Erik had never been fond of silence, and the silence of this temple was unlike anything he had ever experienced. It was a suffocating, oppressive stillness, punctuated only by the distant, rhythmic drip of water somewhere deep within the stone walls. The hallway stretched on ahead of him, dimly lit by flickering torches that cast long, wavering shadows. The air was thick with the scent of old incense, an almost bitter aroma that made his nose itch.
“Charming place,” the demon’s voice echoed sarcastically in Erik’s mind. “Really cozy. I’m sure the previous tenants weren’t ritualistically slaughtered or anything.”
“Can you not?” Erik muttered under his breath, trying to ignore the prickling feeling that ran down his spine with every step he took. The last thing he needed was to have a conversation with the demon while walking into what felt like the lion’s den.
Ahead of him, Aldric moved with practiced, deliberate strides. The paladin captain’s armor clinked softly with each step, his dark blue cloak trailing behind him like the shadow of authority. Erik could see the tension in Aldric’s shoulders, the set of his jaw—a man carrying the weight of his convictions and his doubts. Vesper and Bern followed, with Bern looking utterly out of place, his size making him stand out like a boulder in a forest.
The corridor narrowed and turned, revealing a large set of double doors, their surfaces engraved with intricate carvings depicting scenes of battle and glory. Aldric reached the doors first, placing a hand on the polished metal, and paused for a breath.
“Stay sharp,” Aldric said quietly, his voice barely audible over the echoing silence. “She does not take kindly to hesitation.”
The corridor narrowed and turned, revealing a large set of double doors, their surfaces engraved with intricate carvings depicting scenes of battle and glory. Erik paused before the doors, feeling a cold draft seep through the cracks. A deep breath did little to calm his nerves.
“So, what’s the plan?” the demon asked, its tone dripping with mockery. “Grovel? Beg? Or do you think you can charm her with your winning personality?”
Erik grimaced, following behind Captain Aldric.
With that, Aldric pushed the doors open, the ancient hinges groaning under the weight of centuries. Erik felt a cold draft seep through the cracks, carrying with it the scents of old incense and iron. A deep breath did little to calm his nerves.
The chamber beyond was vast, its ceiling arching high overhead, lost in shadows. Massive columns lined the room, each one adorned with banners of deep crimson, their edges frayed and worn with age. The only light came from a series of tall braziers that lined the walls, their flames casting a reddish glow that painted everything in shades of blood.
At the far end of the room, seated upon a throne carved from dark stone, was the Red Queen. She didn’t rise as Aldric approached, but her presence filled the room, commanding everyone’s attention. Her armor gleamed like polished obsidian, and her cape, a deep crimson, pooled around her like a pool of blood. Her face was partially obscured by a helmet adorned with twisted, silvered designs that looked both beautiful and sinister.
Aldric bowed deeply, his voice steady. “My Queen, I bring before you the candidates, as requested.”
The Red Queen’s eyes moved from Aldric to the trio behind him. She didn’t speak immediately, and the silence felt like a blade hanging over their heads. Finally, she inclined her head ever so slightly, a gesture that seemed both gracious and condescending.
Aldric straightened, gesturing for the group to step forward. Erik felt the weight of her gaze settle on him, like a physical pressure. He forced himself to meet her eyes—piercing blue, cold as winter frost.
Before Erik could speak, Vesper stepped forward, her voice soft yet carrying an underlying urgency. “It’s been a long time since I’ve stood in this chamber, my lady,” Vesper began, her eyes darting between Aldric and the Red Queen. “I never thought I would return, and certainly not under these circumstances. But… I am honored to be back here, and—” She hesitated, choosing her words carefully, “—and hopeful to train with you once again.”
The Red Queen’s eyes lingered on Vesper for a moment, and Erik could sense the tension in Vesper’s stance. There was an unspoken history here, something that made Vesper both reverent and wary of the Red Queen’s presence.
“A hopeful sentiment,” the Red Queen replied, her tone almost dismissive. “But hope, like faith, is a fragile thing in these dark times.”
Vesper opened her mouth to speak again, her voice tinged with urgency. “My lady, troubling reports of—”
“Eldritch beings,” the Red Queen interrupted, her voice sharp. “Yes, I am aware. Your reports are not new to me.”
Vesper’s mouth snapped shut, and a faint flush of embarrassment crossed her features. The Red Queen’s attention turned back to Erik, her gaze narrowing slightly
“However,” she continued, her tone carrying a hint of amusement, “what interests me more is not your reports, but the endurance of your companion here.”
The Red Queen’s eyes fixed on Erik, and he felt as though she were peeling back the layers of his mind with that icy stare. “To endure under the waterfall for so long… impressive,” she remarked, her voice deceptively calm. “But not as impressive as the amount of corruption that was purged from your body during the purity trial.”
Erik’s pulse quickened, but he held his tongue. He knew better than to interrupt.
“Only those with true corruption within their souls could expel such a dark taint,” the Red Queen continued, her voice growing colder. “Usually, those are demons.”
Erik felt the demon within him stir, its voice rising in agitation. “Oh, she’s good,” the demon murmured mockingly. “Real subtle. Think she’s been rehearsing?”
The Red Queen tilted her head slightly, studying Erik with an intensity that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. “And yet, there is something that feels different about you, inst there?”
Erik swallowed, feeling a chill run down his spine. “I didn’t ask for this,” he said, his voice strained. “A cult forced a demon into my soul after I was taken from my —”
“—forced it upon you,” the Red Queen finished, her voice dripping with skepticism. “A convenient excuse.”
Erik clenched his fists, feeling the familiar anger rise within him. “I didn’t choose this,” he insisted, trying to keep his voice steady.
“No?” the Red Queen asked, her tone almost mocking.
Erik swallowed, his throat dry. “I’m not your enemy,” he replied, hoping it sounded more convincing than it felt.
A flicker of something—amusement, perhaps—crossed her eyes, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared. “Not yet,” she said softly, almost as if speaking to herself.
“Oh, she’s lovely,” the demon whispered sarcastically in Erik’s mind. “Tell her she has a nice smile.”
The Red Queen’s eyes narrowed, and Erik felt the temperature in the room drop perceptibly as she rose from her throne, and Erik instinctively took a step back, his heart hammering in his chest.
She descended the steps with a slow, deliberate grace, her armor making only the faintest whisper of sound as she moved. When she reached the base of the steps, she stopped, her gaze fixed on him.
“Tell me, Erik,” she said, her voice barely more than a whisper. “Do you fear death?”
The question caught him off guard. He didn’t know how to answer. Did he fear death?
Erik’s jaw tightened, but he kept his voice steady. “I— I don’t fear death,” he replied, his voice firmer than he felt. “But I’d rather not die today.”
The Red Queen’s lips curved into a small, humorless smile. “You think your life holds any significance? You think your existence matters in the grand scheme of things?”
Erik wasn’t sure if she was mocking him or testing him—or both. He clenched his fists, feeling the familiar anger rise within him, but he forced it down. “I’m not here to fight you,” he said quietly. “I just want to find a way to live with what’s been done to me.”
The Red Queen’s smile faded, and for a moment, Erik thought he saw a flicker of something in her eyes—something almost human. But it was gone in an instant, replaced by cold, calculating resolve.
“And yet, I can feel that you are a danger.” she said, her voice returning to its cold, authoritative tone.
“My lady,” Vesper said, her voice trembling slightly. “Please… he’s not what you think.”
The Red Queen turned her gaze to Vesper, and Erik felt the temperature in the room drop even further. “A hopeful sentiment,” the Red Queen replied, her tone almost dismissive. “But hope, like faith, is a fragile thing.”
Vesper eyes immediately looked down at the grown and she backed away, almost as if wounded from the Red Queens comments.
Vesper hesitated, and Erik could see the conflict in her eyes as Vesper quickly veered her gaze down and away from the Red Queen in hiding a tear or shame. She glanced back up a the Red Queen to open her mouth to speak, but before she could find the words, a messenger burst into the room, bringing a scroll directly to the Red Queen.
“My lady,” he whispered, “a message from the High Paladin” as he presented sealed scroll with the mark of the High Paladin.
The Red Queen’s eyes widened ever so slightly upon reading the scroll, and a thin smile touched her lips. “How fortuitous,” she murmured. “It seems the decision has been made for me.”
Erik felt the tension rising as the Red Queen stepped forward, the distance between them shrinking to an arm’s length. Her eyes bore into his, and Erik felt a strange pressure in the back of his mind—a sensation like a great weight pressing down on him, trying to extract something hidden deep within.
Divine System user detected: Identify skill utilized
The demon within him roared in alarm. “MOVE!” it screamed.
Erik’s instincts took over, and he threw himself back several paces outside of the reach of the Red Queen or Captain Aldric.
“Impressive,” the Red Queen said, pulling out her sword that had been hidden behind her crimson cape, her eyes narrowing as she studied Erik. “You sensed it.”
Vesper and Bernhardt tensed, their hands moving to their weapons, but they remained where they stood, eyes locked on the Red Queen. Aldric’s expression was unreadable, his eyes narrowing slightly as he assessed the situation.
The air in the chamber grew heavier, the atmosphere thickening with an oppressive weight. Erik could feel this new sensation of pressure bearing down on him, his legs trembling as he fought to stay upright. It wasn’t just the weight of the Red Queen’s presence; it was something deeper, a force that seemed to resonate within his very bones, demanding he submit or be crushed.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Erik locked eyes with the Red Queen. In that fleeting moment, he knew that this was not just a battle of wills—it was a clash of something far greater, far more terrifying. He had to act. He had to see.
“Demonic Eyesight,” he thought, trying to push primal energy into his vision, focusing as hard as he could. At first, there was nothing, just the cold gaze of the Red Queen and the growing pain behind his eyes. Then, slowly, the world around him seemed to shift.
A notification flashed in his vision: Demonic Eyesight Engaged—Partial Activation Successful.
His eyes burned, feeling as if molten metal was being poured into his skull. The colors in the room began to change, hues bleeding together and reforming in shades he couldn’t name. His pupils dilated, and he saw his own reflection in the polished surface of the Red Queen’s armor—eyes glowing a deep red, with intricate geometric patterns pulsing within.
Another notification appeared:
Divine System User Detected. Identifying Aura Source… Identification Complete. Proceed?
Erik felt a surge of panic. The pressure around him was growing, the Red Queen’s hand tightening around her sword. He didn’t have time to think. “Yes!” he mentally commanded.
His vision rippled, and the world was unveiled. The Red Queen’s aura was no longer an unseen force—it was a crimson and gold tidal wave crashing down onto him, unrelenting and all-consuming. In his enhanced sight, he saw the sheer density of it, layered with countless runes and symbols, their meanings lost on him. It was as if her very presence was an oppressive law of the universe, and Erik was the anomaly that shouldn’t exist.
The system responded:
Aura Analysis Complete—Releasing Defense Protocols. Primal Core Limits Engaged. Core Release Authorized: 10%.
Erik felt his primal energy surge in response, flooding his limbs and steadying his stance. He took a deep breath, focusing on channeling the energy into his arms and legs to keep himself grounded. But the pressure was still there, and it wasn’t just physical—it was psychological, demanding he bow before the sheer weight of the Red Queen’s presence.
“Well, that was almost impressive,” the demon’s voice echoed in Erik’s mind, a dark chuckle accompanying the words. “But if you think your little trick is going to hold up against her, you’re even more naïve than I thought.”
“Shut up,” Erik muttered under his breath, trying to ignore the panic clawing at his chest. He needed to focus. “What do I do? She’s trying to kill me!”
“Obviously,” the demon replied, its tone dripping with sarcasm. “Do you feel the killing intent in her aura? It’s like staring into the eyes of a very angry angel with a grudge. Divine users hate our kind—part of their holier-than-thou nature. She’s strong, and she’s not holding back.”
Erik tried to steady his breathing, feeling the strain of the energy coursing through him. “Why… why does she want to kill me?”
“Did you not hear me the first time?” the demon snapped. “You’re caught in a war, genius. The Divine and Demonic systems have been at each other’s throats since before your great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather could swing a club. And you? You’re stuck right in the middle of it, because some cult decided it would be fun to shove demon into your soul to use you as a conduit for their own needs that ended up very much not working out for the demon or the cult.”
Erik felt his heart racing, his thoughts jumbled. He had always known something was wrong with him, but this? An eons-long war between forces he barely understood?
“Why am I in the middle of this?” he asked, trying to keep the desperation from his voice.
The demon sighed, almost as if it was tired of explaining. “Because the Mesh World—the world you call home—is the bridge between ours. It’s where the Divine and the Demonic clash, but it’s not the only one. There are other realms, other worlds with their own systems. Even humans have their own system, though they’re too greedy and short-sighted to do anything with it.”
“What do you mean?” Erik asked, feeling more confused than ever.
“The humans’ system,” the demon continued, “was once a thing of beauty—spiritual arts, mastery of magic, all that fancy stuff. But instead of passing it down, they hoarded it, buried it under their lust for power and control. So now it’s a lost art, and you’re left stumbling around in the dark with half-baked primal powers.”
“Primal powers…” Erik’s thoughts raced. He could feel his primal energy reserves still holding, and he knew he had to rely on them if he wanted to survive this.
The system’s notification flashed once more:
Primal Core Release 15% Authorized. Distributing Energy to Meridian Pathways. System Refresh Initiated.
Erik felt the burning sensation in his veins subside, replaced by a cooler, more controlled flow of energy. The pressure of the Red Queen’s aura seemed to lessen, his body adapting to the onslaught.
“Good,” the demon murmured approvingly. “You’ve got a little more time now, but you’re not out of the woods yet. And just so you know—keeping it ‘primal’ only gets you so far with divine users. They’ve got their own playbook, and this one’s barely getting started.”
The Red Queen raised her sword, her eyes narrowing as she assessed Erik’s stance. He could see the tension in her shoulders, the way her grip tightened around the hilt—she was preparing to strike, and she wasn’t going to hold back.
***
The Red Queen's divine interface was unlike anything Erik had ever experienced. Where Erik’s prompts came in sharp, rough and ragged crimson shapes and abrupt warnings, hers were elegant, almost serene. Golden threads of light wove through the air in front of her, forming patterns and symbols that seemed to pulse with a rhythm all their own. Her Divine Sight wasn’t just a series of reveals of different colors—it was a tapestry of light, a constantly shifting landscape of information that unfolded in radiant waves, each layer revealing more about the reality she was observing.
When she focused her thoughts, the patterns coalesced, turning into celestial glyphs that glowed with the purity of bright white and the warmth of molten gold. Words did not simply appear—they materialized gracefully, like ripples spreading across a pool of liquid light. The letters curved elegantly, their edges gilded in a divine aura, as if each message was being whispered into existence by the very essence of creation.
As she peered into Erik’s essence, the golden symbols began to rearrange themselves, forming circles within circles—sacred geometric shapes that spun slowly, reflecting the precision of the Divine System’s design. A whisper of pure light brushed against her senses, a gentle nudge from the system that communicated more through feeling and resonance than through simple language. The Red Queen’s eyes shone with divine energy, perceiving not just words but the intent behind each message.
A symbol of judgment—a perfect circle with wings extending from its sides—hung in the center of her vision, radiating a soft, golden glow. Around it, other symbols hovered, their edges shimmering in shades of light too pure for mortal eyes. There were ancient scripts that she instinctively understood, not through learned language, but as if the knowledge was part of her very being.
As she focused deeper, trying to pierce the veil that obscured Erik’s core, the system responded with a subtle shift in the golden lattice. Symbols that represented certainty and truth became hazy, flickering like stars on the verge of being swallowed by darkness. It was a rare sight for her—the Divine System was designed to be absolute, yet here it hesitated, unable to penetrate the mysteries within Erik’s being.
As the Red Queen raised her sword, ready to strike, a voice whispered in her mind—clear, stern, and almost dispassionate.
“Wait,” the voice of the mid-tier angel said, its tone carrying the authority of countless battles fought in the name of the Divine System. “There is more here than we understand.”
The Red Queen’s grip on her sword tightened, her blue eyes narrowing at the sight of Erik attempting to manifest a spectral maw in his palm. She felt the divine energy in her blood react, resisting the presence of such raw demonic power. “What are you suggesting?” she responded internally, her voice cold and controlled.
“He is not just a demon host,” the angel replied, its voice laced with an unsettling curiosity. “Look deeper.”
With a flicker of her thoughts, the Red Queen focused again, peering further into Erik’s essence.
But instead of the clear structure she expected—a demonic corruption rooted in a host—there was a contradiction. Erik’s core was simultaneously empty and full, a paradox that shouldn’t be possible. Her vision struggled to penetrate the layers of obscuring energy, only managing to decipher fragments of the truth.
“He’s a Lethri,” the angel’s voice murmured within her mind, tinged with confusion and awe. “Normal detection methods won’t suffice.”
The Red Queen didn’t need the reminder. The term Lethri was reserved for beings whose cores were fundamentally different, making traditional scans unreliable. It wasn’t that Erik’s essence was empty—it was that it held something beyond their comprehension.
What the Divine Sight revealed was only a partial truth. They could see the demonic energy within him, and it was unmistakably royal in nature—a powerful core bound to Erik’s soul like a parasite in symbiosis. There was also the unmistakable resonance of primal energy, a raw and unrefined power that Erik seemed to hold within himself. But the sight made it clear: neither the demonic energy nor the primal power truly belonged to him. Erik was merely a vessel for them, like a cup holding water that wasn’t its own.
“What is he?” the Red Queen whispered internally.
“Something ancient,” the angel replied, its voice both wary and intrigued. “He carries a core we cannot identify. Even the Divine System cannot decipher it. There is a shroud over this core, a safeguard created by the system itself—hidden even from us.”
The Red Queen’s thoughts raced. For all their power and knowledge, the Divine had never been completely infallible. There were always risks, threats that slipped through the cracks. But to encounter something deliberately obscured by the system they served—this was unprecedented.
“The Divine holds greater access and research than the Demonic,” the angel continued. “Our reach spans more worlds, more planes, and yet we’ve never encountered a Lethri like this—a host holding three distinct elements, all coexisting in one fragile human frame.”
The Red Queen’s gaze lingered on Erik. His demonic energy was like a storm cloud brewing within him, the primal energy a volatile sea beneath it, and yet there was something deeper—a third element, ancient and obscured, waiting in the abyss.
“It’s the title,” the angel said softly. “‘Eldritch Exorcist.’ It’s more than just a designation—it’s a sign of the system’s interference. The eldritch threat isn’t confined to this world, Red Queen. We’ve seen traces of it across countless realms, even within our own domains. If the system has created this Lethri, this hybrid, then the threat is far greater than we’ve known.”
The weight of the revelation settled heavily on the Red Queen’s shoulders. She was used to dealing with demons, abominations that sought to consume and corrupt. But this—this was different. Erik wasn’t just a demon host or a corrupted human. He was a weapon forged by forces she didn’t fully understand, bound by threads woven from worlds beyond her reach.
“What do we do?” she asked, her voice barely more than a whisper.
The angel’s response was cold and resolute. “We study him. We find out what this ancient core is, how he came to hold it, and why the system has shielded it from our sight. The threat he represents is too great to leave unchecked.”
The Red Queen’s grip on her sword tightened further. She couldn’t allow herself to hesitate. Erik wasn’t just a danger to her or her Order—he was a danger to every world that the Divine held sway over, and even to the Divine Realm itself. He had to be captured, understood, and if necessary… neutralized.
“He’s a Lethri,” the angel repeated, its voice heavy with meaning. “And the system has allowed him to exist. That means the eldritch threat is not just an anomaly—it’s a cosmic inevitability. And he may be the key to understanding it.”
The Red Queen’s resolve hardened. There was no more room for doubt. Erik wasn’t just a threat—he was a challenge to everything she stood for, and she would not allow him to remain a mystery.
In the depths of her vision, a final message rippled through the celestial fabric, written in symbols that only those bound to the Divine System could perceive. Each glyph glowed with a different shade of pure light, their edges defined by threads of gold that spiraled outwards, as if reflecting the cosmic web that tied all things together.
Divine Directive Received:
The words hung in the air, their meaning clear yet burdened with implications. The Red Queen felt the weight of this message and along with it a command, the sense of duty and uncertainty intertwining in her heart. As the radiant glyphs and golden symbols faded, the Red Queen felt an unexpected ripple of unease from within. Her internal divine spirit, a mid-tier angel assigned to her, stirred in an unusual way. The spirit’s voice, usually calm and steady, now carried a note of disbelief.
“An edict from the higher orders?” the angel’s voice echoed in her mind, tinged with astonishment. “This is unprecedented.”
The Red Queen maintained her composure, but internally, she acknowledged the significance of what she had just witnessed. A direct edict from the higher authorities within the Divine Realm was almost unheard of. Her spirit, an angel not typically given to emotions, continued with a tone that bordered on awe.
“To investigate or to purge,” the angel whispered. “They are allowing both options? Such choices are never given lightly. What kind of threat warrants such latitude?”
The Red Queen felt the weight of the words settle over her. The edict from her superiors wasn’t just a command—it was a recognition of something extraordinary, something that demanded more than the standard protocols. The authority to investigate was a rare blessing, but the permission to purge, if necessary, was an even rarer curse—a testament to the perceived danger of the being standing before her.
“This Lethri,” the angel continued, “to be granted such scrutiny by those above… I have never seen them extend this trust to a mortal affair, nor to a conflict of this nature. They must believe the balance itself is at stake.”
The Red Queen’s grip tightened around her sword, her resolve solidifying with the angel’s words. She had known her mission was critical, but now it was clear just how high the stakes truly were. The very involvement of her superiors, with their centuries of caution and deliberate detachment, indicated that Erik’s existence posed a threat beyond the immediate clash of divine and demonic forces.
“You must understand,” the angel’s voice softened, “this is not just a hunt for an abomination. This is a decision about whether to reshape the future of the Divine and Demonic orders, and possibly all the realms that connect them.”
For a moment, the Red Queen felt the burden of this revelation settle heavily upon her. She was a seasoned warrior, accustomed to making difficult decisions, but this… this was different. It wasn’t just a battle—it was a moment that could change the course of their world.
“I am prepared,” she thought back to the angel, her voice firm and unwavering.
The angel’s reply was solemn. “Then proceed, Red Queen. But know that the eyes of the higher realm are upon us.”