In a certain place moments before Alexander grasping the Clan Seal.

“Good to see all of you gathered here,” Nuala said looking to the Clan Leaders she called to the place where the Slab was.

“Though Brountight and Dralt’s Clan Leaders didn’t come.” Solaris’ mother and leader of the Kahonusk Clan said at the side of Nuala. She was like a clone of Solaris, only older and emotionless.

“It’s a shame, now we can’t be sure they are one of the traitors.” Nuala’s eyes glowed and the others Clan Leaders gasped in fear. “I doubt that False God would be stupid enough to use more of her informants.”

“I’m sorry, my Queen. But on what basis do you call us of traitors?” Hynin’s Clan Leader and father of the Fourth Demon Prince said, he wore a dark robe and it was possible to see his hardened bald face from years in the battlefield.

“Oh, you will see in just a moment,” Nuala said laughing as the Slab behind her began to shake and then explode before a pillar of light engulfed it, and tore through the heavens destroying all the soil on its way.

And it wasn’t the only pillar of light, on the distance, it was possible to see others two pillars ascending to the heavens. The power behind them made many wonders if the world was ending.

However, that wasn’t the end.

As the light of the pillar shone brighter than anything else, its bright light began to reveal everything, even the Angels that were near Hynin’s Clan Leader to anyone.

“In this way.” Nuala’s hand full of Essence beheaded the Fourth Demon Prince’s Father and then lunged at his heart to just be sure he was dead before also killing all Cherubims. “Only Alex can see these Angels but when the slab is destroyed ‘all falsehoods will be destroyed’, meaning even these stealthy things won’t be capable of hiding from me. This is why I wanted all Leaders here, but I failed, unfortunately.”

She turned to others Clan Leaders stricken in fear and smiled. “I’m happy to see all of you were fine, now the World War will begin and I expect good work from you, right?” Her words made her point when she swang the decapitated head around and sent a deep warning to the other most important people of Stroudor.

All Clan Leaders bowed to her in dread and only hoped Alex would come soon to appease their terrifying Queen.

Now Nuala just needed to deal with the bigger headache coming to them before the World War and she would be able to sleep soundly today after the Fate and Destiny planned to her beloved son was destroyed. She could be with him now without any fear and love him like she always wanted since she killed his real parents.

“Filthy Demon, receive your punishment!” The sky parted in the middle with a rift forming on it and from it surged a being higher class than any other in the world, it was one of Archangels the Mother of All copied from the religion named Christianity from another world because of their overwhelming power just like she did with all other angels, this was why she feigned to have angel wings to control these copies.

The Archangel was more handsome than any other men with his chiseled face and beautiful eyes, his angel wings red as the sun where his power comes from and hair pure as the energy emitted by him.

He was no other than Michael, the leader of all Archangels wearing yellowish armor.

Michael threw his long Holy Sword bathed in fire directly at where Nuala was.

The worse was that such sword despite not being too big, had the power to decimate Stroudor’s entire capital if it ever hit the ground with its Essence so concentrated like a bomb waiting to explode.

Nuala, of course, couldn’t let it happen and flew to intercept the Holy Sword thanks to the destroyed Slab opening a path to her.

“I can’t handle it without paying some sacrifices, but I’m sure Alex will be impressed and nurse me back to normal.” Nuala was in the middle of the air and was almost activating her two Arcanum Artifacts to do her best to protect the Capital from the Archangel’s coward attack even though no official declaration of war was made.

However, before she could touch the sword, another beam of light appeared to make another tear in the sky.

This time it was one made of two basic colors, red and blue.

The direction where it was coming was a place Alex knew deep well and the owner of such pillar of light that could be compared to the Prophecy Slab being destroyed soon showed up, gripping the Holy Sword with her slender fingers. No even Michael or Nuala saw her coming before she put another hand on the Holy Sword and broke it as if it was some twig.

“Amayomi Torest!” Both Nuala and Michael exclaimed in surprise and with a tinge of fear in their voices, at their front there was the only Demon who dared to hurt a God and escaped alive after being attacked together by all Archangels.

“The boy lives here, you can’t destroy his city without his consent.” She said slowly as if with anger but not really capable of demonstrating it. “It’s bad, you are a bad person.” Her reasoning was still at the level of a young child.

Michael unconscious flew back to be a little far from his Archenemy. “But that’s impossible! You received the full brunt of God’s Lance and three powerful curses were implanted in your body, you shouldn’t have your power back!”

“I don’t why, but when I look to the boy I kind of get happy.” Amayomi turned to Michael with her asymmetrical sides glowing. “However, when I look to you a deep emotion is formed within me, what is its name? Anger or hatred, I don’t know. I don’t remember of ever meeting you, but I remember the boy saying this to me, ‘if someone makes your heart hurt in a bad way, just kill them. Violence is the answer to many situations with exception when handling an entire country and making sure everyone is happy’.”

Amayomi ended up mentioning a quote too long to make sense, but her point was made across when a mini-sun and mini-moon appeared on her hands to Michael’s panic and she carelessly threw them at him.

Michael felt in his skin the same Nuala felt earlier, if he doesn’t stop this attack then Angels’ homeplace will be seriously damaged and he himself couldn’t stop the attack without making some sacrifices.

Fortunately to him, a similar scene as if staged occurred to his favor.

Slender fingers swiped around the attack and extinguished it completely, the Mother of All had appeared to save her subordinate’s life.

“Two of the curses were retired from you, it was Alex, wasn’t it? As expected of Lord Fourth, his power to make miracles and destroy everything is beyond someone like me can fathom.” She made the bowing Michael go back to their home and said. “My subordinate did an offense and that I apologize for, not to you Demons, but to the Humans living here that are the only reason we didn’t make a full attack here yet.

“We will probably only meet in the battlefield in at least fifteen years, so do your best to survive until then. I’m also talking to you that didn’t move a muscle even though your beloved city was almost burned down.” She looked to a certain place in the silver castle before disappearing as she pleased when all the pillars of light vanished.

And so, the first crises in this World War ended inconclusively, but to Nuala, they had won the first contact with the vile usurper God without even calling their own Divine and also by taking to themselves the key to the Humans’ victory.

Alexander.

Even though he isn’t special anymore as he was when the Slab still existed after he began to help the Demons and cracks were formed because of it, he was still a worthy ruler to the Demons and quite talented in using Essence. There was a chance he wouldn’t be the main key to defeat the Humans, but Nuala was sure he would at least contribute greatly to the Humans’ defeat.

Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

Though it wouldn’t make difference to her, Alex already had a place in her heart and if he was useless now she would make him the official ruler while locked in the castle for his own safety.

***

“Alex!” Solaris shouted flustered, her normal cold demeanor was broken as Alexander surged on the mansion pale and unconscious.

She tried to heal him but nothing she did could make Alexander’s complexion become better.

“Hey! Lion! What happened to Alex?!” Solaris was hysterical as Alex’s wellbeing got away from her firm grasp and lost all composure, ignoring even the explosion sound coming from the sky when a tear appeared on it while Michael appeared.

Zorenyth had a thick smile on his face looking to the symbol on Alex’s gauntlet. “It’s simple, Alex had finally acquired my Seal and broke his original Fate and Destiny. He is now a free boy who can do anything he wants, and finally ready to become a Demon in his Ascension Ceremony.”

“What being free has to do with being so feeble?” Solaris wasn’t mature as she showed normally, she was still a child that when something precious to her is in danger she can’t calmly rationalize.

“Oh, so you don’t know. It should be fine to tell you now why a human is living with us as if we are equals, no, he is superior to us and is our ruler. My son didn’t come back yet, after all.” Zorenyth procced to tell one of the biggest secrets of this country in the presence of his wife who also already knew the truth.

He told details of how Nuala killed Alex’s parents to raise him with qualities and mindset of a Demon - even to the point of making him hate humans by showing to him only their worst sides, not their good ones - to make cracks in a prophecy that would spell their own doom if left alone.

“Receiving my Seal was the last crack, he isn’t more Alexander from the prophecy and lost what made him special enough to be capable of reincarnating if dying before the destined time and other things. So now his Essence is berserk for not knowing how to flow in this ‘new’ Alexander, causing him to be so feeble. By tomorrow he should be fine if his talent for Essence is still the same.”

“Is that so? Thank you, Infarcerio’s Clan Leader for explaining this to me. If you excuse me, I have to take His Highness, no, he is the Grande Prince now, right? I have to take him to the castle so he can rest.” Solaris’ violet eyes were dead cold and her killing intent was so overwhelming that Hucleia shuddered at looking to her.

Carrying her ruler like a princess in her arms, Solaris slowly left the mansion with seemingly unknown thoughts until she remembered her whole life until now, how she suffered so much that even after puking or having her limbs cut from her, that person never gave her any respite. Now she knew the reason for it and why Alex needed her protection, her mere presence was there to continue to make cracks and be used to make Alex care more for Demons.

Just it, her entire existence was just to make some goddam stupid cracks in a nonsense prophecy. Her struggles and meaning of life were just for it and to continue to be Alex’s shadow when he truly becomes the Demons’ ruler.

Solaris’ frustration and hatred escaped from her control, she ended up gripping Alex tighter than necessary, causing him to grunt even though he should be unconscious.

She stopped and looked at Alex until she calmed down and relaxed.

Solaris knew very well who she hates now and who she likes.

And both of them wouldn’t escape from her, they would both receive her emotions in their full power.

Zorenyth sighed looking to the girl leaving, he also knew who would die today and felt slightly guilty.

He just wants now to his son endure for the rest of the time to him go sleep and make preparations for the World War.

***

In a bad lightened room in the Silver Castle’s underground, two Demons that were practically twins with how they looked alike faced each other. “Well done, Shadow. You had safely retrieved the Grand Prince, we were worried he could be attacked in the confusion but it seemed to have no problem.” The older one, Solaris’ mother, who forsaken her name to serve Nuala said.

“I only did the job I born to.” Solaris mechanically answered across the brown table they were.

“Good, it seems it is time for me finally give you our Arcanum Artifacts, the Grand Prince now needs more protection than ever.” Solaris’ mother gave a white mask with a yellow star on its entirety, making unknown if someone would be able to see while using it, and also gave a ring with a red jewel on it that no one from the Kahonusk’s clan was able to activate until now.

Solaris put on the mask and it immediately accepted her, the ring she put on her pockets. “Does it mean with this you can’t draw more the power of the extinct Phoenixes that are our Clan’s symbol nor regenerate yourself?”

“Yes, now I will have to be more careful to not die. But it is necessary to you have it, you shall your use your own body to protect the Grand Prince. And who knows? Maybe after he becomes an adult and a Demon, he will perceive how good of a job you did and let you warm his bed at least, though the position of lover and wife will be impossible with how little of political power you would bring to him if you marry him.”

“Thank you for giving me a hint about what I should do next, Mother,” Solaris formally bowed, her mother looked to her without understanding what was happening, “and goodbye.”

At the end of Solaris’ words with her Essence activating her secret weapon, her mother’s vision became disturbed and she fell over.

Black marks as if they were spiderwebs crawled through her entire body, causing the adult woman to scream in pain and have to use all of her Essence to just breathe and survive.

“Like it? That Blacksmith gave me this poison made with humans’ fluids when I said I wanted to kill someone between me and Alex, that old man is quite compassionate sometimes even though he doesn’t like me.” Solaris had a paper with pink powder that was the cause of the poison. “A shame it is useless on war and is more for assassination with their short-range effect and small lifespan.”

“Shadow! Do you-”

“Don’t call me by that name.” Solaris stomped hard on her mother until teeth flew around. “My name is Solaris, that’s the name he gave me.”

She fondly remembered of her most precious memory while she abused her own mother and put fire stakes on her.

“Are you okay? Why all the injuries? Tell me who bullied you and I won’t let them get away.” A child of two years and a half innocently asked the crying girl on the underground path he accidentally discovered.

The boy listened to a false story made by the girl and comforted her with his pure smile. “That doesn’t seem like very fun and your name shouldn’t be a noun. How about changing your name to Solaris? It means I want you to smile again like the sun and live freely by the language I learned yesterday with the big thing Mother called of Father and that I should I also call him like so."

It was the first time someone cared for Solaris’ mental and physical state, completely different from her mother who tortured her day and night with the purpose of making her ‘stronger’. “I would love to do the same thing you did to me to you gradually, seeing you squirming in terror, but it will take too long and there is a chance Alex will discover, so I will settle with just killing you. Be grateful for that.”

Her mother spat words thick with malice that showed her true side, but Solaris ignored her by stabbing at her brain before burning the dead body.

Solaris felt no satisfaction or guilt at killing her own mother, to her it was just another day of her killing someone to protect Alex, but even those days are now over.

“You took quite long to come here, that old man really did his part at distracting you,” Solaris said to the being materialized at the corner of the room with the poison’s antidote in hands. “But you were too late, your dear guard is now dead, I recommend searching for another, and if possible not a child abuser or with mental problems.”

Nuala sighed with a headache, it wasn’t the first time a Clan Leader was killed by their own child, however, she didn’t know how to explain this to Alex. “Shadow, you know I can take you right now for treason, right?”

“I don’t know about who you are talking about.” Solaris activated The Star with a ring of light behind her. “Today both Shadow Kahonusk who was the Grand Prince’s maid and her mother died by the hand of an Angel who tried to infiltrate the castle, you’re looking right now to Solaris Kahonusk, the newest Clan Leader. Are you trying to imprison a Clan Leader for no apparent reason?”

“You thought of everything, this time I lost.” Nuala gave up, she couldn’t kill the last one capable of using an Arcanum Artifact from the Kahonusk Clan.

“I now have things to deal as the new Clan Leader. Can you leave me alone now? And… don’t forget of contracting a new maid for the Grand Prince, his previous one is dead now and won’t come back to his side.”

“I can understand killing your mother, but why are you trying to distance yourself from Alex?”

“Someone like you would never understand, this conversation is over.” Solaris departed, in her head were only the words that bitch said earlier, ‘the position of lover and wife will be impossible with how little of political power you would bring to him if you marry him’, Solaris was in certain aspects a child too precocious.

She thought with her hand on her new mask. “Alex obeys too much Nuala, if so, he will for sure not be able to refuse his mother who will make a ‘deathmatch’ between the candidates to become the next queen and Alex’s wife. He thinks his body is for the country and will gladly marry any of the candidates that Nuala choose based on how much will be easier to control the army and entire country.

“Then I just need to have so much influence that Nuala will be forced to choose me that is worthy of him, after that…”

The red jewel faintly glowed in her pockets before becoming dull again.