Chapter 2: Entry of Demons
Crimson moonlight draped Zenin City in a blood-red glow.
The streets lay unnaturally still. No wind stirred the rooftops. No footsteps echoed along the stone roads. No distant voices whispered warnings.
Not peace.
A prelude to carnage.
Two figures stepped through the city gates, their silhouettes stretching long under the crimson moon. Each step they took felt heavy, as if the very air recoiled from their presence.
A lone guard emerged, tightening his grip around his spear.
"Who are you?" he demanded, trying to steady his voice. "And… what is that sinister aura?"
Doumar tilted his head, almost amused.
"Huh," he muttered. "If you can feel our aura this clearly, then you must be weak."
The guard swallowed hard.
Doumar's eyes hardened.
"And the weak," he said calmly, "don't deserve to exist in this world."
A blur of motion.
Before the guard could scream, darkness flashed past him. His body collapsed lifelessly onto the cold stone.
From the shadows of a nearby rooftop, two figures watched in horror.
Aiken Akabura clenched his fists.
"This is bad," he said urgently. "Go—warn the Zenin. This isn't simple vandalism."
Silver Fangar hesitated.
"But what about you?"
"I'll buy time," Aiken replied, eyes locked on the demons. "Until Lord Zenin arrives. If it comes to it… I'll fight them to the death."
Silver vanished into the night.
The two demons turned their attention toward Aiken as they approached.
Darka glanced at her brother.
"Why do you always kill weaklings without hesitation?"
Doumar didn't answer.
His mind drifted—
The First Battle of Dawn
The world burned.
Human and demon corpses littered the battlefield. Smoke darkened the sky, carrying the stench of death.
Two children hid behind their mother.
Before them stood two warriors—Yuiki Kurenai and Shin Shizugawa.
"We capture Umbra," Yuiki said coldly. "If she's taken, the war is ours."
Shin smirked.
"Then I'll kill the children."
"No," Yuiki replied. "Later. You find Xaphan's other offspring."
Steel clashed.
Umbra fought desperately, her scythe screaming through the air. But exhaustion crept into her limbs.
Yuiki lunged—not at her.
At Doumar.
Umbra moved without hesitation.
The blade pierced her chest.
Blood spilled as she forced herself upright, trembling hands gripping her scythe.
"Run…" she gasped.
Then she screamed with all the strength she had left.
"Run, Darka… Doumar… Darka, take your brother's hand and live. No matter what—live!"
Yuiki drove his sword deeper.
As Darka dragged him away, Doumar's scream tore through the battlefield.
"M—Mom!"
Present
Doumar's eyes were empty.
Mother died because she was weak.
Father lost the war because he was weak.
And they were powerless.
That was unforgivable.
"That's all," Doumar said quietly. "It's just… manners."
Aiken stepped forward, gripping his scythe.
"Who are you beasts?"
Darka laughed softly.
"How pitiful. You don't even recognize us."
Her gaze sharpened.
"Do you even have the strength to ask?"
"Who are you?" Aiken demanded.
Darka smiled coldly.
"We are the children of the ancient demon—Xaphan."
Aiken's breath caught.
"Xaphan…? That name was sealed in legend—"
He never finished.
Darka's blade-like limb extended in an instant. Aiken barely blocked with his scythe. Sparks burst into the air as metal screamed.
She smirked.
"Little brother. Go ahead. I'll play with him for a while."
"Yeah, yeah," Doumar replied lazily. "Do as you please."
He walked forward, leaving destruction in his wake.
Darka turned fully toward Aiken, her eyes glinting under the crimson moon.
"Now," she said softly,
"shall we begin?"
END OF CHAPTER-2