From the shadows, the Serpent Demoness laughed, watching events unfold until she decided to manifest before him and make him pave the way for her plan.
A beautiful young woman appeared before Younes, dressed in old, torn garments. She feigned illness and claimed she needed help. Her beauty could have captivated any young man—and with Younes broken as he was, the timing was perfect.
Despite being a demon, she was skilled enough to conceal her demonic presence.
She spoke of how the Queen had confiscated her inheritance and left her destitute, unable to afford even her treatment.
"What inheritance?" Younes asked.
"A ring… a golden ring," she replied. "Hidden in the lowest level of the palace. It's heavily guarded because of its immense value."
Suspicion flickered in his mind. Why would she possess something so valuable?
She stepped closer, deepening the illusion, clouding his judgment.
He agreed without further doubt.
"I'll retrieve your ring before dawn."
She smiled.
"I have no doubt."
When night fell, I headed to the palace and slipped into the lower levels. It would have been difficult—had I not learned concealment spells from the Babylonian era. Their magic was exquisite beyond belief, and I had mastered a few.
I moved unseen.
Until I saw them.
Demons.
My concealment spell would not work on them.
I drew my dagger and slit the throats of the lower demons guarding the passage. They were weak. It wasn't difficult.
I reached the ring.
The moment my fingers touched it—
Alarms rang throughout the entire palace.
I grabbed it and ran.
Every door slammed shut instantly.
Guards surrounded me.
"Surrender or die!"
Then—
Their heads were severed in an instant.
I turned.
The girl stood in the center of the hall, smiling.
"No words can express my gratitude. Now… will you hand me the ring?"
She released her power.
This time, I felt it clearly.
Demonic.
I had been deceived.
"No."
She tilted her head.
"Do you want me to cut off your remaining hand?"
Fear unlike any I had ever known gripped me. Stronger than the presence of the High Demon.
And yet—
I felt something else.
The ring.
Calling me.
She moved to strike—
But her attack halted before touching me.
Without thinking, I put the ring on.
And knowledge exploded inside my mind.
Memories.
Five hundred years old.
I fell to my knees as information flooded me. Cities. Blood. A throne. A burning palace.
In a moment of rage, I spoke without realizing:
"Disappear."
She vanished instantly.
And I lost consciousness.
I woke in chains.
A dungeon.
Guards told me I was as good as dead.
The ring was still on my finger.
Strange.
Not long after, the Queen descended with her royal guards.
She spat on my face.
"You dare conspire with a demon against me?"
"I was deceived," I said.
She didn't care. Her men had died.
"The ring has chosen you," she said coldly. "But you committed a crime. The ring will be reclaimed upon your death. You will be executed tomorrow at dusk."
Tomorrow.
So this is how it ends.
Not by demons.
Not by betrayal.
But by execution.
I closed my eyes.
And deep within my mind—
The throne burned once more.