“Is everything ready?” The urgent voice of a woman echoed through the dimly lit cave.
Her footsteps resonated against the stone walls as she walked, accompanied by a few others clad in black robes. If one looked closely, they would notice their slightly pointed ears, revealing their origins from the demon race. However, the young woman leading them wasn’t wearing a robe.
She wore a jet-black light armor dress that clung to her curvaceous figure, highlighting her every movement. Her face was nothing short of breathtaking. No, the word seemed inadequate to describe her beauty. She didn’t need ornate jewelry or flashy dresses to exude an aura of elegance and charm that far surpassed the common world.
Her most striking features were the two dark protruding horns on her forehead, parting her beautiful white hair that cascaded like a waterfall. Her intense red eyes gleamed with determination as she moved forward.
“Yes, Princess. Everything has been prepared, and we may start now,” the priest beside her confirmed with a nod.
“Then we shall proceed,” the Princess replied, her voice steady and resolute.
They entered a dark chamber illuminated only by the flickering glow of candles. The air was thick with the scent of burning wax and the low, ominous chant of demon priests gathered around a blood-drawn circle on the ground.
“Are you sure about this, Princess?” a beautiful woman next to the silver-haired princess asked, her voice laced with concern.
“I am, Lucia. More than ever, we need this. We have finally obtained the technique for the forbidden summoning. It would be foolish not to use it,” the Princess responded, her tone unwavering.
“But Princess, it could be dangerous…” Lucia’s expression was conflicted, her eyes reflecting worry.
“I know, but we don’t have any choices,” the Demon Princess muttered, biting her lip in frustration. “The Empire of Light has summoned the Heroes, and their progress is much faster than we anticipated. The Divine Knights will use them to destroy our armies, and they will handle the rest. We can’t let that happen.”
The Demon Kingdom, also known as the Tenebria Empire, was a vast and sprawling empire, larger even than the renowned Empire of Light. The Demons had not always been feared and reviled. Thousands of years ago, the continent was a battleground where humans and demons clashed for dominance, fostering a deep-seated hatred between the two populations.
Despite their differences in appearance and culture, both were intelligent beings yearning for a homeland. They each carved out their territories, but greed and schemes from both sides’ leaders ensured that wars were inevitable.
A few hundred years ago, the fate of the Demons took a darker turn when a tyrant ascended the throne, succeeding his father as the Emperor of Tenebria. This new Emperor was a despot through and through, ruthless even toward his own kin. He orchestrated the slaughter of human settlements without a second thought, his reign marked by relentless warfare.
His insatiable hunger for glory and expansion led to countless deaths across the continent, and his actions instilled a pervasive fear and hatred of demons among all races.
Unfortunately, his death did not bring an end to the bloodshed. His descendants, learning from his example, continued his legacy of war. They raised their weapons once more, determined to finish what their ancestor had started, regardless of the cost. The hatred other races harbored toward them only fueled the demons’ own lack of pity, perpetuating a vicious cycle of animosity with no end in sight.
All of this transpired under the watchful eyes of two kinds of gods. The gods of light supported the Empire of Light, which worshipped them, while the Demon Gods backed Tenebria, whose people revered them. For eons, these deities despised each other, and the ceaseless war between their mortal followers became another arena for their divine rivalry.
This miniature war among lesser beings was merely an extension of their eternal competition, each side striving to obliterate the other.
Then, recently, a new monarch ascended to the throne in Tenebria, ushering in what seemed to be a new era for the Demons. This ruler appeared benevolent and kinder than his predecessors. His primary concern was the prosperity and safety of his people, and he implemented numerous reforms throughout the kingdom.
He even reached out to other races, seeking to establish truces and offering gifts as tokens of goodwill. While the Empire of Light, under the control of the Divine Knights, dismissed his overtures without hesitation, other races began to believe in the new ruler of Tenebria, perhaps even trusting in his apparent kindness.
But then, something drastic happened.
In a single day, everything changed. The once kind and compassionate ruler, who had sought peace for his people, transformed into a madman, slaughtering humans and other races indiscriminately, deeming them inferior. He became a tyrant, surpassing even his ancestors in cruelty.
His rule became oppressive, forcing his people into relentless warfare against other nations and amassing the largest army ever seen.
His ambition was clear: the expansion of his empire to encompass the entire continent, necessitating the destruction of all neighboring countries.
Faced with no other options and overwhelmed by the Demon King’s strength, the Empire of Light, with the Emperor of the Goddess Khione, invoked a divine spell to summon Heroes from another world. These were the first heroes, possessing extraordinary talents and strength. They nearly vanquished the Demon King but ultimately failed.
A second class of Heroes was then summoned, also exhibiting great power and coming close to killing the Demon King, but they too failed in the end. However, this second battle left the Demon King with severe wounds, forcing him into a period of rest.
Realizing the possibility of truly defeating the Demon King this time, a third class of Heroes was summoned two months ago. This new group arrived with the hope of finishing what their predecessors had started and ending the reign of terror that had plagued the continent for so long.
The Demon Princess was acutely aware of the intricate and dire situation her country faced. The threat was greater than mere external enemies; it was a matter of survival for her people. Dark magic was the only recourse left to her, and despite its perilous nature, she was determined to wield it for the sake of Tenebria.
“Do it,” she commanded with unwavering authority.
The priests, arrayed around the blood-drawn circle, began their incantations, their voices a haunting chorus of ancient prayers. They raised their hands high, and the dark red light from the circle intensified, filling the room with an ominous glow. Shadows danced wildly on the cave walls as the dark magic took hold, the air thick with its malevolent energy.
The ritual lasted for what felt like an eternity. The red light pulsed and throbbed, casting an eerie glow on the faces of those present. Finally, the light began to recede, and silence descended upon the room. The Princess, her breath held in anxious anticipation, slowly opened her eyes.
She gasped at the sight before her. Lying within the circle was a man, his body charred black and red, devoid of limbs. He appeared lifeless, a grotesque and tragic figure of suffering.
“A corpse?” she muttered in disbelief, her heart sinking. Had they failed? Was all hope lost for Tenebria?
Suddenly, a soft whisper escaped from the charred mouth. The sound was faint, barely audible, yet it carried a spark of life. The Demon Princess’s eyes widened in shock and hope.
“Save him! Now!” she cried, her voice urgent and commanding.