The Damned Demon

A few hours earlier, panic and despair had gripped the Bloodburn camp like a relentless storm, tearing through every tent and hut, shattering the brief peace they had so desperately held onto.

“Princess Ravina is missing!”

“The little princess has been kidnapped!”

Terrified murmurs spread from mouth to mouth, sparking fear in the hearts of even the bravest warriors. Every Bloodburn survivor was on their feet, eyes wide and voices trembling. It was as if the sky itself had fallen.

They knew that Consort Isola had been the first to find Merina—Ravina’s closest caretaker—collapsed deep within the sinister woods nearby. The gentle maid had been knocked unconscious by an unknown assailant.

Whoever had done this had managed to bypass their defenses without alerting even their sharpest senses. This realization alone was enough to strike cold dread into their hearts.

Rowena stood in the middle of the turmoil, her usual cold composure shattered, replaced by unmasked fear and boiling rage. Her crimson eyes, normally so restrained and calculated, burned with a murderous intent so fierce that those around her could scarcely breathe, let alone meet her gaze.

In no time, the queen and her trusted consorts had scattered like the wind itself, racing through the shadowy woods, determined to hunt down whoever had dared to harm the precious child of their kingdom.

Now, hours later, Rowena found herself flying rapidly through the dense, oppressive forest, her dark, crimson aura blazing like a ghostly beacon. Local beasts and creatures scattered frantically, fleeing the palpable killing intent emanating from her desperate figure.

“Ravina…” Rowena whispered breathlessly, fear tightening around her heart as she sped forward, sweat streaming down her pale cheeks. The hours of relentless searching had exhausted her, but stopping was never an option—not while her daughter was still missing. “Please be safe…”

She clenched her fists, gritting her teeth against the pain of overexertion. Her senses reached out desperately, seeking even the faintest trace of Ravina’s presence—but there was nothing. No clues, no scent, only the overwhelming dread that grew heavier with each passing second.

Her mana abruptly ran dry, sending her tumbling out of the air. She landed hard on her knees, the earth beneath cracking slightly from the force. Her chest heaved painfully as her vision blurred, dizziness clouding her thoughts. Trembling, she stared at the shadowed earth, tears stinging at the corners of her eyes.

“Ravina… I can’t lose you too… I can’t…” Her voice was a fragile whisper, heavy with anguish, fear, and unbearable guilt.

A soft rush of wind heralded the arrival of Isola, Sabina, and Silvia behind her. The three consorts gracefully landed, their faces etched deeply with exhaustion and sorrow.

Rowena lifted her head weakly, looking at them with desperate hope. “Did you…”

Sabina and Silvia averted their eyes, expressions bitter with defeat. Isola stepped forward, shaking her head gently, “I am sorry, Rowena. Whoever took her hid their tracks exceptionally well. They must have used a hidden route to avoid us.”

“No…” Rowena’s heart twisted violently in her chest. She stumbled forward, gripping Isola’s shoulders, her usually composed voice cracking with desperation, “We have to keep searching. There must be something we missed. She must be terrified… we can’t leave her alone any longer. This is all my fault—I shouldn’t have ever taken my eyes off her.”

Isola’s eyes softened with shared pain as she gently embraced Rowena, holding her tightly. “Please, Rowena, don’t blame yourself. Whoever planned this was cunning and ruthless. They used our own against us. We won’t stop searching, no matter what.”

Rowena clung to Isola, fighting back despair. Her slender frame shook in silent sobs, the weight of guilt and fear nearly crushing her.

Just then, a calm, aloof voice echoed from above, cutting through the heavy atmosphere. “Your daughter is safe.”

Rowena’s eyes widened, breath catching in her throat. A subtle shift in the wind made her turn instinctively—and from above, descending through the veiled branches like a phantom cloaked in dusk, was Valeria.

Her dark armor gleamed beneath the pale moonlight, her eyes glowing faintly through the visor of her helmet. In her arms, wrapped gently in a cloak, was a small figure with raven hair—still, but breathing.

“Valeria…?” Rowena whispered, stunned, her regal composure faltering as her eyes locked on the bundle in the armored woman’s arms.

Valeria landed soundlessly, like a shadow given form, and stepped forward with the grace of a warrior and the silence of a ghost. She stopped just before Rowena and gently extended her arms, presenting the small, unconscious child into her mother’s waiting arms.

“Your daughter is unharmed,” Valeria said in her cool, emotionless tone. “She is merely unconscious. No damage has been done to her body or mind.”

Rowena dropped to her knees in silence, her hands trembling as she took Ravina into her arms. Her crimson eyes shimmered with a rare light, a flicker of relief that pierced her normally reserved facade.

She pulled her daughter close, cradling her gently, resting her cheek against Ravina’s head. Tears welled in her eyes, though none spilled. She was the queen. But she was also a mother. And this moment was one of salvation.

“Thank you…” she whispered hoarsely, barely able to speak as her fingers gently brushed the strands of her child’s hair. She could feel her warmth. Hear her slow, steady breaths. “Thank the devils…”

Sabina and Isola rushed to her side, both stunned and overwhelmed. Sabina’s hands twitched, clearly ready to throw a dozen questions, but she held back.

Silvia couldn’t help but keep crying in happiness and relief upon seeing that little Ravina was safe and that nothing bad happened.

Rowena slowly looked up at Valeria, her voice now calm but sharp as steel beneath velvet, “Who took her?”

Valeria didn’t move, her crimson gaze unmoving from Rowena’s. “Drakar orchestrated this.”

Silvia gasped in anger and shock, feeling horrified by how close Drakar came to getting his hands on Ravina.

“How dare that slimy bastard!” Sabina cursed with gritted teeth.

“I knew it…” Isola mumbled with a serious look.

Rowena’s eyes shook in cold rage, realizing her worst fears almost came true.

But then she rose slowly, taking a slow breath, letting her fury simmer below the surface. “Thank you, Valeria. Truly.”

Valeria said nothing more. She turned, stepping back into the shadows as silently as she came, vanishing from view.

Rowena stared at Valeria’s disappearing silhouette, wondering why she couldn’t shake off this strange feeling regarding Valeria. Why she seemed to be near her these days whenever she needed her the most?

With these thoughts, she and the others began the quiet return toward the camp. The forest around them seemed to exhale with them, the shadows no longer quite as heavy.

But just as they neared the entrance to the camp, a figure stumbled out from beneath the torch-lit trees—Merina.

Her dark blue eyes were frantic, red-rimmed and heavy with unshed tears. But the moment she saw Rowena—no, the moment she saw Ravina nestled in Rowena’s arms—her knees buckled beneath her.

“Y-Your Majesty…!” she choked out, her voice cracking.

But instead of collapsing in despair, she knelt forward with her head lowered—not in anguish, but in guilt and overwhelming relief.

“She’s…safe…” Merina breathed, tears beginning to flow freely. “I…I failed you. But…she’s safe. Thank the stars…thank the devils…” Merina couldn’t express enough the relief she felt upon seeing Ravina. Otherwise, she never could have lived with herself.

Rowena walked forward, her expression unreadable, composed as ever, but her steps were gentle. She stopped before Merina and extended a hand, motioning for her to rise.

“You didn’t fail us,” Rowena said firmly, her tone cool yet kind. “You were deceived. We all were.”

Merina looked up at her, eyes wide and glassy. “But I couldn’t protect her…I deserve death for not only failing you but her… “

“No, you don’t. It could have happened to any one of us and you still tried to keep her safe until the end. You could have died, Merina. So never think that you deserve death. It’s my fault for failing to take more measures,” Rowena said, her voice lowering as she gazed down at Ravina once more. “From now on, we protect her together. No more mistakes.”

Merina’s lips trembled, but she nodded fervently, wiping at her cheeks. “Yes…Yes, Your Majesty. I won’t fail you again. I promise.”

And for the first time in hours, the tightness around the camp loosened. The fear hadn’t vanished—but something stronger had taken its place:

Hope.

Ravina had returned.

And so had the fire in Rowena’s eyes.

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