I once again took my phoenix form and flew across the desolate northwest. The wind howled through jagged cliffs as I descended into the familiar cavern, its darkness greeting me like an old adversary.
There, seated upon his crude stone throne, still holding that rusted sword that never left his grip, was Druvak, the Death Knight.
He looked up as I approached, his blue flame-eyes flickering.
"Welcome back, King. Are you here for another challenge?"
I said nothing.
Instead, I summoned a spear of raw mineral divinity, its polished obsidian blade glinting in the gloom. I stepped forward, lowered into a fighting stance, and uttered a single word.
"Challenge."
Druvak stood slowly, bones creaking. With practiced ease, he drew his sword and mirrored my stance.
We stood in silence. Both waiting.
Neither of us moved.
Suddenly, Druvak lunged with a precise thrust.
I parried, but didn't counter. Instead, I used my spear like a pole to propel myself upward and delivered a brutal midair kick to his skull.
His body crashed to the ground, stunned by the unorthodox tactic.
Before he could rise, I struck downward. He rolled, barely dodging the vertical slash. As he scrambled up, I anticipated his movement and swung horizontally, but this time, he blocked it perfectly.
We clashed again and again.
Metal against mineral.
Old style against evolving technique.
But I was not the same as before. I no longer fought to win quickly. I fought with patience, waiting for the moment to finish it decisively.
Then, it came.
Druvak thrust toward my chest with a lethal move.
But I didn't dodge.
I stepped slightly aside, letting the blade pierce my shoulder. A deliberate sacrifice.
His sword stuck.
And in that moment, I pressed the tip of my spear just beneath his jaw.
"Checkmate."
Druvak blinked, confused. 'Checkmate? What checkmate?'
He looked at the wound in my shoulder, then at the spear threatening his throat. Then he understood.
"...You've grown."
With a slow motion, he pulled his sword free, and I winced in pain.
"What are you doing, idiot? The match is over," I muttered, clutching my bleeding shoulder.
But Druvak didn't reply.
He simply knelt, and the rusted blade was now stabbed into the ground before him.
"As I swore… I shall be your sword and shield, Hades. My strength is now yours."
I nodded, hiding a grim smile through the pain.
One more Duke had fallen.
——————Hecate's Point of View ——————
Far to the west, where glaciers carved valleys, I stepped into a cave wrapped in silence and frost. The air shimmered faintly with raw magic.
At the entrance, someone waited. And she was Amazel.
The mutated devil witch, once a humanoid demon, now something far stranger—a chaotic fusion of arcane energy and demonic blood. Pale skin tinged with red, wings of bat-hide folded neatly at her back, and a harp-like tail coiled lazily around her chair.
When I entered, her crimson eyes opened, and her smile was sharp yet unexpectedly warm.
"Big sis. What a surprise. If you had summoned me, I would have come to you."
"You've grown," I said. "The crying little demon girl I once knew is now a fearsome duke of the underworld."
Amazel bowed slightly with a small smile.
"Without your help and support, none of this would be possible."
"Why are we just talking outside? Please come to my cave and give me a chance for hospitality."
"Sure, sure."
We sat at a table of glistening ice. Amazel poured warm tea into delicate glass cups.
"Thank you," I said, lifting mine.
We both took a sip.
"Hmm… nice tea. Now, as I can see, everything in the room is neat and clean. You really are quite mature as compared to some fool."
"Thanks for the compliment, but what fool?"
"Ahh…leave it about that."
"So, what reason brings big sis to my cave?"
I nodded.
"You may have heard that the underworld has chosen its king."
Her expression darkened.
"Yes. Hades. A new dominant race of the world… but he is different from the others. Some would say he's closer to a divine demonic monster. And he's already slain two dukes."
Hecate nodded while sipping tea.
"You're right. Now the question is, will you stand with the king, or with the dukes?"
She was silent for a moment, thinking.
"May I ask you one thing, Lady Hecate?"
"Go on."
Her gaze became sharp and she said while sipping tea, "Why do you take the king's side?"
I smiled. She was still as sharp as a blade. She must have been deducing it from my unusual visit and question, or maybe she had come to the conclusion from my long-lasting wish to free myself from my curse, for which I needed a king.
I considered asking her what basis she had for this result…nah, I decided to end these troublesome mind games.
"Sigh…actually, I married that king."
"Married. Okay, married—" She choked, coughing violently. Then her eyes widened. "MARRIED?!"
I rose and patted her back.
Water ran from her eyes, nose, and mouth but she didn't care about it.
"How? When? Why?"
"You ask too many questions."
"And you've answered none!"
We laughed softly.
"Fine… I'll tell you everything."
I recounted the tale briefly—how we faced Noctandrath and how he risked his life and gave a portion of his soul to me. By the end, she was staring at me in astonishment.
"What a man," she murmured. "He risks everything, even his life just to save you. You're lucky to have such a man as your husband."
Her praise for my dear husband quite pleased me.
"Thank you."
"But don't you think your story is quite similar to fairy tales?"
"What do you mean?"
Her eyes lit up with mischief. "It sounds like one of those surface-world fairy tales. The brave hero rescues the beautiful maiden from a terrible monster, and she falls in love with him." She waggled her eyebrows. "So, is he handsome, this hero of yours?"
"Spouting a lot of nonsense. You should read fewer of those fantasy novels."
"No, no, big sis, liste-"
"Enough!!! Now give me your answer. Which side will you take?"
I interrupted her and stopped her from continuing that topic and spouting new theories.
Amazel had known me for too long a time and knew how stubborn I was, so she didn't take it further.
"You've known me since I was a baby. I don't like war, battle, or territorial disputes. If the king can promise that I won't worry about this, then I have no problem joining your side."
"Don't worry about that. As queen, I promise the underworld will be more peaceful than it has ever been."
Amazel knelt, pressing her fist to the ground.
"Then I swear my loyalty to the King and Queen of the Underworld."
And so, we gained another ally.