The choking darkness of the noose faded, replaced by the scent of old stone and medicine. Tohi's eyes fluttered open. The iron gag was gone, and he was lying on a small bed in a dimly lit room. As he turned his head, he saw a girl sitting quietly in a chair beside him. She looked to be exactly his age.
"Where... where am I?" Tohi croaked, his throat raw and aching.
The girl leaned forward. "Oh, you're awake. I'm Ruka. And to answer your question, you're in the DR."
"DR?" Tohi asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.
"The Demon Revolution," Ruka said calmly. "And as of today, you are a member."
Tohi pushed himself up, panic flaring in his chest. "What? Demon Revolution? Why would I be a part of that? I'm a human!"
Ruka shook her head slowly. "You're not. At least, not fully. You are a half-demon, Tohi. Half-demon, half-human."
"What do you mean?" Tohi backed away against the wall. "I'm human! I don't eat human flesh!"
"A half-demon doesn't need to," Ruka explained, her voice steady. "We can survive perfectly fine on normal food, just like anyone else. Everyone here in the DR is like us."
Before Tohi could process her words, a heavy knock echoed through the room.
"Hey, Ruka," a deep, rumbling voice called from the hall. "Is the kid awake?"
"Yeah, Dad," she replied, looking toward the door. "I was just telling him about us."
The heavy wooden door swung open. A man stepped inside, and his presence immediately demanded respect. He had a massive, towering body, built like a fortress. But his eyes were numb and weary, holding the heavy weight of a thousand battles.
"Hello, Tohi. My name is K, and I am the leader of the DR," he said. His voice was undeniable—the commanding tone of a great leader. "I assume Ruka told you where you are."
"Y-yes, sir," Tohi stammered, overwhelmed by the giant man's aura.
K sighed heavily and pulled up a chair. "This is a terrible time to drop this burden on you, boy. But it is also the best time. It's about your family. Specifically, your father."
Tohi froze. "My father?"
"Your father was a great warrior," K began, his numb eyes staring into the past. "He was a lead captain of his team here in the DR. His job was to travel the lands, finding and rescuing half-demons before the royal guards could. But the King discovered who he was. The King dragged your father into a public trial, just like yours. We fought it, we won, and we proved to the public that your father wasn't a monster. But the King's ego was bruised... especially when your father looked the King in the eye and called him a fool."
K leaned forward, his voice darkening. "Two years later, your father went to Kasoi on a mission. There, he fell in love with a human woman—your mother, Miki. A year later, you were born. But the King never forgot the insult. When he finally tracked down your father's location, he sent his underground warriors to kill your family. But the King's agents went too far... they ordered the slaughter of everyone in Kasoi just to cover up the assassination."
Tohi's breath hitched. "All those people... everyone in Kasoi died because of the King?"
"Yes," K said grimly. "But surviving that attack wasn't enough to satisfy the King's ego. He wanted the Kanisi bloodline completely erased. That is why he forced that rigged trial on you. He had no proof you were a demon; he just wanted you dead."
Tohi stared at his hands. The guilt that had been crushing his chest began to crack, replaced by a cold, sharp realization. "This kingdom... it isn't right."
"No, my boy, it is not," K agreed. "That is why we started this revolution. We need to tear down this King and build a new world. And you... you are the key to this revolution. You are the only one who can kill him."
"Why me?" Tohi asked, his fists clenching.
K looked deep into Tohi's eyes. "Because you are the boy who wants revenge. You want to kill him, don't you?"
Tohi thought of the fire, of his father's blood, of his sister's broken arm, and of the rope tightening around his own neck. "Yes," he said, his voice hardening into steel. "I want revenge. I will kill the King. I will make a new kingdom."
K nodded slowly, a spark of hope returning to his weary eyes. "You have the fire, and you are strong. But right now, raw anger is not enough to kill a King. Ruka will teach you. She will show you how to awaken and master your demon powers. Once you have mastered them all... you will have your revenge."
In Golden Sani
Deep within the gilded halls of Golden Sani, the air in the throne room was cold. King Kani sat upon his high seat, looking down at Victor with narrowed eyes.
"Victor," the King spoke, his voice like grinding stone. "You truly dare to ask for the hand of my only child? My little girl?"
Victor bowed his head, though his hands were clenched at his sides. "Yes, my King. I wish to marry the Princess."
The King was silent for a long moment, the tension thick enough to cut. Finally, he gave a sharp, mocking laugh. "No. You are a tool, Victor. A useful one, but a tool nonetheless. You will never be my son."
Victor's face went numb, his expression turning into a mask of stone. "I understand, my King," he whispered.
He turned and walked out of the chambers, his heart burning with a rage even hotter than the fires of Kasoi. Once he was safely in the shadows of the hallway, he let out a low, guttural snarl. "No... he said no!"
A light footstep echoed behind him. The Princess stepped out from behind a silk curtain, her eyes dark and calculating. "What did my father say, Victor?"
Victor looked at her, his voice trembling with fury. "He refused. He said no."
The Princess didn't cry. Instead, a cold smile touched her lips. "It's okay," she said, her voice dropping to a whisper. "My father is a man consumed by his own ego. You know that better than anyone. You saw him slaughter every soul in Kasoi just to satisfy a grudge."
Victor stepped closer to her. "I have done everything for him. Every 'good' deed, every 'bad' deed. I have kept his secrets and buried his bodies. And after all that... he still treats me like a peasant."
The Princess reached out and pulled Victor into a tight embrace. She leaned toward his ear, her voice cold as ice.
"Then don't wait for his permission anymore," she whispered. "Kill my father."