The Damned Demon
chapter-694

Oberon felt an icy chill creep down his spine, his instincts warning him that he was no longer alone—like prey caught in the sights of a hunter. His breath hitched, and his gaze darted across the barren landscape. She's here, he realized. Kira must be hiding somewhere out here.

The oppressive heat of the crimson sun above him only worsened his condition. His body trembled with exhaustion, and his mana reserves had long since depleted. Without the mana to protect himself from the exhaustion, his skin felt like it was slowly cooking under the relentless sun. He couldn't walk any further, nor did he need to. He had caught her attention.

He collapsed to his knees, gasping for breath as his vision wavered. His body screamed for relief, but he couldn't give it. As a traitor who had barely escaped his kingdom, stripped of everything before his supposed execution, carrying extra supplies would have been far too suspicious.

Before he could gather his thoughts, shadows danced around him. In an instant, multiple figures in cloaks leaped from the rocky terrain, surrounding him with weapons drawn, each blade gleaming with a deadly intent.

"W-Wait!" Oberon stammered, his voice shaking as he raised his trembling hands in surrender. "I am not an enemy! N-Not anymore..."

The cloaked figures exchanged glances, their eyes unreadable beneath their hoods. The air around them hummed with tension, as if they were deciding whether to kill him where he knelt.

"You all stand down. I will handle this," a firm yet graceful voice commanded, slicing through the silence like a blade. The figures lowered their weapons instantly, stepping back to reveal a single cloaked woman walking forward with deliberate elegance.

Oberon's heart pounded in his chest as he slowly lifted his gaze to meet hers.

The woman pulled back her hood, revealing an intoxicatingly beautiful face framed by waves of golden hair. Her almond-shaped, deep-set emerald green eyes shimmered under the sun, almost glowing as they changed with the light. Her fox-like ears stood high on her head, tipped with small tufts of golden fur, only adding to the allure that surrounded her.

Her gaze, however, was anything but comforting. It was piercing, as if stripping Oberon's soul bare with every second she looked at him.

"Ara, ara... Prince Oberon," Kira said with a soul-melting smile, though her voice held a sharpness that sent shivers through his entire being, "Or should I say Oberon, now that you're no longer a prince, but a traitor to your kingdom?"

Oberon's breath caught in his throat. The Kira standing before him, the same woman he once knew during his secret visits to the Honeyed Pearls, felt different—terrifying even. The gentle, soothing, seductive gaze she once held now masked something far more dangerous.

"I... I..." His voice faltered, and he found himself unable to gather his thoughts under her intense scrutiny. Was she always this terrifying?

Kira tilted her head slightly, the dangerous smile never leaving her lips, "Ara, you seem quite stressed," she cooed, her tone mockingly sweet, "But I wonder... what made you wander into my homeland? Did you stumble upon it by chance, or did you come here on purpose?"

Her eyes narrowed slightly, and Oberon felt as if the very core of his being was being laid bare. His throat tightened under the pressure.

Kira sighed, feigning boredom as she turned on her heel, "Hm, this is getting boring. Just tear off his limbs one by one, and let's head back," she said casually, her voice void of emotion.

"No! Wait!" Oberon cried out, his voice hoarse, desperation forcing him to speak before it was too late.

Kira's lips curved into a subtle smirk as she slowly turned to face him again, her emerald eyes gleaming with interest, "Oh? You have something worth saying, then?" She raised an eyebrow, waiting.

Oberon took a deep breath, summoning the last bit of his courage, "It was... both," he admitted, his voice trembling but steady, "I was on the run, and I didn't know where else to go. If I ran east, the werewolves would tear me apart before I even set foot in their lands. If I went north, it would've been worse under the hands of those draconians. I've been tortured by them once before, and this time... they would give me a fate worse than death. So I couldn't think but run to a place that would be comparatively safe and meet someone who can help give me refuge."

Kira tilted her head, her gaze sharpening, "So you came here seeking my help? How interesting. But tell me, why should I help you?" Her voice turned cold, her smile fading, "After everything your kingdom did to my people, why would I grant you mercy? You carry the blood of those who wronged us, Oberon. Just because you were born after doesn't mean you're spared. Your bloodline is tainted with the sins of those before you, and it tempts me to purge every last root with my own hands."

Her smile returned, but it was no longer sweet—there was danger in the curve of her lips, and Oberon could feel his heart constrict under her words, his breath growing shallow.

"I-I know..." Oberon stammered, his voice cracking under the weight of his fear, "That's why I can help you. Help you destroy that wretched kingdom... and their bastard king! He tried to execute me! He made my life hell!" His voice grew louder, his rage surfacing as he gritted his teeth. "He took everything from me—my mother, my woman, my prestige, my future. I want him dead and everything he cares about destroyed just as much as you do!"

His anger echoed through the barren landscape, but Kira simply stood there, watching him, her eyes flickering with amusement as if she were toying with a broken toy.

Finally, she spoke, her tone low and smooth, "So, you seek revenge on your king, do you?" She stepped closer, her presence suffocating as she leaned in, "I can feel the truth in your words, Oberon... but that doesn't mean I trust you." She placed a finger under his chin, tilting his face to meet hers, "You're a traitor to your own blood. How could I trust a man who would betray his own kingdom so easily?"

Oberon swallowed hard, his throat dry, knowing that if he says anything wrong, he would die right here.

His mind raced as he struggled to collect his thoughts. His heart hammered in his chest, but he knew this was his one chance. He couldn't afford to stumble now, "I wouldn't trust myself either in your position," he began, his voice trembling but resolute, "But I know things about Asher—things no one else knows, not even his wives. His true weaknesses. I'm 100% sure that even the spies and informants you have in my kingdom don't know what I know. So, even if you already have plans to destroy his kingdom, wouldn't you want to ensure your success with my knowledge?"

Kira's emerald eyes gleamed with intrigue, though her smile remained cold, "Oh? I didn't expect you to uncover such secrets," she purred, her voice dripping with curiosity. She leaned in slightly, her gaze narrowing, "And what might those secrets be?"

Oberon's chin quivered as he fought the terror threatening to overwhelm him, "I-I will tell you... once you give me refuge and promise me safety. Don't t-take this the wrong way... but without my knowledge, I'm useless to you, and you'd have no reason to keep me alive."

For a moment, Kira giggled, raising a hand to her lips, her eyes gleaming with amusement, "Ara~ How cute of you to try and bargain for your life like this." But then, in an instant, her expression turned dark, the amusement in her eyes vanishing. Her voice became cold and lethal, "Do you seriously think that will stop me from taking what I want from your head?"

Before Oberon could react, Kira's hands shot forward, gripping his head with both hands. Her fingers dug into his scalp as her frenzied smile returned, her eyes burning with a cruel fire. She began to channel her mindforce, attempting to rip the secrets from his mind.

"AAAAARGHHH!!" Oberon howled in agony as it felt like his skull was being split open. His body trembled violently, the pain unlike anything he'd ever experienced. But he gritted his teeth, forcing himself to endure it. This is nothing, he told himself, nothing compared to what he had been through these past years.

Kira's triumphant smile began to fade, slowly morphing into a deep frown. Her eyes narrowed in frustration as she struggled to penetrate the barriers in his mind. With a growl of displeasure, she violently released her grip on his head, her piercing glare locking onto him, "You little bastard," she spat, venom dripping from her words, "You've taken measures to protect your mind? I never thought you'd be this sly. But if you went this far... you must really be hiding something delicious in there."

Oberon collapsed to the ground, groaning in pain as he clutched his head, his body shaking, "I... I told you," he gasped, barely managing to speak, "They're yours... if you promise me refuge. Please... have mercy."

Kira's eyes burned with cold contempt as she towered over him, "Mercy?" she scoffed, "My ancestors would roll in the Seven Hells if they saw me granting refuge to the likes of a bloodburner like you, traitor or not. No, Oberon. I'm going to kill you and every last one of your bloodline. I'll wipe your wretched kingdom off the face of this world." Her voice was laced with venom, "I don't need your permission to take what I want from your head. I'll break those barriers, eventually. You'll regret begging for mercy when I could've given you a quick death."

Oberon's fists clenched tightly, his body shaking from both relief and terror. The plan worked, he thought bitterly, but he also knew the horrors that awaited him. Kira's words confirmed that his fate was sealed, but his knowledge might just buy him enough time.

Kira turned to her subordinates, her piercing gaze still lingering on Oberon, "Take him back to our home. It will take time to break through his defenses, and I can't keep him here."

As her followers moved forward to collect Oberon, a cloaked figure stepped forward, their voice raspy with age, "Your Grace...Do we really need to do this? We don't need him to do what's necessary. Our people might not be able to feel at ease in his presence."

Kira shook her head, her voice steady and resolute, "We are too close to our goal to take any risks. Our people have lived without peace for too long, and I won't fail them now. I will use every tool at my disposal to ensure we succeed." Her gaze darkened as she remembered what the Moon Guardian told her.

Even if he told her she would succeed, she didn't know if she would succeed with or without the secrets Oberon knew. And knowing how powerful Asher and his future potential, she didn't want to take the risk. The elder bowed deeply, acknowledging her decision, "As you command, Your Grace." With that, he stepped back, and the other figures moved in to lift Oberon's limp form, carrying him away toward the desolate horizon.

Kira cast one last glance at her surroundings, her sharp gaze scanning the barren land for any signs of unwanted attention. Satisfied, she pulled her hood back over her head, her golden hair vanishing beneath the cloak. Without another word, her figure vanished into the shadows, her presence disappearing as if she were never there.

Oberon, half-dazed, was dragged along by Kira's followers, his mind swirling with pain and fear. Yet somewhere deep inside him, a faint flicker of hope remained. If he played his cards right, maybe—just maybe—he could survive long enough to save his mother.