The Damned Demon

Chaos engulfed the Eternal City of Mars. The skies were heavy, tainted by the crimson glow of emergency beacons pulsing from every corner. Fear clutched the hearts of citizens as panic spread like wildfire. Streets were swarmed by frightened men and women, children clutching desperately to their parents. Sirens wailed, echoing through the sprawling avenues, an eerie harmony accompanying the loudspeakers of Hunters from the W.H.A.

“All citizens, return to your homes immediately! Lock all doors! Demonic forces have sabotaged the Infinity Tower! For your own safety, remain indoors and await further instructions!”

Thousands of boots marched rhythmically through the streets, the W.H.A. mobilizing their armies, determined and fierce-eyed, marching with grim faces toward the infamous Infinity Tower, ready to reclaim their monument at any cost.

Yet deep within the bowels of a hidden place, oblivious to the gathering storm above, Arthur lay broken upon a cold steel bed in a heavily fortified cell. His head hung low, eyes shadowed with grief, guilt tearing at the very fabric of his soul. Bloodstains still clung to his hands—blood he couldn’t wash away no matter how desperately he tried.

‘How could I have been so weak…’ Arthur thought to himself, fists clenched tightly in frustration. ‘They counted on me…and I let them all down. All those lives lost…because of me.’

Images flashed cruelly through his mind—the desperate cries of his fallen comrades, Anna’s blank and merciless stare as she cut them down, and his own pathetic pleas for mercy that had fallen on deaf ears. The weight of their sacrifices pressed painfully upon his heart.

“Father…Mother…” Arthur’s voice cracked, guilt twisting painfully within him. “If you could see me now…what would you think of me? I failed you, failed everyone. I couldn’t even protect the people I cared about the most.”

His breath trembled softly, despair filling every fiber of his being, wondering if this was how it was supposed to end. If only he could see at least his parents one last time…

Elsewhere,

“Haa…ha….” Anna was heavily panting after she ran through the entire Infinity Tower, searching for Arthur.

She tore apart many inmate enclosures but couldn’t even find a trace of Arthur. There was nothing else to search for.

Instead, she saw that Cila was right. This place was infiltrated by humans only and they were the ones who triggered the security alarms. Maybe not all hope was lost.

She also came upon a few familiar faces but she didn’t have the courage to face them…how could she?

But then Arthur’s face flashed in her mind, thinking about how hurt and broken he must be in some dark place.

And so realizing there wasn’t enough time, she gathered her courage and decided to face the consequences of her own actions.

—

Meanwhile, in the upper floors of the tower, Rachel and Cecilia carefully supported a frail and aged Aira as Hiroto briskly led them through winding corridors. Rachel’s gaze flickered anxiously, her voice edged with uncertainty as she finally voiced her concern:

“Um, Senior Hiroto? Why are we here? Shouldn’t we focus on stopping Derek’s armies or finding the Nexus Tower’s controls? We still have no clue how to shut it down, and time is running out! I apologize if I seem rude and I am sure you have a plan but our home planet might explode any moment.”

Hiroto gently shook his head, a calm yet profound reassurance radiating from his eyes as he glanced towards Rachel. “Don’t worry, child,” he said softly, voice firm with quiet confidence. “You have every right to be concerned, but trust me when I say we have one more person to free—or, to be precise, to let her know the time has finally come.”

Rachel’s brows knitted together, her blue eyes narrowing thoughtfully as Hiroto began to lead them down a brightly lit, metallic corridor. It was unsettlingly familiar, the reflective walls shimmering faintly with a cold, clinical glow. Her heart quickened slightly as they approached the corridor’s end, where an enormous steel door stood imposingly, bathed in a radiant yet overwhelming blue illumination.

Intricate sealing arrays, etched deeply into the door’s surface, pulsed rhythmically with a dangerous brilliance. The air seemed thickened by a low, resonant hum—like barely contained thunder, promising ruin if disturbed.

Cecilia, still supporting the frail and aged Aira, looked curiously towards Hiroto, uncertainty flickering in her expression. “Her?” she asked cautiously. “Who exactly are you talking about, Senior Hiroto?”

Hiroto kept his steady stride forward, his gaze resolutely fixed upon the ominous barrier before them. Without slowing, he spoke calmly, “One of the few demons who helped us get to this point. Someone who broke past the Soul Devourer limit but hid it very well.”

“Broke the limit?” Rachel mumbled in shock, wondering just what kind of demon could it be to break such a seemingly impossible limit?

Cecilia blinked, confusion and curiosity deepening in her gaze, her heart beating slightly faster. Such a powerful demon aiding humanity from within this dreadful tower? Aira must know who this demoness was.

Hiroto finally halted a respectful distance from the imposing steel door, eyes locked reverently onto the brilliant sealing arrays. Rachel stepped forward beside him, her eyes widening slightly with sudden recognition.

“I’ve seen this door before,” she murmured softly, brows furrowed thoughtfully. “When Lena showed me around. I remember her mentioning that the demon inside had helped them conduct experiments and study demon biology.”

Hiroto nodded solemnly, his voice quiet yet carrying a profound weight. “You’re partially correct, Rachel. But there is far more hidden beneath the surface than Lena could ever have understood.”

Rachel exchanged a quick, bewildered glance with Cecilia, her curiosity now overwhelming her caution. Hiroto suddenly stepped forward, lifting his chin slightly, his voice rising to an oddly respectful and reverent tone, filled with undeniable authority:

“You can come out now, Your Majesty. It’s finally time.”

Rachel blinked in shock, turning swiftly to Hiroto, confusion swirling in her eyes. “Your Majesty?” she whispered incredulously, heart quickening. “Who—?”

But her question was sharply interrupted by a sudden and terrifying sound. The massive steel doors creaked loudly, violently groaning in protest before suddenly buckling inward as if the very gravity was trying to tear them apart.

Rachel and Cecilia stumbled back in startled shock, eyes widening in disbelief as the thick metal crumbled and twisted effortlessly, tearing apart like mere paper beneath an unseen yet overwhelming force.

An impenetrable, pitch-black darkness filled the now-open doorway, oppressive and chilling. From within this abyssal void emerged a single pair of glowing crimson eyes, radiating an aura of ancient power, captivating yet terrifying.

Rachel’s throat tightened, heart hammering painfully in her chest, a chill racing violently down her spine. Cecilia similarly stood frozen, her breath hitching sharply as she stared, unable to look away from the mesmerizing, intimidating gaze.

Slowly, deliberately, the demoness stepped gracefully forth from the shadows. Her tall, regal figure emerged into the brilliant corridor light, revealing flawless porcelain skin, deathly pale yet exquisitely smooth, elegantly draped in a flowing black gown embroidered intricately with shimmering silver dragons. The dress hugged tightly against her voluptuous figure, emphasizing her well-endowed chest and elegant curves, each subtle movement graceful yet chillingly powerful.

Her striking face appeared eternally youthful, frozen beautifully at a beguiling age somewhere within her early thirties, yet her expression revealed ageless wisdom and ruthless strength.

Dark raven hair cascaded elegantly down her back, framing a face both dangerously alluring and fiercely commanding. Lips painted black curled slightly into a chilling, subtly confident line, highlighting her terrifyingly bewitching beauty.

Cecilia’s eyes widened dramatically in sudden recognition, a sharp gasp escaping her trembling lips. “Y-You’re…you’re the…” she whispered breathlessly, voice shaking slightly.

The demoness’s crimson eyes shifted calmly, almost lazily, towards Cecilia and Rachel, her dark lips curling further into a subtle, coldly amused smile. Her voice was rich, smooth, and mesmerizing—soft yet impossibly commanding, resonating with hidden power and authority:

“Yes…” she confirmed softly, dangerously. “I am Layla, the Queen Mother of the Bloodburn Kingdom.”

Rachel swallowed thickly, her breath shallow, heart pounding violently as Layla’s chilling yet magnetic presence filled every corner of the corridor. She could hardly believe what she was witnessing—the ex-demon queen was alive!!

Layla’s eyes darkened subtly, her gaze shifting slowly back towards Hiroto with a deeper, more solemn respect, her voice lowering slightly, weighted by long years of waiting:

“And I have awaited this day for more than a century. I can’t wait to boil the blood of the wretched vermins who dares to try and destroy my home and family.”

Her words resonated powerfully, their weight and implication striking Rachel and Cecilia profoundly. Each woman felt simultaneously awed and terrified, fully aware they now stood in the presence of a being who the entire humanity had believed to be dead.

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