Chapter 49

  A while ago, on the castle wall after the great retreat, the spear-holding demon stood in the same spot with the same spear, but this time around his face lost the previous innocence. His attire was completely torn, his wounds bleeding, his face filled with fatigue and sweat. His spear, unlike the previous silver-black spear, was now coated with blood and rotting flesh.

  Near him stood the sword-holding demon, his condition no better. He spoke, “The undead king has again raised his army. It’s Uncle Herbert. He is there.”

  “The same uncle who you bragged to be the old captain of Hell Knights?” asked the spear demon.

  “Yeah,” he replied.

  “So we are going to fight not ordinary undead but undead Hell Knights?” asked the spear demon.

  “Exactly,” replied the sword demon.

  “So we are doomed,” asked the spear.

  “Exactly,” said the sword.

  A while later, “Look, Uncle Herbert and the knights are fighting for us,” said the spear demon.

  “Go uncle, go Hell Knights!” screamed the sword-holding demon.

  A while later, “Look, the undead on our side are turning into dust,” said the sword-holding demon. He continued, “Isn’t that the same demonic hound that the Demon King fought for ten days and nights before he slayed it and finally gave birth to our domain?” asked the sword demon.

  “It is,” replied the spear.

  “Then we are doomed, aren’t we?” asked the sword-holding demon.

  “Yeah, unless a miracle happens,” replied the spear-holding demon.

  As the hound started approaching the castle, its mana pressed down the whole army.

  “Now you are all dead,” said the undead king Fin, as his huge body that rivaled the towering walls of the castle strode forward, tearing the air, shaking the ground with each step.

  The hound stepped forward and reached the front of the castle wall. It raised its claws and swung them down, tearing apart the gates that stood guard over the castle of the Hell Star for centuries, negating all the barriers.

  It looked at the Hell Star, who was on his knees, along with his sons and Lara, Melody, who both threw themselves around Leo’s seemingly pale body.

  “It’s over now. Let me start my conquest by killing the prince, the true heir to the kingdom I am bound to rule,” said the Hell Hound with his thunderous, death-filled voice.

  “Nooo!” screamed Lara and Melody as they hugged Leo’s body, Melody casting her spells which Fin broke before they could even fully form. Even the unyielding sword of Lara broke before the colossal beast.

  Its foot raised in the air and fell down towards the trio.

  Something happened.

  The mana in the air started to cry.

  The magic bag on Leo’s waist started to glow and rise in the air. The bag started to shake violently. The sling opened, a circular medallion slithered out.

  At that moment, the Hell Star, who was on the ground unable to move, saw this scene.

  “The Medallion of King,” he muttered.

  At that moment the medallion started to spin like crazy. It flew towards the Hell Hound, pushing it back. “Aaaaaaa…!” he screamed as the heat from the medallion started to burn its feet.

  “How could it be? What is this…?” it screamed in doubt.

  The pressure on the demons dissipated. The demons stood up.

  The medallion of kings began to shine illuminating the skies, out of which grew golden threads weaving a shield like pattern in the surrounding area and in it's centre forming the form of a crown ,only suiting the most loftiest king.

  The hell star seeing this proclaimed ," the proof of crown ", he knelt down , the hell knights followed then the citizen too continued to fall on their knees for everyone in the kingdom has seen this crown ,the one that sat on the kings head ,the very summit of the demon kingdom.joy returned in the people's heart ,but it was not the same for Fin .

  Leo’s body started to float in the air.

  At this moment, amidst all the chaos, somewhere in a dark space, Leo opened his eyes. In front of him, a rectangular screen played the scenes of the battlefield.

  He moved around the screen, followed by endless darkness before him, never-ending.

  One moment he started screaming, “Let me out…”

  A voice replied to the plea, “What can you even do, brat?”

  A male, soft voice.

  Leo turned around and looked up to see a familiar figure before him—a short, two-feet-tall, fat, winged fairy stood before him.

  Leo spoke, “I know, Fairy King. I know I am weak. I can’t help them. But I just can’t stand still while my friends and the people who trusted me die in front of my eyes. I just can’t tolerate it.”

  The Fairy King descended, landing on the endless darkness.

  “Child, if I say you have a way to save them, what will you do?”

  Hearing this, Leo’s eyes widened. His once weak knees grew stronger as he knelt down to the Fairy King and said, “I shall do whatever it takes, sir. Please tell me the way.”

  The Fairy King said, “You will have to pay a price.”

  “I shall pay it, sir,” said the prince.

  “Even if it means you will face a fate worse than death.”

  “Sir, if I can save my people, I shall die a million times over with a smile on my face.”

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “Hahahaaaa. Indeed, blood never lies. You are your mother’s son. Go ahead, child. Wield the strength born with you. Burn the heavens to the ground. Wield the raging infernos of the seven hells.”

  The fairy laughed as he pushed the kneeling Leo behind. He fell into an unending pit of darkness until finally his eyes completely darkened.

  The words echoed in his ears.

  “The second trial begins now.”

  Leo’s vision slowly faded until it was totally gone.

  At that moment, in the battlefield, the medallion stopped spinning. It returned to Leo’s hands as his body floated in the air.

  Slowly, Leo opened his eyes. His pupils were replaced by crimson flames. The medallion shone bright.

  Leo’s body stood straight in the air. It slowly descended down and landed on the ground.the mana in the air all ran wild , going crazy started to gather at Leo's command.

  Leo’s hands fell on the hilt of the crimson sword. The cursed mana in the air started to dissapate ,burn reduced to ashes .

  The crimson sword started glowing. The glow made the blood moon and the bloodied land fade in comparison.

  At that moment, something flashed before the demon holding the spear.

  “A miracle has occurred,” he spoke.

  On the ground, Leo stood with crimson flames burning out of his eyes, through the skin pores leo himself was no longer a demon but a incarnate of the people's cries ,their wrath ,he stood up as a being of burning flames .

  “Go, Leo!” cheered Lara and Melody.

  “Fight, prince!” said the army and the Hell Star.

  “You are indeed worthy,” said Gilbert as he stood up, activating the ivory staff.

  “No, no, you insect! You can’t kill me! I am the undead king! I am invincible!” said the undead king Fin as he charged towards the ball of crimson light.

  In the centre of the light, Leo stood. As he held onto the crimson sword,the sword glowing again for the first time since it's past master died letting out a screech sending a shiver down the spine of his enemies letting out flames capable of burning all that exists, he stepped forward, his steps giving rise to flowers made of fire, forming the hell flower (spider lily) in each of his steps.

  He spoke out, “The abyss-devouring hell flames, devour.”the sword bend to his command ,his will it grew up larger and larger and larger untill one point where all the flame built up compressed into it's original size , forming a beautiful blue black flame of abyss.

  Now he swung his sword—once, twice, ten times, hundred times, a thousand times—until a million slashes occurred in a blink of an eye.

  The charging Hell Hound kept charging, only this time each cell of its body lost connection with one another,the huge four legged monstrosity slowly turned to pieces the flames didn't leave behind even that burning those cut pieces leaving only dust behind, letting go of the thousands of tormented souls pouring into the air.

  The ivory staff guided the lost souls , granting liberation to the undead. The green cursed mana flowed into the staff, freeing the souls, returning them to their original blue hue.

  After a moment of chaos, the crowd erupted in cheers. The crimson light died out. The undead were vanquished. Peace returned to the realm.

  When the light died down, there was a black charred corpse ,when the burning stoped and air flew the burnt figure turned to ashes and Leo was gone. In his place lay only the broken top of the crimson blade and his burned tunic upon a bed of crimson-colored spider lilies that grew and covered the whole battlefield.

  The emerald cursed mana finally started to leave the land. Life returned to the land.

  Lara and Melody rushed to the place where Leo stood.

  As the cursed mana started to vanish, Gilbert too started to fade into the air, leaving behind blue luminescent petals in his place.

  Gilbert spoke, “Bring me the demon who protected Riley.”

  The Hell Star carried Ryan there.

  “Father, I am grateful to have such great demons for a brother and father. I too should do something worthy, right?” he asked.

  “You did great, my son,” spoke Grey with moist eyes.

  “Not yet, father,” he replied.

  As he took the emerald tear from the ivory staff, he plunged it into the dead corpse of Ryan.

  He said, “O great knight, thank you for protecting Riley. I hope you continue to protect her.”

  As his body started to fade, the rot on Ryan’s body healed. His soul returned to him.

  “Use it well,” Gilbert said.

  “I will protect them,” said Ryan, who regained his consciousness.

  As Gilbert’s whole body faded, only his face left, he turned around, saw Grey’s tear-filled face, and said, “Goodbye, father. Forgive me.”

  As he hugged his father with his fading body—

  “I forgive you,” said the Hell Star as he hugged back Gilbert.

  Gilbert faded into oblivion, leaving behind blue petals in his place.

  All the undead were released. All the souls escaped.

  The dust settled.

  The blood moon had ended.

  The twin suns rose again in the skies, marking the end of the past and the birth of a new day—a proof that the kingdom had survived, but not without a price.