Javic's decayed hands tore open the sinister energy spiraling in midair. The smell of death flooded the air as numerous hands reached out from behind Javic and held the portal open. Javic strolled onto the training area with light steps, bathing in the moonlight as the portal remained open behind them. Murky ooze dripped onto the dirt floors, contaminating the soil as black vapor rose from each spot. A chaotic humming sound leaked out of the gaps in Javic's teeth as it delightfully stood in the center of everyone. Embracing the limelight of the entirety of Cronia.

The guards sounded the alarms as more gathered around with their weapons drawn. Each one coated their weapons in an aura that matched their most proficient element with worried looks on their face. From the walls, several guards drew their bows and notched their arrows. They fixated their gazes on Javic, who stepped towards Claire and Raphael. Stella and David swiftly pushed the children behind them while glaring at Javic. From Paul's brief report, everyone knew of the demon's appearance, but no one knew it would appear in the center of their base.

David turned to Stella and quietly whispered, "Take them and run."

A look of fright-filled Stella's eyes as she stared at David. But she knew he was right; the children would only be a burden in this battle. She nodded, ushering the children to follow her as the other guards moved past them. But before they could move their bodies quivered as Stella’s hands pressed against their shoulders.

"Young ones, come with me," Javic's voice was like nails scrapping against a glass surface. "I won't hurt you."

Raphael and Claire could feel the joyful voice dig deep into their souls as the whispers sent shivers down their spines. It felt like their world was sinking as each word made their vision tremble, and within seconds, they fainted from the pressure that came crumbling down upon them. As their bodies fell, Stella quickly dropped her bow and caught them. With no choice, David stared at the rookie guards and turned away, resigning them to their fate. He quickly gestured for Stella to follow before immediately running towards the gate.

The guards quickly surrounded Javic as arrows were released from their bowstrings. In seconds, dozens of arrows rained down upon Javic from all directions as the sinister energy spewed forth. Javic's eyes danced around, examining each arrow with curiosity. As the arrows cleaved through the air, the iron arrowheads were split in two as several blades sliced through them with ease. The guards clenched their weapons as bonelike blades emerged from the rift. With each demonic step that took place, the guards involuntarily retreated as a ripple of fear coursed through their ranks.

Seven demons had ascended onto their realm, each mirroring the other. Their skin was carefully stitched together, and blood oozed from the black threads composed of aura. Each demon had four bone-blade arms and a thick exoskeleton that covered its body like a suit of armor.

"Make way for me. Kill them if you must." Javic's playful grin made the hair on the back of the guards stand.

The demons silently nodded before rushing forth in an unrelenting frenzy. With a thunderous step, the ground shuddered beneath the weight of their advance. The guards trembled with their spears in hand as the demons drew closer.

Their hearts were filled with fear and determination as they steadied their breaths. One by one, their spears were raised at the demonic forces charging at them, forming a wall of spears. In contrast, the demons crossed their blades before their chests and pierced through the ranks of the defenders.

Iron and flesh met instantly as the two sides became entangled in a chaotic clash that shook the ground. Spears were splintered with each swing of their demonic limbs as they cut through whoever stood in their way. The brutal and relentless assault was met with countless spears that pierced their body, but their unmatched tenacity and regeneration made them unparalleled to the guards before them.

Rotting blood seeped from the gaping wounds inflicted on their patchwork bodies as several spearheads lodged themselves into their skin. Black blood stained the earth as a sinister mist rose from each spot. In their trail of carnage were countless broken weapons and fallen guards.

Javic happily hummed while walking towards the gates. Yet from the corners of their eyes, a flash of violet and silver hurled towards them. A deafening sound resonated as the blade collided with the black aura surrounding Javic's body. Carl stood still while brandishing another sword and approached Javic, who continued walking.

"You fiend!" Carl shouted as the other captains rallied around him.

Despite Carl's furious voice, Javic glanced at him and the remaining guards. The demons followed Javic's gaze and immediately split into two groups. One held off the guards in the training area, and the other intercepted the captains in the tower.

With no reason to stay, Javic followed Raphael and Claire's trail with a merry yet diabolical tone while humming. Indulging in the sound of screams and bloodshed of those on the battlefield as flesh and bones clashed against metal.

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"Where do we go?!" Stella desperately asked while carrying Raphael and Claire.

"We need to find Arthur and the other guards! They said they were at the slums, so we need to reach them before that thing catches up!" David hurriedly answered as they ran down the alleyway.

Their frantic running grew heavier as their footsteps echoed in the dissolute cobblestone path. The hollow sound that filled the air left a sense of dread in their minds as they drew closer to the slums. Yet the closer they appeared, the quieter it became. Not a single guard was seen in the past few minutes, and those who were supposed to be patrolling the alleyways had disappeared.

David's sword was drawn as he led the way to the strike teams' location. But as he arrived on the street where the other strike teams were supposed to be, the color drained from his face. In the center of the street was a demonic figure wearing a cloak made of decaying flesh. The bonelike blades had sharp ridges along their ends as they tore apart the guards. Its body was covered in a dense exoskeleton composed of charred bones.

The demon impaled a priest into the air, their blood-stained white robes with golden lining swayed in the wind. Like an ocean’s wave, blood violently gushed out of the priest's neck as the demon tore into their flesh, and upon noticing David and Stella, it glared in their direction before flinging the priest's body to the side.

Bodies of guards and priests were mangled and spread throughout the wide stone road. Several limbs could be seen plastered on the ground as those who were still alive wore looks of anguish.

"I'll buy time," David said, tightly clenching onto the hilt of his sword.

"No! I can't leave you!" Stella pleaded.

"They're not after us. They're after them." David glanced at the unconscious children in Stella's arms and said, "Stella, I don't want to argue or raise my voice; get them out of here."

Stella bit her lip, but as soon as she turned around, a woman's figure slowly approached them. The eerie melody from the humming sound made her shoulders tremble as she dropped to her knees. Shadows loomed over Javic with each fleeting step. It felt like the demon was speaking to her, but there was no sound. The non-existent voice that willed itself into her head after each note chipped away at her mental fortitude.

They were blocked from both sides and seeing this, David gritted his teeth before forcefully pulling Stella to her feet.

"Hold onto them." With all his might, he grabbed onto the collar of Stella's shirt and threw them into the air.

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As Stella, Raphael, and Claire were nearly above the houses. David drew a single character with his index finger as mana flowed out of his body. The rune drawn in the air absorbed the mana and manifested a gust of wind that propelled them onto the rooftops.

A terrifying roar resounded from the side as David glared at the cloaked demon charging towards him with reckless abandonment. Their blades clashed as streaks of silver ricocheted through the darkness.

David scowled as he observed the demon. The murky aura that enveloped the demon was unlike anything he had ever seen. No matter how often he attempted to overpower the sinister energy, it had no effect. Instead, his azure aura was being dissipated in each exchange. In an anguished attempt to create space, David firmly planted his foot and launched a devastating sidekick that sent a powerful shockwave through the area. The sound of bones cracking loudly echoed as the demon's chest caved in, but it didn't move a single inch as David's foot lodged itself into its exoskeleton.

With a devilish grin on its face as it revealed its razor-sharp fangs. The demon seized the opportunity as it pierced David's shoulder with its blade and squealed in delight upon inflicting the wound. David's face twisted in pain, he immediately leaped back while pressing firmly against the wound. With a look of horror, David watched as the caved-in chest swiftly healed itself. The aura around the demon solidified as if it was copying him and grew more vibrant.

He then looked behind him and noticed that Javic had vanished during their brief exchange. With fear in his eyes, his sword clashed against the cloaked demon's blades, painting several arcs of light as they traded blows. David's anxiety grew stronger by the minute as his aura burst forth like a relentless tide. He held his sword with both hands above his head, and in one fluid motion, a downward slash surged forth, creating a devastating slash of aura that froze its surroundings as it raced towards the cloaked demon.

In retaliation, the sinister energy exploded from the center of the cloaked demon's chest and desperately fought against David's attack. Unable to withstand its intensity, it was frozen solid as the aura slash slammed into its body.

Without wasting a second, David swiftly leaped toward the rooftops while drawing a gust rune behind him. Instantly, he was propelled onto the roof and chased after the wicked energy that was like a beacon in the night sky.

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Stella frantically ran on the clay ridges, jumping across the gaps between each rooftop. The frightening melody drew closer with each fleeting moment. Her flat-bottom shoes made it uncomfortable to run as she carried the unconscious Raphael and Claire, and no matter what she did, they wouldn't wake up. The skin around her heels slowly bled as the end of her shoe dug into her feet.

As her legs gave out, Stella's tears left shimmering trails down her cheeks as they fell onto Raphael and Claire's faces. Even though she wanted to run, her body wouldn't listen as her strength disappeared. Faced with the severity of the situation, she glared at Javic, who longingly stared at the children in her arms.

"Someone please...please help," Stella cried as she fell to her knees.

The sickening aura from Javic's body made her tremble as she tightly held on to Claire and Raphael, refusing to give them to the demon standing before her. Javic's eyes met the sharp glare from Stella with amusement as their aura wrapped around her body. Slowly prying the children's bodies from Stella's fingertips as she desperately tried to hold onto their hands.

"Thy souls is not as brilliant as the young one from dawn. But thy vessel's life is adequate," Javic happily whispered into their ears.

Javic's gaze shifted to Stella, who strained her body as she hopelessly struggled against the sinister force that restrained her. The delightful smile on Javic's face contrasted vastly with the fiery glare contained within Stella's eyes, which were ignited with anger and resentment. Yet, as Javic was in the middle of deciding Stella's fate, a faint set of footsteps caught their attention.

Glancing into the distance, David's ragged figure appeared. His iron armor was torn off from the shoulder, and blood dripped down his arms as he worriedly stared at Stella, whose body was hovering on the edge of the rooftop.

Javic's grin widened as it watched the desperation in David's eyes vigorously flicker between the woman and the children. From afar, the cloaked demon was closing the gap between them and frantically charged at Stella's helpless body.

A thrilling situation had developed before Javic's very existence, and they couldn't help but squeal at the opportunity. David's heart beated uncontrollably as every muscle tensed. He was rooted with fear as the demon dangled Stella in the air. The force surrounding her tightened as she cried out in pain.

"No!" David screamed at the top of his lungs as Javic's ominous smile grew.

David desperately thought about what he could do as he slowly bled out from his wound. His breathing became unstable as sweat dripped down from his forehead, and his eyes darted back and forth between the children and Stella. He stood at a crossroads as he was torn between the two paths before him, which weighed on his conscience.

He swore an oath as a guard to protect the people of Cronia from all harm, and he upheld that oath with each passing day. Even as he dreamed of being a father, watching the demon cradle the children, and the unimaginable horror that would befall them if they were taken away shook him to his core.

But on the other side was Stella, his love, his wife. Her warm smile and tender embrace filled him with strength and courage no matter how difficult his day was. When he came home, she was always there waiting for him, and despite his faults, Stella loved him regardless.

"Don't worry about me! Save the children!" Stella cried out.

Seeing Stella resolve herself formed cracks within David's heart as he drowned in his thoughts. The thought of opening the door to their home and Stella no longer being there left a wound that ached unlike any other. As David watched the dark energy surrounding Stella vanish, her body entered a free fall and with it, a single thought lingered in his mind.

A world without Stella wasn't worth living for.

David immediately ran after Stella who fell from the rooftop while drawing a gust rune behind him. The wind blew him forth at an alarming speed as his body glided across the tiles. From the corner of his eye, he could see the cloaked demon approaching them as it grinded its bladed limbs together. Sparks danced from the edges of the blades, and once it drew closer, it slashed the air before its chest, creating a gash of aura that rushed toward them.

He gritted his teeth at the incoming attack and watched it tear apart the clay ridges perfectly lined up across the rooftop. In a desperate attempt to defend Stella, David ignored the pain and forced the azure aura coursing through his body to cover his sword once more. His green eyes reflected the moonlight as his brown hair swayed from the current generated by his blade. He stood directly in the path of the attack and drew an upward arc as his blade collided with the black aura. His feet left the ground as he deflected the strike. Sending the sinister energy into the sky along with the stars.

Before the cloaked demon could react, a flash of blue light soared through the air toward its head. As the sword buried itself within one of its eye sockets, the demon released a deafening scream that shattered the windows below. But David paid no attention to it. Even though he knew that he was forfeiting his life by throwing his weapon, he needed to buy time.

As the gust runes and momentum from the demon's attack sent him hurtling off the rooftop, he saw Stella's figure falling to the ground and quickly drew another rune in the air, creating a fierce breeze that sent him to Stella. He reached out towards Stella and grabbed onto her hand. Pulling her close to his chest and, with the last of his mana, drew one last rune of gust to soften their fall as the upward draft gently propelled them up.

Stella pushed against David's hold and yelled. "David, stop! We have to save Raphael and Claire!"

As Stella stared at him, David gritted his teeth and ignored her as he sprinted down the cobblestone road. He knew he was being selfish, but there was no other choice. He had to get Stella to safety first before pursuing the demon. Glancing behind him, it was clear that they weren't being chased. His footsteps were the only sound on the road, but as he was lost in his thoughts, a crisp slap landed on his cheek, leaving a bright red mark. David stared at Stella's watery eyes and sighed. Her trembling shoulders and fierce slaps freed her from his embrace.

"Stella...listen to me..." David pleaded.

"No! How could you abandon them!" Stella angrily yelled. "I told you to save them! You could have saved them!"

"I know..." David quietly said.

"Then why didn't you?" Stella's voice quivered with each word. "Why didn't you save them?"

"Because I had to make a choice, and if I had to choose again, it would be the same," David softly replied.

Frustration grew within Stella as she cried out, "I hate this about you! Don't you know how evil those demons are! There's no telling what they would do to Raphael and Claire!"

"I know, but at least you're still here to hate me!" David angrily shouted. "If I saved them, then you would have died falling from that height!"

"And I was fine with that!" Stella yelled back.

"But I wasn't!" David screamed. They stood still, their hearts pounding like relentless waves crashing against a rocky cliff. David was torn about his decision, but he didn’t regret it. He quietly muttered, “I wasn’t…”

After all the yelling and shouting, their winded breathing and flushed faces left them mentally exhausted. Yet Stella refused to make eye contact with David. Turning away from him, she stepped towards the slums but felt a tug from her shirt. Her glare fiercely pierced David, who reluctantly let go and watched as she walked away. A bitter feeling of sadness swelled within him as he watched her fading silhouette.