The red sun bled across the silent battlefield, painting the ground in crimson. Smoke rose from the broken earth, where the bodies of fallen soldiers piled high and blood soaked into the dirt, turning it black. Thousands of battle-hardened men and women stood shoulder to shoulder, like a wall of iron and flesh. Their armor was dented and cracked, some held together by nothing but hope. Swords were dull, shields splintered. These weren't green boys but warriors who had spilled demon blood for years. This was it—the last battle. No one would leave this place alive.
General Wu stood at the front, staring at the horizon. His face was hard, his eyes burning with hatred. His heart ached with loss, but his will was like iron. He clenched his sword, chipped and bloodstained, in his shaking hand. His other hand, wrapped around a torn flag, was clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white.
"Brothers!" he shouted, his voice hoarse from the dust, blood in his throat and exhaustion.
"Today!" His voice cracked. "Today, we fight for the last time." He looked at everyone's faces, they were all dirty from sweat, dried blood and tired.
"No one runs, no one hides." He warned.
"The demons took everything from us. Our families, our homes, our future. All we have left is this fight!" His voice echoed over the quiet field. Every soldier heard it. Every man felt the weight of his words.
The soldiers tightened their grips on their weapons. They had nothing left but the will to fight. No one could feel fear anymore. All that remained was a burning rage. A desire to take as many demons with them as possible before the end.
The wind picked up, carrying the scent of burning flesh. In the distance, the horizon shimmered. Something was coming.
General Wu's heart raced. He knew what this meant. His eyes narrowed as he turned back to his men. "Hold the line!" he shouted, his voice breaking. "We are all that stands between the demons and the end of humanity!"
Suddenly, the sky split open.
A loud, earth-shaking crack rang through the air. A giant black portal, swirling with dark energy, tore open in the sky. The ground shook violently. Some soldiers stumbled, but they didn't run. They couldn't. Not now.
Through the portal, the demons came but not the army.
Seven figures stepped out. Huge, towering, each one worse than the last.
First came The Matriarch of the Succubi, the Scarlet Empress. Tall as every man's deepest carnal desire, she walked slowly with the confidence of a predator stalking its prey. Her body was barely concealed by thin, misty veils and ribbons that floated around her like a living thing, teasing the eye with what they didn't fully hide. Each step she took seemed to make the air thicken, hotter, charged with forbidden desires never said by any mortal. Her lips curled into a cruel seductive smile that sent shivers down the spines of the soldiers and their pants, her voice dripping like honey. "Humans..." she whispered, her words both a promise and a threat. "Let me show you paradise."
Behind her came The Iron Butcher, Warlord of the Endless Wrath. He towered over the battlefield, his massive body forged of metal and bone. Flames burned constantly from within him, leaking out through cracks in his skin. His eyes were nothing but burning coals of fury. With every step he took, the ground shook, and soldiers tightened their grips on their weapons. His roar was like thunder. "I am the end of all things!" he bellowed, his fists clenching with the promise of violence.
Next came The Gilded King, Keeper of the Eternal Vault. His body was adorned and pierced with stolen treasures—gems, gold, and jewels from realms beyond counting. His fingers were long, skeletal, constantly twitching as though hungry to grab more. His hollow eyes glowed faintly, as if nothing in the world could satisfy his insatiable greed. He sneered at the human army, licking his lips. "Everything is mine, mine! Even your souls."
Following him was The Slumbering Monarch, Lord of Chains. He moved slowly, his massive body wrapped in heavy iron chains that dragged along the ground. His eyes barely opened, as though even the act of walking was a burden. The air around him felt thick, heavy, making it hard for anyone nearby to move. Looking at him, the soldiers felt their energy drain, their strength slipping away. "So… tired…" he muttered, barely lifting his head.
The next figure was The Maw of the Abyss, Devourer of the Unseen. His form was grotesque, his body bloated and covered in ragged cloth. His skin was like a polished leather hide and his mouth never stopped moving, chewing on something unknown. His eyes were wide, wild with endless hunger. "More… more…" he groaned, his voice thick with desperation. He looked at the humans as if they were nothing but his next meal.
Then emerged The Withering Shade, Mistress of the Coveted. She was smaller than the others, twisted and hunched, her eyes glowing a sickly green. She glanced at the other demons and humans with pure and equal hatred, her fists clenched as she muttered under her breath. "I want… everything they have…"
The last to appear was The Dread Sovereign, Lord of All Dominions. He stepped forward with the poise of a Ruler. His robes billowed, lined with shimmering silver, his long, dark hair flowing behind him. His face was impossibly handsome, and his piercing eyes glowed with arrogance. He did not speak at first, only looking down on the humans as if they were ants beneath his feet. When he finally opened his mouth, his voice was cold and commanding. "You are nothing. I am everything. Bow before me, and I might spare your worthless lives."
The seven demons stood before the human army. Massive, terrifying, each one a nightmare given form.
General Wu gritted his teeth. His hands trembled, but not from fear. His hatred burned too hot for that. He stared at the demons with pure rage. These monsters had taken everything from them. Their homes, their people, their land. All that was left was this last fight. "Demons!" Wu roared. "We will not bow to you! We will fight to our last breath!"
The soldiers around him shouted in response. They raised their swords and shields, ready to face death head-on. The fear was gone. There was only hate.
Pride stepped forward. His smile never left his face as he looked down at Wu. "You think you can resist us?" he asked, his voice calm and cold. "You are beneath us. Always have been."
He raised a hand. The human army tensed. Weapons were raised, shields up. They were ready to die in this moment. But Pride didn't attack. None of the demons moved.
Instead, Pride turned to the others. Lust's cruel smile faded. Rage's flames dimmed slightly. Greed's twitching fingers stilled. The air seemed to freeze.
Then, to the shock of every human, Pride did the unthinkable.
The Sovereign of all demons, the ruler of the Seven, bent his knee.
He knelt before General Wu, his head lowered in submission.
"We are here to surrender," Pride said, his voice soft but clear.
The battlefield went silent. The wind stopped. The soldiers stared in disbelief. General Wu felt the blood drain from his face.
And then, the rest of the Demons bent their knees too. "We surrender." they all said at the same time.
A breeze flew by between them and it felt like years had flown by. But, it was just a mere seconds.
This… this wasn't possible. It had to be a trick. The demons do not surrender. They can not, how could they? They were winning. They almost annihilated us! There were the thoughts raging in every soldier's mind.
But the Dread Sovereign, the pride of demons remained on his knee, head bowed. The other demons too and none of them move.
Wu's heart pounded in his chest. "What… What game is this?" he whispered, his voice shaking.
The war was over. But at what cost? What did the demons truly want?