Chapter 627: Remnants Of The Order Of Demons

Damian and Elsa had no idea what was happening outside their private chamber. Neither of them noticed the pale fog spreading across the residence.

It crept through the gardens first, slipping between the trees and crawling over the stone pathways. It swallowed the ornamental ponds, the statues, and the elaborate bridges connecting the different courtyards. Within minutes, the entire estate was buried beneath a thin white haze.

The first guard to succumb was standing beside the eastern gate. His eyelids drooped, his spear slipped from his fingers, and he collapsed against the wall. Another soldier fell moments later. Then another.

The fog did not distinguish between servants and soldiers. It seeped beneath doors, passed through open windows, and spread along the corridors. Guards stationed outside the inner buildings slumped against pillars, while servants carrying trays of food quietly sank to the floor. Even the demons patrolling the rooftops fell unconscious before they could raise an alarm.

One by one, the residence surrendered to silence. Yet three figures continued walking through the sleeping estate.

Their bodies were concealed beneath dark cloaks, their faces hidden by deep hoods. Strange insignias had been embroidered into the fabric, their designs barely visible whenever the pale fog thickened around them. They passed through the first checkpoint without resistance, stepping over unconscious guards as though the sight were entirely ordinary.

At the second checkpoint, one of them briefly turned his head toward a fallen sentry.

"Efficient," he muttered.

"Do not waste time admiring it," another replied. "We have a deadline."

They continued toward the mansion.

The final checkpoint stood between them and the inner palace, positioned beneath two towering watchtowers. The three figures had almost reached the entrance when they stopped.

Four presences had been waiting for them.

Kor and Lucy stood atop the watchtower on the left. On the opposite tower, Lotus and Logi watched the intruders with equally grim expressions. The four demigods had not fallen asleep, and none appeared particularly surprised by the approaching figures.

Their gazes had settled on the insignias stitched into the cloaks.

Lotus’s expression hardened. "Remnants of the Order of Demons... Interesting. I should have known some of you still remain after Dantalion’s death at the hands of our prince."

Logi rested one hand on the hilt of his weapon. "Even if there are remnants, I didn’t expect they would be bold enough to make a move in the capital."

Kor shook his head. "Actually, this is the best place for them to make a move. Our lord’s power is restricted by the arrays, and he’s much weaker here."

Lucy nodded in agreement. "You are right. If they attacked in Velmora or Gildreach Vault, they would have been eradicated very quickly."

"Then it doesn’t matter," Logi said, his voice turning cold. "They will all die here."

One of the cloaked figures tilted his head upward. Though his face remained concealed, the amusement in his voice was unmistakable.

"Bold of you to think three great dukes would come here without their army."

BANG!

Thunder split the sky.

Lightning illuminated the estate, turning the fog a brilliant white for an instant. The ground trembled beneath the force of the sudden arrival, and thousands of armed demons materialized across the surrounding courtyards.

They appeared on rooftops, along the walls, between the trees, and across the broad stone avenue leading toward the mansion. Armored soldiers crowded the pathways, their weapons already drawn. Some carried spears and long blades, while others wielded bows and weapons etched with runes. Their formations extended beyond the checkpoint, surrounding the watchtowers and cutting off every visible route of escape.

The four demigods immediately understood the scale of the attack.

This was no desperate remnant gathering a handful of followers for revenge. Someone had assembled an army, and brought enough forces to challenge the defenders of a Prince’s residence.

Lucy drew her weapon. The blade caught the lightning’s fading glow, and her expression became merciless.

Lotus’s fingers curled around the hilt of her sword. Logi lowered his center of gravity, preparing to launch himself into the ranks below. Kor, however, remained still, his eyes moving across the army as he calculated their numbers and the distance between the towers.

Then the second cloaked figure spoke.

"In fact, our job is to keep you four here while our comrade finishes the job."

Silence settled over the four defenders but it lasted only an instant.

Kor’s gaze snapped toward the three figures. One stood where he had been, while another had shifted several steps away. The third was gone.

Lotus’s expression changed first. She turned toward the mansion, her eyes widening slightly as the implication became clear. Logi followed her gaze, and the confidence that had filled his face moments earlier vanished beneath a deep frown.

Lucy swore under her breath. They had been watching the wrong threat.

"Damn it!" Logi growled.

He moved toward the edge of the tower, but the soldiers below immediately shifted their formations. Hundreds of weapons rose toward him, and a volley of dark projectiles tore through the air before he could leap.

Lotus raised her arm. A burst of demonic energy swept across the tower, intercepting the incoming attack in a shower of sparks. The impact shook the stone beneath their feet.

"Don’t let them separate us!" she shouted.

Kor’s jaw tightened as he stared toward the mansion. Their lord was inside and someone had just entered his home with the intention of killing him.

Within the mansion, the pale fog drifted through the corridors like a silent river.

A lone cloaked figure walked through it without haste. His boots passed between unconscious guards, servants, and attendants scattered across the polished floor. A fallen spear lay near the base of a marble pillar. A tray had been overturned beside the staircase, its contents untouched by the intruder.

He paid none of them any attention.

The fog curled around his ankles, but it did not seem to affect him. Occasionally, he glanced toward a doorway or the shadowed corner of a corridor, as though confirming that no one had escaped the effects of his ability.

The deeper he ventured into the mansion, the quieter it became.

He passed the reception hall and entered the inner wing, where the decorations grew more elaborate and the guards were normally more numerous. Even here, the resistance had been negligible. The few soldiers stationed along the passage had fallen before they could sound an alarm.

His destination lay beyond the staircase. He placed one foot on the first step and began to ascend.

At the landing, he turned toward the next corridor.

Then he stopped.

Two young demons stood at the far end, blocking his path.

Shin stood slightly ahead, his blindfold concealing his eyes. Golden cloth wrapped around his head, and the cursed weapon Kaiku rested within easy reach. His posture was relaxed, but there was nothing casual about the demonic energy gathering around him.

Beside him stood Malachi.

The hooded demon wore crimson armor, its surface reflecting the faint light from the wall lamps. His crimson eyes remained fixed on the intruder, and the aura surrounding him was far denser than that of an ordinary Fledgling demon.

Neither disciple appeared affected by the fog.

The cloaked figure slowly straightened.

For the first time since entering the mansion, he had encountered someone who was awake and waiting for him.

Shin broke the silence.

"My father always told me about the feared Duke of the Night, Zepar, who was so terrifying with his powers of illusion and misdirection that they dared not give him forty legions to command like his counterparts and only let him control twenty-six legions."

The intruder did not move.

Beneath his hood, a crimson eye gleamed dangerously. The visible portion of his face remained hidden, but the atmosphere around him changed. The fog seemed to grow denser, its pale tendrils curling along the floor as though responding to an unseen command.

"Who is your father?" he asked in a deep voice.

Shin answered without hesitation.

"The great Amon, the fallen angel of Heaven!"

For the briefest moment, surprise flashed across Zepar’s visible eye. Then his expression hardened.

"The same Amon executed by the Prince of Velmora?" He gave a short, disbelieving laugh. "Shouldn’t you be fighting on my side instead?"

Shin shook his head.

"Whatever punishment my father got from His Majesty was deserved. Now I’m the first disciple of His Majesty, and I will stand with him till the very end."

Zepar stared at him.

The answer seemed to offend him more than a threat would have.

Zepar snorted disdainfully.

"Ridiculous."

He shifted his attention to Malachi. His crimson eye narrowed as he examined the younger demon, the cursed weapon at his side, and the demonic presence that clung to him.

"Don’t tell me you plan to stop me with the help of a Fledgling?"

Malachi’s fingers tightened around his weapon.

The insult struck a nerve, but he did not rush forward. He had learned enough under Damian to understand the difference between anger and recklessness.

Shin stepped forward.

"You are without your domain as long as you stand within the imperial capital. We disciples of the future Demon Lord of the Underworld are more than enough to put you down."

For a moment, Zepar said nothing. Then he chuckled.

The sound was low and unpleasant, echoing through the empty corridor. He slowly nodded his head, seemingly entertained by the confidence of the two young demons standing in his way.

"Very well, then. Show me what you two are capable of."

Shin’s hand moved toward Kaiku while Malachi lowered his stance, demonic energy spreading through his armor as he prepared to attack.