The Damned Demon
chapter-661

In the shadowed depths and the innermost heart of the Demonstone Castle, the oppressive darkness of the underground chamber was illuminated only by the ominous crimson glow of the Void Reaver sword. Its eerie light danced across the faces of Rowena, Naida, Isola, and Ceti as they gathered around a complex array etched into the floor, the last few dwindling Deviars being consumed by the sword's insatiable hunger.

Rowena's crimson eyes burned with a grim determination as she clenched her fists, "Our worst fears have come true," she said, her voice heavy with grimness.

Ceti's eyes were dark with worry as she added, "If the people hadn't noticed the barrier flickering, we wouldn't even have known. This so-called key is devouring our Deviars at least twice the speed compared to last month. If this keeps up, we won't even have a year left."

Naida's expression was equally grim, "No. We won't have more than a few months. If it gets hungrier again, we might have even less time," she said, her tone serious.

Isola's face was etched with concern as she spoke up, "But surely, we can do something to buy more time? My kingdom still has one or two Deviars. I can ask my parents for help."

"There is no need for that," Rowena interjected with a pained resolve, "I will use mine first. I've been saving it for a situation like this." Her eyes trembled with the weight of the decision, knowing it meant sacrificing the foundation of her kingdom's power.

Naida's gaze softened as she glanced between Rowena and Isola, speaking with firmness yet with empathy, "Both of you need not sacrifice any of your Deviars. Isola, it's only been a few years since you and your people began to rebuild. Losing your Deviars now would cripple your kingdom's recovery forever. And Rowena," she said, her tone serious, "I might be overstepping here, but as someone who understood your mother well, I'm certain she would advise against using the Bloodburn Stone. Once you do, your future heir will never inherit the ancestral power necessary to rule the kingdom. That chance will be forever lost, and if worst comes to worst…the Bloodburn Kingdom can never be rebuilt."

Rowena's expression hardened, the gravity of Naida's words sinking in. She shook her head slowly, a sense of desperation in her voice, "So, are you suggesting that we should just give up and risk the annihilation of our kingdom?"

Naida shook her head gently, "There is always that possibility. By sacrificing more Deviars, we're only delaying the inevitable, not preventing it. Instead, we should focus on our preparations for war. We've already enlisted and trained tens of thousands of men and armed them with the best weapons we could craft during the time we've been protected by the barrier. Our numbers may not match up against the draconians, but we have the home advantage and our dragons. We have a fighting chance. And most importantly…we have Asher," Naida concluded with a subtle, reassuring smile.

The mention of Asher's name seemed to infuse the room with a glimmer of hope.

Ceti's frustration was palpable as she clenched her fists, "But Asher is busy trying to stop those vile humans from destroying our world. He's hardly here anymore. Will he really be able to spare time and energy to protect our kingdom? I wish I could help him somehow, but all I do is see nightmares that don't help our present situation at all."

Naida's hand gently rested on Ceti's shoulder, "Don't be so hard on yourself," she said soothingly, "You are already helping Asher by tirelessly training all those men and women who joined our armies. As for those nightmares... don't let them consume you. We don't know what that woman living inside you wants, so it's better not to focus on it for now."

Ceti pressed her lips together and nodded at Naida with an appreciative look for being so understanding to her. She knew Naida loved Asher, but still, Naida had no reason to be kind to her and appreciated that she didn't judge her like others for being a werewolf. As the conversation shifted, Rowena spoke up, her voice steady with conviction, "Asher is already helping to protect our kingdom as well. He might not have had the chance to tell you all, but he has plans to stop the draconians. I don't know all the details, but I have faith that he can pull it off. Still, we must stay vigilant and prepare for war, as Aunt Naida said. The draconians aren't the only threat we face," she said, her gaze resolute and unyielding.

Isola nodded, her brow furrowed with concern, "That's right. Kira, the last Caleumbra, is still out there, collaborating with our enemies to destroy us. She's been infiltrating this kingdom for a century, and we still don't know all her schemes. And then there's the Moon Guardian and the werewolf clans who want the Void Reaver. It feels like the entire world is against us."

Rowena's crimson eyes became heavy with uneasiness since after Kira escaped the kingdom, she had always felt anxious of what Kira had been planning for 100 years. A cunning and powerful woman like her wouldn't have wasted all that time, especially when she was hell bent on revenge.

It had always remained a dangerous thing to worry about and even Asher knew it because of which he was sparing no effort to end all this before the barrier came down and so was she.

Ceti's expression hardened as she spoke, "The Moon Guardian... I can't believe that man is my grandfather. Nothing makes sense, including Luna. But Luna fought the Moon Guardian and nearly matched him in strength. What if she's actually on our side? My memories have gaps, mostly during times when I was in grave danger or near death. But every time I survived, it was Luna who saved me. Despite the nightmares she's given me, I can't ignore what she's done for me."

Naida considered Ceti's words thoughtfully, "Maybe that's true," she said softly, but her voice carried a note of caution. "But are you sure she didn't help you because she needed you or your body to survive? Igrid mentioned that the Moon Guardian might have manipulated your mind and mana circuit when you were very young, possibly to infiltrate our kingdom. Though the late king welcomed you and your mother which bypassed the vow, we must be cautious about Luna."

Rowena's gaze was steely as she added, "Naida's right. It's safer to keep this Luna persona dormant until our kingdom is secure. We can't afford any distractions or potential threats while we're facing such dire challenges."

Ceti nodded with a heavy look, knowing they were right. Rowena then added, "I will go and speak with Uncle Seron now. He needs to be informed that we might be facing a war sooner than we anticipated."

As Ceti and Naida exited the chamber, Isola lingered, her brow furrowed with concern, "Are you alright, Rowena? You seem a bit out of it. I feel like there's something more troubling you than just the threat to our kingdom. Is something going on?"

Rowena's eyes softened as she met Isola's gaze, "You have a knack for reading people, Isola, not just minds."

Isola offered a small, apologetic smile, "I'm sorry if I've pried too much. I didn't mean to pressure you. I was just worried. It's okay if you don't want to share; I understand."

Rowena gently shook her head, her expression tender as she took Isola's hand in hers, "Aside from Ceti, you're the only one I can call a sister. Ceti is already carrying a heavy burden, and I didn't want to add to anyone else's troubles."

Isola's eyes filled with warmth as she responded, "You can't burden me. You're like a sister to me as well. If not for your kindness, my people and I would never have had a second chance. Please, let me help."

Rowena sighed, a flicker of distress crossing her features as the image of the black letters flashed in her mind. She shook her head gently, "It might not be anything but…I've been trying to piece together what Drakar is planning beyond his war efforts. Our spies report that he's been constructing something in secret across his continent. It can't be good, and it might be connected to the Void Reaver. Drakar tried to kill Asher for it, and we cannot ignore that. I need to discuss this with Uncle Seron as well. Let's talk later."

Isola nodded, her expression a mix of concern and understanding, "Alright. But please, reach out to me if you need help—whether it's with this or anything else."

Rowena gave a subtle, appreciative nod before walking away. As Rowena left, Isola's smile faded, her eyes troubled. She sensed that Rowena was withholding something but knew better than to press further. All she could do was wait, hoping that when Rowena was ready, she would share whatever was on her mind.