"The Void Chamber awaits, my King."
Kraxis's voice echoed through the mountain corridors as he led Jin-ho deeper into the demon fortress. They had been walking for what felt like hours, descending through passages that grew increasingly ancient, the architecture shifting from the angular precision of recent construction to organic curves that seemed to have been grown rather than built.
These are the old ways, the Demon God explained as Jin-ho's enhanced vision adjusted to the deepening darkness. Pathways created during the first age, when demons and humans worked together to shape the mountain.
Jin-ho silently followed Kraxis, his tail swishing nervously behind him. After the council meeting, he had hoped for solitude, time to process everything that had happened since his awakening. Instead, he was being led to some ancient temple, supposedly to "commune with the shadows." Whatever that meant.
"How much further?" he asked, wincing as his deep voice bounced off the stone walls.
"The passage opens directly into Shadowthorn Valley," Kraxis replied. "The temple lies at the valley's heart. We have guards stationed around the perimeter, but the inner sanctum has been prepared for your exclusive use, my King."
As they rounded a final bend, the narrow passage abruptly widened into a vast natural cavern. Stalactites hung from the distant ceiling like frozen daggers, while a wide underground river cut through the center, disappearing into darkness. A stone bridge arched gracefully over the water, leading to an opening on the far side where moonlight spilled in.
The threshold between mountain and valley, the Demon God commented. Once crossed, you enter Shadowthorn proper.
They crossed the bridge, the sound of rushing water fading behind them as they approached the moonlit exit. Cool night air brushed Jin-ho's face as they emerged from the mountain's heart into a secluded valley nestled between towering peaks.
The view took Jin-ho's breath away. Unlike the barren rockiness of the demon territories he'd seen so far, Shadowthorn Valley was lush with ancient trees whose gnarled branches reached toward the star-filled sky. A mist hung over everything, giving the scene an otherworldly quality as silver moonlight filtered through the canopy.
And at the valley's center stood the temple—a structure of black stone that seemed to absorb light rather than reflect it. Its spires reached upward like clawed fingers, while strange runes pulsed along its walls with a rhythm that reminded Jin-ho of a heartbeat.
The Void Chamber, the Demon God's voice held an unusual reverence. One of the places where the veil between worlds grows thin. Where I can almost touch the fabric of reality directly.
Suddenly, Jin-ho paused, his head tilting slightly. A distant sound reached his ears—a rhythmic thumping, like steady drumbeats from very far away.
What is that noise? he thought, looking around in confusion.
Kraxis and the other demons exchanged glances, noticing his sudden distraction.
"Is something amiss, my King?" Kraxis asked, his expression concerned.
Horses, the Demon God explained. Human cavalry, probably still miles away from the east. Your hearing is far more acute than ordinary demons—another advantage of your royal bloodline.
"Horses," Jin-ho said aloud. "Human horses. Coming from the east."
Kraxis's eyes widened. "You can hear them? From this distance?" He turned to the nearest demons. "I hear nothing."
"They're far away," Jin-ho continued, concentrating on the sound. "But moving quickly. Many of them—dozens, at least."
Kraxis's expression shifted from confusion to alertness. "Humans rarely venture this close to our territories unless..." His voice trailed off, his eyes narrowing. "Unless they're planning an attack."
The Felidae scout beside him bristled, his fur standing on end. "Should I alert the perimeter guards, General?"
"Not openly," Kraxis replied, his tactical mind already working. "If the humans are indeed planning an assault, let them think their approach is undetected." He turned to Jin-ho. "Your senses are truly remarkable, my King. You've given us a precious advantage."
Jin-ho's tail swished nervously behind him. What do we do? he thought anxiously.
"Spring our own trap," Kraxis said like he hear Jin-ho's thought, with a predatory smile. "Nyvak," he addressed the Felidae scout, "send runners through the hidden tunnels. Alert the reserve forces in the eastern caves. Have the Geologic demons prepare trap pits along the likely approach paths. Tell the Umbrites to conceal themselves in the shadows around the perimeter."
The cat-like demon nodded and sprinted away, moving with silent grace.
Kraxis turned to the rest of the gathered demons. "Continue your work as normal. Give no indication that we know they're coming. Let them think their surprise is complete."
Jin-ho was impressed by the general's calm efficiency. "You seem prepared for this possibility," he said.
"I've fought humans for centuries, my King," Kraxis replied grimly. "Their new champion is eager to prove himself. An isolated target like this temple would be irresistible." He gestured toward the temple entrance. "You should proceed to the inner sanctum, my King. It's the most defensible position, and the temple itself will amplify your powers."
Jin-ho nodded, still trying to process the sudden shift from exploration to impending battle.
"How long do we have, my King?" Kraxis asked, his expression calculating. "Your senses can detect them from a distance we cannot match."
Jin-ho focused his hearing again on the distant hoofbeats.
At their current pace, perhaps an hour, the Demon God supplied. They'll dismount before entering the valley to maintain stealth.
"About an hour," Jin-ho replied. "They'll likely leave their horses before entering the valley."
Kraxis again looked impressed by Jin-ho's abilities. "Then we have time to prepare properly." He bowed. "Enter the temple, my King. Commune with its power. We will handle the initial defense."
As they approached, Jin-ho saw demons moving around the temple grounds—Scholar demons with blue skin setting up research equipment, Warrior demons patrolling the perimeter, and Geologic demons reinforcing the temple's foundation with their stone-manipulation abilities.
One figure stood out—Lyria, the blue-skinned Scholar demoness from the court, directing the excavation of what appeared to be an ancient stone circle near the temple entrance. When she noticed Jin-ho approaching, she immediately stopped her work and bowed deeply.
"My King," she called out, her silver eyes reflecting the moonlight as she straightened. "We have prepared the temple as instructed. The inner sanctum awaits your presence."
Jin-ho nodded, uncertain what to say. He hadn't given any instructions about this place—hadn't even known it existed until Kraxis mentioned it.
Remember, you're returning here after centuries, the Demon God prompted. Act like you're inspecting familiar territory.
"Show me what you've uncovered," Jin-ho commanded, trying to sound authoritative despite his confusion and growing anxiety about the approaching humans.
Lyria led him to the excavation site, where a circular platform of black stone had been partially unearthed. Intricate symbols were carved into its surface, similar to the runes on the temple walls but older, cruder.
"The Marriage Circle," Lyria explained, her voice hushed with academic excitement. "Where the Human Queen and Demon King were joined in matrimony over two thousand years ago, establishing the peace that lasted a millennium."
Jin-ho stared at the ancient stone, trying to process the significance. The Human Queen and the Demon King—married? That certainly wasn't in any fantasy novels or games he'd encountered back on Earth.
"What happened to end the peace?" he asked before he could stop himself.
A brief silence followed his question. Kraxis and Lyria exchanged glances, confusion evident in their expressions.
Careful, the Demon God warned. You're supposed to know this already. It's your history.
As Jin-ho's gaze remained fixed on the Marriage Circle, something strange happened. The runes seemed to pulse in sync with his heartbeat, and suddenly—
Flash
He stood in the same spot, but everything was different. The temple gleamed with new construction, banners of red and gold hung from every surface. Where the excavated circle now lay half-buried, a complete stone platform shone with freshly carved runes.
Beside him stood a woman of breathtaking beauty, her golden hair cascading down her back, a crown of silver and sapphires resting on her brow. She wore a gown of white and crimson that matched the color of his skin—his skin, not Jin-ho's, but the body he now inhabited.
"With this union, our peoples will know peace for generations to come," she said, her voice like music. Her hand—small, delicate, human—rested in his much larger crimson one.
Love. Overwhelming, all-consuming love flooded through him. Not his emotions—Malverous's. The previous Demon King had loved this human queen with every fiber of his being.
"For a thousand years and beyond, my queen," his voice—deeper, more confident than Jin-ho had ever managed—replied. "This I swear."
Flash
The vision vanished as quickly as it had come, leaving Jin-ho disoriented and shaken. That hadn't been his imagination or the Demon God's doing. It had been a memory—a genuine fragment of Malverous's consciousness, still lingering in the body Jin-ho now occupied.
Lyria cleared her throat. "As... as you know, my King, the Human Queen betrayed you—the previous king—in your sleep. The blessed dagger she used was imbued with the Goddess's power, preventing your resurrection until now." She hesitated. "Forgive me if I speak of painful memories."
Jin-ho nodded gravely, grateful for the scholar's unwitting exposition. "The past informs the future. Continue your work here."
He turned toward the temple entrance, a massive doorway flanked by obsidian pillars carved to resemble intertwined serpents. As he approached, the runes along the temple walls pulsed more rapidly, their glow intensifying.
"Only you may enter the inner sanctum, my King," Kraxis said, stopping at the threshold. "The sacred chambers respond only to the royal bloodline. We will maintain watch outside."
Jin-ho hesitated at the doorway, suddenly reluctant to enter alone. What if there was some test or trap that would reveal him as an impostor?
Go on, the Demon God urged. The temple will recognize you. I've made sure of it.
Taking a deep breath, Jin-ho stepped through the doorway. The moment his foot crossed the threshold, the runes flared brilliantly, then settled into a steady crimson glow that matched the markings on his skin. The massive stone doors swung shut behind him with a resonant boom that echoed through the cavernous interior.
He found himself in a vast circular chamber dominated by a central altar of black stone. The ceiling rose to dizzying heights, the upper reaches lost in shadow. Runes similar to those on the exterior walls glowed here too, illuminating ancient murals that depicted scenes from demon history—battles, rituals, and at the center, the marriage of a human woman with golden hair to a demon with crimson skin.
The Great Hall, the Demon God explained. Where ceremonies and councils were held during the peaceful era. But this isn't the inner sanctum.
At the far end of the hall, two doorways stood side by side. The left doorway was sealed with what appeared to be crystal, clouded and opaque. The right remained open, a passageway leading deeper into the temple.
The left leads to the Queen's Chamber, the Demon God said. Sealed since her betrayal. Only a human of royal blood can enter. The right leads to your sanctuary.
Jin-ho approached the right doorway, his tail swishing nervously behind him. As he drew near, the shadows around the entrance seemed to deepen, reaching out toward him like welcoming hands.
Taking another steadying breath, he stepped through.
The King's Chamber was smaller than the Great Hall but no less impressive. Unlike the main hall's grandeur, this room had an intimacy to it—a personal space rather than a ceremonial one. A large bed draped in black silk occupied one wall, while a desk carved from some dark wood stood opposite, covered in ancient texts and maps.
Braziers filled with blue flame illuminated the chamber, casting everything in an ethereal light that didn't hurt Jin-ho's sensitive eyes. The walls were lined with bookshelves and display cases containing artifacts and treasures accumulated over centuries.
Jin-ho spent nearly an hour examining the chamber and its contents, finding scrolls written in languages he couldn't read and objects whose purpose he could only guess at. He was aware of the time passing, but the exploration of this ancient space, so intimately connected to the being whose body he now inhabited, was too fascinating to rush.
Eventually, his wandering gaze fell on something that immediately captured his attention—a weapon displayed on the wall opposite the entrance.
A sword, unlike any he had ever seen.
The blade was forged of dark metal that seemed to absorb light rather than reflect it, shaped in elegant, sinuous waves that reminded him of a serpent in motion. Along its undulating length, runes identical to those on his skin pulsed with inner crimson light, flowing like blood through veins. The guard was crafted to resemble a coiled serpent, its eyes set with obsidian stones that seemed to watch him as he approached.
Nightfang, the Demon God whispered in his mind. The King's Blade, forged from a shard of the void between worlds and tempered in my essence. It has hung there, waiting, since the day of the betrayal.
Jin-ho approached the weapon cautiously, oddly drawn to it despite having no experience with swords. As his hand neared the hilt, the serpent guard seemed to uncoil slightly, the obsidian eyes tracking his movement.
It recognizes you," the Demon God said. Or rather, it recognizes me within you. Take it.
Jin-ho hesitated, then wrapped his hand around the hilt. The moment his skin made contact, a jolt of energy shot up his arm, not painful but intense—like plunging into ice water. The runes along the wavy blade flared with light crimson, and shadows throughout the room writhed in response.
The sword felt... right in his hand. Despite its intimidating appearance, it was perfectly balanced, the weight comfortable in his grip. As he lifted it from its display, the wavy blade seemed to ripple like water, the curves shifting subtly as if alive.
The blade's design is not merely aesthetic, the Demon God explained. The waves trap enemy weapons, making it nearly impossible to parry effectively. And when channeling your shadow powers, those curves become... unpredictable.
Jin-ho gave the sword an experimental swing, amazed at how naturally the movement came to him. The blade left trails of darkness in the air, lingering for moments before dissipating.
Muscle memory from Malverous, the Demon God commented. His body remembers even if you do not.
As Jin-ho examined the sword more closely, his enhanced vision detected minute details in the craftsmanship—the runes were actually tiny scales, each one intricately carved and somehow fused with the metal. The waves of the blade weren't symmetrical but followed a pattern that reminded him of sound waves—like frozen music.
His contemplation was interrupted by sounds that his enhanced hearing picked up through the temple walls—much closer now than the distant hoofbeats he'd detected earlier. The humans had arrived.
"They're here," he said aloud, his head tilting as he focused on the sounds.
Earlier than we expected, the Demon God replied. Focus your hearing. How close are they?
Jin-ho concentrated, filtering out the ambient sounds of the temple. The humans were no longer trying to maintain complete silence. He could clearly hear metal armor shifting as they moved into position, whispered commands being issued, and bowstrings being drawn taut. They were surrounding the temple, preparing for their assault.
They must have split their forces, the Demon God observed. The cavalry we heard earlier was likely a decoy or reinforcement.
Just as Jin-ho was about to rush back to warn the others, the temple doors opened, and Kraxis entered the Great Hall, his expression calm but alert.
"The humans have arrived, my King," the general reported, confirming what Jin-ho already knew. "They're positioning for attack, just as you warned. Our forces are in place. The trap is set."
Jin-ho gripped Nightfang tighter, finding strange comfort in the sword's weight. "What have you prepared?" he asked, wanting to understand the defenses.
"Exactly as we discussed," Kraxis replied. "Trap pits along likely approach paths, lined with obsidian spikes. Umbrites concealed in shadows along the valley walls. Insectoid demons positioned on the temple roof with crystalline projectiles. Ursidae warriors hidden in chambers beneath the temple grounds. They expect to surprise us, but we will be the ones administering the surprise."
Jin-ho nodded, appreciating the general's thoroughness. "And the scholars? Lyria?"
"At the first sign of attack, they will retreat to safety within the temple complex," Kraxis assured him. "Their research is too valuable to lose."
"What happens now?" Jin-ho asked.
"Now we wait," Kraxis replied with a predatory smile. "Let them think their surprise is complete. When they attack, they'll find themselves the prey rather than the hunters."
As if on cue, alarms sounded throughout the temple complex—horns and gongs signaling the beginning of the human assault. The sounds of combat erupted outside.
"Remain here, my King," Kraxis urged. "Let us draw them in. When the moment is right, your appearance will devastate their morale."
Jin-ho could hear the battle raging outside—the shouts of human soldiers, the roars of Ursidae demons, the distinctive metallic sound of weapons clashing. And above it all, a humming energy unlike anything he'd experienced before—powerful and golden, the exact opposite of the shadows that responded to him.
The champion's divine power, the Demon God confirmed. Impressive, even at this distance.
What am I supposed to do? Jin-ho thought frantically, panic rising. I'm not a warrior! I can't fight someone like that!
You don't need to be, the Demon God replied. You just need to be terrifying. The shadows respond to your emotions, remember? And right now, your fear and panic are quite potent. Use them.
Jin-ho moved to the temple doorway, staying just inside the shadows. From this vantage point, he could see the battle raging across the temple grounds. The demons' counter-ambush had worked initially—human soldiers had fallen into hidden pit traps, Umbrites had materialized behind their lines, and Insectoid demons had rained down crystalline projectiles from the temple roof.
But the humans had recovered quickly, primarily due to the golden champion at their center. Jason moved with supernatural speed, his body and sword glowing with divine light that pushed back the shadows the demons used to such advantage. Where ordinary soldiers faltered, he cut through demon defenses with frightening efficiency.
For a moment, Jin-ho was frozen, the reality of his situation crashing down upon him. He was no king, no warrior—just a socially anxious programmer trapped in a demon body, facing actual combat for the first time in his life.
They're dying for you, the Demon God's voice cut through his paralysis. Your demons. Your subjects. While you hide in the shadows.
Something shifted in Jin-ho at those words. These demons, strange as they were, had shown him nothing but devotion since his awakening. They believed in him—in the king they thought had returned to save them.
A fierce protectiveness surged through him, surprising in its intensity. The shadows around him responded instantly, writhing and coiling like living things. Nightfang's runes blazed crimson, the wavy blade seeming to drink in the darkness.
Yes, the Demon God purred. Now let them see their king.
"Enough of this," Jin-ho said, his voice deeper than he'd ever heard it, resonating with power he didn't know he possessed.
He stepped through the doorway into full view. The moment his foot touched the temple threshold, power surged through him—raw and ancient, connected to the temple itself. The shadows obeyed without conscious thought, extending from him in a wave of pure darkness that rolled across the battlefield like a physical force.
It extinguished torches, deepened natural shadows, and seemed to absorb sound itself. Several human soldiers collapsed as it passed over them, their weapons clattering uselessly to the ground.
The golden champion—Jason—turned toward him, their eyes meeting across the distance.
Time seemed to slow in that moment of connection. Jin-ho saw a young man near his own age, handsome and athletic, everything he was not. Power radiated from him in waves of golden light, the exact opposite of Jin-ho's shadows.
And in that instant of eye contact, Jin-ho realized with strange clarity that Jason was just as shocked by this confrontation as he was. There was uncertainty beneath the confidence, questions behind the conviction. He caught the scent of the Champion's emotions carried on the wind: citrus and jasmine mixed with bitter herbs. Joy mingled with suspicion. Interesting.
The moment shattered as a massive Ursidae demon charged between them, engaging the champion in combat. Jin-ho remained in the doorway, the perfect picture of demonic majesty with his crimson skin, golden eyes, and the fearsome wavy sword in his hand—while internally, his heart raced with anxiety.
Well done, the Demon God commented. You've given them something to fear—and allowed Lyria and the others to retreat to safety.
Jin-ho noticed that indeed, Lyria and several other Scholar demons were using his distraction to withdraw deeper into the temple complex, carrying scrolls and artifacts from their research.
The battle continued to rage, but the tide had turned. The human forces, having lost the element of surprise and now facing the terrifying prospect of the Demon King himself, began to falter. Jin-ho could hear their voices, their fear.
"Fall back!" the golden champion finally commanded, his voice carrying across the battlefield. "Retreat to the valley entrance!"
Jin-ho watched as the humans began a fighting withdrawal, the champion covering their retreat with his glowing sword. Though victorious, Jin-ho felt no triumph—only relief that the violence was ending, and concern for the wounded demons being tended to by Floral healers.
As the last humans disappeared into the forest, Jin-ho stepped fully from the temple, Nightfang still clutched in his hand. The surviving demons immediately bowed, awe and renewed devotion radiating from them in waves he could both see and smell.
"The King has protected us," one whispered. "He commands the very shadows."
"Did you see how the humans fled before him?" another added. "Even their champion retreated rather than face our king directly."
Jin-ho stood awkwardly amid their reverence, unsure what to do next. The wavy sword in his hand gradually dimmed as his emotional surge subsided, the shadows returning to their natural state.
Kraxis approached, kneeling briefly before rising. "Your power was magnificent, my King. The stories did not exaggerate."
"Our wounded?" Jin-ho asked, forcing himself to focus on practical matters rather than the rush of conflicting emotions.
"Being tended to. We lost seven, but many more would have fallen without your intervention." Kraxis's eyes gleamed with pride. "And thanks to your early warning, we were prepared. Without that, the casualties would have been far worse."
Seven deaths. Seven beings who had been alive this morning and now were not, because of a conflict Jin-ho barely understood. He felt ill.
"And the humans?"
"They suffered heavily before retreating. Their champion led the survivors away, but we estimate they lost more than half their force."
A significant victory, the Demon God commented. Your first battle as king, and you routed the Goddess's champion without crossing blades. Impressive.
But Jin-ho took no satisfaction in the outcome. He stared down at Nightfang, its wavy blade now quiet and still in his hand, and wondered what he had gotten himself into.
"Secure the valley," he commanded Kraxis. "Post additional guards. I need time to... commune with the shadows in my chamber." It was the best excuse he could think of to be alone.
"Of course, my King. Shall I have Lyria report on what artifacts and knowledge were preserved?"
Jin-ho nodded. "Later. First, ensure our defenses are reinforced."
As Kraxis moved to carry out his orders, Jin-ho returned to the temple, the massive doors closing behind him. In the Great Hall, he finally allowed his shoulders to slump, his tail drooping with exhaustion.
Don't look so forlorn, the Demon God said. You just won your first battle without even having to fight directly. The demons now view you with even greater awe, and the humans will spread tales of your terrible power.
"People died," Jin-ho replied quietly. "On both sides."
Yes, that tends to happen in war. But fewer died because of your intervention. Focus on that.
Jin-ho made his way back to the King's Chamber, Nightfang still in his hand. He couldn't bring himself to return the sword to its display, the connection he felt to it now too strong to sever.
Inside the chamber, he collapsed into a chair near the desk, the wavy sword across his lap. His enhanced hearing could still pick up the sounds of the aftermath—demons clearing debris, tending wounds, reinforcing defenses. Life continuing despite the chaos.
"What happens now?" he asked the Demon God.
Now? Now the real game begins. The humans will regroup, plan more carefully. Their champion will train, grow stronger. And you will do the same.
"I'm not a warrior," Jin-ho protested, though with less conviction than before. The weight of Nightfang in his hand felt increasingly natural.
No, you're a king, the Demon God corrected. Which means you're whatever your people need you to be. Today, they needed a protector. Tomorrow? We shall see.
Jin-ho stared at the wavy blade, watching how the ambient light played along its curves. For all its deadly purpose, there was a strange beauty to it, like the dangerous elegance of a predator.
He had wielded power today—real power, beyond anything he could have imagined in his previous life. And while it terrified him, a small part of him, a part he was reluctant to acknowledge, had found it exhilarating.
Get some rest, the Demon God suggested, its voice unusually gentle. You've earned it. We'll return to the fortress tomorrow.
As Jin-ho leaned back in the chair, Nightfang across his lap and his tail curled around the chair leg, he couldn't help but wonder about the golden champion—Jason—and that brief moment when their eyes had met across the battlefield.
What had Jason seen when he looked at him? A terrifying demon king? A monster?
Or had he somehow sensed the confused, frightened human soul trapped inside?
Either way, Jin-ho knew with certainty that they would meet again. And next time, a display of shadows might not be enough.