The embers of the once-thriving Desire Kingdom flickered in the air, carried by the sorrowful wind. The scent of burning flesh, charred stone, and spilled blood intertwined into a twisted melody of destruction.
Xylara knelt amidst the ruins, her succubus wings tattered, her body trembling. Tears slid down her cheeks, vanishing into the blood-soaked ground beneath her.
Everything was gone.
Her people.
Her home.
Her kingdom.
And standing before her, basking in the devastation, was the architect of her despair.
Lycius Abyssi.
The young demon descended from the sky, his black, draconic wings folding behind him as his feet touched the broken earth. A sinister smile stretched across his lips, his crimson eyes glowing with eerie satisfaction.
"You still have me."
His voice was calm, almost comforting, yet it sent chills down Xylara's spine.
Her breath hitched. She looked up at him, her vision blurring with tears.
"Why...?" Her voice cracked, raw with grief. "Why would you do this…?"
Lycius tilted his head, amusement flickering in his gaze.
"Because I wanted to."
His words, spoken with such simplicity, were far more terrifying than any elaborate justification.
Xylara shuddered.
His young mind—his innocence, if one could even call it that—was untamed, unrestricted by morality. He had taken everything from her not out of hatred, but simply because he could.
He crouched before her, bringing his face close to hers. His fingers brushed her tear-streaked cheek, almost tenderly.
"You are mine now, woman."
Her lips parted slightly, but no words came. She couldn't deny it.
She had lost.
Her entire world was gone.
And the only thing left for her to cling to... was him.
SHRIIIP!
A sudden tear in the air sent a violent shudder through Xylara's soul.
Darkness pooled around them like a living shadow, twisting and coiling before solidifying into two figures.
Lana and Elizabeth Abyssi.
The moment Xylara saw them, her entire body went cold.
No…
It wasn't possible.
They couldn't be here.
They shouldn't be here.
Yet they stood before her, their demonic eyes piercing through her like blades.
Xylara's heart pounded violently against her ribs.
Her breath came in short, panicked gasps.
"You..." Her voice was barely above a whisper. "No… No, this can't be…"
Lana stepped forward, her ruby-red gaze burning with raw malice.
"It's been a long time... Xylara."
Xylara's hands clenched into fists. Her nails dug into her palms, drawing blood.
She forced herself to meet their gazes, even as her body screamed for her to run.
Memories came rushing back like a flood, ripping through her mind.
Memories of a time before.
Of a kingdom that wasn't hers… but theirs.
Of a betrayal so deep it had torn an empire apart.
Lana's lips curled into a sneer. "I never thought I'd see the day... when the so-called 'Heavenly Demon of Lust' would yet again kneel before us."
A choked sound escaped Xylara's throat.
She didn't need to hear more.
They knew.
The truth had been unearthed.
Lana and Elizabeth knew who she really was.
One of the Four Heavenly Demons.
One of the traitors who had sided with humans and angels.
One of the monsters who had led the war against the Abyssi Demon Kingdom.
She was their enemy.
And now, she was at their mercy... Well, Lycius's mercy.
Lana's grip on her greatsword tightened, dark energy swirling around her form.
"We should kill her."
The words were spoken with absolute finality, like a judge's decree.
Elizabeth nodded, her expression cold and detached.
"We should have killed her 12 years ago."
Xylara flinched, but she didn't deny it.
She deserved this.
But before Lana could make a move—
A low growl rumbled from Lycius's throat.
The air cracked with tension as a dark aura flared around the young demon.
His sinister smirk vanished, replaced by something far more dangerous.
His eyes darkened, his expression twisting into one of anger.
And then, in a voice that made even Lana and Elizabeth freeze, Lycius spoke.
"You will not touch her."
Silence.
For the first time, Lana and Elizabeth hesitated.
Their crimson eyes locked onto their son, unreadable.
Lycius took a slow step forward, his gaze never leaving his mother's.
"She is mine."
The words hung in the air, thick with possessiveness.
His voice was calm, yet beneath it lay an undeniable authority.
"I defeated her. And according to the ancient texts of the DragonBorn..."
A dark smirk returned to his lips.
"...everything that belongs to my challenger now belongs to me."
His eyes gleamed dangerously.
"That includes her."
Lana and Elizabeth's expressions shifted.
A flicker of realization passed between them.
They had thought Lycius sought only destruction.
They had believed he wanted Xylara dead.
But now, they could see it clearly.
This wasn't just mindless killing.
This was something else entirely.
Lycius wasn't just taking Xylara's kingdom.
He wasn't just taking her people.
He was taking her.
And the most chilling part?
He had planned this from the very beginning he laid his eyes upon her.
Lana's fingers twitched around her weapon, but she didn't strike.
Elizabeth, ever the observer, let out a slow breath.
"I see… So that's how it is."
Lana clicked her tongue, crossing her arms.
"Hmph. You should have told us sooner, Lycius."
Lycius grinned, his sharp fangs flashing.
"Would that have been any fun?"
Lana let out a low chuckle. "You really are our son."
Xylara, still on her knees, looked between them in horror.
She had no idea what had just happened.
But she could feel it.
The noose around her neck had tightened.
She had thought she had lost everything.
But now… she realized the truth.
She hadn't lost everything.
She had been claimed.
And Lycius… had no intention of letting her go.
Blood still dripped from Vynessa's fingers as she soared through the crimson-stained sky.
The massacre had been… delightful. Every scream, every drop of spilled blood—it all fueled her insatiable thirst. Now, she was eager to return to Lycius.
As she approached, her heightened bond with him granted her clarity—she already knew what he was planning. Xylara, the Queen of the Succubi and Incubi, was now his.
She had no complaints about that. As a DragonBorn, Lycius had every right to take what he had conquered.
But what did bother her was the order in which things were happening.
Her mother was about to be claimed before her.
Her wings folded as she landed, her sharp gaze immediately locking onto her unconscious mother—lying motionless at Lycius's feet.
He stood over Xylara, his golden eyes gleaming with cruel satisfaction, his lips curled into a smirk as his death aura wrapped around her like invisible chains.
"Lycius." Vynessa's voice was smooth, but there was a sharpness to it. "I have a complaint."
Lycius didn't turn, but through their bond, he was already listening.
"You're claiming her first," she continued, arms crossed. Her golden eyes narrowed.
"I met you first. I fought beside you first. It doesn't feel right that my mother gets to be claimed before me."
Lana and Elizabeth chuckled darkly from the shadows.
"How adorable," Elizabeth murmured, her tone mocking. "Little Vynessa is getting jealous."
"I'm not jealous," Vynessa snapped.
"You sound jealous," Lana mused, smirking.
Vynessa exhaled sharply, forcing herself to remain composed. "I am simply stating facts." She tilted her chin, eyes sharp. "I should be first."
At that moment, Lycius finally turned to face her. His smirk deepened, his eyes gleaming with arrogance. He regarded her with the same condescending amusement one would have when humoring a child.
"You?" His voice dripped with arrogance. "You were already mine before you even realized it."
Vynessa froze.
Her heart skipped a beat, though she wasn't sure if it was from shock or something else entirely.
Lycius's monstrous energy pulsed slightly, and in that instant, she felt it—an unshakable connection, deeper than blood, deeper than words. It had been there all along, unnoticed, hidden within their bond.
He smirked at her reaction. "See? You're just now realizing it."
Vynessa swallowed, momentarily at a loss for words.
Lana and Elizabeth watched with hidden amusement, but their eyes darkened slightly—Lycius's arrogance was… intoxicating.
"Now," Lycius continued, crouching beside Xylara. He pressed a clawed finger to her forehead, sending a pulse of a combination of Qi and Mana, Aetherius, through her. Instantly, her body went limp, fully unconscious. "As for her…"
Without hesitation, he lifted Xylara into his arms, carrying her in a bridal fashion. His smirk never faded as he turned his gaze back to Vynessa.
"You will wait," he said smoothly. "Because I have plans for you, Vynessa. And I want you when you're at your strongest."
Vynessa's irritation faded slightly, replaced by something… else.
She didn't speak right away, merely watching him, watching the way he owned every situation so effortlessly. A slow, knowing smirk curved her lips.
"Fine," she relented. But she stepped closer, trailing her fingers lightly against his arm. "But don't make me wait too long, Lycius."
"I won't," he promised.
Lana and Elizabeth exchanged knowing glances. They could see it now—Lycius wasn't just conquering Xylara. He was taking everything that had ever belonged to her.
Her kingdom. Her power. Her freedom. Her very existence.
And soon enough…
He would take her completely.
The realization thrilled them more than they cared to admit.
Lana let out a low chuckle, crossing her arms. "So, I take it we're not returning to the forest?"
Lycius barely spared her a glance as he began walking toward the grand palace—the only structure he had left untouched.
"The forest is too small," he said. His voice was calm, yet absolute. "My reign begins now. And we'll start from the Desire Palace."
Elizabeth smiled approvingly. "Now you're speaking like a proper ruler."
Lana, however, tilted her head slightly, her golden eyes gleaming with something undisclosed.
Lycius… was growing into a true DragonBorn.
And that meant one day, he would claim everything.
Including them.
But for now…
They would watch.
And wait.
With Xylara in his arms and his family at his side, Lycius led them through the shattered streets of the Desire Kingdom, toward the grand palace that would become their new home.
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