The Damned Demon

Chapter 751  He Will Always Be With Us

The Bloodburn Kingdom stood at the edge of chaos, whispers of their king's departure spreading like wildfire through the streets. Everywhere, confusion and fear gripped the hearts of its people as the announcement of the queen echoed through every corner of the land — their king would not be joining them in the coming war. He had gone to fulfill a duty elsewhere, a duty that only he could undertake but not something she could reveal.

As the news sank in, a heavy silence lingered over the kingdom. Men and women huddled together in groups, exchanging worried looks and hushed words. Would their king return in time to lead them? Could they survive without him by their side? Some feared that his absence might be a sign of doom, while others whispered that perhaps he was preparing for a greater battle — one that only he could face alone.

In the midst of all this confusion and worry, in a modest home at the heart of the kingdom, a humble demon family of four gathered close, their small living space filled with both warmth and an underlying sadness. The father, with his broad shoulders, tired eyes, and battle armor donning his figure, gently held the hands of his six-year-old twins as the mother stood beside him. He felt dismayed by the fact that there wasn't enough time for the soldiers to evacuate his children to a safe place, not unless their kingdom wasn't attacked in the next few days.

The boy, his dark orange eyes shimmering with uncertainty, looked up at his parents, his small brow furrowed. His twin sister, a lively girl with fiery red hair, clung to their mother's side, her dark eyes wide with confusion.

"Father, will the king be back soon?" the boy asked, his voice trembling with fear. "The soldiers say he's gone somewhere far... Does that mean we'll be okay?"

The father knelt down, bringing himself to eye level with the twins, his expression soft yet full of resolve, "The king is strong," he said, his voice steady but laced with an edge of concern, "He is doing what is best for all of us. We must believe in him. He won't abandon us. Our king will return, and when he does, he will lead us to victory. He always does."

"Your father is right," The mother said with a firm nod and a reassuring smile, "His Majesty took on the Draconian King and his small army to save our queen, almost killing that evil king in the process. He is an immortal being whom the devils sent to us to look over all of us. Once he is back, our enemies will tremble at just the very sight of him, and we all will be safe."

The little girl, her hands tightly gripping her mother's arm, looked up at her with wide eyes. "You promise, Mama? The king will come back and help our queen save us?"

The parents exchanged a look, one filled with silent reassurance and unwavering faith. The father placed a hand gently on the little girl's head, ruffling her fiery hair as he nodded. "I promise. He is our king, and has kept us safe from all those scary enemies of ours during these years. We just have to be strong until then and fight. That's the least we should do for him."

The twins, feeling their parents' warmth and certainty, nodded with wide, hopeful eyes. Their spirits lifted, and for a moment, the heavy weight of uncertainty lifted from their shoulders.

As the family sat together in the quiet of their home, they held onto the belief that their king would return in time. Though their hearts ached with worry, they knew in their souls that their king would not let them down. The Bloodburn Kingdom, though thrown into disarray, would stand united — waiting for their king to return, to lead them once more in the face of darkness.

And as the skies darkened, the shattered stars above the kingdom seemed to shine a little brighter, as if echoing the people's hope that their king would indeed come back.

—

The atmosphere in one of the halls of the Demonstone Castle was heavy, filled with a quiet sense of dread and unspoken words as Sabina, Silvia, Ceti, and Merina walked side by side. Their expressions were a reflection of the weight they all carried — disappointment in what just happened, sadness over Asher's absence, and worry for what was to come. They could feel the very air around them thick with fear, as if the kingdom itself sensed the impending doom.

As they approached a hallway intersection, Isola suddenly stepped in front of them, her face pale but resolute. Sabina, with her brow furrowed in frustration, stopped in her tracks and shot her a glare.

"What do you want now? If you plan to keep hiding the truth like her, just get out of the way. We'll find him on our own," Sabina spat, her voice laced with bitterness and hurt.

Silvia, standing beside her, pressed her lips tightly together, sadness in her eyes as she glanced at Isola. Ceti and Merina had their heads lowered, their gazes filled with concern and uncertainty.

Isola let out a soft, sorrowful sigh, her voice steady but full of weight, "Please don't do that. My parents just told me that the draconians are already ready to wage war, and you won't be able to find him in time. He isn't even in our lands anymore." Her eyes met Sabina's with genuine regret. "Please, don't do anything that might endanger our people further."

Sabina's jaw clenched, her frustration boiling over, "So you just stopped us just to say what we already know? How dare you…" she bit out, her voice sharp like a blade.

"Sabina..." Silvia's voice was soft but firm as she placed a hand on her shoulder, her eyes pleading for her to hold back. She understood Sabina's grief, but the harshness wasn't helping. She knew Isola was hurting as much as them but was trying to be strong for their sake as well.

Isola shook her head slowly, her expression sorrowful but unyielding, "I wanted to also say that I will tell you the truth once we survive this war. I can't say it before, I'm sorry." Her voice trembled, knowing how much pain the truth would bring, "And I'm sure that's why Rowena hasn't told you yet. But we have to make it through this first, for the sake of everything we've fought for."

Isola knew that they deserved to know the truth as well now that Rowena knew. She knew Asher would want the same.

But she also knew that if she told them the truth now, they might feel betrayed and hurt, just like Rowena did, and it would affect the way they might fight in the war. And so she decided to hold off until this war was over. She didn't want to take that risk now.

Sabina's eyes burned with fury, her voice cutting through the air with bitter frustration, "You mean by some miracle we manage to survive this hopeless war now that our husband isn't even with us?" She let out a dry, humorless laugh, "What good is hope when everything we had is falling apart?"

The silence that followed her words was thick with emotion. Ceti, Merina, and Silvia exchanged glances, their faces stricken with the same pain. The truth hung heavily in the air, like an anchor around their hearts, pulling them deeper into despair.

"We shouldn't lose hope," Isola said softly, her voice filled with gentle reassurance, "Asher will always be with us, even if he's not physically beside us. That's what he would want us to do — to fight, to survive, for him, for our kingdoms, for everyone."

Sabina's eyes flickered with something close to anger, but it was tinged with a desperate sadness. She clenched her fists, fighting against the tears that threatened to rise. Then, with a dry chuckle, she shook her head, "Turns out, you're even more annoying than her," Sabina said, her voice cracking slightly, but the edge of frustration still there, "Thanks for nothing, Isola."

Without another word, she walked past Isola, deliberately bumping her shoulder against the Isola's as she moved forward. The others watched Sabina's retreating figure, the silence between them speaking volumes of the pain they all felt.

"Sorry, Isola," Silvia said softly, her eyes soft, "Sabina's just... she's really hurting right now. She didn't mean it."

Ceti nodded in agreement, her eyes sad, "We're all just... feeling lost without him. And she's right about one thing... We might not survive this war without him. We wouldn't even have lasted this long without him."

However, she couldn't help but fear as glimpses of the nightmare she had seen flashed in her mind again, wondering if Asher's disappearance was related to it.

But there was nothing she could do now. Merina wiped her eyes quickly, trying to hold back the tears as her chest tightened with worry for her master and the fear of not being able to see him again.

Isola's heart broke for them, but she kept her composure, "I know," she said, her voice full of determination, "but I meant it when I said Asher will always be with us, even if he isn't here now. We will fight to survive, like we always have — and for his sake and for our people's. Never forget that, all of you," Isola herself knew their imminent future was looking bleak. Still,  in Asher's stead, she wanted to remain strong for them.

But what she knew for sure was that Asher wouldn't give up just because he was exiled. She had faith he would be there for them, including Rowena, one way or the other.

With that, she turned and walked away, her shimmering white hair sweeping behind her as she disappeared down the corridor, leaving the others to wrestle with their doubts and fears.