The Mask of the Moon
The Devils of Daeveran
The world once spoke of six empires, but only one was ever truly feared
Where power reigned higher than gods and mercy was long forgotten
Daeveran was not built on faith or honor, but on blood. Its walls were carved by wars, its crown forged through betrayal, and its throne — a seat where even the heavens dared not cast their gaze.
And upon that throne sat two devils.
A king and a queen whose names were enough to silence an entire court.
The ruler who feared nothing and destroyed everything that dared defy him.
He was born to rule, molded by fire and ambition. Every ally he gained was a pawn, every victory another thread in his grand design. Even blood meant nothing to him — kin, lover, friend, all could be sacrificed if the outcome was power.
His rule made Daeveran stronger than ever before. No rebellion could shake him, no assassin could reach him, and no enemy could outsmart him.
The five other empires whispered his name with dread — Eryndor Valen, the man who turned the world into his chessboard.
And yet, beside him sat someone far more dangerous.
To the nobles, she was a curse.
To the palace, a phantom.
To the people, a saint.
The queen, Lunara Yue, had worn a mask since childhood.
The reason, they said, was because she was hideous — a monster of twisted flesh and hollow eyes.
Those who had dared to see her real face were said to have vanished without a trace, their bodies never found, their names erased from history.
Yet, every morning, Daeveran awoke to her blessings.
It was she who sent food to starving families when the winter harvest failed.
She who built shelters for the homeless, and homes for the orphans.
She who walked the temples at dawn, leaving behind gifts wrapped in silken cloth — gold, medicine, warmth.
And so, the people loved her.
They loved their monster queen.
Because unlike the king — who ruled with fear and power — she ruled with mystery.
They were a storm no soul dared to provoke.
The king and queen — bound by politics, not love — were the empire’s two blades.
Their marriage had been arranged when Eryndor was crown prince and Lunara was the prime minister’s daughter. He had needed her father’s influence to ascend the throne. She had needed the title to protect herself.
There were no vows of devotion, no nights of tenderness.
It was said the king had never once stepped into her palace chambers since their wedding.
And because of that, rumors spread like wildfire — that she was unloved, unwanted, monstrous.
But the queen’s silence was not weakness, it was just pure power.
And as Daeveran prospered under their reign, the people could not decide who to fear more
The devil king who conquered empires, or the masked queen who conquered fate.
The Fractures Beneath the Crown
To the world, Eryndor Valen was the man who feared nothing
But the court’s noise faded, the throne room was nothing but a hollow shell — and so was its ruler
Born of a concubine no one dared name, he had been treated as filth among princes. His mother, a gentle woman with trembling hands, had died the moment she tried to protect him from those who mocked his birth. Her body was gone before he could even remember her warmth — but the memory of her voice, soft and kind, haunted him still
Since then, he had learned the only rule that mattered: love is a weakness to be destroyed before it destroys you.
And yet, some nights, when he found himself alone in his study, he would close his eyes and imagine a hand — gentle, unafraid — brushing the blood from his face
Not desire.
Something purer. Something that no one in the harem could ever give
But all the women of his palace were like painted serpents.
Their words dripped honey, but their hearts throbbed for power. Each smile was a weapon, each tear a calculation.
They fought for titles, favor, and survival — but never for him.
So he built walls of cruelty around his heart, believing that a throne was enough to replace affection.
But every victory only made the emptiness echo louder
Across the gardens, beneath a moonlit palace shrouded in mystery, Queen Lunara Yue sat alone before a mirror.
Lunara was born into the prestigious Yue family, known for their pure white hair and their mystical power said to be gifted by the moon itself. She was the only one born different—her hair black as the night. Her family called it a curse. From childhood, she was ignored, unwanted, treated as a shadow of her twin brother, who had inherited the family’s pride
When the proposal came — the crown prince of Daeveran seeking the prime minister’s daughter — her father didn’t hesitate. A political marriage was better than feeding a useless girl
She simply bowed her head and accepted
But when her new husband — the king-to-be — turned his back on her too, she realized the truth: she had escaped one prison only to enter another
Her heart, once fragile, froze entirely.
She accepted the crown not as a gift —
but as a weapon
She was not the gentle queen of fairy tales.
The Devils’ Feast
The night had long fallen over the Daeveran Palace, painting its marble halls in silence and shadow. The only light that burned came from the king’s study — a lone candle flickering against a sea of parchment and sealed scrolls.
King Eryndor Valen sat behind his desk, fingers drumming lightly on the wood as he finished signing yet another decree
King Eryndor Varen
Prepare the carriage *he said without looking up* Tonight I will visit Lady Sharon.
King's assistant
*Froze, his ink-stained fingers trembling midair*
King's assistant
Y-Your Majesty… *he man stammered, lowering his head* Lady Sharon… she— she went missing, just like the others.
The scratching of the quill stopped
King Eryndor Varen
*lifts eyes*
King Eryndor Varen
*slams on the desk*
King Eryndor Varen
Missing? *voice low, calm — but laced with fury* Or did the queen decide to clean my palace again?
King's assistant
*didn’t dare answer*
He simply bowed, trembling as the king rose to his feet, his cloak snapping behind him like a blade drawn from its sheath.
The Queen’s Palace stood apart from the rest of the royal compound, separated by gardens the color of midnight
And tonight, for the first time after a long time, the king crossed that threshold.
The guards bowed low, too stunned to speak
From behind a silk curtain, Queen Lunara Yue appeared.
Her golden mask gleaming faintly beneath the candlelight
Queen Lunara Yue
Well, *says voice smooth as honey, sharp as glass* What brings the great King of Daeveran to my humble chambers? Surely the heavens must have shifted for such a rare sight.
King Eryndor Varen
*Eyes met hers, cold and heavy with accusation* Spare me your poison-coated pleasantries
King Eryndor Varen
*Stepping closer* You know well why I’m here. Another of my concubines has vanished again. And wherever my women vanish, your shadow conveniently follows.
Queen Lunara Yue
*tilted her head slightly, the faintest hint of a smile still on her lips* Oh? So now even your own failures are my doing?
King Eryndor Varen
Failures? *His tone dropped lower* I’d call it treason, if I had the patience to humor your games.
Queen Lunara Yue
*Turns away as she approached the dinner table laid with golden dishes*
Queen Lunara Yue
It’s dinner time *she murmured* Sit, Your Majesty. You’ve come all this way it would be rude to leave hungry.
King Eryndor Varen
*watching her pour wine into a crystal cup*
When she finally looked back at him, her tone was velvet over steel
Queen Lunara Yue
What’s wrong? Afraid of poison?
King Eryndor Varen
*Smiles slowly* You don’t even deserve for me to fear you.
Queen Lunara Yue
*laughs softly but enough to send chill down the bones and murmur almost to herself* I wouldn’t speak with that much confidence
King Eryndor Varen
*Hand rested on the hilt of his sword as a silent reminder* Listen well, my queen, keep your hands where they belong. If I find that you’ve meddled again I won’t just tear down your mask
King Eryndor Varen
*His eyes darkened* I’ll make sure the world sees what’s behind it
Queen Lunara Yue
*Turns toward him, her mask catching the the moon’s cold reflection on steel* And if you dare try
Queen Lunara Yue
*whispers* Perhaps the world will finally see which of us is the true devil of Daeveran.
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