The Damned Demon

Not long ago, deep beneath the silent earth, hidden within the eerie shadows of the underground ruins, Ravina was growing increasingly restless. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Her little heart was thumping fast, her tiny fingers clenched tightly at her sides. Dark golden eyes anxiously darted around the spacious chamber, glancing towards her aunts, Sabina, Silvia, Merina, and Esther, huddled together with expressions that only deepened her unease.

The air felt suffocating, charged with an unspoken fear that made Ravina’s chest tighten.

"I...I can’t reach Asher, nor Rowena, nor any of them," Sabina was murmuring, her delicate brows knitted together tightly as she glanced at the others. Her voice held a tremor she’d never heard before. "The last thing they told us was to stay here, no matter what. But I have this awful feeling... I’ve never heard Isola sound so grave, so broken."

Merina stepped closer, clasping her hands anxiously, shaking her head to reassure herself as much as the others. "But what could possibly have caused that? Master is stronger than ever, there’s nothing alive that could possibly overwhelm him now."

"Merina is right. So please don’t speak as though something terrible has happened," Silvia whispered, her voice taut, gripping Sabina’s hand tightly, as if seeking strength from her sister. "Our husband and the others will come back. They must. We can’t lose hope now."

Esther, standing quietly but with resolute firmness in her eyes, nodded solemnly. "That’s right. Now isn’t the time to fall apart. Especially not in front of Ravina. If we show fear, then she will sense it too—"

"UWAHHHH!!!"

But Esther’s words were cut short by the trembling, desperate cry that filled the cavernous chamber:

"Ravina wants to go to Papa and Mama now!" Tears spilled freely down her pale cheeks, dark golden eyes sparkling with painful urgency. "They need Ravina! Ravina can feel it!"

All four women turned immediately, hearts aching at the sight of her distressed face and even more after hearing her words.

Merina rushed forward instantly, her silvery hair cascading gently around her as she knelt down to gather Ravina into her arms. "Shhh, little one," she whispered softly, gently patting her back, "don’t cry. Remember what we discussed? Everyone will return soon. We just need to be patient."

"Yes, Ravina," Sabina spoke up, trying to appear firm, though her voice wavered noticeably. "Your Mama taught you to be strong, didn’t she? Being strong means not crying at moments like these. You have to believe in them."

Ravina shook her head fiercely, struggling against Merina’s gentle hold, her tiny fists pounding futilely against her aunt’s chest. "No! Ravina feels something bad is happening! Papa and Mama need Ravina now! Ravina wants to see them!"

Her cries only grew louder, echoing around the chamber, each sob feeling like a dagger stabbing into the hearts of the women around her.

Silvia and Sabina exchanged pained looks, helplessness written clearly on their faces.

"Ravina, please," Merina pleaded softly, holding her tighter. "You must listen. Papa made you promise to wait here. You don’t want to break your promise to him, do you?"

But Ravina only cried louder, desperation burning in her heart, her words a frantic plea: "Let Ravina go! Ravina wants to see Papa and Mama! Ravina must go now!"

Esther, sensing Merina was struggling to hold the frantic child, finally stepped forward to firmly but gently hold Ravina’s small shoulders, her voice stern yet gentle, "Ravina, stop! Calm down. You must trust your parents. We—"

Suddenly, Esther paused, eyes widening with shock and confusion.

Ravina’s small, desperate voice rose to a piercing scream, echoing through the chamber, "Ravina wants to see Papa!"

And in that instant, Ravina’s tear-filled dark golden eyes erupted with a brilliant, fierce dark green glow.

Before anyone could even blink, Ravina had vanished, leaving nothing behind but stunned silence and an empty space in Merina’s trembling arms.

For a long moment, no one dared breathe.

Merina was the first to gasp, her voice barely audible as she whispered in horror, "W-Where did she go...? Where is Ravina??!"

Silvia staggered back, a hand clutched over her heart as terror gripped her. "What happened? Did...Did some evil force take her?"

Sabina shook her head rapidly, eyes wide with disbelief and dread. "No...no, that can’t be it. She just... vanished. How could she vanish like that?"

Esther, her expression pale and deeply troubled, murmured quietly, her voice low, heavy with a realization that chilled her blood, "It wasn’t something evil. Ravina did it herself. Her mana surged just before she disappeared."

"Disappeared?" Sabina gasped, eyes trembling. "Did she... did she teleport? The Devourer was said to possess the power to rip open space itself. What if... what if Ravina inherited that power?"

Merina swallowed thickly, her voice trembling with anxiety. "If that’s true, she could have gone anywhere. But...where would she—" Merina paused as the four women looked at each other in horrifying realization, guessing where Ravina might have gone.

—-

Couple minutes earlier, near the devastated plains of Rhogart...

The Immortal Sovereign loomed over the kneeling Asher with a cruel, satisfied smirk, his massive, godlike form radiating power and menace.

"You still won’t kneel, Asher?" the Sovereign’s voice boomed, deep and indifferent, his mismatched eyes staring down mockingly.

Rebecca lifted her chin proudly, her crimson eyes fearless and fierce. "Do your worst, you giant asshole. You won’t break him."

The Sovereign smiled cruelly, raising a single finger. "Very well. Let us begin."

Asher’s breath stopped, his heart freezing as the Sovereign’s finger merely twitched, and Rebecca’s body was instantly enveloped by a blinding radiant light.

Her defiant scream pierced the skies, defiance turning instantly into agony, before abruptly falling silent.

"Rebecca!" Asher’s voice cracked, pain shattering through him, a sudden, unexpected anguish tearing at his soul. He fell forward, fingers clawing helplessly at the scorched earth, eyes wide in disbelief.

Rachel and Amelia gasped in shock, faces pale with horror, while Isola and Yui watched in disbelief, trembling visibly. Grace closed her eyes shut in pain, especially since she had grown to be fond of Rebecca despite her ruthless heart.

Rowena clenched her fists tightly in rage and sorrow while Layla and Naida glanced at each other with somber expressions.

As the blinding light dissipated, only ashes remained, drifting slowly to the scorched earth below.

"She...She’s gone," Amelia whispered, her voice trembling. Even if she never liked her, Rebecca was still part of their cult and had put her life on the line for their sake as well. To watch her go like this was never the ending she expected for her.

"Did you see that, Asher?" The Sovereign spoke softly, mockingly gentle. "Do you see now the price of your stubborn pride? It is what cost you everything in the first place."

Asher’s chest burned with rage and grief, tears stinging his eyes. He couldn’t fathom the pain he now felt, a pain he had never thought Rebecca’s death would cause him.

Luna was seething in rage upon seeing how this evil thing was torturing Asher and his people. She gnashed her teeth as she tried to get up, "I will-"

"Don’t!" Lupu’s voice boomed in her head, making her knees stay bent on the ground as he looked at her and mentally spoke, "Just keep trusting me until the end. That’s all I ask," Saying so, Lupus shifted his gaze towards the crimson hilt lying on the ground, right on the spot where the mortal Derek had died.

The Sovereign’s voice once again rang out, deep, calm, and laced with sinister anticipation.

"Since you stubbornly refuse to accept reality, I suppose we must escalate this game," he declared casually, his mismatched eyes gleaming ominously. "I will now start killing each of your beloved, one every five seconds, until you kneel and proclaim me your true god."

Asher’s heart seized violently, breath hitching painfully in his chest as raw panic surged through his veins. He unleashed a roar of rage and defiance, his dark green flames erupting around his body as he charged towards the Sovereign.

"YARRGHH!" Asher’s voice cracked with fury and desperation, his fists glowing fiercely with dark energy, aimed directly for the Immortal Sovereign’s throat.

Yet, with an almost bored flick of the Sovereign’s wrist, an overwhelming force slammed down on Asher’s body, driving him violently into the scorched earth. The earth cracked beneath him, his spine nearly shattering upon impact. Blood surged into his throat, splattering from his lips as he felt every ounce of strength being knocked out of his body.

"You never learn, do you?" the Sovereign sighed with cold disappointment, raising a single finger with mocking deliberation.

"No—!" Grace screamed, realizing his intention too late.

Asher’s head snapped upward, eyes widening in helpless horror as Yui turned towards him, her soft black pupils meeting his in one final, terrified gaze.

Then she was simply gone, her body exploding into particles of shimmering dust, leaving only emptiness and shock in her wake.

"YUI!" Amelia shrieked, staggering back in horror. Rachel froze, mouth open, breath stopped in her throat, unable to process her sudden death.

Asher’s vision blurred, his entire being shaking as grief and anguish tore viciously at his soul. His heart burned as though stabbed by countless blades. He struggled desperately, clawing at the scorched ground to regain his strength, only for his efforts to fail as his limbs refused to obey him.

Another cold, indifferent countdown echoed cruelly through the air:

"Five."

Asher’s breath quickened, panic flooding his veins.

"No—Stop!" he gasped hoarsely, his voice cracking with desperation.

"Four."

Rachel turned to Asher, eyes shimmering with brave acceptance and sorrowful love. "It’s okay, Asher. Never surrender to him, no matter what. Or all the sacrifices would have been in vain."

"Three."

"Rachel, NO!" Amelia screamed desperately, reaching out futilely.

Rachel gave a soft, resigned smile. "I love you all."

"Two."

Grace reached forward, voice trembling, "Rachel—!"

"One."

Rachel’s radiant face vanished instantly, her body disintegrating into shimmering fragments before their eyes.

"RACHEL!" Amelia wailed, dropping to her knees, clutching at empty air. Tears streamed down her pale, grief-stricken face as sobs racked her body.

Asher shook violently, agony twisting his insides. "You..." Asher’s voice trembled, unable to even complete his sentence.

The Sovereign’s smile widened. "All that rage and pain. It can all just end if you just bend the knee."

Asher stared, trembling. He couldn’t. Not to this monster. Not ever.

"Five."

"No, no, no!" Amelia staggered back, horror written plainly across her face.

"Four."

Grace took a deep breath, preparing herself while Isola felt her heart break upon staring at the ashes of those gone.

Naida seemed relatively peaceful, as if she had made peace with what was about to happen.

"Three."

Layla stood tall, fearless even now, her crimson eyes filled with quiet resolve as she looked at Asher. "Don’t let our deaths be meaningless, son-in-law."

"Two."

"Mother! I won’t lose you again!" Rowena shouted desperately, voice breaking, realizing whom Derek was pointing to.

Layla offered a final, beautiful smile, peaceful and proud. "It’s all right, my love. I will always be with you."

"One."

Layla’s proud form burst into a thousand shimmering sparks, vanishing silently into the void, leaving Rowena broken, collapsing to her knees with a haunting scream of despair.

"No...Mother!!!" Rowena sobbed uncontrollably, fists beating weakly against the unforgiving ground, the pain etched permanently into her soul. She didn’t cry when her mother died the first time...She couldn’t. But now it was as if all the tears she had been holding back were spilling out of her eyes.

"Amelia!" Grace’s eyes widened in horror as Amelia also unexpectedly exploded into a million bits, making her fall to her knees, feeling as if she watched her own daughter die.

Asher’s mind fractured, agony and hopelessness devouring him from within. But the torment wasn’t finished yet.

He looked up, heart seizing, as the Sovereign gazed coldly at Naida and Isola. His eyes widened in terror.

"No! Not them!" Asher unconsciously pleaded desperately, voice raw with anguish.

The Sovereign smiled cruelly, raising two fingers at once.

"There are no regrets, husband," Isola whispered tenderly, tears streaming down her graceful face, eyes soft with unconditional love, "We would choose death over your submission any day."

Naida’s eyes were serene, as she said gently, "You have to stay strong, Asher. We’ll be waiting."

"Oh yes, waiting in the Seven Hells you all will," the Sovereign said lightly, snapping his fingers.

Asher watched helplessly as both Naida and Isola faded away instantly, leaving only a haunting emptiness behind.

"NO!!!!" he screamed, every shred of his being torn apart, voice echoing across the devastated landscape, shattering with unbearable grief. The agony pierced deeper than any blade ever could.

He lay broken, crushed by unimaginable loss, drowning in a dark abyss of sorrow from which he saw no escape.

Yet the Immortal Sovereign chuckled softly, eyes glinting sadistically. His gaze fell onto Rowena’s shattered form who once stood tall even when her kingdom fell. But now...all these deaths had utterly broken her.

"You still have one last chance, Asher," he mocked softly, voice dripping with cruel amusement. "One last chance to save the woman you love most. Kneel and proclaim me your god...or watch her die again."