On a cold, silent night at the White Palace, Saladon summoned Set to his chambers. The young warrior, now fourteen years old, had become a formidable swordsman and respected strategist. He was accustomed to faithfully serving his mentor, ignoring or accepting many of Saladon's strange and disturbing behaviors. However, nothing prepared him for what he found that night.
Upon entering the luxurious room, the metallic smell of blood was the first thing to hit his nostrils. Set stopped upon realizing a figure lying on the floor. It was a young servant girl, who did not seem to be older than him, with a swollen face, hand marks all over her body, and empty, lifeless eyes staring at nothing. Saladon was sitting on the bed, looking at her with a disturbingly calm expression, as if the brutality he had committed was something trivial.
"Master Saladon... what have you done?" Set's voice trembled, a mix of shock and contained rage.
The counselor lifted his gaze, his expression calm yet distorted by fatigue and madness. "She did not behave as she should have. It was a necessary reminder."
That was the third and definitive blow that broke Set's trust in his mentor. Something inside him snapped. The man he once admired and served for so many years now revealed himself a depraved monster. It was at that moment Set realized Hadon had been right all along: Saladon was nothing but a man corrupted by his own madness and power. His influence was no longer a matter of respect or leadership, but of fear and tyranny, yet Set remained bound to him, whether by magic or will.
After that event, Set began distancing himself more and more from Saladon, seeking counsel and answers from Hadon. His bond with Hadon strengthened over the months, until finally Hadon decided it was time to reveal the secret he had kept for so long.
Hadon took Set to an isolated summer house deep in the forest, a protected, hidden place away from prying eyes. Upon arriving, Set was introduced to several children of varying ages. "These are the children I have rescued over the years, Set. They are all like you: sons and daughters of the Arkon kings, rejected for not fulfilling the insane expectations of the priests and scientists who serve the royal bloodline."
Set watched the children attentively, feeling a strange connection to them. Hadon, with a gentle smile, made sure to introduce each one.
"This is Adonis, and his sister Aura. They are your half-siblings, children of the old king Oberon, just like you." Set looked at the two with a mix of surprise and curiosity. Both had the same sad expression, yet in their posture he saw himself.
Next, Hadon introduced Markel and Sahara. "Markel descends from King Harnon, Oberon's father, while Sahara descends from King Astarion, Harnon's father. Both carry within them the strength and royal bloodline, their parents or grandparents were rejected for not meeting the cruel criteria of the priests."
Set could hardly believe the number of children who had been cast aside by the royal family as if worthless objects. But it was the last introduction that truly shook the young man.
Hadon knelt down and lifted in his arms a small child, with silvery hair and eyes as blue as crystals, almost two dark, deep pools. "This is Yorin," Hadon said solemnly. "He should be special to you, Set."
Confused, Set asked why this boy was special, and Hadon responded with a serious look. "One of the children I rescued many years ago was Rica, Oberon's daughter with a woman named Yuria, she was your mother. She grew up away from the court's atrocities, but not completely unscathed. Before passing, Rica had a son. This boy you see before you, Yorin, is your nephew."
Hadon's words struck Set like thunder. Yorin's gaze was innocent and sweet, unlike anything Set knew in the cruel world he lived in. It was the first time he felt naturally and deeply connected to someone, as if his purpose in life was now to protect those boys, preserve what remained of his blood family.
Hadon observed Set's reaction and realized the seed of rebellion had finally sprouted in the young warrior's heart. "Do you understand now, Set? You are not alone. There are others like you, and a greater purpose than blindly serving men like Saladon. What you do from now on is your choice, but know that you do not have to walk alone."
Set remained silent, processing all he had just discovered. The shadow of Saladon, which had always loomed over his life, now began to dissipate, making way for a new determination. He looked at Yorin, smiling innocently at him, and knew in that moment his life would take a different path.
The boy who was always loyal to his mentor now had a new mission: to protect those who were rejected and fight the rot corrupting the kingdom. And it would begin with Saladon's downfall.
That night was wrapped in thick shadows as Set slowly walked to Hadon's home. The surrounding forest whispered ancient secrets, as if nature itself knew the weight upon the young man's shoulders. Upon opening the door, he was greeted by the timid whispers of the children Hadon had rescued and raised. Set had come to see that place as his refuge, but that night the air felt heavier than usual. He knew the decision he would have to make could shake the foundations of that safe home.
Hadon sat near the fireplace, his tired eyes turning to Set as soon as he entered. The noble's look was stern yet understanding. No words were needed for them to know the heavy burden Set carried. After a moment of silence, Hadon broke the mood.
"I heard Saladon summoned you. He discovered our alliance, didn't he?" Hadon asked, his voice heavy with concern.
Set nodded grimly. "He knows. But the worst is what he's demanding. He wants me to kill King Merion and Illia, the queen. He wants me to destroy the Arkon line of succession."
Hadon rose and began pacing the room, hands behind his back in reflection. He knew Saladon wouldn't make this move unless certain of what was at stake. The old counselor was willing to play all his cards to ensure his plan of total kingdom control was realized.
"Then that is it. We are cornered, Set. If Saladon is aware of our connection, he may well have already discovered the children here. We cannot risk exposing them." Hadon's voice carried a pain he rarely let show. "You must do what he asks, even if it goes against everything you believe in."
Set fell silent, absorbing Hadon's words. He felt the weight of the dagger at his waist, as if about to commit the greatest sin of his life. He knew that by accepting this mission, he would be destroying any loyalty he still had to the royal bloodline. But at the same time, he felt there was no other choice.
"I understand, Hadon. If it means protecting the children, then I will do what is necessary," Set responded, determination growing within him.
Hadon closed his eyes for a moment, trying to calm his own thoughts. "Remember, Set, that no matter what happens, you are more than what Saladon wants to make of you. Even in the midst of darkness, you still have the ability to choose."
That night, upon returning to Saladon's tower, Set felt the coldness of the blade in his hand. Saladon awaited him, his expression triumphant. He knew he had gotten what he wanted, but the smile on the old counselor's face was pure malice.
"The plan is in motion, Set. Lark and his men are already in Zoarlath, causing chaos. Soon, when the rebellion explodes, it will be your chance. Go to the palace and finish the job. Kill Merion and Illia, and then the kingdom will be ours."
Set did not respond. He simply nodded, hiding the turmoil consuming him inside. When he withdrew from Saladon's chambers, his steps echoed through the shadowy castle corridors. The young warrior was determined to play his part, but deep down had a growing uncertainty about how far he was willing to go to protect those he loved.
In the days that followed, chaos truly took hold. Zoarlath was on the brink of collapse, and Lark's rebel forces were gaining strength rapidly. The kingdom of Tenai was about to change forever, and Set knew the fate of the realm lay in his hands.
At the height of the rebellion, Zoarlath's flames had already consumed the last resistances and chaos reigned across all of Tenai. Set, now fifteen years old, had resigned himself to the fact that the fate of the kingdom was irredeemably doomed. The influence of Saladon, planted in his mind since childhood, continued shaping his decisions. Even knowing the true monstrous character of the man he considered a father, Set still felt he could not fully free himself from his bindings.
When the rebels finally took Bercuranon, Tenai's capital city, Set received his final mission. He knew he had no choice; Saladon's plan was in motion, and Merion, the depraved king, was the target. Set had always harbored a silent aversion to the king. Merion, unlike Set, had been molded from an early age by Saladon, but his nature was corrupt, given to luxuries and abuses. Merion was the embodiment of all that was rotten in the Arkon bloodline.
Set entered the throne room with calculated steps. Merion, in his typical arrogance, was standing before his ancestral throne ordering Set to gather the Alva soldiers to crush the rebels. "Bring me the heads of them all, including the children and elders. I want no one left!" raged the king, unaware the capital had already fallen. Merion's voice echoed with a mixture of desperation and haughtiness, but Set showed no reaction.
Watching the pathetic king, Set realized how well Saladon had poisoned Merion's mind. However, Merion was still ignorant of the gravity of the situation. The royal family was in its final moments, and Set knew it.
When Set did not react to Merion's orders, driven by fury Merion grabbed a sword and tried to attack him. Merion's blows were clumsy and ineffective, as ridiculous as his own personality. With a quick motion, Set easily disarmed the king. And without hesitation, with a clean, precise stroke, he beheaded Merion. The king's head rolled across the marble floor, coming to a stop at the feet of the throne his family had ruled from for twelve generations.
The door to the hall opened, and Queen Illia entered. She froze at the scene: her husband-brother's head fallen at Set's feet, and the young man's sword stained with blood. Pregnant and already weakened, Illia began feeling sharp pains, clutching her abdomen as anguish overcame her. By her side, her lady-in-waiting Ella stood protectively in front of the queen in desperation, fearing Set would kill her too.
But Set simply passed by them. He turned to Ella and said with icy coldness: "Flee with her. The baby she carries is not a defective product like us. He must return one day to restore the kingdom of Tenai. Because we are all going to die." Set's words echoed with dark, shadowy sadness, as if he himself was bidding farewell to any hope of redemption. Quickly, Ella helped the queen escape through a secret passage.
Saladon entered soon after, followed by mercenaries and rebellious noblemen. He demanded that Set deliver to him not only Merion's head, but the queen's head as well. Learning that Set had let her escape, Saladon went into a frenzy. "What have you done, you fool?! We cannot let a possible heir to the throne survive!" He ordered his men to pursue the queen, but to everyone's surprise, Set stood between them and the secret passage.
Saladon, seized by rage and fear, ordered his men to kill Set before pursuing the queen. But something had changed in Set. A grim, macabre smile formed on his face, his crimson eyes shining with an inhuman malice. Feeling a chill he couldn't explain, Saladon closed his eyes for a moment. And then, hell began.
Terrified screams echoed through the throne hall. Saladon's men screamed as if being burned alive, the sounds distorting into notes of agony and pain that seemed to emanate from the depths of Hades itself. When Saladon finally found the courage to open his eyes, he saw Set standing before him, covered in blood, the mutilated bodies of the mercenaries strewn across the floor. Set's smile, now stained red, was a living embodiment of terror. Saladon, overcome by fear, could not contain his urine, which flowed down his clothes.
"You...are not Set," Saladon murmured faintly, fear evident in his eyes. Set approached him slowly, leaning in to whisper: "I am Seglathad, the crimson-eyed demon." Set's voice was almost a whisper, but carried with it the promise of death and destruction.
This was the end of the kingdom of Tenai as they knew it. Queen Illia and her lady-in-waiting were never heard from again. They disappeared in the chaos, along with the last hope of the Arkon dynasty. Saladon, on the other hand, never knew peace again. The grim face of Set and the agonized screams of the men tormented his nights. He named them "The Voices of Hades," believing he had witnessed souls being consumed by the flames of Hell itself.
And thus, with the fall of the throne, a new era of darkness began in Tenai, which was now divided in two - Saladon raised a new kingdom called the Grand Duchy of Saladon with Zoarlath as its capital, and the rebellious nobles created the Free Peoples Kingdom of Tenai with Bercuranon as its capital. And at the heart of this chaos was Set, the demon who was once a loyal boy, but was now only the incarnation of a fate no one dared challenge.