The Damned Demon

721  The Future Hasn't Changed

The Red Witch's gaze narrowed, the dark red glow of her eyes intensifying, her voice chilling as she spoke, "Then you will suffer…a lot. And the things you hold precious, the things you cherish…they will perish."

Asher's instincts screamed as he stared at the Red Witch. There was something in her gaze, a dark glint that carried a foreboding beyond the typical threats of his enemies like Drakar. It didn't even feel like a threat—it felt like an inevitable warning. Her words lingered like a ghostly shadow, weighing heavily in his mind.

But he steeled himself, knowing he couldn't let fear or doubt take root. No matter what danger she hinted at, he wouldn't give in. That "key" was the only safeguard his kingdom had, and he wasn't about to hand it over to some nameless witch.

He held her gaze, his voice steady, "You think threats will work on me? I've faced more than enough attempts to take me down. You're just another one who'll fall short."

A faint, regretful sigh escaped her lips, as if she pitied him, "Perhaps. Or perhaps you'll wish you'd made a different choice. My offer was to help you, Asher Drake. Declining it means the consequences are yours alone to bear."

The dark glow in her eyes intensified as she took a step back, about to vanish into the mist. Her disembodied voice echoed around him, haunting and foreboding, "You won't be able to save them all…not this time."

"You don't get to leave after saying all those things to me," Asher snarled. His form flickered as he vanished, reappearing just behind her. He grabbed her nape, yanking back her cloak—only to find a trembling vampire beneath it, her red eyes wide with terror. She was weak, barely stronger than a Soul Hunter, and her frightened gaze pleaded for mercy.

"So she likes to use puppets huh... What a coward..." he muttered, watching the woman shake under his aura.

"P-Please…mercy…" she stammered, barely able to speak.

Asher sighed, letting go with a weary gesture, "Just get out of here." The vampire needed no further encouragement, scrambling to her feet and fleeing as fast as her legs could carry her while wondering how she even ended up here.

Lori's small form slithered forward, her tongue flicking in annoyance, "Sssss, I knew that Red Witch—whoever that slippery vixen is—wasn't really standing before you. I tried to scan the area while you kept her talking, hoping to catch her."

Asher's gaze remained fixed on the mist, frustration etching his features, "But no luck, right?"

Lori's tail whipped irritably, her voice tinged with frustration, "No time to search far enough, but it's obvioussss she's powerful enough to control her puppets over large distances. A peak Soul Devourer, and not your typical one either. I could feel the intensity of her mindforce even when it wasn't targeted at me. It felt everywhere, making it hard for me to pinpoint in time, sssss...."

Asher clenched his fists, his expression darkening, "Of course. Only someone with that level of power would have the nerve to threaten me and my kingdom."

Lori let out an annoyed hiss, "But do you believe her threats? Where does she find the nerve to throw around threats without anything to back them up? Sssshe didn't even announce her clan or kingdom, or who she's working for!" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Asher's gaze turned thoughtful, "I don't think she works for anyone but herself. But she might have something to back up her words, especially when she didn't announce anything to intimidate me. This isn't someone we can ignore. The problem is, she's a ghost. No one even knows where to start looking for her."

Lori sensed the subtle shift in his aura, the storm of concern swirling within him. Without warning, she flicked her tail, smacking his back.

"Ow!" Asher rubbed his back, surprised, "What was that for?"

Lori looked at him sternly, "Sssstop worrying about that vixen for now. Focus on what you can do right now. No matter how much you worry, it's pointlesssss until you know where to find her. Do what you need to, and only worry about her when you have a way to catch her. That starts with you getting back on me and heading home before your harem of beauties wonders where you've gone." With a flick of her tongue, Lori grew to her full form, coils stretching wide as she prepared for takeoff.

Asher let out a chuckle, his frustration easing as he looked at her, "I never thought I'd be getting a pep talk from you, Lori. But…thank you. I needed that."

Lori raised her snout proudly, feeling a strange warmth at his words, "Of course, you need me around to smack some sense into you," she huffed, though her tone held a hint of amusement. "Now onwardsssss!" She let out a fierce hiss as her massive body took to the skies, lightning splitting the crimson clouds above as they soared toward home, with the wind roaring around them.

—

Not long after, Drakar was standing atop the roof of his palace, his aura oppressive enough to make the guards and high-ranking officials stand with their heads lowered at all times.

"You better be better than that useless bastard Lorvo. So tell me, Commander Zulgi…Did you finish setting up the Death Embrace Arrays?"

Drakar asked without looking at the middle-aged heavily armored man standing behind him with his back bent.

Zulgi raised his back slowly, his expression stoic and cold, "Yes, Your Majesty. I would have returned with my severed head if I dared to fail your orders."

Drakar smirked, "Good. I should have made you the head commander earlier. Then now-" However, Drakar paused as his sharp eyes caught sight of Lysandra's figure descending down towards his kingdom from afar.

His fingers slowly curled up, the corners of his lips twitching as he dragged his fingers down the ends of his thick mustache, "About the other task I had ordered you to take care of. Have you managed to make the list?"

Zulgi nodded with a stone-cold gaze, "Yes, Your Majesty. Do you want me to act upon it? Or would you want me to ask for another meeting with 'her' to make sure of some things? I can take care of it without having to bother you."

Drakar shook his head as his lips curved into a sinister smile, "No…Not yet. Nor is there any need to ask 'her' anything else. But most of all, I will be the one to take care of it. Only I should deal with this. Hahahahaha…" Drakar suddenly let out a roar of malevolent laughter that only sent chills down the spines of everyone standing there.

—

A week had passed, and Rowena stood with Asher on the eastern battlement of the castle, her gaze fixed on the vast horizon stretching out across their kingdom. She clasped her hands tightly, worry flicking in her crimson eyes as she spoke, her voice barely above a murmur, "The key will only hold out for a few more weeks at best...maybe less. We've done everything we could, pouring all our resources into this, especially after preparing for war."

Asher's expression was serious, his mind weighed down by the reality of their situation.

But he turned to her, gently taking her hand in his, his gaze steady and reassuring. "Don't worry. Lysandra is close to overthrowing Drakar. Once she takes the throne, her kingdom's support will be behind us, and we won't have to stretch ourselves so thin. And as for the WHA... I already have plans in motion. If everything plays out as we hope, we'll be safe."

Rowena's face softened at his words. "As long as you're confident, then so am I. Without you, Ash… I don't know what I would've done." She paused, her eyes clouding with concern. "But be careful. From what I've learned of Derek, the WHA's leader, he's more dangerous than I anticipated. If he gets even the faintest hint of what you're planning, he won't sit still. The WHA has always been too powerful for any of my ancestors to challenge, much less dismantle. Their strength has been unbreakable."

Asher nodded, his gaze sharpening, "You're right. As demons, we can't defeat the WHA through force alone. But their power isn't invincible. It's rooted in their unity—the loyalty of Hunters across the world. Once I've exposed Derek's plans, I can use that unity against him. With the right people in control, the WHA could be something better…for all of us."

"I hope you succeed in this," came a familiar voice, soft but worried. Both Asher and Rowena turned to see Ceti approaching, her face tight with unease.

"Ceti…?" Asher's brows furrowed as he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, "Is everything alright? You look a bit pale."

Ceti hesitated, her gaze shifting between Asher and Rowena, "It's…about the nightmare I had…the one I told you both about not too long ago," she said, her voice low and uncertain, "I saw it again. Luna must be trying to warn me. Or maybe it's a vision she had."

A heavy silence fell over them as Asher and Rowena exchanged a grim look. Ceti's voice trembled as she continued, "That means...even after I warned you not to use the key for any purpose…the future hasn't changed. What are we supposed to do now?"

Asher felt a knot tighten in his chest, his voice laced with frustration, "That can't be true. With the way I've planned everything, it should all work out. Maybe the vision hasn't changed yet because I or we haven't made the decision that will alter it. It could shift once things are set in motion. We can't lose hope now."

Ceti offered a tight-lipped smile, though her eyes betrayed her lingering worry, "You could be right. I…really hope that's the case."

Asher exhaled, steeling himself, "I need to go back to the Severed Realm. I have to make sure the future we're fighting for becomes reality." With one last determined look, he turned and strode away, leaving Rowena and Ceti watching his retreating figure in tense silence.

Once he was out of earshot, Rowena turned to Ceti, her expression serious, "Ceti, listen to me," she began, her tone soft but filled with an unspoken urgency, making Ceti turn to look at her.

"No matter what happens, promise me you'll be there for him. Your priority must always be him. Do you understand? This is an order from your queen, one you are not to disobey," Rowena said in a commanding yet heartfelt tone.

Ceti's lips parted in a small gasp, her heart clenching painfully as she looked into Rowena's eyes. She knew why Rowena was making this command, and the weight of it settled heavily on her. Swallowing back the emotion in her throat, she nodded, her voice almost a whisper, "Your Majesty…of course. I promise."

Dang :#