According to the books, demon society was built upon a foundation of absolute, unyielding hierarchy. The structure was etched into the very soul of their realm, ranked from the apex to the abyss:
* The Demon Lord
* Servants
* First Generals
* Second Generals
* Common Demons
* Slaves
The pages explained the brutal simplicity of it power was the only currency.
The more mana one possessed, the more reverence they commanded. In the ancient days, the strongest demon simply claimed the throne through blood and iron.
But the system had evolved into something more political; now, the crown was a matter of royal bloodlines.
If a Lord sired multiple children, he alone chose the successor, shaping the destiny of the realm with a single word.
"So that's how it works…" I muttered, leaning back into the shadows of the room. "Figures. It's always about who you're born to."
I turned the page, the parchment dry and brittle under my fingers. Suddenly, my eyes locked onto a title that made the air in the room turn frigid
The Witch of Chaos.
The name sent a primal shiver up my spine. I slowly turned the page, expecting more history, but found only a vast, empty white space.
"What the hell…?"
I frowned, flipping the page again until the ink returned, jagged and dark.
> "The Witch of Chaos is entombed within the Runes, located at the desolate, furthest edge of the Demon Realm."
My eyes narrowed as my knuckles turned white, gripping the binding.
> "The Runes serve as a terminal prison for demons consumed by an irreversible bloodlust. At the very heart of this wasteland, the Witch of Chaos remains sealed. Once one enters the Runes, there is no escape. Yet, it is whispered she knows a way out she simply lacks the raw power required to break her chains."
"For her to be sealed like that…" I whispered, my breath hitching, "she must've been a god-tier threat."
I turned the page once more, and my heart stopped.
There she was. I brushed my hand across the illustration, wiping away centuries of dust. A woman with long, mist-like white hair and skin as pale as a corpse in moonlight stared back at me.
Her eyes were a deep, violent crimson.
> "She is called the Witch of Chaos because she can absorb other demons, usurping their bodies and wielding their power as if it were her own."
I inhaled sharply, the weight of my own untapped potential pressing against my chest. "I have the power," I said quietly. "I just need the control. She can give it to me."
I slammed the book shut. "Yeah… after I finish the last book, I'm heading straight to the R...."
"Morning, darling."
I flinched, nearly jumping out of my skin. I spun around to find Alicia leaning against the doorway, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Her long hair was a mess, and she looked soft in the early morning light.
"Wait" I blinked, glancing at the window. "It's morning already?" I sighed, pulling off my reading glasses and rubbing the bridge of my nose. "Guess I got too absorbed. I lost track of time."
"Justin," she said gently, her voice laced with concern, "you're only fourteen. You don't need to shoulder such heavy burdens yet."
"Well, don't worry about me," I replied, my voice turning icy and calm. "I'm heading to the Runes."
The change in her was instantaneous. Her posture stiffened, and her eyes flashed with fear. "The Runes?!" she snapped. "Do you have any idea what kind of nightmare is locked away there?"
"Yes," I answered without a shred of hesitation. "And I need to find her."
"Justin," she said urgently, stepping into the room, "she cannot be trusted. She was sealed because she's a deemed cursed. She's too powerful "
"You are my father's servant," I interrupted, my voice firm and authoritative. "And with all due respect… you also follow my orders."
The room fell into a deafening silence.
The clock on the wall seemed to tick louder.
"Tell Alana I won't be returning anytime soon," I added.
Alicia clenched her fists at her sides, her lip trembling. Finally, she sighed and sat beside me, wrapping her arms around me in a fierce, desperate hug. "Alright," she whispered. "But please… be careful. I can't afford to lose you, too."
I placed my hand over hers, feeling the warmth. "Don't worry, Mom. I'll be fine." I smirked, trying to lighten the mood.
"Honestly, you should've just married my father back then."
She froze, her face turning a vivid shade of red. "T-That wouldn't have been appropriate for a high lord!"
I let out a genuine, booming laugh, falling back onto the floor. She coughed lightly, trying to regain her dignity, then leaned forward and kissed my cheek, pulling me back into an even tighter embrace.
I guess this is it, I thought. Motherly love. The endless worrying, the hugs, the kisses. She really does see me as her own.
"That was unexpected," I laughed, feeling a bit flustered myself.
"You should expect that from your mother from now on," she replied with a watery chuckle. "Oh I have something for you."
She disappeared into her room and returned with a folded jacket.
She began chanting in a low, melodic tone. The fabric began to glow with a soft, internal light. It flew from her hands, wrapping itself around me and shifting like a living thing.
"What the hell is this?!" I asked, tugging at the material.
"That," she said with a proud glint in her eyes, "is a royal family heirloom."
The jacket began to transform. The white fabric bled into an obsidian black. The sleeves shortened to perfectly fit my frame, and the hem extended to my knees.
The zipper slid up, covering my mouth and leaving only my eyes and hair visible.
"I… need to breathe," I muttered, pulling the zipper down an inch.
"Just like your father," she whispered, a sad, beautiful smile touching her lips.
I grabbed the final book the one containing the map to the Runes and stood up. "Time to go." I paused at the door. "Before I go never mind."
"What is it, Justin?"
"Nothing. Alana will explain everything today."
I opened the door and stepped out into the crisp morning air. My body began to lift effortlessly into the sky, fueled by a new, focused mana.
As I rose, a loose page from the book fluttered down, landing right at Alicia's feet.
"Alana?! Your girlfriend?!" she shouted from the doorway. "Where is she?!"
"At the Dragon's Castle!" I called back, my voice echoing over the rooftops. "She'll explain! I left her a letter!"
I rose higher, the wind whipping through my white hair. "Now I really need to go. Bye, Mom!"
I vanished into the clouds, a black streak against the morning blue.
Alicia watched until I was nothing but a speck, then slowly closed the door, picking up the fallen page.
"…I guess I'll wait for Alana," she said softly to the empty house.