The fortress gates groaned as they creaked open, revealing the vast, desolate expanse beyond the walls. A bitter wind swept across the courtyard, carrying with it the stench of burning wood and ash. The remnants of the Demon Lord's empire lay in ruin, smouldering in the distance, as the dark night sky stretched endlessly overhead. Liora stood at the threshold, the weight of the world pressing down on her shoulders.
Kael stood beside her, his face a mask of grim determination. Behind them, Irinya, the sorceress with silver hair and sharp, calculating eyes, cast furtive glances toward the burning horizon. A small contingent of soldiers had gathered at the gates, the last of her father's loyal forces. Their eyes, once filled
with the zeal of their cause, were now dull with uncertainty.
"This is it, then?" Liora asked, her voice barely audible over the wind.
Kael glanced at her but said nothing. He didn't need to. The fortress was lost, the empire in ruins. Everything her father had built, everything she had been raised to protect, was gone. All that remained was survival.
Liora turned her gaze forward, her heart heavy with the weight of abandonment. She had made the decision to leave, but it didn't ease the guilt gnawing at her insides. Her father's legacy had crumbled, and now she, the last heir, was running. What did that make her?
"We'll move south," Kael said finally, breaking the silence. His voice was steady, but there was a roughness to it that Liora hadn't heard before. "The borderlands are still under our control. For now. We can regroup there, maybe find some of the remaining loyalists."
"And then what?" Irinya asked, her voice sharp. Her silver hair shimmered under the pale moonlight as she regarded them both with an unreadable expression. "What's the
plan after that, Kael? Hiding? Hoping that the humans and their coalition forget about us?"
Kael's jaw tightened. "We survive."
"Survive?" Irinya scoffed. "How inspiring."
Liora clenched her fists, the frustration building inside her. "It's not about inspiring anyone right now, Irinya. It's about staying alive."
Irinya arched an eyebrow but said nothing more. The tension between them hung in the
air, thick and palpable. It wasn't the first time the sorceress had questioned their course of action, and it certainly wouldn't be the last. But Liora knew that Irinya, despite her sharp tongue and endless cynicism, was loyal. For now, at least.
With a final glance at the fortress—the only home she had ever known—Liora turned her
back on it. The gates closed behind them with a resounding thud, sealing their fate. The sound echoed in the night like a death knell
---
The road south was treacherous. The once well-maintained pathways of the Demon Lord's empire were now overgrown and littered with the remnants of battles fought in recent weeks. Broken siege weapons lay abandoned by the roadside, their wooden
frames charred and splintered. Bodies of both demons and humans lay forgotten, their twisted forms a testament to the brutality of war.
Liora's mind wandered as they traveled, her eyes scanning the horizon but seeing nothing. The landscape blurred together—ruined villages, smouldering fields, the occasional ragged banner fluttering in the wind. She felt hollow, as though a part of her had been ripped away the moment she left the fortress behind.
Her father's words still echoed in her mind, a constant reminder of the burden she carried.
"You were meant for something greater."
But what? What could possibly be greater than ruling an empire, a legacy built on centuries of darkness and conquest? Her father had raised her to believe she would one day take his place, that she would carry the mantle of the Demon Lord and lead their people to new heights. But now, all of that was gone.
"What are you thinking about?" Kael's voice broke through her reverie.
Liora glanced at him, surprised by the question. His expression was guarded, as
always, but there was something in his eyes—concern, maybe? She wasn't sure. Kael was a man of few words, and even fewer emotions. But she appreciated the question, nonetheless.
"I don't know," she admitted, her voice barely a whisper. "Everything. Nothing. What's the point of any of this?"
Kael was silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on the road ahead. "Survival," he said finally. "The point is to survive. Everything else comes later."
Liora shook her head, a bitter smile tugging at her lips. "That's all you ever say, Kael. Survive."
He didn't respond, but she didn't expect him to. Kael was a soldier, through and through.
His world was one of action, of orders and discipline. He saw things in black and white—survival or death, victory or defeat. But Liora's world wasn't so simple. Not anymore.
The landscape around them began to change as they moved farther south. The charred
remains of villages gave way to thick forests, their dark, twisted trees reaching toward the sky like skeletal fingers. The air grew cooler, the wind
carrying with it the faint scent of rain.
They were
nearing the borderlands.
---
The tension had been building for hours. Liora could feel it in the pit of her stomach, a gnawing sense of unease that refused to leave her. The forest was too quiet, the shadows too deep. Every rustle of leaves, every snap of a twig set her on edge.
"I don't like this," Irinya muttered under her breath, her hand resting on the hilt of the dagger at her waist. "We should have reached the border by now."
Kael's eyes flickered toward the trees, his grip tightening on the hilt of his sword. "We'll move faster. Stay alert."
They quickened their pace, but the feeling of dread only intensified. Liora's heart pounded in her chest as they moved through the dense undergrowth. The shadows seemed to close in around them, the air growing thick with the scent of damp earth and rotting leaves.
Suddenly, a sharp crack echoed through the forest, followed by a flash of light. Before
Liora could react, a bolt of energy shot past her, narrowly missing her shoulder.
"Ambush!" Kael shouted, drawing his sword in one fluid motion.
The trees erupted with movement as figures emerged from the shadows, their faces obscured by hoods and masks. Liora barely had time to register what was happening before they were upon them, weapons gleaming in the dim light.
She ducked as another bolt of energy flew toward her, her instincts kicking in. Her
hand reached for the dagger at her waist, the blade cool and reassuring in her grip. She lashed out, catching one of the attackers off guard and sending him stumbling back.
Kael was already in the thick of it, his sword flashing as he cut through their assailants with brutal efficiency. Irinya had retreated behind a tree, her hands glowing with arcane energy as she hurled spell after spell at the attackers.
Liora's heart raced as she fought off another attacker, her movements fluid and precise. But there were too many of them. For every one they took down, two more seemed to emerge from the shadows.
"Fall back!" Kael shouted, his voice barely audible over the chaos. "We're outnumbered!"
Liora glanced around, her chest tightening. He was right. They couldn't win this fight—not here, not now. She hesitated for only a moment before turning and sprinting deeper into the forest, Kael and Irinya close behind.
---
The forest seemed to close in around them as they ran, the sounds of their pursuers growing louder with each passing second. Branches scratched at Liora's skin, the underbrush tugging at her clothes as she pushed herself to move faster. Her lungs burned with every breath, her heart pounding in her ears.
"We need to lose them!" Kael called out, his voice strained. "This way!"
He veered off the path, leading them deeper into the dense undergrowth. Liora followed
without hesitation, trusting him to find a way out of this mess. Irinya was close behind, her breaths coming in ragged gasps as she struggled to keep up.
The sound of pursuit began to fade, but Liora didn't dare slow down. They couldn't afford
to stop—not yet. Not until they were sure they were safe.
After what felt like an eternity, Kael finally slowed, coming to a halt near a small
clearing. Liora collapsed against a tree, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath. Irinya did the same, her face pale and streaked with dirt.
"We… we lost them," Kael said between breaths, his hand resting on the hilt of his
sword.
"For now," Irinya muttered, wiping sweat from her brow. "But they'll find us again. Whoever they were, they were organized."