Daphnmon

As soon as the group crossed the border, the change was immediate. The ground ceased to be verdant and fertile, becoming a mixture of black, cracked earth, as if the soil itself had been burned by eons of curses. Twisted trees with claw-like branches appeared from time to time, some dripping with a dark sap that resembled coagulated blood.

The horizon was shrouded in a dense mist, tinged with purples and reds, obscuring the view of distant mountains. The sky, though still tinged with dawn, seemed charged with an unnatural light, a pale sun filtered through clouds that never dissipated.

The air was heavy, charged with an energy that made the skin tingle. Breathing seemed to require extra effort, and even the most resilient of the group, like Ryn and Araya , felt the weight of each breath. Strange sounds echoed in the distance: howls, muffled grunts, and the flutter of wings that never showed themselves.

It was as if the territory itself was watching the invaders, testing their every step.

In the first few minutes of walking, small signs showed that nothing there was normal.

Rocks that seemed to move slightly when no one was looking directly.

Shadows that did not follow the movement of the person projecting them.

Small, luminous eyes appearing within the mist, only to disappear seconds later.

And, most frightening of all: the sudden silence, when even the wind seemed to stop, as if the land itself was holding its breath.

Margarida held her dagger tightly, but the sweat on her forehead betrayed her fear.

 

Yukiko was gripping the staff so tightly that her fingers were white.

 

Ayano looked around, her eyes alert, but there was a flicker of nervousness hidden beneath her confident posture.

Windy tried to make jokes to lighten the mood, but her own voice echoed strangely, as if distorted by the air.

Frederica compulsively adjusted her glasses, using the gesture to disguise her discomfort.

Clementine , however, seemed calm, as if the territory was a natural part of her, after all, demonic heritage ran in her blood.

And I, Araya , felt deep in my soul that this was the place where all my previous steps had led me. The demonic territory was not only the home of the ultimate enemy, but also the mirror of what I myself had become, a man shaped by revenge, pain, and struggle.

Clementine didn't waste our time. After we passed through that first glimpse of the territory, with its dense air and the trees that seemed to watch, she simply took the lead and walked, as if the path were a familiar corridor. We all followed her in silence, somewhat in disbelief: wherever we passed, the small anomalies, eyes blinking in the mist, rocks that seemed to want to move, avoided us without touching us. It was as if she had a reserved passage with the place itself.

I kept my swords ready, my senses alert, but there was something disconcerting about the ease of that gait. Ryn , in her half-bestial form, exchanged glances with Clementine ; Kalea walked silently, scanning every shadow; Yukiko murmured a short prayer every few steps; Windy kept the stones around her ready, and even Frederica walked more steadily, her glasses wide. Margarida walked almost beside me, tense but not hesitant. Ayano held her bow in a resting position, but her fingers were ready.

In less time than I expected, and without a single collision, we broke through the thickest curtain of mist. Ahead of us, a wide clearing opened, and within it lay the seal—not a distant pillar or tower, but a vast circle etched into the ground itself, formed by ancient runes that breathed a weathered amber light. In the center, a dark vortex pulsed slowly, like the heartbeat of a sleeping creature. Twisted stone arches circled the seal, and symbols hovered above it that I could not decipher with the naked eye.

Clementine stopped at the edge of the circle and turned to us with an expression that mixed respect and sadness. For a moment, she seemed smaller, like someone visiting the bedside of a dying loved one.

Clementine said quietly, unhurriedly.

"The heart of the seal. Daphnmon is beyond that. She's not trapped in a physical chamber; she's encapsulated in energy. That's what maintains the connection between her world and ours. If we break it carelessly, we don't just release a queen, we release a force that can consume everything." Clementine continued.

The group formed a semicircle around the seal, each feeling the weight of their choice. The air there was even denser; the throbbing of the vortex seemed to demand silence. I stepped carefully, feeling the vibrations beneath my boots. Within me, a contradictory mixture of anger, curiosity, and a chill that came from deeper than my skin.

Clementine took a few steps forward and placed her palms over the outer runes. She closed her eyes and began to chant something that wasn't exactly words, but notes that made the seal vibrate at a different frequency, not to break it, but to probe it. The runes responded with lights that ran like veins, and for a second I felt stray images, fragments of memories that weren't mine: visions of a majestic woman, of a different people, of broken pacts and promises.

“They carved fear into the stones,” Clementine murmured when she finished.

"It's not just protection, it's accusation. The seal was made to punish and to remind. To restore peace, we'll have to deconstruct both the prison and the accusation. And for that... you'll need to see it for yourself," Clementine continued explaining .

I looked at Margarida , Ayano , and Yukiko . Their faces held a certain determination, and at the same time, a trace of doubt that I myself felt. The responsibility weighed heavily upon us, but more than that, there was a recognition: this wasn't just about cutting a stone or burning magic. It was a moral choice, a judgment.

“What’s the plan?” I asked firmly, feeling my heart pound in my own chest like the vortex before us.

Clementine looked up. Her eyes, which had seemed ancient from a thousand nights earlier, now shone with strategic clarity.

“Let’s first confirm her condition in person,” Clementine said.

"Then we will decide: dialogue or rupture. But let me be clear, I do not support excessive coercion. If we are to free Daphnmon , we will do so with the intention of listening. We will open communication. Everyone must be ready to choose when the time comes," Clementine continued .

The group nodded, a tense unanimity. I felt the weight of the blade in my hand, the cold of the metal, and at the same time, the lightness of someone facing for the first time not only an enemy, but a possibility.

I stared into the vortex. It pulsed, waiting. I took a deep breath. The choice was inches away. And for the first time since I'd been ripped from my world, I was the one who would say, with my eyes, what would be done.

The circle of runes trembled, the amber light shattered like glass, and the pulsating vortex exploded with black energy. The mist rose like walls, and from the center, a female figure emerged, tall, with long hair like rivers of shadow, red eyes flickering like embers, and an aura that wavered between majesty and terror.

It was Daphnmon , the Queen of Demons.

But contrary to what many expected, there was no blind hatred in his eyes. What there was was weariness and a directed rage.

His voice echoed in all directions, as if the territory itself was speaking.

"Fools... for a thousand years you fought among your races, hating each other, believing me to be the enemy. But I did nothing but defend myself. Someone manipulated you. A traitor among humans, elves, beasts, and even my own," Daphnmon said .

The entire group shuddered. Even Clementine took a step back.

Daphnmon raised his arm, and red symbols appeared in the air, like fragments of memories.

"This traitor has always remained in the shadows, moving pieces around like on a chessboard, creating wars, false heroes, and corrupt alliances. All with one goal: to destroy me," Daphnmon continued .

She then looked directly at Araya and the others.

— He didn't succeed... but you are the result of his manipulation. — Daphnmon concluded .

Margarida brought her hand to her mouth, trembling. “My father… always said that demons were monsters…”

Yukiko fell to her knees, her staff trembling in her hands. "If everything was manipulated… then my devotion, my church… is nothing but a lie?"

Ayano frowned, more serious than ever. "Who would have the power to deceive all races for over a thousand years?"

Clementine closed her eyes, silent tears falling. “So that was why… the seal carried hatred instead of justice…”

I, Araya , just clenched my fists. The truth burned in my bones.

— Daphnmon , tell me. Who is this traitor? — I asked.

She stared at us intensely.

— I don't even know who he is, but I only know that he has been manipulating many things. — Daphnmon replied .

Daphnmon 's words was broken by a dry sound, the sound of a blade piercing flesh.

Kalea fell to her knees, her eyes wide with shock, before collapsing lifelessly. Frederica barely had time to scream; Ryn was already behind her, her beastly claws piercing her chest.

Blood splattered across the black ground of the demonic realm. The entire group froze.

“ Ryn …?” I murmured in disbelief, my heart pounding in despair.

He straightened, his eyes gleaming with hatred and a frightening calm on his face.

"I've hidden for too long. Those two would be a problem, abilities that could ruin everything. I couldn't allow it," Ryn said with a macabre smile.

Margarida took two steps back, trembling.

— You… you were one of us…! — Margarida shouted.

Ryn laughed, showing her fangs.

"'One of our own'? You're just disposable pieces. The traitor Daphnmon mentioned… it was always me. Haven't you noticed? From the beginning, I've been guiding every move. Manipulating, laying the groundwork." Ryn laughed as she spoke.

Ayano raised her bow.

— You… killed Kalea and Frederica without even blinking. — Ayano said, filled with hatred.

“They were weak,” Ryn replied coldly.

"And now… I will kill you all. Nothing remains. The seal has been broken, Daphnmon is free, and the final step is to erase any piece that might hinder my destiny," Ryn continued.

No one could ever imagine that the wise elf was a traitor.

Yukiko burst into tears, unable to accept the scene before her.

Frederica 's lifeless body .

Windy clenched her fists, tears streaming down her face in anger.

Ayano was already ready to fire at any moment.

Daphnmon watched with an enigmatic gaze, as if the chaos were just confirmation of what he had always known.

And I, Araya , felt the fury boil.

“ Ryn … I should have realized sooner. But if you think you’re going to kill us here, you’ll find out the weight of my wrath,” I told him.