The clearing in the forest was quiet now, save for the laboured breathing of Liora and her companions. The air was thick with tension, the kind that seeped into every corner of the mind and made it impossible to relax. Liora rested against a rough-hewn tree, her legs still trembling from their flight through the dense
underbrush. Her body ached, bruised and battered from the fight, but it was her mind that bore the heaviest burden.
She couldn't shake the image of those masked figures, emerging from the shadows like wraiths. Their attacks had been too precise, too coordinated for a mere group of bandits. Someone had sent them. Someone who knew exactly where they would be.
Irinya leaned against a fallen log, her pale face illuminated by the faint glow of a conjured flame hovering just above her palm. Her silver hair hung in disarray around her shoulders, but her sharp eyes remained alert, scanning their
surroundings for any sign of danger.
Kael, as always, stood guard. His sword remained unsheathed, its blade still stained
with the blood of their attackers. He paced the perimeter of the clearing, his eyes narrow and calculating, the tension in his broad shoulders betraying his calm facade.
"They knew we were coming," Liora said, her voice cutting through the silence like a knife.
Kael stopped pacing, his eyes snapping to hers. "Yes."
Irinya extinguished her flame with a flick of her wrist. "You think someone betrayed us?"
Liora nodded. It was the only explanation that made sense. How else could a band of highly trained assassins know exactly where they would be, deep in the forest, on a path no one was supposed to know about? There was only one conclusion: someone had betrayed them.
"But who?" Irinya asked, folding her arms across her chest. "We haven't had contact
with anyone since we left the fortress. No one knew our route except for us."
"That's not entirely true," Kael said, his voice low.
Liora frowned. "What do you mean?"
Kael sheathed his sword and approached them, his expression grim. "There are others.
Others who knew we would be traveling south. I didn't think they had the resources to act on it so quickly, but I may have been wrong."
"Others?" Irinya repeated, her eyes narrowing. "Who are you talking about?"
Kael hesitated for a moment before answering. "There are factions—remnants of the demon lords who didn't fall with your father's empire. Some of them still hold a grudge, not just against the humans, but against you, Liora."
Liora's blood ran cold. She had known there were those among the demon lords who had
never fully accepted her father's rule, and by extension, hers. But to think they would act so soon, while the world was still reeling from the collapse of the empire… it felt unreal.
"They wouldn't dare," Irinya said, shaking her head. "Liora's still the heir. Even if the empire has fallen, there's power in her bloodline."
"That's exactly why they would dare," Kael replied. "They know what you represent, Liora. As long as you're alive, you're a threat to them. A reminder of what they lost. If they can remove you from the equation, there's no one left to rally behind."
Liora clenched her fists, her nails digging into the soft skin of her palms. The weight of her father's legacy had always been heavy, but now it felt suffocating. Every decision she made, every step she took, was under scrutiny
from enemies on all sides.
"What do we do?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"We keep moving," Kael said firmly. "We can't afford to stay in one place for too long. Whoever sent those assassins will send more. We have to stay ahead of them."
"Easier said than done," Irinya muttered, pushing herself off the log. "We barely escaped the last ambush. If we run into another group like that, we might not be so lucky."
Kael's expression darkened. "We'll find a way."
Liora closed her eyes, trying to steady her breathing. It was all happening so fast—too fast. Just days ago, she had stood in her father's fortress, contemplating her future as the Demon Lord's heir. Now, she was running for her life, hunted by enemies both seen and unseen.
"I need a moment," she said quietly, pushing away from the tree and walking toward the
edge of the clearing.
She could feel Kael and Irinya's eyes on her as she moved, but they didn't stop her. They knew she needed space. She had to think, to process everything that had happened. She had to figure out what to do next.
---
Liora stood at the edge of the forest, the trees towering above her like silent sentinels. The wind whispered through the leaves, carrying with it the faint scent of rain. She closed her eyes, letting the cool breeze wash over her.
Her thoughts were a tangled mess of fear, anger, and doubt. She had always known the path ahead would be difficult, but she had never expected it to be like this. The betrayal, the ambush… it felt like the world was closing in on her, leaving her with nowhere to run.
"Lost in thought, are we?"
The voice came from the shadows, soft and melodic, yet carrying an edge of danger. Liora's eyes snapped open, her hand instinctively reaching for the dagger at her waist.
A figure stepped out from behind a tree, shrouded in a cloak of deep purple, the hood
pulled low over their face. The figure's movements were graceful, almost unnaturally so, as if they were gliding rather than walking.
"Who are you?" Liora demanded, her voice steady despite the unease creeping up her
spine.
The figure chuckled, a low, almost musical sound. "No need to be so hostile, Princess. I'm not here to harm you."
Liora's grip tightened on her dagger. "Then why are you here?"
"To offer you a choice," the figure said, stopping a few feet away from her. "A path
forward, if you will. One that could save you from the fate that is rapidly closing in around you."
Liora's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?"
The figure tilted their head slightly, as if studying her. "The world is changing,
Liora. You've felt it, haven't you? The forces that once held this realm together are unraveling. Your father's defeat was just the beginning. There are greater powers at play now, forces beyond your understanding."
"Powers?" Liora repeated, skepticism creeping into her voice. "What powers?"
The figure smiled, though Liora couldn't see their face beneath the hood. "You'll find out soon enough. But first, you must make a choice. Continue down the path you're on, and you'll face nothing but ruin and betrayal. Or… follow me, and I can show you a way to reclaim what you've lost."
Liora took a step back, her heart pounding in her chest. Everything about this figure
screamed danger, yet there was something undeniably compelling about their words. A way to reclaim what she had lost? Could it really be that simple?
"Why should I trust you?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
The figure's smile widened. "Because, Princess… you have no other choice."
---
Liora stood frozen in place, her mind racing. The figure's words echoed in her head, taunting her with their certainty. She had been running for days, desperately trying to stay one step ahead of her enemies, but now… now she was being offered something more. A path forward. A chance to reclaim her father's legacy.
But at what cost?
"I don't even know who you are," she said, her voice stronger now. "How can I make a choice when I don't know what I'm choosing?"
The figure raised a gloved hand and slowly pulled back their hood, revealing a face
that was both striking and unsettling. Sharp features, pale skin, and eyes that seemed to glow with an otherworldly light. There was an air of agelessness about them, as if they had seen centuries pass and were none the worse for it.
"My name is Selene," the figure said, her voice softer now, almost intimate. "And I serve forces far older and far more powerful than your father's empire could ever dream of. I'm here because those forces have taken an interest in you, Liora. They see your potential, and they believe you can become something far greater than you are now."
Liora's pulse quickened. "Greater than I am now? What do you mean?"
Selene's eyes gleamed. "Your bloodline is powerful, Liora. The blood of the Demon Lord
runs through your veins. But that power is only a fraction of what you could be. There are realms beyond this one, places where gods and demons alike walk the earth. You could ascend to heights your father never dreamed of."
Ascend? The word sent a chill down Liora's spine. She had been raised to believe in the
strength of her bloodline, and now, she's being told their is higher realms?