Eclipse tore through the air like a silver cot, its sleek form glinting beneath the faint sunlight that filtered through the clouds.
Even though the Hero of Knowledge had ceased his pursuit, Eclipse didn’t dare stop.
Tobias’s aura still lingered in its bones — it was a terrifying feeling.
It could still feel the searing burn of his spells against its flesh, the echo of knowledge-infused precision that had pushed it beyond its limits.
If it had halted for even a second, it would have been captured by the Hero.
Only after what felt like an eternity did Eclipse slow.
It halted mid-air, suspended among the clouds, and let out a shuddering breath.
With a soft flicker of light, its massive serpentine body shrank and compressed, reverting to its feline form.
Small, lithe, and deceptively fragile, the cat floated there, panting softly.
A few shallow wounds marred its fur, and one of its hind legs limped slightly as it drifted down onto a branch of a tall tree.
In a flash of colorless aura, the wounds vanished, sealed cleanly as though they never existed.
The cat arched its back, stretching luxuriously despite the tension still humming through its muscles.
Its amber eyes narrowed, tail flicking with unease.
"I should report this to Master," Eclipse muttered. Its voice was soft, but in the stillness of the air, the sound carried like a whisper through silk.
Without wasting another second, Eclipse leapt off the branch and zipped forward again.
This ti, it moved with purpose rather than panic, navigating the dense thicket of the forest with ease.
Vines whipped past it, and gnarled roots blurred beneath as it hod in on a hidden anomaly — one not even the humans had detected.
Deep within the heart of the forest, nestled between ancient boulders and vines, was a gate.
Not the shimring blue portals typical of dungeon entrances, but a swirling, dark red vortex embedded into the earth.
It didn’t ripple. It didn’t distort the air or the plants nearby. It was still, almost dead — but the power Eclipse could sense within it was anything but.
Eclipse plunged into it without hesitation.
The world on the other side was nothing like Earth.
No trees. No sky. No oceans. The air shimred with oppressive heat.
There was no ground — only endless seas of molten lava.
The landscape was jagged and cruel, ford of dark platforms of obsidian-like stone that floated above the burning rivers.
Ash rained from the crimson sky, and shadows twisted in the distance.
Demons soared overhead, their wings wide and cracked like shattered glass, their eyes gleaming red as they moved in swarms.
So bore multiple horns, others had tails like spears.
The mont Eclipse appeared, many of them paused, sensing its presence, but they quickly returned to their patrols.
They knew what it was, the pet of their... lord.
With speed and familiarity, Eclipse darted between them and made a beeline toward the tallest structure in this infernal realm — a castle that towered over the lava like a god’s cruel sculpture.
Its spires twisted like thorns, stabbing into the sky. Its walls pulsed faintly, alive with demonic energy.
Eclipse didn’t bother with the gate. Instead, it dove through one of the high windows, startling a figure along the way.
"Ack—!" the woman gasped as the cat-shaped creature bounced off her shoulder.
She was beautiful, her silver hair cascading in perfect waves down her back.
She wore a tight black battle dress with thin straps, slit high on both sides to allow movent, the fabric hugging her curves with rciless accuracy.
Her eyes were athyst, glowing faintly, and her presence alone made the air heavier.
Eclipse paused only for a split second, offering a rushed, "Apologies, Lady Luciera," before slipping past her.
She rolled her eyes but said nothing, continuing down the corridor without concern.
Down the hallway Eclipse flew, its pace unwavering until it reached the grand double doors of the throne room.
They stood twice as tall as any man and bore ancient carvings that shifted like smoke.
Without waiting, Eclipse passed through the tiny gap between them and entered the chamber beyond.
The throne room was vast.
There were no torches, no chandeliers.
The light ca from rivers of lava running beneath a glass-like floor and from the crystalline flas that floated in mid-air.
At the end of the room sat a single throne of black stone, carved to resemble a fla twisting toward the sky.
Upon it lounged the demon lord.
She looked human at first glance — tall, regal, with raven-black hair that spilled like ink down her back.
Her eyes, however, glead like twin suns set in a starless void, and two long horns arched upward from her forehead, glistening with ancient runes.
She wore a robe that clung to her figure like a second skin, dyed the color of fresh blood and edged with gold.
The mont Eclipse entered, she opened her eyes lazily.
"Back already, little shadow?" Her voice was sultry, warm like velvet, yet commanding.
Eclipse bowed deeply in midair. "I’ve returned from the mortal realm, Mistress."
"Report."
"There was a confrontation with the Hero of Knowledge," Eclipse said quickly, a shiver running through its voice. "I underestimated him. He was supposed to be the weakest... but I was almost annihilated. He activated so sort of domain spell. I barely escaped."
The demon lord raised an eyebrow, sitting forward. "A domain? From the Hero of Knowledge?"
Eclipse nodded.
"I thought only the Hero of Light posed a threat," the demon lord murmured, fingers tapping against her throne. "And now you tell the scholar is no less dangerous."
"I thought the sa," Eclipse admitted, eyes downcast. "But he was fast... precise... every spell calculated, like he had seen my movents before I made them. I never imagined — "
"Enough," she said softly but firmly. Her presence quieted even the air.
"Your failure is not unforgivable. It’s information. And information is more valuable than conquest."
Eclipse lifted its head. "Then you’re not... angry?"
"Oh, I’m furious," the demon lord said, lips curling into a smirk. "But not at you."
She stood from her throne, and the room seed to darken. "Those heroes... are advancing faster than they should. The tiline is shifting."
She turned her gaze toward the sky beyond the throne room.
"Send word to the other agents. It’s ti we began... Phase Two."
[Author’s Note]
End Of Volu 1 people, let’s get on with Volu 2. It’s about to get peaker from here on out, as we’re introducing more people and what exactly this "Phase Two" ans.
Reviews
All reviews (0)