“What did you do?” shouted Dreu. “What was that spell you casted on me?”

“Xemir had tolerated the thorns by his side long enough and granted me, his Left Arm, the ability to permanently wipe out the roster you inherited from the former emperor. It’s not all bad! Once you learn how to use the Emperor Class, you will have summons who are not only loyal but are also fully aligned with your visions. Bayard and his crew are relics from a past best left in the past. They were merely holding you back from your full potential!”

“The Right Arm of Xemir offered me a throne but there is no one to rule over. What’s the point of becoming an emperor when all those around you are dead?”

“My apologies,” said Rowan as he bowed. “The great Xemir has foreseen this and granted me this powerful spell.”

Rowan’s armor steadily became brighter until it was far too bright for Dreu to look at it directly. Then, the light vanished without warning with a gentle breeze blowing past the young man. Seconds later, the humans at the castle entrance stood up and checked their bodies. Their body language highlighted their confusion. Given that resurrection spells were exceptionally rare and generally worked on only a single target, Dreu’s mind struggled to grasp what was happening before his eyes.

“The great Xemir anticipated losses in this war so he prepared this powerful spell to speed up the rebuilding. All humans within the kingdom are affected and are currently revived as we speak. Despite the destruction caused by the demons exceeding what he has foreseen, the revival of all the humans will ensure a speedy recovery to the kingdom. In a few years, you shall be crowned the emperor of Ittoroth. You won't have to worry about a throne with no subjects. Now, join us!”

Rowan offered a hand with promise of power, wealth and fame. Dreu wondered about his options but Azorius simply laid them out to him.

“Let me also make this point, Dreu. You are now defenseless. The demons are vanquished. Your summons are gone. Your blade cannot save you against us. I think the choice is obvious. Serve Xemir and you will have no regrets. Refuse and only death awaits you! Don’t expect this generous offer to last indefinitely. I am not as patient as the Right Arm here.”

Dreu pondered the words of the former king and couldn’t see fault in the demi-god's logic. He was indeed without allies. By himself, he couldn’t hope to land a blow on the demi-gods, much less defeat them. If he was dead, then he had no chance of avenging his family along with Bayard and the others. Before the young man could accept the offer, darkness formed beneath Rowan and Azorious, rooting them to the ground.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

“Go through that portal now!” shouted a voice with much urgency.

Dreu turned to see Eglallin shouting at him. The demoness was still on one knee and she looked like she was barely staying conscious. He then followed her gaze to the portal about twenty meters away. The portal looked similar to those atop the walls when the demons were teleported in for the attacks earlier. With a rough idea of where they led to, he dashed towards the portal. It didn’t take long before he felt a presence quickly gaining on him.

“You’re a fool, peasant! I'll be sure to let you join the other traitors who dared to oppose Xemir!”

Azorius’ voice sent shivers down Dreu’s spine but the young man kept running. He refused to let fear stop him. In a way, his desire for revenge also contributed to his drive to run faster. Yet, he could feel their gap closing rapidly while he was only halfway to the portal. As he felt a hand reach for him, an unknown being appeared between him and Azorius.

“Don’t stop to look! Keep running!”

Urged on by Eglallin, Dreu resisted his curiosity and reached the portal. As he stepped through, he turned his head to see two scenes. One was Rowan delivering the final blow to Eglallin with his sword beheading the demoness. The second scene was Azorius crossing blade with the being responsible for Geoff’s death in the Cleric Fortress of Ujun. Before he could see that victor in the second scene, the portal closed behind him and darkness embraced him. As he floated in the darkness, Dreu felt a presence approaching behind him. He struggled awkwardly to turn around and was stunned at the sight of Eglallin gliding towards him.

“I know what you’re thinking,” said the being, “but Eglallin is now dead. With the last of her powers, she opened the portal and summoned me as your guide.”

“This was not what I expected when it comes to portals.”

“Were you expecting more instantaneous travel? I fear we demons don’t have such a useful spell around. For large scale invasions, we still have to worry about logistics due to their importance in any war.”

“I know it’s a dumb question but where are we headed? Xemir prefers to keep demon knowledge hidden for most in the kingdom.”

“Gujash.”

“Gujash?”

“Yes, Gujash, the capital city of the demons.”

“Why am I headed there?”

“You will be meeting a very wise demon. He may help you to the best of his abilities with the spell Azorius casted on you. Eglallin was conscious when they spoke of taking away your allies. She wanted to share that the demons will fight by your side as long as you remain an enemy of Xemir. At Gujash, you will find allies with the common goal of defeating the kingdom. Of course, this is assuming that you haven't given up on fighting them.”

“I have a bone to pick with him and his Right Arm. I won’t stop until I get my revenge.”

At the mention of revenge, Dreu felt his blade warming up to the touch. He wondered if his blade was responding to the anger within him. Recalling what Bayard said, he took several deep breaths to calm himself.

“You will get a chance! What happened in Xante was expected and we made countermeasures.”