Pyra 26 – Pyra 30, Imperial Year 1644
The Royal Palace, Mercia – The King's Council Chamber
King Edric sat on his father's throne. The crown rested on the table beside him – he had not yet accepted it. His council stood in a half‑circle: generals, spymasters, the high priest of Dike.
A messenger knelt before him, his clothes torn, his face smeared with ash.
"Your Majesty," the messenger said, "the great demon has descended from the Black Mountain. It leads a host of lesser spawn. Stonewell is gone. The people are dead or scattered."
Edric's jaw tightened. "How many casualties?"
"At least fifty, Your Majesty. Perhaps more. The spawn are spreading into the valleys."
General Aldric stepped forward. "We must muster the army."
"The army is still fractured from the rebellion," the spymaster countered. "Half the border lords haven't sworn loyalty."
Edric raised a hand. "Enough."
The room fell silent.
"We will not abandon our people. General, send scouts to the mountain. Fortify every village in the shadow of the peaks. Spymaster, contact the Monster Hunters Guild – offer them whatever they ask."
"And the Black Knights?"
Edric glanced at the map. "They failed. We cannot rely on them."
He turned back to the messenger. "You did well. Rest now."
The Royal Palace, Valdria – The King's Study
King Theodric coughed into a handkerchief, then set it aside. His health was failing, but his eyes were still sharp. Prince Orin stood beside him.
The report lay open on the desk.
"A great demon," Theodric said. "In Mercia."
"Yes, Father. The Black Knights attempted to stop it. They lost."
Theodric tapped the parchment. "How many dead?"
"At least a dozen of Zero's people. Their war machine was destroyed."
"Hmph." Theodric leaned back. "I never thought I'd see the day Zero failed."
"What should we do?"
"Fortify the border. Send word to Edric – offer grain, silver, and a company of engineers. But no soldiers. Not yet."
"And the Black Knights?"
Theodric's eyes narrowed. "Watch them. If they return to that mountain, I want to know everything."
The Free Cities – Council Hall, Velathri
Magda Serran sat at the head of the long table. Around her, merchants argued like crows over a carcass.
"This is Mercia's problem," one said.
"The great demon doesn't care about borders," another shot back.
"Then we pay Mercia to deal with it."
Magda slapped the table. The wood cracked.
"Enough. We will not send troops. We are merchants, not soldiers. But we will send gold. We will send supplies. And we will warn every trader heading north to turn back."
"And if the spawn reach the Free Cities?"
Magda's voice dropped. "Then we hire every blade, every bow, every mage we can find. And we pray we have enough."
The Frozen Keep, Thornreach – The King's Hall
King Jorund the Grim read the report by firelight. His face was unreadable.
"A great demon," he said. "In the south."
His spymaster nodded. "The Black Knights tried to stop it. They were crushed."
Jorund grunted. "Good. Let the south bleed. It keeps them busy."
"And if the spawn spread north?"
"Then we kill them. But I will not waste my people on a southern war." He tossed the report into the fire. "Double the border patrols. No one crosses without my leave."
"And the Black Knights?"
Jorund smiled – a thin, cold expression. "Let them rot."
The Silverwood, Aelindor – The Elven Court
Queen Aelindra sat on her throne of living wood. She did not look up from the report.
"A great demon," she said. "In human lands."
Her advisor bowed. "Yes, Your Majesty. The Black Knights failed to stop it."
"The Black Knights are irrelevant. But a great demon is not." She stood. "Send rangers to the border. If the spawn enter Aelindor, they are to be killed on sight. If the great demon itself comes…" She paused. "Then we will need allies."
"Humans?"
"Even humans, if it comes to that."
The Khergit Steppes – The Khan's Tent
Khan Temur listened to his scout's report while eating a strip of dried meat.
"A great demon," he repeated. "In the south."
"Yes, Khan. The Black Knights failed."
Temur chewed slowly. "The Black Knights are nothing. But a great demon is a threat to everyone."
"What do you command?"
"Send word to the tribes. If the spawn come north, we ride. If they stay south…" He shrugged. "Then we let the humans deal with their own mess."
The Ironhold Compact – The Dwarven Council
Thane Grimstone read the report by forge light. His face was carved from granite.
"A great demon," he said. "Above ground."
His aide shifted nervously. "The Black Knights failed to stop it."
"Of course they failed. They are humans." Grimstone set down the parchment. "Seal the eastern tunnels. Double the guards at every gate. If the spawn come near the Ironhold, we collapse the entrances."
"And the great demon itself?"
Grimstone was silent for a moment. "Then we pray our walls are deep enough."
The Southern Road, Mercia – The Class's Camp
The class had been traveling for two weeks. The road was mud, the sky grey. Elara sat by the fire, a broadsheet in her hands.
"Hey," she said. "You need to see this."
Roderick looked up. "What now?"
"A great demon. The Black Knights tried to stop it. They got wrecked."
Celia leaned closer. "Wrecked? I thought Zero was untouchable."
"Apparently not," Reinhard said. "The paper says he lost his big machine. Lots of his people died."
Corvin frowned. "Is that even true?"
"It's in the paper," Miku said.
"Papers lie."
Elara shook her head. "This source has been right before."
Grom stood, his shadow swallowing the firelight. "So a great demon is real. And it's moving."
"Looks like it."
"What do we do?"
Elara looked at the others – tired, dirty, still healing. Vesper was pale. Mira limped. Talia was thin.
"We keep going," Elara said. "Find the rest of our people. Get stronger. And if that thing comes for us…" She paused. "Then we fight."
Roderick grunted. "That's a lot of ifs."
"That's all we have."
The fire crackled. The wind blew cold.
Somewhere north, the great demon was summoning its master.
Somewhere north, Zero was rebuilding.
The world was changing.
And they were still walking.
End of Chapter Sixty‑Eight