The Damned Demon

Chapter 753  A Serpent In The Garden Keeps The Wolves At The Gate

The atmosphere among the vulpins was thick with anticipation, a mixture of awe, hope, and curiosity hanging in the air upon hearing their queen's announcement. "Your Grace... Does this mean we can rebuild our kingdom and live in the outside world?" A young vulpini girl with brown fox-like ears and a fluffy brown tail asked, her voice trembling with the weight of her question.

 Her wide eyes searched her queen's face, yearning for an answer that could change the course of their lives.

The others looked to each other, nodding in agreement. The possibility of freedom, of stepping into a world beyond the boundaries of their sanctuary, seemed too good to be true. Their gazes filled with the same hope, an echo of the dream they'd all quietly harbored for so long.

Kira's expression faltered, but only for a moment. Her thoughts clouded as she took in the eager faces of her people. She hadn't expected such a question from them, not now, especially with the Bloodburn Kingdom on the brink of destruction. She expected them to be asking questions related to that.

Before she could answer, an elderly vulpin, his tail as white as snow and his features marked with the signs of age and wisdom, slowly approached. His walking stick tapped lightly against the earth as he made his way to the front. His smile was brief but warm as he addressed the young girl,

"Layna, you know Her Grace has always worked tirelessly for our future. But it will take time," Zu said, his voice calm but tinged with the weight of reality, "Even if we manage to rid ourselves of our greatest enemies, we still have to tread carefully. The world is vast and dangerous, and there are those who will seek to destroy us again."

Layna nodded, her smile dimming as she absorbed his words. The others, though disappointed, nodded in understanding, their hopeful glances turning into more sober ones. They knew how hard their queen was working for them and how much she had risked her life to protect them.

"Of course, Chief Father. We believe in Her Grace," Layna said, her voice still laced with youthful optimism and reverence despite the harsh truths they had just heard.

Kira gave a brief, warm smile at Layna though Layna's heartfelt words stirred something heavy within her. n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Zu's eyes softened as he looked at the gathering, before turning his gaze to Kira, "Your Grace, may I have a word with you?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.

Kira gave a silent nod, signaling him to follow her as she moved away from the group. As the others began to discuss amongst themselves, their voices filled with a mixture of hope and wariness, Kira and Zu walked into a quieter corner.

Zu's voice lowered, his tone serious, "Kira, are you sure the Bloodburn Kingdom will fall? I know you've set plans in motion, and that you've temporarily allied with the Draconians. But their kingdom is far from the Bloodburn Kingdom. It would take days for their armies to reach there. And by then, the dragons of the bloodburners will have had time to considerably shave down the strength of the Draconians by the time they reach the Bloodburn Kingdom. Their queen is young but is well versed when it comes to battle strategies."

Kira paused for a moment, her golden eyes flashing with something unreadable, before a confident smirk curled on her lips, "Don't worry, Father Zu. You know how long I've been in that bloody kingdom. I've made sure they'll never see it coming. I've arranged for a surprise that will swallow them whole before they even realize it. The Bloodburners won't stand a chance, and we'll have the upper hand before they can even think of their next move. But yes, it will be good for us if a good number of Draconian forces are wiped out along the way as well."

Zu nodded slowly, but a faint worry still clouded his features, "I understand. But... is it wise to aid the Draconians in wiping out every trace of the Bloodburn Kingdom? Without your help, Drakar might never have dared to venture so far into enemy territory and waste his resources. They held the line against the Draconians for years, and now... now we risk destroying every last trace of them, leaving us vulnerable to the rest of the world, especially the Draconians. Someone once told me, a serpent in the garden keeps the wolves at the gate."

Kira's eyes darkened as her jaw tightened. "Father Zu, how can you ask something like that? They never hesitated like you to try and destroy every trace of our kingdom, our people, and they very nearly succeeded if not for my father's and our people's sacrifice. I had made a promise to them, and I will live to see it come true no matter what. I will not let their legacy live on, not after everything they've done to us. I know once the Bloodburners are gone, the Draconians will become even more bold. But it's not like I don't have my hands dipped in that kingdom."

Zu's expression softened as he reached out, placing a hand on Kira's shoulder, "I understand the pain you carry. We all do. But remember this, my child: our people—the young ones, those who never saw the horrors of our past—are looking to you for a future. The only horrors they experience is living in this beautiful prison, as you once put it…a prison that carries the horror of an inevitable end. So you must ask yourself: Can you bring them peace and hope, or will the ghosts of revenge be the only thing that guides them?"

Kira looked around at her people gathering in the distance, their faces hopeful yet uncertain. They were young, eager, and filled with dreams of a life beyond the confines of their hidden world. She felt the weight of her promise to them, the pressure to lead them into something better than what she had known.

She inhaled deeply, the fire in her gaze returning,

"I'll find a way, Father Zu. Just like how I found a way to create this place," Kira said, her gaze steady as she looked out over the gathering vulpins, "Maybe I have yet to find something more from that 'place' our forefathers entrusted to us."

Zu's expression shifted to one of deep concern, his weathered face drawn tight with worry, "Please don't think about going there again, my child. That place is the very reason we ended up like this in the first place. Our ancestors considered it forbidden to enter for a good reason. The First Demons, under the orders of the Supreme One, hid that place from the rest of the world. And yet, they weren't able to protect it from the greed and lust that flows around us. The Bloodburners could have never used what we found against us if we hadn't found about that 'place'."

Kira furrowed her brows, her golden eyes narrowing slightly as she absorbed his words, "I know why you are worried, but you can never know for sure, Father Zu. There's still so much we haven't uncovered. Our kingdom once thrived mainly because of the knowledge we gained from that place and even the Draconians didn't dare to touch us despite our small numbers. But fine…" She paused, her voice softening as she glanced at the sanctuary's boundaries, "I wouldn't think of going there unless the lives of our people are in danger."

Zu's breath eased, a quiet exhale of relief escaping his lips, "Thank you, child," he said, his voice weary but filled with love, "Another thing I wanted to discuss with you... What should we do with that Bloodburn prince you captured? I am surprised he's still alive, even after all the methods you used to break his mind. I underestimated the tenacity of someone like him."

Kira's eyes hardened, and she turned toward a small stone building off in the distance, her lips curling into a cruel smile, "Heh, he dared to fool us and strung me along, making me think he had some important information to reveal. But now that the fate of the Bloodburners is sealed, I can do whatever I want to him. A quick death is definitely not on my list. A bastard bloodburn prince like him wouldn't deserve that."

Her eyes gleamed with malice, her tails twitching in satisfaction, "I'll drag him along and make him watch his beloved kingdom go down in ashes. And then, when he's seen the ruins of his precious kingdom, I'll shatter his mind forever."

-

Unbeknownst to her, just outside the sanctuary, a vulpini scout wearing a mask and heavy armor was making his way through the deadly lands surrounding their hidden haven. The air, thick with deadly fumes, twisted and shimmered with every step he took. His keen eyes remained vigilant, but his senses were caught off guard when, in an instant, a figure appeared out of the deadly mist.

Before he could even react, the cloaked figure whizzed past him, grabbing him by the arm and pulling him into the shadows. His breath hitched as he struggled, but his efforts were futile. A cold hand pressed against his mouth, smothering his screams, and he was pinned to the ground with brutal precision. His heart raced in terror as he looked up into the chilling eyes of the woman who held him down.

Rebecca's eyes gleamed a cold dark red as she stared down at him with deadly intent. Her voice, cold and measured, sent a shiver through the scout's body, "Stop squirming, you little animal. You are my key to getting in, and you're going to show or tell me how."

The scout's eyes widened with terror as Rebecca's grip tightened, his breath shallow. But then his eyes glowed with a determined light, hardening his resolve to not give her anything, even at the cost of his own life. Rebecca's eyes glowed with a feverish light upon seeing the look in his eyes, "Oho? You are willing to die? Let's see how long you can keep that up while I pull your guts out inch by inch until you wish you had obeyed me in the first place."

The vulpini felt every fiber of his being tremble in fear under this crazed woman's words and realized he was doomed!