《Bayani》 The Battle ''This is the final battle, everything has been building up to this, all the sufferings and pain I- we''ve endured... it all comes down to this, we must not fail'' I pumped myself as I look at the demon king''s castle "You guys ready?" I asked all of my teammates "Yeah! we''re good to go!" Aurora smiled confidently Aurora, she''s a female who has a red hair that reaches up to the nape of her neck, 5.7 feet high and wields a large hammer twice her size. Her hammer is enchanted with a holy attribute which is very effective against demons, she was also given the title ''Thoress'' "Count on me to heal you guys!" Ria smiled majestically Ria, she''s our team''s healer. She''s a high priestess in the religion of life, she has silky blond hair with a beautiful aqua blue eyes. One more thing she''s my lover. She wields a staff that was soaked in holy water for 500 years, the same day as when the first human-demon war ended. That very staff was soaked in order to be used in the next war which is now. "Y-Yes, I-I will d-do my b-best" William meekly spoke out as he tightly gripped his staff William, he is our mage, though meek and shy, he knows spells long lost which is a huge aid to us because magic is very scarce during this period of time. Out of 1000 children, only 5 are given a mana organ. The mana organ is an extra organ found directly underneath the heart, mana is something that the mages use in order to cast various spells that wreak havoc on their enemies "Alright, Let''s go!" I pumped everyone up and wore my helm I was the leader of our party, the suicide party. It was called suicide party because we were sent here as the last hope in defeating the demon king while most of his troops are busy fighting the largest Kingdom, Argon. We were considered heroes but we were sent here like some disposable soldiers but what choice did they have? we were outnumbered 10 to 1 and our chances of winning are slowly slipping out of our hands as time passes by. All four Kingdoms have already worked together and yet we are still losing so when they saw the opportunity, they sent us here. We cannot fail, there are people fighting with their lives on the line, if we kill the demon king here then all future sufferings will end. I will- We will succeed. We easily broke through the front gate and exterminated most of the demonic knights guarding the mansion, most of them were pretty weak which led me to think that this is a trap but we can''t back down now. We kept killing until we finally reached a large door, this is it. The demon king is just behind this door "...Guys, I just want to say... it''s been fun being with you" Aurora looked at everyone with tears forming in her eyes "Hey, you''re always so energetic! why be down now?" I smiled as I rubbed her head To be honest I''m quite scared too but I can not let it show "Yeah, we will make it through this... all of us" Ria helped in comforting Aurora, she also gripped my hands tight. Seems like she''s pretty scared too "Come here" I pulled her close and hugged her "What are you doing?!" Ria protested "I''m giving you strength" I smiled and let go of her "Jeez, you''re always like this..." She was angry but she can''t hide the smile on her face "I''ve never really changed since we were kids" I smiled and gave her a thumbs up "15 years... ever since the first time we met when we were 6-year-olds" Ria also smiled and reminisced the past "That will have to wait, let''s finish this war and go home" I want peace, I''m tired. I''ve already lost countless friends in this warIf you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. "Yes" Ria nodded her head "Everyone ready?" I asked as I wore my helm Everyone only nodded their heads I opened the door and saw the demon king on his throne while his wife the demon queen stood beside him "Welcome low lives" He arrogantly greeted us "Naz al ghul, you will die today!" I replied "Ha! last time you said that, two of your friends lost their heads!" He laughed in his chair "Come on, just stop this and come with me... let''s leave this place together and settle in a peaceful house somewhere no one will find us" Naz al ghul''s wife, Arc, spoke to me "Thanks for the offer Arc but no" I already have Ria "You bitch! why do you continue to pursue this lowly man!" Naz angrily roared out "First of all, you kidnapped me and second of all, I don''t love you. It''s him that I love" Arc pointed at me "Tch, no matter, once I kill these pests, I can finally mate with you and create offsprings!" Naz smiled "I''d rather kill myself before it happens!" Arc protested "Go to the side!" Naz waved his hands and the chains around arc glowed purple before attaching themselves to the cuffs on her wrists and legs Arc got pulled into the darkness away from our sights "Now that she''s gone, why don''t we see which of us lives" Naz jumped off his throne and landed in front of us "I''ll hold him off while you guys damage him, same old same old. He''s just a demon king, he also breathes and bleeds" I spoke out before running towards Naz with my Holy sword on the right and the Mirror shield on my left I raised my sword and swung it down on his head but he only raised his right arm before a dark sword appeared out of nowhere and blocked my attack, I thought the demon king would be a mage "Oh? surprised are we? perhaps you''re thinking why I am wielding a sword? let me answer that, I am both a mage and a warrior!" He laughed as he grabbed empty air with his left hand I thought his actions were meaningless but I soon found out that multiple dark tentacles have coiled around my foot, rendering me immobile. "Now DIE!" He opened up his palm in front of me as a dark orb formed and blasted towards me I can''t move my feet so I lowered my posture and held my shield in front of me, the attack came and I felt like my left arm was in an oven. It was painful and hot, his attack finally ended. The shield let out smoke but it wasn''t damaged in any way. I again ran forward and attacked him, he was about to block with his dark sword again but Aurora suddenly appeared behind him and smashed her large hammer on his back Naz flew up to where William shot his attack, a barrage of fireballs. All of the fireballs were the size of a small pebble but their speed was quite terrifying, they created small holes through the demon king. "That hurt you pest!" Naz roared out as a dark sphere protected him from the small fireballs Naz quickly came crashing down towards William but I managed to tackle William just in time and saved him from Naz''s attack, I managed to raise my shield just as Naz was about to hit me. His attacks were blocked but the force caused me to hit the ground hard, I could already taste blood in my mouth. Our fight kept going on for 10 minutes before all of us were exhausted, my armor was now in chips and I only wore my pants, my left arm turned completely blue after taking on so much of Naz''s attack while my right arm was cramping in pain William and Ria were quite fine while Aurora only had some of her armor broken down. Naz was in no better shape than me, he had wounds all over his body while the fancy clothes he wore were torn to shreds. One of his bat wings was already ripped apart by me while one of his eyeballs was destroyed by Ria''s judgment light, it was Ria''s ultimate spell wherein she harnesses the power of the sun and concentrates that power in a single spot. After that, the sun unleashes a concentrated power on that spot and destroys everything within "You''ve meddled for far too long!" The King roared out before he created a sphere that only covered himself ''He must be casting something! I must disrupt him!'' I thought before running in the sphere before it closes I managed to get in and when I looked outside, everyone was down on the ground "What did you do?" I asked Naz with a tone filled with anger "I just knocked them out" He smiled "Tch, let''s get this over with" I ran forward and started a sword fight with Naz, his sword of darkness against my holy sword ''For the last time, even if I have to burn my own life force, I will use it!'' I roared out in my mind before activating a skill I inherited For warriors like me who doesn''t have a mana organ, the only way to match a mage is through skills but these skills are just as rare as the mage. The only way to receive a skill is through inheritance and blessings, Ria received blessings which is why she can use healing skills. My skill that inherited was from the Hydra, 6 dragon heads appeared behind my back and started flying towards Naz All of my dragons bit him and kept him in place which allowed me to send a finishing blow, the sphere faded as I supported myself with my sword. "IT''S OVER!" I shouted out in joy but I felt a pain in my chest It was the sword of darkness but how? The demon king is dead, he''s in front of me I struggled to look back but everything turned dark I fell on the ground and watched blood spill out of my chest The blood It''s filling up my lungs It''s hard to breathe It''s burning Aching Searing I finally felt numb, will I die? will the pain be finally gone? NO! I still have to go home! I still have to lead a happy life with Ria No! I can''t die here I felt tears roll down my eyes as my vision turned hazy before it faded to black 2 - Aftermath "...him" I heard an old eerie voice "What do you mean?" I heard another eerie voice "I meant what I said Jack, not him" I heard the old eerie voice again so I opened my eyes and looked around It was dark, I can''t see a thing but I can definitely hear screams of agony and pain "Alright, alright" I heard the eerie voice above me so I looked up and to my surprise, I saw a huge blazing jack-o-lantern I looked at the ground and saw a huge glove holding me "Oh? he''s up" The Jack-o-lantern looked at me with its blazing eyes "...Am I dead?" It was the first thing I wanted to confirm "Yes" The Jack-o-lantern answered with a cheerful tone "...No, Please I beg of you, let me go back, Ria, she''s waiting for me" I begged and pleaded I knelt down, at least I felt like I knelt down which was weird "Listen, you can''t, you''re already dead" The Jack-o-lantern showed me a mirror I looked and only saw a blue wisp floating off the ground "...No... Please... I will give you everything..." After everything... this happens... no... "Let him go Jack" I heard the old eerie voice so I looked above and saw a huge skull talking to the huge Jack-o-lantern "Come on Grimm, why can''t you let me have this one?" The Jack-o-lantern named Jack replied "It''s not his time yet" Grimm, the huge skull shot back "Oh come on, he''s going to die anyway" Jack seems to refuse "Not today" Grimm slapped Jack with his boney hands "Alright! alright! you don''t have to get violent, jeez" Jack reluctantly lets go of me "Listen here, you want to go back but this will have consequences," Grimm asked me "...I am ready to suffer any consequences" I immediately agreed without a second thought "Alright then" Grimm opened a portal where I was sucked in I was sucked in the portal and saw the two figures disappear before my consciousness followed "That''s that, now don''t do something this stupid again!" Grimm smacked the head of Jack "Ack, I promise I won''t do it again!" Jack quickly replied as he rubbed the small mound on his head "You better, now don''t disturb me, I''m off to warn Lyan about something" Grimm left *** I opened my eyes but it was pitch black, did those two play a trick on me? ''No, I can feel my arms but not my legs...'' I tried moving my legs but I can''t feel anything, only my arms I raised my hand by accident but I hit something, the sound... it''s wood! I started punching up until I felt my arms go through it but when I retracted my hand, soil quickly filled the place I was in. Was I buried? That explains it. With both hands, I scraped, punched and dig until I made it out. I looked around and found myself... underneath a dead tree, there are no other graves in sight. It was also mid-day ''Where was I buried?'' I asked myself as I started moving around ''It was weird I can''t feel the ground'' I thought before looking down and noticed that I had no feet, I was floating like a ghost I looked at my hand and found out that it was only bones covered in a bluish auraTaken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Oh no, oh no, oh no. How will I face Ria like this? she''s a priestess for a reason, she hates the forces of the dark and that includes specters like me... No, She won''t destroy me on sight if I manage to convince her that it''s me... but how? Oh! maybe the chicken dance I used to do when we were kids! it''s embarrassing but its the only way. We''ll go with that plan and with that problem settled, I''m free to look around more... My Gravestone... I read it ''In loving memory of the hero Henz Rogue He died protecting the world'' It seemed to have been carved with a sharp object because you can see mistakes here and there, this was definitely no professional work yet it was well kept and clean. There was also... wilted rose on top of my gravestone and more wilted rose behind it... was Ria placing these roses here? and with this sheer number... how long was I dead? I climbed the wilted tree or more like floated to a branch and looked around, I was on top of a mountain. The trees around this area are full of life, only this tree is wilted. I looked around for anything that might give a clue to where I am... wait that mountain, just behind that mountain is the demon king''s castle! why the hell am I buried behind the demon king''s castle?!.. I won''t find any answers here so I started walking... floating towards the castle I finally got around the mountain and saw the castle... it was totally destroyed, the dreary castle was now only a relic of the past. Nature found it''s way in the castle as vines and other plant life wrapped itself around the destroyed mansion, I have no business here so I started floating towards Argon castle. Ria lives in Argon so she''s probably still there, the only question is, how will I get inside without getting discovered... Oh! I remember a secret passageway that leads to a hollow tree inside Argon city, we discovered this when the princess was kidnapped and was taken underneath the city. I can use that! Then I realized something, if the one who killed me is still alive then Ria is in danger, I must get back to her immediately! ''Can I attack?'' I asked myself because the journey to Argon city would take months and I don''t even have simple equipment I need to protect myself from monsters... and humans As I walked through the forest I found nothing but scars of war which was slowly healed by nature, I finally found an old tent which was probably used as a base of operations. Maybe there is something inside I can use. I looked inside and saw an old chest, I opened it and saw an old steel sword, it was still usable, there was no rusts, cracks, or bends on the sword which made me happy. I looked around some more and found a robe that reached up to the ground if I were to use it, this is just perfect, now I can walk around without arousing much suspicion. I wore the robe and the hood before hanging the sword on my back, I started going through the forest and encountered my first enemy since my revival A wolf, a wolf usually hunts in packs so this wolf must be some kind of a scout, it will report back to its pack if I don''t take care of it here. I brandished my sword with both hands as the wolf growled at me and pounced, I killed it with a single swing. In this world, strength is divided into titles, Legend Grand Warrior Seasoned Warrior Veteran Warrior Mercenary Gladiator Seasoned Soldier Veteran Soldier Soldier That is only in the warrior''s class which is my class when I was alive, just like my class, the other classes also have 9 titles with Legend the highest and Soldier the lowest. I was a legend when I died. There are four main classes which are Warrior, Archer, Mage, and Priests and within those main classes are many more sub-classes like Berserker which is under the Warrior class, this was Aurora''s class Class titles were only titles because it can be faked, the only difference between real and fake is strength and experience. There were many people who faked their titles but were taken in the Grand titles society which were a collection of many known Warriors, Archers, Mages, and Priests. They will test you in order to verify if you are really worthy of the title if you are not then you are sentenced to a punishment which goes higher depending on the title you faked The wolf vanished like smoke and left a small yellowish stone, a monster core. We humans... the humans use this stone to enchant their weapons with elements corresponding to the color of the stone Red = Fire Transparent/ no color = Wind Blue = Water Yellow = Earth Dark Blue = Lightning Black = Darkness White = Light Green = Nature Humans are weak so we devised this way to bolster our strength and it was effective, we can fight toe to toe with demons and monsters. These stones can also be sold, the price depends on which monster it came from, the rarer the monster, the higher the price. The rarest I''ve seen is a monster core of a Dragon, it was as huge as an entire house, it took the ability of a master blacksmith to downsize it enough to fit the sword guard. I took the small monster core and inserted it into a small hole on the sword guard, the sword started giving off a yellowish color I sheathed it again and continued on my journey I''ve been walking for an entire day and needed to rest so I built a simple campfire to ward off animals before closing my eyes. I woke up the next day and noticed the fire extinguished itself, I stretched and continued my journey. Being unable to feel hunger is quite weird, not only that, it is believed that specters will die under the light of the sun but I fell strangely fine I finally found a river, I may not feel hunger but I want to test if I still can eat. I brought my head close to the river and saw my face... or my skull, my skull was burning in the same blue aura that wrapped around me. This is really weird, specters don''t have burning skulls, if I''m not a specter then what am I? I stopped thinking about it and just decided to drink, I just placed my mouth in the river and drank. I felt refreshed, yes, looks like I can still eat. I stood up and went back to walking, walking back home... where Ria is... I wonder how she''s been doing... is she well? I fought a few more wolves before seeing a small village... finally, human civilization, I can finally get some answers to my questions. I took out a cloth that the wolf dropped, yes, they do drop items that are useful. I wrapped my head in cloth before wearing my hood, thankfully the robe was long enough to cover my entire feet... oh wait, I don''t have feet... let''s just say it reaches to the ground 3 - Falling into the black I coolly walked towards the entrance where I was stopped by a young soldier "Halt, may I please know who you are and what your business here is?" The young soldier asked "I''m but a simple traveler, I only wish to pass by this village to eat" I reasoned "Then why is your face covered?" "It is because I am cursed with an ugly face, it is so ugly it will cause you to lose your breakfast and lunch" "...Alright, you may go in" "Do you wish to see it?" "No, just go in!" "Thank you" I entered the small village and went to the items shop where I exchanged the small pile of monster core I''ve collected, All of the cores sell for 600 Zils. Zil was the main currency. Each monster core sold for 60 Zils. I then went to the armor shop and bought a simple leather helm which covered my entire face, I then went to the Inn. An overnight stay costs 90 Zils, food was also included so I asked them to just send it to my room. I found out 2 years have passed since I died... thank God it was just 2 years but when I asked about the heroes party, they will always talk about William which is weird. I went to my room and laid on my bed, I heard a knock so I opened the door. A young lady delivered my food before leaving, I took the tray and went inside before locking the door. I started eating, it was weird, I place the food near my mouth and it just vanishes... what if I poop? will it just appear out of nowhere? will I soil the bed? it would be pretty embarrassing if I did soil the bed. Oh well, guess I''ll find out later I left the tray outside my room after eating, I went to bed soon after and had a peaceful sleep. I looked at the bed the next morning and thankfully there was no poop or pee in sight, I left the inn and continued on my journey towards Argon city. It will take me at least 4 months if I just keep walking so I bought a horse before leaving the small village, it will only take me at least a month to get to Argon now. I rode the horse and followed the safest path towards Argon, I never encountered any bandit or monsters along the way. I also passed by some villages but decided not to stay, I can save time this way.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. I finally saw Argon city after crossing a huge mountain, it was the same as the one in my memories, an entire city surrounded by a huge body of water. City walls that were 200 feet high, the buildings and houses that were glamorously built. The only way to access this city was through the long bridge that was connected to the main gate, the bridge was heavily guarded. Statues of the first King was erected around the bridge. Everyone thinks that this is the only path inside the city but there is one more way, through the escape tunnel that was built as an escape route for the royal family. A way in is also a way out so I quickly searched for a small boulder and when I found it, I pushed it to the side, underneath it was a patch of grass but I quickly inserted my hand in the patch of grass and pulled a small lever. The patch of grass opened up and revealed a small hole, I jumped in. I found myself inside a tunnel, I lit up the torch I prepared beforehand and started heading for the exit within the city using only my memories as my guide After some twists and turns, I finally found a ladder. I climbed the ladder and removed the lid that was covering my exit, I found myself inside the dead tree on the south side of Argon city. I peeked outside and noticed that it was already night time, I guess I spent more time underground than I thought but this is perfect. I saw no one was around so I quickly climbed out of the tree and started heading for Ria''s home which is just west of here, I quickly moved under the cover of night and arrived at Ria''s home... our home... we bought this place together... we wanted to raise our kids inside this simple mansion... I started imagining happy things as I climbed the gate, I got to the door I''m nervous I''m scared What if Ria won''t recognize me What if Ria hates me... No She''ll understand... hopefully It''s now or never I knocked on the door *Knock* *Knock* But there was no reply That''s weird, my knock was loud yet Ria didn''t notice, is she taking a bath? I heard laughter I peeked through the window There I saw William and Ria having dinner together It''s fine, it''s just friendly dinner... right? I wished I hoped Please Please don''t be what I think it is But Reality was harsh They both kissed and not in a friendly manner I was devastated Heartbroken Why? Grimm told me it was not my time yet If there is a God out there who still wanted me to live... then... IS IT FUNNY? ARE YOU ENJOYING THIS? IS THIS PART OF YOUR "PLAN"? WHY? WHY?!! WHY MUST I SUFFER?! I wanted to scream I wanted to just go berserk But my throat was too dry My body was paralyzed My eyes won''t move away from their happy smiles Before I even knew it, I was about to break the window with the sword but I managed to stop myself in time... Maybe it was just me who wanted a happy ending... it was also unfair for me to expect Ria to love me even though I''m dead But I can''t help it, is it unfair for me to ask for a happy ending? I saw a great future with Ria... I guess it was just me I left "Home" and just aimlessly wandered the town and before I knew it, I entered the city square... In the center is a statue of three people, I looked at the plate and "The three heroes" was carved in it, I read the description "It was originally four heroes but the leader betrayed the other three, but the other three stood their ground and defeated the Demon king along with the Fallen Hero Henz Rogue" I looked up and noticed that the statue was William, Ria, and Aurora... 4 - The Heros reward I was the one who died protecting all of you Why... My anger is affecting my way of thinking... I should... I should leave I looked down as I wandered before arriving at a rundown mansion, this mansion... was where I was raised it was my home... oh no... what happened to mom and dad?! I quickly asked the closest person "Tell me what happened to this mansion" I asked impatiently "Whoa, whoa, buddy, calm down..." The civilian spoke out "I-I''m sorry" I quickly apologized "This mansion? Oh... this was once a prominent family of warriors, the Rogue family but ever since the betrayal of their only son Henz, they were persecuted, it was believed that they were traitors but the Rogue family kept on saying that their only son Henz didn''t betray anyone, that it was just some kind of misunderstanding... then one day, almost all of Argon city hunted them down. A lot of people died but in the end, the parents of Henz Rogue died." "Dead...?" "Yes, dead. Their remains were just left on the ground but some lady from an orphanage carried them and buried them behind the mansion, the people were about to kill the old lady but the princess of Argon stopped them" I only stood still with my head hung low, the civilian noticed it was time for him to go so he quietly left Dead Mom... Dad... Dead? NO! I was about to explode in anger when I heard the gate creak open I noticed an old woman go in, I was curious so I followed her Is she a homeless person residing in our place?Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. No She opened the basket she was carrying and took out a cloth and water She started wiping a statue that was smudged with human feces and mud That statue... is me? "Young Henz, your destiny was quite harsh" I heard the old lady say that as she wiped the statue clean She finished cleaning the statue and started heading for the backyard I looked at my statue and saw something written "Our Son, Since you were born we always knew you were destined for greatness and you never disappoint. You saved countless lives without a care for your own but alas, destiny seems to have played a trick on everyone. They might think you''re evil but we, your parents, always know that you are kind We love you, Always -Herold and Zina Rogue" I don''t know what''s going on my face but I knew I was crying, I took off the leader helm and touched their message on my statue. Droplets of fire fell down on the ground "Did the old lady clean it again?" I heard noises from behind so I quickly wore the helm and hid "I don''t know, that''s why we''re here right?" I peeked through the bushes and saw an entire mob of people It was like an entire town came here, they started to throw mud and feces at my statue while jeering my name. They cursed me They hated me They loathe me Is this... the people I''ve been saving throughout my life? Behind their thankful masks are venomous snakes waiting to strike... "A hero does not need to stand for himself, the people he saved will stand for him when the time comes" Those were the words dad always told me... These are no longer people, they are demons... "STOP!" I saw the lady block my statue with her body "Like hell we will!" Everyone shouted and continued throwing Everything happened too fast, they threw and threw at the poor old lady, someone even threw a rock. After seeing the rock hit the lady, a few more people followed his example, I moved but it was already too late, the old lady''s body was covered in blood, mud, feces, and bruises... are these even real people? "GET OUT OF HERE!" I roared out in anger The bluish flame turned into a raging red fire that burned off my helm which showed my face to the entire crowd, they were spooked and just started running "Henz?" The old lady spoke out "You... Granny Sima?" The old lady was an owner of an orphanage I frequently visited and donated to "Faith is really cruel... it let you come back only to see this..." Granny Sima spoke out as she gently touched my cheek I saw a knife lodged in her stomach, I carefully pulled it out and tore off a piece of my robe to wrap around the wound but she stopped me "It''s my time young Henz" She gently smiled "No, what about the children in the orphanage" "It''s okay, they all got a home now" She gave off a proud smile "At least they let me see you one last time..." She smiled "How did you know?" "...These old eyes can see nothing but blur but I will never mistake the face of the man that has helped us for so long" I stood there silent "Young Henz, I am thankful for all that you''ve done for me, for the children who had no parents..." She closed her eyes as her hands left my cheeks and fell to the ground I gently laid her down ''Faith allowed me to come back just to see this?'' ''Maybe it allowed me back to change this'' I muttered as anger seethed within me I swear I will have my revenge "DO YOU HEAR THAT? I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE!" I roared out at the top of my lungs 5 - Birth of an enemy In the center of Argon city stood a castle, this castle was Argon castle where the royal family resides "Father... today marks the 2 year anniversary of his death" A young princess talked to the King "I know sweetie, I still can''t believe he betrayed all of us" The King shook his head in disappointment "He never betrayed us! there must be some kind of explanation!" The young princess was quick to object the King "Not this again, it was proven that he was an enemy when we saw him attack the heroes party after defeating the Demon King" "No! I refuse to believe it" "*sigh* what am I gonna do with you" Just as his words fell, a huge fiery pillar illuminated the night sky, "Et ceciderunt heros, Et seipsum tradidit pro vobis vos prodiderat eum, illi reliquit mori solum vos autem nunc ille rediit lymphantium, iracundia, ultio formido, tribulatio, dolor, aegritudo, ille faciam redde tu heros heros heros ut quid dereliquisti eum?" The pillar reached the sky and caused a huge rift in the sky to open as chants of dead people were heard all over the city it wreaked mass panic "Go to the pillar and investigate that pillar!" The King quickly ordered out as beads of sweat fell down his face The Pillar soon vanished as the night sky returned to normal, the chanting also stopped but this left an unforgettable mark in everyone "My King!" A high priest quickly came in "What is it?" The King asked "M-My K-King, A new evil has risen... and this one seems to be filled with anger" The high priest quickly reported "Tell me something I don''t know, all of the evil we''ve encountered are all angry!" "My King, you don''t understand... this... this one is different... its anger is so much more compared to the last demon king... maybe the anger of all the demon kings can''t even compare with this one" "...call the heroes" The King ordered out with his head hung down "Yes" A guard nodded and quickly took offLove this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. "I-I''ll go now" The High Priest also noticed the King''s mood and left "2 demon kings... I''m going to fight another demon king..." The King was crestfallen "M-My liege" Another guard burst through the door "...What is it?" "The Pillar... it... it..." "What is it? spit it out" The King got angry "I-It ca-came from the R-R-Rogue mansion" "What?" The King was shocked senseless *** After the pillar of fire was gone, someone quickly pulled me away. It was Arc She kept pulling me out of Argon city, she even killed the guards that tried to stop us. "I knew it was you!" She finally stopped after we got away from Argon city "W...What are you doing here?" I was a bit exhausted after my outburst of anger "I''ll tell you as we escape, let''s go!" She pulled me to a spot where there were two horses waiting I rode one and to my surprise, it neighed as its body burned in a darkish green flame, the once normal horse turned into a death stallion. The death stallion was some kind of horse that came from the nether plains it was usually ridden by headless knights I didn''t have time to think about it because we quickly left the scene, guards who rode horses chased after us. Arc gave me a bow and a quiver filled with arrows, I draw the bow before firing it, the arrow I shot glowed green and hit one of the riders. He quickly decayed and died, all of the other horsemen were shocked and stopped their horses. I used three arrows this time, my targets weren''t moving so this is easier, I killed three more riders, there was only 2 left. Arc smiled and killed them with a bow of her own We traveled non stop until we returned to the old demon king''s castle "Isn''t it about time you started explaining?" I spoke out "Where should I start?" She asked "From the moment I died" "...I didn''t really know what happened because the chains pulled me to my room, when they vanished I quickly went to the throne room but I only saw you there with a sword through your chest. I cried for three days straight before burying you behind the castle, every day I would bring a rose there but then I saw a small hole. I was enraged, who dared disturb your rest? I quickly dug the grave but I didn''t find your body. Hope sparked in me, I hoped you were still alive so I started looking for signs of you" "I am not alive, I''m dead" "...Moving on, I asked around and found out a suspicious person was heading to Argon, then it struck me, you will try to go to that woman so I quickly headed for Argon. Just as I entered Argon city, A fiery pillar filled with dark energy rose up in the sky. I followed it and to my surprise you in the center of the pillar" "How did you know it was me?" "With the power of love silly~" "...Sorry but no, you want to lead a peaceful life but not me... not anymore, I''m going to have my revenge, only then will I live in peace" "Don''t worry hon, I''ll stick with you" She smiled as she hugged me "What? but when you were with the demon king you always objected him and wanted to live a peaceful life" "That''s because I didn''t love him but for you, I will destroy this world" I remember this feeling, for Ria, I would even fight the demon King alone... "Now, If you want to your revenge, you will need an army!" She happily pumped her fists "I still have an army of Falle angels that are still loyal to me, as for the generals of the demon king they all separated" "...Thanks Arc but I might disappoint you I mean I don''t even love you..." "Oh don''t worry my precious, you will soon learn how to love me" She smiled as she started skipping towards the castle Arc, the princess of the fallen angel clan. She was forced to marry the demon king. She''s a warrior on the Legend level. She''s incredibly beautiful and she also has a perfect body shape, she has a straight long black hair that reaches up to her waist while her eyes gave off a dark red glow. Her choice of weapon is a halberd, she can also shoot razor sharp feathers from her wings. Look''s like I''ll be spending most of my time with her 6 - New Beginning If I want revenge, then I will need an army. I kept thinking about how to get an army but I have no idea where to start. Arc showed me around the destroyed castle, the castle was more simple than I thought. It had 13 rooms, one for me and arc which left 11 more free rooms. There was also a large kitchen and study hall along with a dance hall and guest room, Arc led me to the throne room where she made me sit on the throne. I sat down and observed everything around me, light penetrated the throne room through the holes that were on the walls. Flags that represented each general was on the ground, there was also a bloodstain on the floor near the throne... this is the spot where I died "Arc, got any idea on how I can amass an army?" I asked "Yeah it''s simple really, all we have to do is visit each tribe and ask them to join us" Arc smiled "And what if they don''t?" I asked "Simple, we just slaughter them" She smiled innocently "That works" Invite the scattered demon tribes, if they refuse, fight their current chieftain and make them follow us Arc called a crow over and gave it a letter "Go to Sanctus Mons" Arc spoke out before sending the crow away The crow flapped its wings and quickly flew away "Hey, Arc, you''re strong right?" I asked "Yes, my strength is yours... my body is yours so is my heart and soul" She blushed "...I''m not talking about anything sexual here, I just wanted to ask why didn''t you fight the demon king since you''re so strong" "Well, it''s because that monster threatened to kill you" "What?" "When you were still weak, the Demon King had many chances to kill you but I''ve been stopping him every time but what can a small army of fallen angels do against legions of demons so I made a proposal of him not killing you" I was touched by what Arc did, she genuinely loves me... "So that''s why I made it this far, thanks Arc" "For you... I will do anything" She hugged me and pressed my face in between her boobs I pushed her away from me as I calmed myself down, this woman, she''s too aggressive. Arc laughed and headed towards the kitchen, she said she was going to make us dinner. She started skipping while humming. I was now left alone so I can now plan what I have to do, the demon clan... okay let me think of all the main demon clans The Night clan which is mainly made up of Vampires and demons that stalk the night The Sea clan which is composed of Nagas and much more tribes The Air clan, the Harpies and more. The Earth clan Alright, Vampires are too prideful and arrogant The sea clan only wishes to submerge the land The Air clan are a bunch of bird brains The Earth clan are composed of too much demon tribes such as goblins, trolls, orcs, giants, and minotaurs Which clan should I invite... I need to be very thorough with my choices because sometimes, your allies are the cause of your downfall... I walked around and saw a seagull enter the throne room with a letter attached to its legs, I took it and read it "We of the Slithereen request for your help, we''re on the brink of getting wiped out. The humans have almost broken through our defenses, please send help, fast" It was the content of the letter "Arc!" "Yes darling?" "Darling?" "It''s what I will call you now" She smiled "...Anyway, what will you do if you receive a letter requesting help?" "I would ignore it" She quickly replied "Will the other clan also ignore it?" "Yeah, they won''t help unless offered a hefty amount of Zil" "...Is that so? Where''s your army of fallen angels?" I asked "They''re on their way here, it will take them about a day or so" "How long will it take if we are going to travel to the sea south of the here?" "The sea is pretty close, maybe 3 days on a horse?" "Alright, get ready, we''re going to aid the slithereens" "Those bitches who keep singing?" "Yes, those who won''t stop singing" "Alright, let me finish what I''m cooking first" She quickly left the room After helping the slithereens, I will ask them to join me. It''s a simple and straightforward plan but slithereens are always known to be loyal and loyalty is what I need right now Night came and I was now sitting in the dining hall with Arc beside me, Wolf stew was on the menu. Arc happily spoon fed me despite my protests, I knew she wouldn''t stop pestering me until I agreed so I just ate the food she fed me. She was delighted every time I ate her food, I gotta say, this is pretty good. "Thanks, that was amazing" I thanked Arc for the wonderful food "Ah~ you make me so happy~" Arc moaned and said those words as she blushed and breathed out hot air I quickly went to my room and locked the door out of fear of getting raped, I laid on my bed and closed my eyes. I can''t sleep and my mind just keeps replaying everything that happened to me, I will get my revenge. I fell asleepThe narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. I woke up and left my room, there I found Arc patiently waiting outside my room "You''re up early" I greeted Arc but she was strangely quiet, she also seems to be hiding something behind her "T-This is for you" She showed me what she was hiding and it was a suit that the nobles usually wear but she redesigned it a bit I looked at her hands and noticed a few bandages were wrapped around her arm "Did you make this?" I asked "Y-Yes" She must''ve made this last night I mean, I just revived so I lack clothes... Arc is really thoughtful "Thanks, I love it, let me change into it" I hugged Arc and gave her a pat on the head before returning to my room, I took off the robe and started wearing the clothes she made. I don''t know what to do with the pants because I have no feet but the blue aura suddenly expanded and formed two foots... What happened? I asked myself but I can''t find any explanations so I just wore the pants and the shoes. I went out of my room wearing the clothes Arc made, I can see pure happiness in Arc''s expression "Thanks Arc" I thanked her "No need to thank me, I''m your wife, this is only normal" "I don''t remember marrying you though" "Way to spoil my happiness" "Haha" We both had breakfast together "Here, use this too" She took out a sword from a chest and gave it to me "This is?!" "You''re right, it is the legendary sword Vajra, it might not be as good as your legendary sword Drynwryn" "Where did you get this?" I asked "It was hidden inside this castle" "Thank you so much Arc" "I told you-" She was about to finish her sentence when we heard knocking on the door, she opened it and led the entire Fallen Angel clan inside the castle I was already in the throne room when they entered, they all quickly knelt down "To our King, we swear our undying loyalty!" A fallen angel quickly knelt down and spoke out "At ease, tell me, what is your name" I need to act like a King "Thank you my King, I am known as Vera, The General of the entire Fallen angel army!" Vera was a man with a good body build "What is your level of strength?" "My King, I''m only a seasoned warrior" "Oh? that''s pretty good if you ask me" "Thank you for your compliment my King" "Alright, first order of business, we will go and aid the Slithereens" """Yes my King!""" All of the Fallen angel warriors roared out "Arc, did you find them a place to settle in?" I asked "Yes, they will reside on the mountain behind us" "How many of them are there?" I asked "356, 130 males and 226 females and children" "All of the 130 males are warriors?" I asked "Yes" "Okay then, all warriors, we leave now! All the women and children are already given shelter, head there" They all followed my order and we started heading for the Sea south of here, we all traveled together. I rode the death stallion while the fallen angel warriors flew, Arc also had wings but she pleaded to ride the horse with me so I agreed. Arc held on to me tight as we rode through the forest while death stallion left fiery hoof prints on the ground, we traveled for a few days before reaching the seas. "How do we contact the Slithereens" I asked Arc "Simple" Arc pulled out one of her feathers before shooting it like a dart towards the sea After a few minutes, a slithereen came holding the black feather "Are you here to help?" The Slithereen asked "Yes" I nodded my head "Then please follow me quick!" She took out a small pearl and broke it, everyone was wrapped in a bubble before she quickly dove down We followed her deep into the sea, she led us to a cave. We entered the cave and soon found the exit we started ascending before arriving at a small island that was on a larger island. According to the Slithereen, this was once mountain that had a hollow interior but the top of the mountain fell down and formed this small island. She led us to a village that was filled with slithereens, all of them were women and children... The slithereens were all women so they use their voice to enchant men into their trap and raping them, this is how they reproduce. The slithereen led us to a house where their chief lives, Arc and I entered while the warriors stayed outside. Arc didn''t wait for long before an enchanting woman greeted us, she must be the chief "Hello there, I am Slitha, the chief of this slithereen clan. Please come this way, I''ve prepared tea" Slitha led us to a room where there was tea prepared for all of us "I wish I could''ve welcomed you in a better way but as you can see, I don''t have the luxury to do so" She apologized "Don''t worry, we understand" I replied "Then, let me get straight to the point, I am in need of your help" Slitha quickly requested "In one condition" I spoke out "Apologies but I have nothing left to offer, I don''t have that much Zil..." Slitha hung her head low "Don''t worry, I''m not after Zil" "Then... you wish for my body?" She asked "No, I only want you and your clan to join me and give me your undying loyalty" "I... I... need to speak with others first" She quickly left the room "Do you think she''ll accept?" Arc asked "Yup, I''m betting no help came in this last few days and they''re all getting desperate, I mean, the children outnumber the women 5 to 1 those women are only here to take care of the children while most of them are out there fighting a war" "Oh~ as expected of my husband!" Arc happily smiled as she sipped her tea Slitha came back after a few minutes "Sorry for making you wait, I''ve decided... We agree with your proposal" Slitha nodded her head "Alright, where are our enemies?" I asked "They''re all scattered on the island" "Oh? then I must leave to devise a strategy" "Thank you for your help!" Slitha bowed down despite having a lower half of a fish "How was it my King?" Vera asked "We got the deal~" Arc happily wrapped herself around my arm "Long live the King" They all cheered "Now, now, we haven''t sealed the deal yet, we must kill the humans that invaded our sister''s island" "Yes my King!" They all raised their weapons up "Good, let''s take to the skies" I ordered out and all of Angels flew up, Arc hugged me flew up I looked around and saw the entire Island, I can see the reason why they were desperate. The entire Island was surrounded by ships, all of them were either killing the slithereens or capturing them. Those who are captured are sure to be sold to a slave dealer. This is bad, every minute wasted will cost the loss of life. "Alright, everyone go to that spot over there and form this formation!" I gave out my instructions and they all followed 100 of the fallen angels formed an entire wall while the other 60 patiently waited above the wall "NOW! flap your wings!" I gave my order and they all started flapping their wings creating a strong gust that started to rock the ships thanks to their sails. "Attacking forces! Glide!" I gave out my next order "For the King!" Vera roared out as he used the gust as pushing force that gave him a great push forward. The others 59 followed Vera''s charge and used the gust to propel them forward, they all broke through some ships and created holes for the water to enter before escaping to the skies and returning to the wall of fallen angels to repeat the process The humans started to arm their cannons just as the second wave of our charge was finished "Phase 2!" I ordered out again All of the fallen angels flew up and hid above the clouds, the humans got impatient and started shooting the skies with their arrows and cannons "NOW! flap your wings again!" This time, the fallen angels kept flapping downwards The downward force countered the ascending force of the arrows and cannon balls before sending them downward, gravity also helped and the result was catastrophic. The cannons exploded on the deck of the ships while the arrows hit unprotected heads, all of the humans were now panicking and were confused. This was the perfect opportunity to attack "Phase 3! let them taste your wrath!" I ordered out before asking Arc to drop me off on the shore The Fallen angels started to descend with their halberds at amazing speeds before beheading most of the enemies I can''t let them hog the spotlight so, with Vajra on my hand, I started to kill humans. I never thought I would do this ever in my life, I am now killing another human to save a demon... perhaps to the demons, the humans are the demon... it''s funny really, I believed that humans were good but after seeing their true colors, they disgust me. Don''t get me wrong, I still hate demons but I guess not all of them are evil, the same with humans, not all of them are evil. Three humans grouped up on me but their movements were slow, their attacks were weak, their class is probably somewhere around Veteran Soldier. I quickly diced them and continued to break the cages where the Slithereens were kept in, good thing none of the Slithereens were loaded inside the ships yet, if they were, then we could''ve accidentally killed them in our attack. The freed Slithereens armed themselves and helped in our attack, it was already noon when we killed all of the humans in this part of the island. All that''s left now is to kill those on the other side of the island "We will strike under the cover of night, for now, rest" I ordered out The battle report shows this: No injuries or death for the Fallen angels Out of 79, 7 died, 16 got injured for the slithereens Arcs story I asked those who were injured to go back to the island within the huge mountain to rest while the 7 who died were now properly arranged in one side of the shore, they were going to be properly buried after this battle. Night soon came and my plan was set in motion, we captured one of the ships wherein we loaded most of the cannonballs and gunpowder, I stirred the ship over to the other side of the island where the rest of the humans are peacefully sleeping I tied the steer down and asked Arc to take me out of the ship after lighting up the fuse that was connected to the barrel of explosives hidden underneath the ship, this plan relies on the human''s greed and cautiousness If everything goes well, they will try to verify if the ship is friendly or foe. If not, they will slowly approach it and try to steal from it. I was hoping this would happen because all of their ship''s flag are the same which means they are all in the same group, and those in a group will likely target those who are not. I wasn''t disappointed because 5 ships approached the boat but 3 didn''t follow, I''m guessing the captains of these three boats are the one who gave orders to approach the boat. The ship exploded and all of the cannonballs inside shot out, the ships that approached got knocked out and quickly capsized. This was the signal for battle, the three ships quickly rang their bells and multiple rooms within it quickly lit up, they woke up all of their crew. Fighting an organized army is always hard and annoying, I don''t want to suffer any loses so I need to wreak havoc and confuse them. "Arc, wanna dance?" I asked "Oh!~ you''re speaking my language my love" Arc quickly understood my plan and started to descend at an amazing speed She dropped me off at one of the ships before she headed for the other ship. I was now facing multiple pirates alone but this is fine, it''s not the first time I''ve been outnumbered. I calmed myself and concentrated on the enemies before me, one charge forward and swung his sword down, I deflected it with a quick strike before tightly gripping his throat and ripping it off. Another charged from behind me but I quickly turned around and grabbed his arm just as he was about to swing down his saber, he tried to pull out his knife with his other hand but I pulled him forwards and tripped him before stabbing his back. I picked up his saber before arrogantly declaring "Well? Don''t tell me this is all you''ve got?" I provoked them but none of them dared to come close Since no one was coming, I started running forward before sliding down and cutting off the legs of two unfortunate men. Thet squealed on the floor as they held both of their legs, I didn''t end their misery there and just started attacking the other men. I slash and diced until the deck was filled with groaning men who lost their limbs, I chuckled before heading inside the ship. I faced the captain who was hiding inside his office He tried to offer me Zil but I took the coins and stuffed it in his throat before impaling him on the wall with the saber from earlier, I looked outside and noticed that the last ship was being besieged by the Slithereens and fallen angels. Did the Slithereens finish the job I assigned them to do? "There you are my King" A slithereen came and bowed down "At ease, what is it you need?" I asked "We''ve finished the task you''ve given us" The Slithereen reported respectfully "Did you find anyone within those ships that we sunk?" I askedThis book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. "No sir, we found nothing" "Alright, carry on then" "Yes!" The Slithereen gave another bow before jumping into the water The task I gave them was pretty simple, once the ship explodes, check the ships that sunk if there are any Slithereens that were held captive inside. I already asked a scout earlier and the scout reported to have seen the humans leave the captured slithereens on the shore but I still had to make sure, they were also tasked of ambushing those who will try to escape and those who survived the explosion. The war soon ended and everyone raised their arms in joy Battle report: 7 wounded on the Fallen Angels 16 injured on the Slithereens side We managed to save 24 Slithereens that were held captive. We were successful in our job, Dawn came as we all returned to the island inside the mountain. Everyone celebrated as I watched them while I drank some wine, usually, I would watch human soldiers drink as they celebrate but this is something new... it was really weird. "My King" Slitha sat beside me and poured more wine into my glass "Thanks" I thanked her as I drank the wine "No, it should be me thanking you" She smiled as she took off the robe that was covering her body "What''s the meaning of this?" I asked "A show of loyalty, did you know that the chief of a slithereen clan must keep her purity? if she were to lose that purity, she will dedicate her life to the man who took it forever" She smiled as her body wrapped around my body She started coiling her body around me as she breathed hot air, she grabbed my arm and pressed it against her chest but and arm quickly appeared on her shoulders and pulled her away from me "Don''t touch my husband!" Arc threw Slitha into the water Arc quickly grabbed my hand and started licking it "What are you doing?" I asked "Removing the stench of that woman on your hand" Arc replied "You do know that this is weird for me right?" I asked "Oh~ you want me to suck that one instead~" Arc stopped and smiled "You know what? just fill my cup it got knocked over" "Yes~" Arc took the wine bottle and refilled my cup The Slithereens are now apart of my army but something still bothers me, why didn''t they load any of the slithereens on a boat? are they waiting for someone else to pick them up? if so then we must leave this place as quickly as we can Slitha returned with a wet body "Slitha, order everyone to take everything they need and leave this island" I ordered "What? Why?" She asked "There will be more of them coming" "...If you say so my King, Everyone! pack up! we''re leaving!" She shouted out Some of the slithereens were reluctant but they complied nonetheless "Vera, take 4 men with you and stay behind, stay here for a week and just watch over any activities within this island. If there are enemies, proceed with caution and do not engage, your mission here is to just scout and confirm if there will be another fleet of humans arriving on this island" I called Vera and gave him an assignment "As you wish my King" He kneeled down and accepted the task Vera took 4 men took off to the peak of the mountain The Slithereens also moved fast and were in the water hours after my order, the fallen angels guided them towards the location of the castle. I was carried by Arc which was a bit embarrassing for me but Arc seems to enjoy hugging me We finally reached shore where the Slithereens started to build their homes, the fallen angels also helped. They all worked together as I watched them but I felt that everyone was tense around me so I decided to just move away, I rode the death stallion and took my time in going back to the castle. Arc also accompanied me, she jumped and landed on the back of the death stallion that I rode. "Tell me, do you think they''re afraid of me?" I can''t help but ask Arc about earlier "No, you just have this amazing presence, they feel unworthy to even gaze at you but you''re standing in front of them, ready to welcome them... If you ask me, I think they feel grateful but are just too shy to show it" Arc snuggled close Normally I would push her away but she gave me unexplainable comfort, it really felt like she was the only person I can trust. "Is that so? then I''m glad" I want to be loved not feared, I may not be human now but humans aren''t the only creatures that want love It was a slow and quiet ride but the silence didn''t give off an awkward feeling it was instead a feeling of peace and serenity, we both rode the dark stallion that gave off a gentle green glow while the sound of insects filled the silence, the gentle blow of the wind kept me cool and refreshed while the warmth of Arc gave off a feeling of joy and safety. This is something that I used to feel when I was with Ria... It really is funny that I could have this feeling when I''m with Arc, a heart really is fickle but Arc''s loyalty towards me even though I was dead for two years is a proof loyalty... is it true love? "Arc, how could you still love me even though I died? wait, how could you even love me after I killed your own father, the 1st General of the demonic army?" I asked "What''s with the sudden question?" She asked "I''m curious" Joy from small things "What would you think if I said that I was once a woman who had no dream, no direction in life" "Hmm, I''d think that you easily got everything you wanted and just got bored of everything" I spewed out the first words that came to mind "Yup, that''s pretty much it. Being a princess and all, everything that I asked for was given to me" Arc smiled bitterly before continuing her story "Then the war came, my parents died but I felt nothing... I didn''t feel like taking revenge on whoever took their lives, I just felt that everything was natural and told myself that I''d forget about them in due time. In the end, I really did forget about them, I can''t even remember their faces anymore. One day I got bored and decided to roam, I left Sanctus mons and just kept flying wherever the wind took me. Everything felt new, villages, cities, humans, elves, beastmen, and other more living creatures but it never quelled the boredom I felt" "So what did you do?" I asked "I never really knew how to satisfy my boredom so I kept on traveling until I saw a man, fighting demons all by himself, despite his bloodied and wrecked appearance, he chose to stand his ground and protect the men that deserted him" "Don''t tell me that that guy was me" I deducted "That was you" Arc smiled "I was curious, why won''t the man run away like the rest of the others? So I watched on as the man dyed his sword with the demons'' blood, it was amazing really, I never thought fighting would be so much fun so I decided to hunt down monsters. I was trained by father before so fighting monsters were easy, I enjoyed cutting through flesh, the whimpers, the screams, and the agony yet I was still haunted by this boredom... I kept contemplating on what was wrong, what was missing until I saw a small village. I wanted to destroy it to entertain myself even for a bit but then I saw a man and a woman, being happy just by being together. It then came to me, perhaps it was not a feeling of boredom I''ve been having, maybe it was a feeling of longing for someone who I want to share my life with... a companion. I started thinking of things that were required for my ideal companion but my thoughts were interrupted by a hunter who has come to collect the bounty on my head" "That''s when I met you" I already made a name for myself when I ventured out to hunt for Arc, she was known to have destroyed many villages, be it humans, demons, elves, dwarves, and beastmen so it was only natural for her to have a hefty amount of sum placed on her head She kept telling a story while I listened to every sentence, we reached a small river where I decided to let the horse rest. We both unmounted and sat by the riverside, I grabbed some firewood and built a campfire since it was starting to get dark. Arc hunted a wolf and started gutting it, looks like we''ll have roasted wolf tonight. We both ate the meal and after that, she snuggled close to me and continued her storyThis tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. "Yeah, It was our second meeting. I recognized you right away so I didn''t move and just stood there, waiting for you to attack me. I thought you were just an easy kill but you fought on and pushed me back a couple of times and then out of nowhere, you ask "Why are you doing this?" I was dumbfounded, why would you ask an enemy for their reason to kill? I asked myself but I soon found myself answering your question" " ''My life has been an entire cycle of nothingness, I only seek satisfaction'' I was so surprised by the words I said but was even more shocked by your answer. ''Then if I satisfy your battle hunger, will you join me in my quest?'' You asked, I couldn''t answer because I was confused with what I wanted. You started attacking me and I was only left with the option to defend myself until you finally defeated me, I was expecting you to do something like beheading me or ravaging me but you smiled and offered me your hand, you even called me ''partner'' It was then that something went off in my heart. I looked at you as if you were something so precious, I was confused as to why I felt like this so I ran and left you there by yourself. I kept thinking about the feeling that I felt when I was with you, it was nothing like the vexing boredom, it was just... a mixture of joy, happiness, and all the good things. From then on, I started following you, finding out your name, your preferences and everything else about you" "When you died, I felt my entire world shatter, nothing mattered, I grabbed the closest weapon and was about to kill myself beside you but I saw... the shadow of death, he whispered to me, telling me to wait for your return. I knew that it was impossible that I might''ve gone crazy yet I believed and you really did come back... from then on, I swore that I would be beside you" Arc finished her story as she leaned her head on my shoulders, it was already dark. The fireflies gave off a gentle glow as the river reflected their serene dance, the insects let out a symphony as the fire danced to it while the wind gave off a gentle breeze. Arc looked at me with her eyes that were filled with infatuation With the most gentle voice, she looked at me and spoke out "I love you" She always said those words to me but this time, the impact was different, it felt like it really did come from the heart... I felt her heart speak to mine... I might really fall for this woman She tried to kiss me but I stopped her "Too soon?" she asked in disappointment "Too soon" I replied She hung her head low but I pulled her head closer and gave her a peck on her forehead "...I- wha- whe- wh- how- I-" Arc kept stuttering and kept speaking incomplete words "For now settle for this" "...Thank you" She can''t hide the smirk on her face I never really thought that Arc had suffered this much, I pulled her close and just enjoyed the warmth of the fire along with her it might seem like an action out of pity but I did this as a way of thanking her for all that she''s done for me. I woke up the next day with Arc wrapped around my body, her wings covered both of us as she laid peacefully on my chest. I carefully moved the strands of her hair away from her face, she gently opened her eyes and looked up to me. "I... I''ve always dreamed of this" Tears formed on Arc''s eyes Arc really looked happy, I didn''t want to ruin it so I allowed her to use my chest as her pillow. The Ogre Tribe She finally stood up after an hour, we continued on our journey back to the castle, I need to make preparations because I already have my next targets, the ogres. They look closer to a human in both body build and intelligence, they established their own kingdom but it fell during a human crusade. Now the ogres have hidden themselves but I once came across them, I know where they hide. The ogres are extremely loyal which is why I want them, they are also known for their amazing strength and intelligence. We finally returned to the castle when I told Arc of my Plans "Arc, I''m going to look for the ogre tribe. Please watch over the castle while I''m gone" I requested Arc She seemed a bit reluctant to accept but she agreed "I will endure while you are not here" She smiled I was about to leave when Arc called me "It may not be much but use this" She gave me a full set of armor "Where did you get this?" I asked "It was one of the things hidden inside this castle, I forgot to give it to you before we left for the Slithereen''s island" "Thanks" I left the castle and left the castle and started heading north, towards the grand forest of Silva. Silva is the largest forest where multiple demonic tribes reside, this is where the ogres settled in so I must go and recruit them. The grand forest of Silva is found north west of the demon king''s castle while it is found in the northeast of Argon so the great forest is sandwiched in between. The previous demon king befriended all of the tribes within the grand forest as he used the forest as some kind of a wall to deflect armies of humans that came to kill him, it was a very effective strategy since the forest held many secrets that only the local demons and monsters know, pitfalls, ambushes, poisoned plants, they have it all. The Human army tried to destroy the forest by setting it on fire or cutting it down but it had no effect because the forest itself is protected by a deity of nature, it was believed that this protector''s name is Rooftrellen. Each tree they cut would wither instantly as another tree grew and take its place, those who wish to harm the forest will not succeed. I was riding my death stallion when I noticed multiple goblin scouts observing me from a distance, they wore ragged clothes and had no proper gear except for their make-shift weapons. The goblins were all the size of the child but they were smart enough to know that they cannot win a battle with me, they slowly backed away and vanished under the dense foliage. I thought that would be the end of that but I was wrong, I soon understood why they backed away, they called reinforcements. I take it back, these goblins are just a bunch of idiots. They thought their numbers would win so they attacked at full force, their numbers amounted to 30 goblins fully armed with weapons but lacking in armor... and intelligence. 10 goblins had bows while 16 of them had wooden clubs, the other 4 has sharp rocks tied to a long stick. They all attacked at once, some of the arrows hit the other goblins while they all got in each other''s ways and ended up tripping one another. They had no strategy whatsoever, I didn''t even need to attack them, they can kill themselves. I tugged on the reins of the death stallion and made it crush the skulls of the goblins that fell on the ground, the stallion raised its fiery hoof before stomping on each head with full force. All of the surviving goblins managed to recover and just started running towards me, I just raised my sword up and beheaded all that came near us while the stallion kicked and stomped, the arrows that hit us dealt pretty much no damage because the arrow tip was just a crudely sharpened rock that can''t even penetrate the stallion''s tough hide or my full set armor. After some heads flew, all that was left was the archers. They already knew I was coming for them so they started to flee in different directions but can they outrun my horse? Only one way to find out, the stallion let out a puff of smoke through its nose before chasing after the fleeing goblins. I tightened my grip on Vajra and the weirdest thing happened, flame started to spout out of it but I couldn''t complain. I beheaded the first Goblin that we passed by, the horse chased another goblin but the horse didn''t let me kill and instead, gave it a hard kick in the head, the stallion''s hoof went through the poor guys head. We kept at it until we exterminated the entire Goblin party that attacked us, all of them vanished like smoke and dropped several things like some Goblin''s meat. I never needed anything they dropped so I continued on my journey. For many years it was debated where do these monsters go when they die, everytime we kill them they just vanish and leave some stuff behind. No theory was ever proven but the most popular theory is the Mana theory, the opposite of Life theory where it was proven that Monsters sometimes spawn or come out of the ground. The Mana theory states that the monsters who die return to the earth only to be reborn later, it was called the Mana theory because when the monsters die, they leave a physical object that contains mana, their monster cores. It was theorized that the reason our world has so little mana was that the mana is being used to create these monsters.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. I stopped thinking about those theories because we made it to a familiar tree, this tree was large and was 400 years old. All of the other trees were of the same age but this tree is at least twice as large as the other trees, not only that, there are also skulls of dead animals hung over the branches of the tree. I unmounted and tied the reins to a nearby branch, I cautiously walked towards the tree before looking up. The ogres built their houses on top of the trees so this tree should be perfect for them, I was spot on and found a house on top of the tree. I climbed up but I found out that the house was run down and seemed to have been through a tough battle, I started investigating and only found corpses of ogres... what happened here? I felt danger behind me so I quickly jumped up and looked down, an Ogre stabbed the area where I used to be. "Stop, I''m not an enemy" I tried speaking to the ogre but he ignored me He had his back against me but he started turning around and what I saw shocked me, zombification, was this tree attacked by zombies? I pulled Vajra from my back and held it with two hands before fighting the zombie. It swung its sword down but I moved to the side to dodge it, the zombie was fairly slow in raising his sword so I took the chance and decapitated the zombified ogre. I looked at the zombie, his body is rotting so this means this attack happened some time ago. This is really weird, zombies? here? Zombies were a rare type of monster, zombies dead creatures that came back to life and seek to kill all living creatures. During the war, they were known only to take a small part of the war, they just attacked small villages but they never did participate in attacking Argon. Also, zombies are commonly found in the west of Argon within the desolate valley where the dwarves built their kingdom if there were to be a zombie outbreak, the dwarves will be the first to respond since they live in the mountains just above the desolate valley. Not only that, if a zombie was to go to Grand forest of Silva, they would have to go through Argon... so this really raises a lot of questions... I heard a creak from the house so I stopped my thoughts and cautiously entered the house "Anyone in here?" I asked I felt someone''s presence behind me so I ducked and swept my leg around me, I managed to knock over the person behind me so I stood up and pointed my sword at him "Who are you?" the person asked "I... I am Ultor" I''m going with this name from now on "Ultor... Please, I beg you, help us!" My attacker quickly knelt and bowed "Why? didn''t you just attack me?" I asked "I am deeply sorry but I thought you were one of those zombies!" "...Speak, what is it that troubles you?" I asked with my sword still pointing at him "Zombies, they attacked us out of nowhere, the warriors tried to fight back but their sheer number was too much, one by one they turned our own warriors against us. The older warriors made the younger ones retreat while they held off the hordes of flesh-eating zombies, we ran, we kept running. We managed to evacuate everyone to the chief''s stronghold, our defenses are holding for now but it won''t last for long" "When did the attack happen?" "5 days ago, we''re running out of food for everyone so I sneaked out to scavenge for some food" "How many survived?" "...Only 28... 20 of them are women and children, including our Oracle. 8 are warriors including me, I saw you kill that zombie like it was nothing, please help us!" He bowed so hard that his head hit the floor. "I''ll see what I can do" I made no promises "Thank you!" The young warrior stood up and removed all the black cloth that he''s been wearing The young warrior looked like he was 15 or 16 years old, his hair was messy and dry. He has a normal body build while his choice of weapon is a sword that was well known in the east it was called "Katana", we dropped down the house and he started to guide me through the thick and dense forest. I left the death stallion behind because it would attract too much attention because of its size and its green glowing flames, he stopped and hid in a bush, I too hid in the bush. He pointed at a large tree that had numerous zombies surrounding it "There, that''s our stronghold. If the zombies get in it''s over for our tribe" He spoke as his grip on his sword tightened "What are the warriors above capable of?" I asked "We were all trained to be able to use the sword and bow, all warriors have a sword and bow but I lost mine in my journey" He scratched his head "Okay, here''s what we''re going to do, go back up there and tell them to be ready to attack with their bows. After that, you will take 4 of the strongest warriors and kill any zombie that tries to climb the tree. When you see me raise my hand, tell them to rain down their arrows" "Alright!" He quickly nodded and started to climb a nearby tree He mimicked the sound of a bird and I can see one of the windows in their stronghold above tree open before an arrow was shot out, the arrow had a rope attached to it. The arrow hit the tree that the young warrior climbed, the stronghold was a bit lower than the tree that the young warrior climbed so he slid down on the rope fast before quickly entering the stronghold through the window. He safely returned without arousing the attention of the zombies on the ground I looked at the tree and noticed a pile of dead zombies on the foot of the tree, looks like all the zombies that tried to climb the tree got shot down. The number of zombies that roamed the tree reached at least 40-50, the other zombie must''ve just given up and left so I can expect to see some more zombies if I travel deeper into the forest later. I can''t really fight them on my own so I need something that allows me to fight them one by one... I looked up and saw a branch, I had an idea. I climbed the tree and walked to the edge of the branch, I tested the branch and it looked like it could hold a large number of zombies that would come later. "COME AND GET ME!" I shouted and grabbed the attention of all the zombies The Oracle Some of them started running while the rest limped towards the tree, the faster ones started to climb the tree as I raised my hands to give the signal. The windows of the stronghold opened and multiple warriors started raining down their arrows at the enemies, none of the arrows hit me but those that climbed the tree had a few arrows lodged on their backs. Those that survived the attack reached me and charged but since we''re on a branch, they were forced to come at me one-by-one. The first ones to come tried to grab me but before they could even come close, I already minced their hand. I was waiting for another wave of arrows but nothing came so I looked back, it seems like they were out of arrows because the warriors held their swords as they waited for the arrival of the zombies that started to climb their stronghold. I looked in front of me and saw a long line of zombies, I can''t let the zombies reach the young warriors so I jumped down and swung my sword, the entire tree collapsed in one cut. The tree fell and the zombies that climbed it followed, their bodies were either destroyed by the fall or was squashed by the tree I ran towards the tree and started running upwards, I cut the arms of the zombies I came across before landing on a platform on the Orc stronghold. Any zombies that made their way up were cut down by me, it took longer than I thought but in the end, I managed to kill all the zombies. I heaved a sigh of relief before I sheathed Vajra on my back and walked inside the stronghold to check on their status. I entered the house and found everyone bowing with their forehead touching the floor, I was a bit surprised "What are you doing?" I asked "Our Hero, how long have we waited for you" The woman in the frontmost spoke to me "Hero?" I started laughing deep inside, the word "Hero" just makes me want to puke. It was not like this before I saw how people treated Henz the HeroRoyal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. I really wasn''t in it for the fame or gold or the women, I only wanted the war to end because I''m tired of seeing mothers crying in the graves of their sons, old fathers who bury their own sons. I too wanted peace so I could live my life with Ria without any worries "Yes, I have foreseen you coming to save us. My name is Dione, the Orc tribe''s Oracle" She introduced herself "Henz" I briefly introduced myself "Please come in, we may not have much but please enjoy yourself" She pulled into a small round table that the other women prepared She sat in front of me as the other served simple tea and bread. Dione had a fair skin, a straight pink hair that reaches up to her waist, she has two horns that pointed towards the sky just underneath her eyes which was as dark and deep as pools of ink. Her movements, her way of serving the tea was how noble women would. Dione was wearing a kimono that had a sakura design, the dress was well made and it accentuates her beauty "If I am not mistaken, you came here to recruit the Orc to your army, correct?" She spoke out "Since you can see the future, why didn''t you warn everyone about the zombie attack?" I asked, it''s not because I''m being an asshole, it''s because so many lives were lost, this was preventable "I can not choose what I see and besides, all I see are fragments, I have to piece them together myself" She looked at the side, regretting her own incompetence "Is it a curse or a blessing?" I asked "It''s a curse but it has its own uses" She laughed as her eyes lost its life "How is it a curse?" I asked curiously, it''s my first time meeting an Oracle so I couldn''t help myself "I keep seeing how I die and it changes everytime" "I won''t ask any further" Time to draw the line... although it seems a bit late to do that "It''s fine, I''m used to it" "Since you know what I came for, will all of you follow me?" I asked At first, I was getting help from the Orc but it looks like it''s them who needs help "I will serve you with all my heart and soul" She agreed "Then get everyone ready, zombies might come" "Right away" We all left and headed for the castle, Zombies... the Undead, what the hell are they planning We arrived back at the castle with no problems at all, I directed them behind the castle where the warriors started building their homes, the fallen angels also helped. I entered the castle and headed for the throne room but when I swung the doors open, I was surprised with what I saw The Heroes --This happened moments before the fire pillar penetrated the sky-- A hero gathering was held once every year on a day when the strongest hero died to protect the world, the world does not know that it was set on this very date to honor the hero who passed on. Most people despise him and hate him but the people at the very top have their own beliefs, everyone believes that this was the day to celebrate the death of the demon lord and the victory of the human race. While they all have their feasts, the people at the hero''s gathering are mourning for the death of a friend Everyone that came to the hero''s gathering are well-known people that played a huge part during the war against the demon lord, there are at least 12 people gathered in a circle. "It''s been 2 years..." A young lady with fiery red hair spoke out, sadness was apparent in her voice. This was "Thoress" Aurora "Amongst all of us, he was the one who deserved to live the longest. It''s a pity a young lad like him had to die young" An old man stroked his snow-white beard that reaches up to his chest "Thoress, you were there, is there really nothing that you can share? even the tiniest detail..." A woman who was clad in black skin-tight clothing asked. "Vivian, I already told all of you guys what happened. We were knocked out by the spell that the demon lord used, the last thing I saw was Henz rushing in to go for the kill." Aurora explained as her face expressed a mix of regret and sadness "Still though, why did the church announce all of that without even consulting us or the king, I mean, we are all working together" A middle-aged man holding a large battle ax spoke out "Come on Reg, isn''t it obvious? the church wanted Henz to be the bad guy" Vivian answered Reg''s question "Hey, aren''t you guys overthinking this? what proof do you have? you can''t just falsely accuse the church just because the man you liked died" A woman that wore a tunic covered by a scapular cowl immediately replied to Vivian "Andrea, you bitch" Vivian quickly lost it and shot back "Tch, aren''t you a little biased? sure Henz was an amazing Hero but aren''t you all overthinking it? who knows? the demon king might''ve managed to kill him" Andrea replied to Vivian''s curse "You fucking hypocrite" Vivian gnashed her teeth in anger "ENOUGH! We''re all here to honor his death but what you''re all doing is a disgrace" Another man that wore a full set of armor stomped his foot on the ground His actions pacified the two women that were about to go at each other''s throat "Prizal, I really apologize for my actions but I can''t let some lowly thief insult our church" Andrea apologized to the man "Lowly thief? at least I''m not some attention whore that spread her legs to climb the ranks" Vivian shot back "For the love of- can''t you guys just get along? just for today?" Prizal rubbed his temples "If that bitch shuts up" Vivian scornfully looked at Andrea "WHAT WAS THAT?!" Andrea snapped and took out her staff Andrea was about to cast a spell but before she could even use it, a large hammer slammed on her back and made her face break the expensive tiles on the floor "Please... just shut up" Aurora was seething with anger and sadness "Heh, serves you right" Vivan smirked but Aurora threw her hammer at her Vivian managed to dodge it moments before impact "Hey what''s the big ide-" Vivan couldn''t finish her sentence because Aurora''s stare striked fear in her, making her swallow her words "As expected of "Thoress"" Prizal just uttered those words "*Sigh* why are these troublemakers even heroes to begin with" The old man earlier spoke out "I''m really sorry for the way they act, Regulus" Prizal just scratched his head "Looks like I''ll have to teach you younglings discipline" Regulus laughed with a ho ho ho "Please do" Prizal laughed along with him Their laugh didn''t last long because Regulus'' face became intense "Regulus?" Prizal was puzzled and quickly asked Regulus did not answer Prizal and instead shot out a fireball from his palm that destroyed the roof of the tower they were in "Old man, I know I''m rich but fixing a tower''s roof is quite expensive" Prizal spoke out "...Oh no..." Regulus only said those words as he looked at Argon city which was only an hours walk away Everyone was puzzled so they looked all at Argon city like Regulus did but still have no idea what he meantThis story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it "Look''s like Regulus is getting old for this...?" Reg joked out but a sudden fire pillar appeared within Argon city The fire pillar reached to the sky and ripped it apart, screams of madness, chaos, despair, and fear came out of the rip in the sky. "EVERYONE, HEAD FOR ARGON CITY, NOW!" Prizal quickly announced Everyone nodded their heads and quickly left the tower, they all rushed towards Argon city to investigate what happened but the fire pillar vanished before they could even get close, they arrived inside the city and noticed that there was no destruction like they imagined, only small damages caused by people panicking and bumping into stuff. "I thought that we would have to lead normal lives now that the demon lord is dead" Aurora spoke out "Well, at least I won''t have to worry about my main source of income anymore" Reg pulled out his large ax "Heroes! perfect timing, the King asks you to see him!" A messenger quickly asked "We were heading there ourselves" Prizal looked at everyone However, only Vivian, Andrea, Regulus, Reg, and Aurora went with him towards the castle, the other six heroes left after knowing that the city was safe "Lord Vold" Prizal kneeled in front of the king the moment they entered the throne room "Please, no need for formalities" The King pulled Prizal up "Lord Vold..." Prizal was at loss for words "Ah, I see you''ve also noticed the huge flame pillar earlier. That was no show or trickery it really happened" Vold read Prizal''s mind and spoke out "...Then what do we do?" Prizal asked "Before that, what do you heroes think?" Vold asked "Whatever or whoever it was, It was strong... stronger than the previous demon king" Regulus shook his head "If only he was alive right now..." Vivan sadly spoke under her breath but due to the silence, her voice was loud and clear "Ugh, will you stop it with him this and him that! He''s already dead and if he could only come to a draw with the previous demon king, he would be useless against this one!" Andrea spoke out with disgust "Stop it, both of you, we have a crisis at hand here and all you guys do is bicker" Prizal spoke out "*sigh* looks like we''re heading for war again" Vold shook his head "No, it might be a massacre, not for the humans but for the demons" Prizal looked like he was enlightened and quickly spoke out "What do you mean?" Vold was happy to hear something like this "After the demon King died, the distrust and anger within the demon army exploded which led to them fighting amongst each other. Thanks to this, the demon clans are now scattered and weakened. They managed to beat us last time because there was the demon king that held them all in one place while the demon king right now only appeared, I''m betting on the chance that he has not amassed an army. If we hunt that demon king now, we might be able to kill him with sheer numbers" Prizal explained "That... is possible, it might work" Vold thought about it for a while before happily speaking "Everyone, get ready, we''re off to hunt ourselves down a demon king" Prizal announced to everyone "But won''t you be needing more if you were to fight that demon king?" Vold spoke out "Indeed so I''ll reach out to all Legend-class warriors and mage to participate in this war...I''ll also call all the Grand Warriors too" Prizal spoke out "Wait a minute, do you even have any idea where the demon king might be?" Andrea asked "Leave that to me" Vivian spoke out before vanishing "Let''s meet back here three days later, our objective is to amass an army that only consists of Grand Warriors and Legends" Prizal spoke out Prizal was quite confident in their ability to create an army in a short amount of time, this is because everyone that joined the gathering he held was famous legend-class warriors and mages. He was also known to be the strongest amongst all the legend-class warriors The door swung open and a beautiful golden-haired maiden along with a luxuriously garbed mage quickly entered "King! thank God you''re okay!" The maiden clasped her hands together and prayed "Ria and William?" Aurora recognized the two that entered however, her expression quickly turned into that of disgust "Aurora!" Ria quickly went over to hug her old friend but Aurora stopped her by holding out her hand "Please Ria, don''t" Aurora only said those words "Is this about marrying William?" Ria quickly asked "No, this is about Henz" Aurora looked at Ria "He died! get over it!" Ria was angered, the topic of Henz always sets her off "Get over it?! He died to protect us for heaven''s sake! I don''t give a shit if you marry William but at least visit his grave!" Aurora gnashed her teeth in anger "*Sigh* now that we''re talking about Henz, I''ve got a little info about that pillar of flame..." Vold quickly stepped in and tried to divert the two women''s attention with a little information "Please tell us" Prizal quickly asked "The pillar of flame appeared... in the Rogue household" Vold spoke out, the words he said caused an eerie silence "Think Henz''s spirit came back?" Reg tried to lighten the mood with a little joke but he was rewarded by glares "Impossible, he was a hero so his spirit should be with our God now" Andrea quickly spoke out "My lord, we have investigated further like you''ve said and found a dead body within the Rogue mansion. We also found 38 people dead around the area, our mages speculated that their death was due to intense fear which led to a heart attack" A scout came in bearing news for the Vold and the heroes "Who was the one found within the house?" Vold asked "We asked around and discovered that this was an old lady was know as Sima Patron, she owned an orphanage that took in homeless children and children that lost their parents in the war. It was also known that this orphanage was frequently visited by Henz" "He... did?" Ria was flabbergasted at the report "Yes, he would frequently visit this orphanage to donate most of his zil''s and play with the children" The scout replied to Ria "...You''ve been with him for God know''s when and you only recently discovered this?" Aurora looked at Ria like how she would look like a clown "I-" Ria was about to speak but she was cut off by William "How were we supposed to know? Henz did a lot of things in secret, like how he communicated with the demon king" William ridiculed Aurora. "You! You ungrateful piece of shit" Aurora was seething with anger "Ungrateful? what do I have to be grateful for? him attempting to kill us? don''t make me laugh!" William shot back "You shameless bastard wasn''t it always him that protected you?! I have no idea what happened or why he tried to attack us but shouldn''t you... ALL OF YOU bastards be thankful for him putting his life on the line to save you? Vold, forgive me for my disrespectful tone, however, didn''t Henz charge forward against a legion of demons just so he could save your daughter?! Andrea, didn''t Henz protect you when you were framed for the death of a high priest?William, Henz took a near-death attack to protect you, you should be dead multiple times if it weren''t for him and RIA, Henz almost died hundreds of times in order to protect you!" Aurora released all her pent up anger in the form of words because she knew more than anyone in the room that if she were to go physical, the damage would be catastrophic "Alright! shut up already" William spoke out Aurora was about to go berserk but Prizal stopped her, Aurora looked at Prizal but Prizal only shook his head, telling her that it was not worth it "Fine! fuck this, fuck all of you, count me out, maybe the world will be better if everyone died!" Aurora left the room "Shouldn''t we stop her?" Reg was shaking in his boots but he still asked "Don''t worry about her, she''ll be back" Prizal spoke out "This is Aurora we''re talking about" Andrea replied "On second thought, yeah, maybe we should stop her" Prizal looked at Regulus who has been quietly sitting in the corner of the room Auroras reunion "On second thought, yeah, maybe we should stop her" Prizal looked at Regulus who has been quietly sitting in the corner of the room "Why me?" He asked "You''re the one with most wisdom and life experience, perhaps you can persuade her, we do need everyone if we were to fight a demon king and Aurora will definitely play a huge role" Prizal explained "*sigh* alright, I will go, however, don''t expect much, she''s as stubborn as an ox" Regulus left the room Regulus caught up with Aurora who was still breaking everything that blocked her way "If he was watching you, what do you think he would think?" Regulus asked "He would be proud of what I did" Aurora answered in a heartbeat "...I guess he would be, listen, young lady, it might not be much but he fought in order to protect what you thought is trash, are you just going to stand there and allow those demons to destroy what he protected?" Regulus kept persuading Aurora "Cute speech, almost convinced me, however, those trash are snakes, two-faced sons of bitches" "I know you really liked him and I know you still do but please, do this for him and after that, you can do whatever you want" Regulus didn''t give up "*sigh* you really know where to strike... fine, but in one condition" Aurora finally gave in "What is your condition?" "I want to ask Ria a small question, she get''s it right, I''m in but if she doesn''t..." "We accept" They both returned to the room where everyone was discussing plans, Vivian also returned the moment Regulus and Aurora entered the room "Hmm?" Vivian''s experience allowed her to sense that something big happened after she left She looked at Ria and Aurora''s resentful face and she could already imagine what happened "I got some leads as to where the demon king might be" Vivan quickly spoke out "Where is it?" Prizal asked "I used my network and found out that a demonic figure traveled towards the old demon king''s castle" Vivian spoke out "Demonic?" Prizal asked again "Yeah, the demon king was riding a hell stallion, it attracted the attention of some warriors that were out killing stray monsters" Vivan replied "...Great, we got a lead, also, I''m happy that Aurora is back" Prizal smiled "In one condition" Regulus spoke out "I just want to ask a simple question" Aurora smiled "Please... don''t make this too hard" Prizal already knew that something bad was going to happen "Ria, tell me, what was Henz''s dream?" Everyone''s eyes lit up the moment Aurora asked her question, to them, Henz''s dream was simple and that was to live his life Ria but Regulus and Prizal has something different in their minds "He wants to marry me and live our life together" Ria answered briefly Everyone was happy but Prizal and Regulus were both shaking their heads in disappointment "Nice try" Aurora smiled and started walking away "What? didn''t I answer the question correctly?" Ria was surprised by Aurora''s actions "Let me elaborate it then, first thing''s first, Henz was simple-minded and naive, he had multiple dreams that came after the other, sure he wanted to marry you but he had a dream before that and that is peace, after achieving his dream of peace, then he will dream of marrying you and live off the rest of his life with you" Aurora left the room after saying those words Everyone started thinking about it and understood what Aurora meant "Tch, like we need you anyway, fucking half-breed" William spat on the ground after Aurora left Aurora left and started heading for a piece of land she owns, the area she bought was quiet and serene, in the center of the land was a grave. She stood still and looked at the grave, it was Henz''s grave. The church rejected to bury Henz''s body in the grave of heroes and the locals wouldn''t want a villain to be buried amongst their loved ones, Aurora approached Henz''s family but they decided to buy a piece of land somewhere far-away because the locals will only tarnish his grave so Aurora and Henz''s parents bought a piece of land where they buried Henz''s body. Aurora stood still before finally crying, Aurora''s past was nothing good and the only good thing that happened to her was when she met Henz so it was understandable that she would go so far for him. She started digging the grave with both her hands, she needed answers to the questions that kept haunting her. She didn''t believe that Henz would betray them and the only way to find out was to investigate his body, she didn''t have the chance to do this because she was too depressed to thoroughly think about different possibilities, during her time of mourning, she traveled aimlessly and found herself in the middle of Khan dessert, hundreds of kilometers away from their Kingdom, this is where she first met Henz, she stayed in the Khan desert for 1 and a half year, clearing her mind while also relieving her rage on the monsters she could findThe narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. She finally reached the coffin and impatiently opened it, she finally found the answers she was looking for. Inside the coffin was a skeleton but its structure wasn''t that of a human''s, it was that of a demon''s. A horn was protruding from the skull and its hands reached all the way up to its knees, this was the body of a changeling, a demon that mimicked humans "If this isn''t Henz... then... Henz could still be alive!" Aurora was happy, not even thinking about the possibility that Henz could''ve really died "I need to notify everyone about this!" She was really happy but she started doubting "No, someone clearly did this, the church? they were eager to tell everyone that he was evil... I can''t trust anyone, I will search for Henz alone" With a new direction, Aurora started to leave the area Aurora now know''s what to do, she must look for clues where it ended, at the demon king''s castle, she wasn''t afraid even if she was to face that demon king alone because she couldn''t risk losing Henz for the second time She quickly set out on a journey towards the old demon king''s castle, if she were too late then the heroes subjugation party would arrive first and destroy the demon king''s castle She rode on a horse for days only stopping to eat, all of the monsters that blocked her got turned into a meat patty with one swing. She finally arrived at the demon king''s castle It wasn''t as dreadful as before now that it had several holes in it, she cautiously left the horse and started walking towards the castle "Stop there human!" A fallen angel quickly descended along with five more, they were all vigilant "I don''t want any trouble" Aurora didn''t have time to fight "...call the mistress" The leading fallen angel quickly ordered Moments later, Arc came out "Oh, it''s you, what do you need? speak before I kick you out myself" Arc quickly recognized Aurora "Arc, please let me investigate Henz''s death" Aurora pleaded "After two years, you only do this now?" "I really need to know where he is" "He already died" Arc spoke out "No, the demon we fought was only a demon pretending to be Henz" Aurora replied "What? what do you mean?" Arc was surprised at what Aurora said "What do you mean what? the changeling pretended to be Henz and tried to kill us in front of everyone in Argon during the awarding ceremony so something must''ve happened to Henz before that" Aurora explained "...He''s already dead, I found his body in the throne room along with the demon king" Arc dropped a bomb on Aurora "No! impossible" Aurora refused to believe it "Come with me" Arc led Aurora to the back of the castle where hundreds wilted roses lay on the ground In the center of it all was Henz''s grave, Arc showed it to Aurora "No..." Aurora kneeled in front of the grave and started crying "He died but they turned him out to be an evil villain... do you see the people you''ve been fighting for?" Arc asked Aurora "I- I will KILL THEM!" Aurora wasn''t thinking straight, she didn''t even bother to check if the grave really had Henz''s body in it "Cute" Arc only smirked "YOU!, you love him don''t you?! why aren''t you getting revenge?!" Aurora asked "Check the grave" Arc''s smile could send shiver''s up one''s spine Aurora finally thought to double check the grave and started digging, there she found an empty coffin but the hole through the top of the coffin gave her hope "He... He''s alive?! tell me where is he?!" Aurora quickly asked Arc "He''s out on a journey but he''ll be back" Arc explained "...He''s alive... he''s alive" "Yes but he''s no longer the man you once knew, his ideals have changed, when that happens, what do you plan to do?" Arc asked as she gripped a knife behind her back "...I swear to never leave his side again" Aurora spoke out with determination "Good because if you weren''t, I''ll kill you right here and now" "Oh no, the subjugation squad!" Aurora remembered and quickly warned Arc "They''re sending in an army of Heroes to kill him?" Arc asked "Yes, we must leave now!" "No, not until he comes back, when will the heroes party arrive?" "After 3 more days" "He should be back tomorrow, let''s wait for him" "Alright" "Mistress, our King has returned!" Just as Aurora replied, a fallen angel came bearing news "Ah~ my darling has returned! I must prepare his food!" Arc quickly lost her menacing aura and was replaced with a tender loving aura Aurora followed Arc and waited in the throne room, her heartbeat was fast, every second seemed like an eternity as she waited for those doors to swing open. No words could describe how nervous she was, she was scared, eager, excited, and happy. This mixture of emotions made her stomach churn, it made her want to throw up but she held it in and anxiously waited *Step* She heard footsteps They grew louder and louder as her heart beat faster and stronger The door swung open and to Aurora, everything started moving slowly, Henz came in without his helmet but this didn''t stop Aurora from realizing that it was the same man no matter the appearance, the feelings that she felt whenever she saw him was still there so she was sure it was him "Arc... I''m back? Aurora?" Henz was surprised by the visitor who was already running towards him Aurora didn''t reply and just embraced the man in front of him "Aurora... there-there, stop crying" This was an action that Henz always did whenever Aurora was crying so he did it without even thinking the moment he heard Aurora crying "You''re alive!" Aurora was happy "Alive isn''t really the right word" Henz wiped the tears off of Aurora''s cheeks "Wait a minute, what are you doing here?" Henz asked "I came looking for answers, who knew I would find you" Aurora smiled "Answers?" Henz asked "I don''t know if you knew about this but you were framed" Aurora spoke out "Yeah, that much I know" "So what are you going to do now?" Aurora asked "I''m going to wage a war against those who did this, I don''t want you to get caught up in this so quickly leave" "I refuse" "Please Aurora, you''re one of the people I still trust after all of this so please go" "I made a resolve never to leave you" "Is there a chance you might want to retract that statement?" Henz asked "You should know better than anyone how stubborn I could be" "*sigh* I really don''t want to pull you in harm''s way just so I could achieve revenge" "We''re in this together... I won''t lose you, I refuse to" "*sigh* fine" Henz gave up "YES!" Aurora skipped happily "Henz my dear, how could you hug another woman in front of your wife?" Arc asked "Wife?" Henz and Aurora both asked "Tch, how dare you touch him, I only told you he was alive because I knew you would help him in his path of vengeance, know your place! I''m the wife here, I get all the hugs from him! you little piece of shit!" Arc quickly cursed Aurora "Ha? Shut up you saggy titted whore, Henz clearly isn''t married to you! snap out of your delusions" Aurora snapped back "Saggy titted?! you''re just jealous you fucking chopping board" Arc didn''t step down "Uhh, could you guys please calm down" Henz spoke out "Only if this whore shuts up" Arc replied "Only if this old bitch shut''s up" Aurora spoke at the same time "What?!" they were both synchronized Henz could only rub his temples and mutter out "This will take some getting used to"