He walked slowly inside the castle.
It was darker than the rest. Different. The vibe, the size, everything about it radiated an ancient, oppressive weight. When he finally reached the room he assumed would house the Demon King, there was instead nothing...except for a gateway. A door with a blue, waving portal awaiting him.
He knew where it led. His instincts told him. He did not bother thinking about it. He walked through.
....
The Monarch of White Flames. The Demon Monarch. The Demon King. Whatever title was chosen, the same name rang through them all.
Baran.
He sat on his throne—a large, muscular demon with gray skin and glowing white eyes. Flame-like white hair burned atop his head, flickering with ethereal light. A long tail curled behind him, and four gray horns crowned his head, two of which were long and curved like wicked crescents. He wore an elaborate gray helmet and pale yellow armor on his shoulders and over his groin area.
"You are the new Shadow Monarch," Baran spoke, his voice deep, old, and powerful.
"And you seem to be a Monarch as well," Damien replied, his daggers already in his hands. "Of the White Flames, or something like that."
"Yeah... something like that." Baran stood, his massive frame rising from the throne. "There were others as well... with the name of Monarchs. All dead." His white eyes fixed on Damien. "Because of you. Servant of the gods."
He chuckled, low and dark.
"Well... I do not blame you. It was rather the former who did that."
Damien's eyes narrowed. "Other Monarchs?"
"Oh, yeah." Baran's grin widened. "I suppose they may have sold you the lie, eh?"
"Lie?"
"The lie that Anu and Ki created life." Baran laughed, the sound echoing through the chamber. "Yeah... that is what they said. Anu and Ki, married, and created LIFE ITSELF. EARTH AND HEAVEN!"
His laughter faded.
"And what about us? Where did we come from?"
Damien's grip tightened on his daggers. "What are you saying? That they did not do it?"
"Well..." Baran stepped down from his throne, his claws scraping against the stone. "It is more accurate to say that they did. But they lied about the scale. They did create Heaven and Earth, the mortals you know, and the Dragons. But where did that idea come from exactly?"
He spread his arms.
"It was from other worlds. Each of us. Realm of Elves. Realm of Monsters. Realm of Demons. Realm of Man. Realm of Dragons. And many other Realms." He tilted his head. "You have seen them, right? With your own eyes, did you not?"
Damien's mind raced. The dungeons. The realms he had entered. The monsters, the creatures, the lands that should not exist within the dungeon.
"And this is the last one you will see." Baran's voice dropped. "Because we are mere fragments... of what your predecessor destroyed."
Damien's eyes widened. "The Shadow Monarch... Ashborn... destroyed these Realms?"
Baran laughed again, harder this time. "AHAHAHAHA! You really did not put any mind to it, did you? What you heard, you believed." His grin sharpened. "Where was Anu and Ashborn when Ki was assassinated by Antares?"
Damien's patience snapped. "STOP FUCKING TALKING IN RIDDLES AND JUST EXPLAIN!"
Baran's laughter ceased. A blade of blue energy and lightning materialized in his hand, crackling with power. He pointed it at Damien.
"You fool." His voice was cold. "This is why you are here. To earn the real answers from the last dungeon left for you by Ashborn." He raised his sword. "So free me of this fucking prison. Either by your death... or mine."
Damien's daggers gleamed in the ethereal light. His shadows coiled at his feet.
"With pleasure."
....
Ais and the others waited outside, just as instructed, on the lookout for a possible attack by the Sin of Pride. The attack never arrived.
Riveria, Ottar, and Ryuu were finally awake, recovering slowly after being healed by Cassandra and the potions. Still fatigued, but back in the fight.
Tiona burst, unable to contain herself any longer. "Ohhhh... come on! We need to go inside and help Damien! We have waited long enough!"
Ais shook her head. "No. Not yet."
"What? I thought you would be the one most supportive of this!" Tiona protested.
Finn spoke up. "Tiona, we need to wait. It is his orders."
"Oh, come on! I just cannot..." Tiona paced. "I feel so anxious with him alone inside, facing whatever that Demon King is!"
Tione grabbed her sister's arm. "We are a hindrance, you fool. And you do not want to be an even bigger hindrance by going in now and risking whatever he is worried about ambushing us with him!"
"CAREFUL!" Ais shouted.
Everyone jolted to attention, weapons raised. But nothing arrived. They looked at Ais, wanting to ask what was going on.
"Ais, wh.."
Tiona did not finish.
Ais blurred out of existence, her sword Desperate meeting a clawed hand mid-swing. The impact sent sparks flying across the clearing.
The attacker materialized.
Everyone gasped.
A beautiful woman stood before them, her long, flowing hair a deep, vivid pink that cascaded down her back and framed her face. Strands of black were woven through it like veins of shadow. Around her neck, she wore a choker that complemented her elegant outfit. Long gloves reached past her elbows, their tips sharpened into deadly claws.
She smiled gently.
"Hello there, dears. Apologies for trying to kill you." Her voice was soft, almost sweet. "I was simply hungry."
She tilted her head, her pink eyes scanning the group.
"Oh, excuse my manners. I am Baobhan Sith. The Sixth Monster Rex of the Dungeon." Her smile widened. "I was sent out here to assassinate the one known as the Shadow Monarch, Damien Ardent."
She giggled...a light, almost childlike sound.
"Would you be so kind as to guide me to his location?" Her expression darkened, her claws extending. "Or should I eat you all... and find him myself?"
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