From where Damon stood, he could feel the earth rumbling beneath his feet.
Far in the distance, the faint echoes of destruction rolled across the land like distant thunder.
The war had officially begun.
This ti, the Goddess Races had not been the ones to declare war. Even so, invading the Demon Continent was sothing they had plenty of experience with.
Of course, most of those invasions ended the sa way.
They were beaten back.
And then the demons invaded in return.
The last war had begun with an awe inspiring landing. Fleets crossed the ocean, armies descended upon the shores in a display ant to shake the world.
It lasted less than a month.
They failed to hold their ground and were forced into a humiliating retreat.
But the humiliation did not end there.
In truth, that was only the beginning.
The Demon Race launched a counter invasion.
They landed at Harlem Pass in Soltheon.
Even after their defeat, the arrogance of the Goddess Races remained. Convinced they held the ho field advantage, they neglected their supply lines and logistics.
A strategic blunder.
One that would cost them dearly.
This ti, however, things were different.
They had been humbled.
They had prepared.
More than ever before.
After all, they still did not know why the demons had declared war.
They only knew one thing.
Ashcroft had returned.
Because of that single fact, the Goddess Races were prepared to throw everything they had at the demons.
For them, this war was existential.
It would either be their last crusade... Or the rise of a new world.
And yet the truth remained simple.
There was no justification for war.
And no war was righteous..
Damon scooped up a handful of the Demon Continent’s soil.
The dirt was soft and warm between his fingers.
"So this is the Demon Continent."
He looked around slowly.
It didn’t look much different from ho.
The trees were the sa. The earth slled the sa. The wind carried the familiar scent of soil and grass. The only real difference was the weather. The air felt slightly heavier, the wind carrying a faint unfamiliar chill.
"Yes," Seras whispered beside him.
"This is it."
Damon frowned faintly.
"Hm."
He glanced across the forest again.
"Kinda underwhelming. It’s... well... lacking a whole lot of evil."
He shrugged.
"You know, this isn’t what I had in mind."
Seras slowly shook her head.
"Yeah. I had the sa thought."
She looked out toward the distant hills.
"Across the ocean, from a young age, we’re taught the Demon Continent is so kind of hell. A barren land filled with death and doom."
Her lips curled slightly.
"But it isn’t."
"The Demon Continent actually has the highest quality of life index for most civilians."
Damon raised an eyebrow.
"You literally just said it was dangerous."
Seras nodded.
"Yes."
She knelt down and picked up a small stone, rolling it between her fingers.
"Not because the continent itself is safe."
"It’s because of its rulers."
She tossed the stone aside.
"The Demon Lords protect every social enclave. Cities, towns, settlents. As long as civilians stay inside those protected areas, they’re safe."
Damon crossed his arms.
"And outside those places?"
Seras exhaled slowly.
"It depends."
"The Demon Lords have spent thousands of years eliminating danger zones across the continent."
Her tone carried the faintest hint of jealousy.
"One territory at a ti."
"Cursed forests. monster nests. ancient ruins. corrupted lands."
"They’ve destroyed or purified countless places."
She looked toward the distant mountains.
"The areas that remain are the worst of the worst."
"And even now... they’re still trying."
Damon paused.
For a mont he found himself quietly admiring that.
Demon Lords risking their lives to clear the most dangerous places in their world.
That wasn’t sothing he had expected.
"Of course," Seras added quietly, "they profit from it too."
She began counting on her fingers.
"Relics."
"Treasure."
"Ancient knowledge."
"And warriors who gain terrifying levels of battle experience."
She gave a small shrug.
"It’s not all glamorous though. The demons still maintain a strict hierarchy."
Then she glanced back at Damon.
"The difference is that if you’re strong enough... anyone can rise."
Damon nodded slowly.
"And that’s why the demons are strong."
Seras tilted her head slightly.
"Yes... and no."
She looked away again, her gaze distant.
"It’s because even if they die, their power is inherited."
"And if soone manages to ascend, their power is added to the system."
"Even after their death."
A cold smile appeared on her lips.
"It’s the Ouroboros Coil."
"And we have to steal it, right?" Damon asked, suspicion creeping into his voice. "Makes wonder... why didn’t they just ask us to destroy it?"
Seras shook her head slowly.
"Who knows. They probably expect us to destroy it if we can’t take it." She paused. "Although I doubt we can."
Damon stood and brushed the dirt from his hands.
"We’ve got two options."
He pointed toward the distant mountains.
"We go into the death zones, hide in the Graveyard of Gods while we move around."
Then he gestured toward the inland forests.
"Or we blend into demon society and see things for ourselves."
He added another possibility.
"There’s also the wilderness. We could break into smaller squads and scatter."
Seras stayed quiet for a mont before shaking her head.
"The Graveyard of Gods is a no-go. We’re more likely to run into demons there than anywhere else. If we go too deep, we’ll just be walking into a trap."
Damon folded his arms.
"So you want us to blend into demon society."
Seras nodded.
"Yes."
Her expression darkened.
"The plan from the high command is stupid. Too many of us have already died for it."
She glanced at the remaining soldiers.
They had started with nearly a thousand.
Now there were barely eight hundred left.
"So we’re setting up a hidden camp," she continued. "Then an elite squad will move into demon towns and gather information."
Damon raised his hand.
"I’ll volunteer."
User Comments
0 comments from readers