Vengeful Ascension: The Rise of a Demon Emperor

Smoke and ash choked the air, blending into a sky painted red with fire. The city of Breles crumbled, screams echoing between broken walls. Adrian Falter stood at the edge of chaos, his crimson eyes blazing through the haze. By his side sat Mohan, slumped in a makeshift cart Adrian had fashioned, a hollow shadow of the leader he once was. Though Mohan could still move, the weight of his shattered mana pathways left him fragile, like a blade chipped at the edge.

They hadn't spoken for a while. The silence between them was thick, weighed by unspoken truths neither dared address. Mohan, despite his weakened state, carried the spirit of a warrior. It was Adrian who broke the silence, his voice low and strained.

"We need to move. They're coming."

Mohan gave a hollow chuckle, lifting his head. His eyes, though duller now, still held that spark Adrian had always admired. "Demons and traitors both… It's hard to tell which smells worse."

Adrian smirked faintly, though his expression quickly hardened. "We don't have time for jokes."

"Joking is all I've got left, kid." Mohan grunted as he shifted to stand, his hands shaking as he steadied himself.

From the shadow of the alley, the first enemy emerged. A hulking demon, its jagged claws dripping with something black and viscous.

Adrian stepped in front of Mohan instinctively, sword flashing to life with a dark, pulsating aura. The demon lunged, and Adrian met it head-on. "[Infernal Slash!]" he shouted, his voice ringing with power. The blade cleaved through the demon in a burst of shadowy light, its form collapsing into ash.

More followed.

"Adrian, behind!" Mohan barked.

Adrian spun, catching a smaller demon mid-leap with a backhanded swing. His movements were sharper, faster than they'd ever been—a cruel gift from his transformation. Yet his breaths were already labored; his power came at a cost.

Mohan, though unable to fight with magic, picked up a broken spear from the ground. He hurled it into an approaching demon's skull with deadly accuracy, his aim steady even as his body faltered.

"I can still hit my mark," Mohan muttered through gritted teeth, pride flickering in his voice.

"Stay close to me," Adrian ordered, parrying another strike. "I'll handle this."

But Mohan didn't listen. He never did.

Through the chaos, armored figures strode into view—soldiers of the Alliance of Blood and Coin. Their polished armor gleamed, untouched by the carnage around them. At their head was a man in crimson armor, his face hidden behind a wolf-shaped helm.

"Well, look at this," the commander said, his voice sharp with derision. "Adrian Falter. Alive and playing hero again."

Adrian's blood boiled. "You… You're with the Alliance?"

The commander spread his arms, mockingly proud. "You didn't think we'd stop at tearing down the empire, did you? You and your crippled leader are the last gasps of a dying flame."

Mohan tightened his grip on a broken plank of wood. "You talk a lot for a man hiding behind a helmet."

The commander laughed, unfazed. "I don't need to hide. I already know how this ends." He gestured to his men. "Kill them both."

Adrian charged, his blade meeting the soldiers' weapons with furious precision. The crimson glow of his eyes burned like embers as he tore through the ranks. Steel clashed, sparks flew, and bodies fell.

But even as he fought, Adrian's senses were fractured, split between the enemies and Mohan behind him.

"Mohan!" Adrian called, glancing back as two soldiers approached the older man. Mohan swung his plank like a club, knocking one soldier to the ground. But the second was quicker. The blade flashed, grazing Mohan's side.

Adrian's heart lurched. "Stay with me, old man!"

"Don't—focus on yourself!" Mohan shouted back, blood staining his tattered clothes.

Adrian roared in fury, his strikes becoming a storm of shadows. Soldiers fell before him, but the price was steep. His arms ached, his stamina slipping.

Then, a deep, guttural growl shook the air.

From the flames emerged a towering demon, twice the size of the others. Its crimson eyes locked onto Mohan like a predator finding prey. Before Adrian could react, the creature lunged.

"MOHAN, MOVE!"

But Mohan couldn't—not in time. The demon's jagged claw struck true, piercing through his abdomen. Blood sprayed against the cobblestones as Mohan gasped, his body crumpling.

Adrian's world froze.

His voice was hoarse. "No. No, no, NO!"

He sprinted toward Mohan, his sword forgotten as he fell to his knees beside the old warrior. Mohan coughed, blood bubbling at his lips.

"Adrian…" Mohan whispered, his voice faint.

"Stay with me. Please," Adrian begged, his hands trembling as he pressed against the wound. "I can fix this. Just hold on."

Mohan's hand reached up weakly, grasping Adrian's wrist. "You… You can't save everyone, kid."

"Don't say that!" Adrian choked out, tears streaming down his pale face. "You're not dying here. Not like this!"

Mohan's smile was faint but real, even through the pain. "You're stronger than this, Adrian. Stronger than… you think."

His hand fell limp. His chest stilled.

And then, silence.

Adrian sat frozen, his hands still pressed against Mohan's lifeless body. The weight of the loss crushed him, squeezing the air from his lungs.

"No…" he whispered, his voice breaking. "Not you. Not you too."

The soldiers of the Alliance, the demons—all of them paused, watching the scene unfold. Adrian's head hung low, his white hair falling over his crimson eyes.

Then, the air shifted.

A dark energy pulsed from Adrian, rippling outward like a storm. The markings on his pale skin flared to life, glowing with a malevolent light. The shadows around him stirred unnaturally, curling like smoke.

The Alliance commander took a step back. "What… what is this?"

Adrian stood slowly, his gaze rising to meet theirs. The glow in his eyes burned hotter than fire, his voice carrying a bone-chilling edge.

"You took him from me," Adrian said softly, his tone devoid of emotion. "You took everything."

The commander hesitated. "Kill him!"

Adrian raised his hand, the energy building within him a torrent of fury. "[Drain.]"

The ground trembled as waves of black energy erupted from him, consuming everything in his path. Soldiers were thrown like ragdolls, demons howled as they disintegrated. The commander screamed, his voice drowned beneath the roar of Adrian's power.

When the dust settled, Adrian stood alone in the ruins, the shadows slowly dissipating. His sword lay forgotten at his side. Mohan's body remained still, untouched by the destruction around him.

Adrian fell to his knees beside him once more, the rage leaving him hollow. The man who had believed in him, who had guided him through so much, was gone.

"I couldn't save you," Adrian whispered, his voice shaking.

For the first time in a long time, he felt truly alone.