It was a quiet weekend at Theo's castle. With no classes, he had decided to use the time to oversee the training of his troops. From an elevated terrace, he watched as his demon soldiers exercised, honing their skills on the battlefield. "So far so good ," he thought, satisfied with the progress.
He stepped off the terrace and began walking through the castle halls, enjoying a rare moment of calm. But that tranquility wouldn't last long. As he turned a corner, a woman with glasses and a huge stack of papers ran right into him, sending documents flying everywhere.
"Damn it!" the woman exclaimed as she bent down to pick up the scattered papers. She looked at Theo reproachfully. "Can't you watch where you're walking!? You've delayed me even more than I already was!"
Theo, somewhat bewildered by the situation, bent down to help her pick up the documents. The woman continued to mutter things under her breath, unaware of who he was.
"Are you just going to stand there or help?" she reproached him, without looking up.
Theo nodded silently, not feeling offended. As they gathered up the papers, he recognized the woman: it was Beleth, the demon in charge of the kingdom's accounting and paperwork. Though he hadn't interacted with her much, he knew she was efficient, if somewhat grumpy. Beleth, for her part, had no idea who he was.
As they walked down the hall together, Beleth threw out a casual question.
"Did you sneak out of training or what?" she asked, clearly still upset.
Theo raised an eyebrow, a little surprised by the question.
—No, I was just walking —he replied calmly.
Beleth snorted, irritated.
"So you're a useless person who just wastes time?" she said bluntly.
The word "useless" hit Theo harder than he expected. He lowered his head, feeling a slight discouragement. It had been a long time since someone had spoken to him like that, and even though he knew Beleth didn't know his identity, the words hurt. Still, he decided not to say anything and continued helping carry the papers.
When they arrived at the office, Paimon, who was in charge of accounting and human resources, was waiting for them.
"Beleth, leave the papers there," Paimon said calmly, not looking up. However, when she saw Theo, her eyes widened, clearly surprised.
"My lord! What are you doing here?" he exclaimed, bowing slightly in a show of respect.
Beleth, who was still busy with the papers, frowned in confusion.
—Why are you talking to this guy like that...?
Before he could finish his sentence, Paimon interrupted, almost horrified.
—This is Theo! The War Rider!
Beleth froze, her eyes widening. Slowly, she turned her head towards Theo, realizing her mistake. Her face flushed in embarrassment.
"The… the war rider?" he repeated quietly, clearly in shock. He dropped the papers in his hands and bowed deeply. "Forgive me, Mr. Theo! I didn't know who you were! Please spare my life!"
Theo, feeling a slight blush at the awkward situation, raised his hands to calm her down.
"No problem, Beleth," he said with a small smile. "You don't have to apologize, it's okay."
Beleth slowly straightened up, her face still flushed, but calmer at the sight of Theo's kindness. She nodded awkwardly and gathered up the rest of the papers before quickly exiting the office, clearly embarrassed.
Theo watched her leave and then looked at Paimon, who smiled slightly.
"Not many would dare to speak to a rider like that," Paimon commented with a hint of humor.
Theo shrugged, smiling too.
"Sometimes it's refreshing not to be recognized for a moment," he replied before returning to his duties.
While Theo was discussing military matters with Paimon in one of the castle's rooms, the calm air of the weekend was suddenly shattered by a deafening explosion. The glass in the windows vibrated, and the echo of the detonation was felt throughout the castle.
"What the hell was that?" Paimon asked, her face full of surprise and concern.
Theo, his senses alert, didn't have to say anything. He felt a powerful, malicious aura coming from outside. "Moloch," he thought.
"The communications tower!" Paimon exclaimed, as a demonic messenger burst into the room.
"My lord! We are under attack!" the messenger shouted in panic. "The communications tower has been destroyed, and enemy demons are infiltrating through the outskirts of the castle!"
Theo frowned, quickly understanding what was going on. This was no simple raid. This was a well-planned attack.
—Paimon, mobilize the soldiers immediately. Have Gremory lead the first line of defense. I'll take care of those already inside.
Meanwhile, outside the castle, Moloch had disappeared into the shadows after detonating the communications tower. From outside, the carts and vehicles that were discreetly parked around the castle began to open, and from them emerged hordes of demons, with weapons and armor ready for the assault.
The castle guards, though surprised, were quick to react. Alarms rang out, and troops began to form up, but it was too late. The main entrance to the castle was rocked by an even bigger explosion. The giant iron gate flew through the air, and debris fell with a crash.
From among the dust and rubble, an imposing figure appeared: Belial , followed by his loyal ally, Mot , both surrounded by a dark and powerful aura.
"Let us enter!" Belial ordered, his voice ringing with authority. "Take down all who stand in our way!"
The demons under Belial's command roared in fury, charging towards the breach they had created. The first to enter were quickly confronted by the castle guards, but chaos had already broken out. Belial's forces were more numerous than they had first appeared, and soon the castle's defenses began to buckle under the pressure.
From a nearby hill, Belial watched with a dark smile as her demons flooded the castle. Mot, at her side, glanced at her from the corner of his eye.
"It won't be easy to reach Theo's throne," Mot said, his voice harsh. "He has trained troops and his castle is well protected."
Belial smiled even wider, his eyes shining with mischief.
"Don't underestimate the power of chaos," he replied. "When everything falls apart, the strongest fall along with the weakest. And Theo… will fall under the weight of his own confidence."
With a wave of his hand, Belial sent a surge of dark power towards the castle walls, weakening them even further. He knew this battle had only just begun, but he could already taste victory on his lips.
Inside the castle, Theo prepared to face the invasion. Although he knew that Belial was a formidable opponent, he had no intention of giving up his territory without a fight.
"This is just the beginning," he muttered to himself, determination in his eyes.