed the stone sparrow to Lark. He read the words engraved on its body.
We’re probably already dead by the time you read this. The Sword of Morpheus. The trap inside the treasure room in the statue was activated. Symon, take your men and leave this floor immediately.
Lark’s eyes widened. Indeed, the message mentioned the sword. He unconsciously tightened his grip on the stone sparrow.
“Where?” said Lark. “Where did they find the sword?” Lark already had an idea, based on the information he’d heard so far, but decided to ask regardless.
Lady Ropianna studied Lark for a moment. After a long pause, she said, “I’m sure you know already: The Forbidden Region. The same place where the royal knights obtained the Tears of Ubroxia.”
Nickolai was glaring at her. His eyes were clearly saying ‘Are you out of your mind? Why are you telling this brat?’ but Lady Ropianna simply ignored him.
“Judging by your reaction, you must have heard of the Sword of Morpheus,” said Lady Ropianna. “The sword the legendary Evander Alaester created. Although most people considered that treasure a myth, it seems that it really existed. And to think that it’s been in the Forbidden Region of all places. No wonder it was never found.”
Lark nodded slowly. Although he was stunned upon hearing of the sword’s whereabouts, he’d slowly started regaining his calm.
“You said before that a monster is guarding the sword,” said Lark.
“That’s right,” said Lady Ropianna. “A gargantuan monster with seven heads, resembling a dragon. The same monster that almost wiped out the full expedition team. Even the royal knights weren’t a match for it. We heard from Captain Symon that the monster’s attack evaporated a portion of the lake in an instant. We’re truly blessed by the heavens that the captain managed to escape the labyrinth alive, in exchange for losing just a single arm.”
Captain Symon was the only son of Sword Saint Marrozo. It was a well-known fact that, before becoming bedridden, the Sword Saint passed down his techniques to his son. But even Captain Symon couldn’t come out unscathed after entering the Forbidden Region. Even he lost all will to fight after seeing the monster guarding the treasure room.
Several thoughts started running through Lark’s mind upon hearing this. He was sure that in his previous life, one of his disciples had jokingly said to him that in the event of his death, they’d store his beloved sword in a safe place, protected by a strong monster capable of killing a High Demon on its own. A monster capable of fighting even a dragon.
A wry smile formed on Lark’s lips. A certain disciple came to mind. He could imagine that kid stealing his sword from the treasure room in the Forbidden Tower and storing it away in another place, away from the hands of humans and demons.
As for the monster guarding the treasure room…
Gargantuan. Seven heads. Resembles a dragon.
Two monsters came to mind: A Hydra and a Scylla.
A Hydra can have between five and nine heads, and the number increases as they age. Considering that more than a thousand years had passed since his death, the Hydra should have already matured and had nine heads by now.
Then, the monster was most probably a Scylla.
But how did they tame a Scylla? Moreover, task it with protecting Evander’s treasures for more than a thousand years? Those creatures were as prideful as dragons. They wouldn’t bow their heads, even in front of High Demons.
“Kid, don’t even think of entering the labyrinth,” warned Nickolai. “You’d probably be dead before you even reached the entrance. You heard what happened to the royal knights, right?”
Lark remembered what Lady Ropianna said before. It seemed that Nickolai had been secretly gathering his disciples after learning the whereabouts of the sword.
Lark smiled. “Of course. It’s called the Forbidden Region for a reason.” He was sure that if he told them he planned on entering the labyrinth, everyone in this room would do everything in their power to stop him. He’d like to avoid such nuisance if he could.
Nickolai stared at Lark, as though probing the young man’s intentions. Fortunately, it seemed he was satisfied with Lark’s answer.
He snorted and said, “It’s good that you understand.”
***
Their return to the capital was met without hitch or strife. Surprisingly, the moment they arrived at the city gates, they were met with cheers from the citizens. News traveled fast. Although they did not know the full details, the news of the ritual’s success and the king’s full recovery had even reached the ears of the commoners. The cheers “Long Live King Alvis!” echoed as they marche
d through the streets.
The king, his skin visibly healthier than before, opened the carriage window and waved at his subjects gathered on the streets.
“Look! Doesn’t His Majesty look a lot younger than before he left the capital a few weeks ago?”
“I was worried that war was brewing again, but it seems that the rumors were true. They must have conducted a ritual to cure His Majesty!”
“As expected of Lady Ropianna! She must have found a way to finally cure the king! It’s been so long since we’ve seen His Majesty like this!”
“I heard that a demon appeared?”
“Nonsense! Demons are nothing but myths! Even the Empire never encountered those monsters. Grow up. Stop believing in folk tales.”
“But I heard it from my brother himself! He said he was there when it happened!”
“Then your brother’s a liar. Stop spouting crap.”
“What did you say?”
Numerous rumors and speculations spread among the masses. It seemed that the scouts who had arrived back at the capital a few days earlier couldn’t keep their mouths shut.
Upon arriving at the castle, the king immediately summoned Lark to the throne room. This time, only His Majesty, the retired General Carlos, and several guards were inside.
Lark knelt in front of King Alvis. “It’s an honor to be in the presence of Your Majesty.”
“It’s regretful that we couldn’t conduct the awarding ceremony in public, since we’d like to keep what transpired in Fork Meadow under wraps. I’ve heard that some rumors are spreading among the citizens of the capital. There’s no need to fan the flames with an awarding ceremony held in public, now of all times. I hope you understand.”
“Yes, I understand, Your Majesty.”
“Thank you.” The king sighed. He felt regretful that he couldn’t properly reward this young man for what he’d done. An awarding ceremony held in front of everyone held more significance than a private one. “During our journey back to the capital, I asked you to choose a reward.”
Lark remembered. He hadn’t made up his mind back then; he had apologized to the king and asked for more time to think things through.