Prologue: The Gathering Darkness

The Shadow Realm was in turmoil.

Far below the swirling, storm-laden skies, where the ground was blackened and cracked from centuries of dark magic, the remaining demon lords gathered within the grand hall of the Abyssal Citadel. This was a place where the air was thick with the scent of brimstone and the walls hummed with residual power from ancient rituals. Torches burned with an unnatural blue flame, casting long, flickering shadows that danced across the room’s cold, stone surfaces.

Lord Krael, a towering figure with skin the color of coal and eyes that burned like molten lava, sat at the head of the table. His claws tapped impatiently on the black stone surface as he surveyed the others seated around him. The hall was filled with a tense silence, the kind that preceded a violent storm. Each demon lord bore a different expression, ranging from open defiance to cold calculation, but they all shared a common trait—ambition.

With Malakar’s death, a power vacuum had opened up in the Shadow Realm. Malakar had been the most feared and respected of the demon lords, ruling through sheer strength and cunning. His demise had sent shockwaves through their ranks, and now every lord present was vying to fill the void he had left behind.

“This meeting is a waste of time,” Lord Drath snarled, his fangs bared in a grimace of impatience. Drath was a beast of a demon, with hulking shoulders and a mane of fiery red hair that framed his brutish face. “The human forces are growing stronger every day. We need to strike them down before they become a real threat!”

“The humans are already a threat, you fool,” Lady Seraphine hissed from the opposite end of the table, her voice as smooth and dangerous as silk. Seraphine was the most cunning of the demon lords, her beauty a mask for her venomous nature. Her skin was as pale as moonlight, her eyes a piercing violet. “And we have more pressing concerns. The Shadow Warrior—Kuro—has betrayed us. He was supposed to be our greatest weapon, and now he fights against us.”

A murmur of agreement rippled through the room, and Lord Krael’s expression darkened. “Kuro must be dealt with, that much is clear. But the question remains—how? He was created by Malakar himself, imbued with powers that rival our own. We cannot afford to underestimate him.”

“We should have destroyed him when we had the chance,” Lord Drath growled, slamming his fist on the table. “He’s nothing but a stain on our honor. A human, wielding our power—it’s an abomination!”

“Perhaps,” Seraphine said, her voice thoughtful. “But Kuro is not our only concern. There are whispers among the ancient texts, prophecies that speak of a warrior who will bring about the end of both the human and demon worlds. The Harbinger of Shadows.”

“The Harbinger is a myth,” Lord Krael scoffed, though there was a trace of unease in his voice. “A story told to frighten fledglings. We are the rulers of this realm, and nothing can change that.”

Seraphine’s lips curled into a cold smile. “Are you so sure? The prophecy speaks of a warrior born from both light and shadow, one who will wield a blade of immense power, forged in the heart of the Abyss. And now, Kuro wields the Harbinger’s Blade. Coincidence? I think not.”

The room fell into a heavy silence as the implications of her words sank in. The demon lords exchanged wary glances, each considering the possibility that the very warrior they had created could be the one destined to destroy them all.

“We must act quickly,” Lord Krael said finally, his voice firm. “Kuro cannot be allowed to fulfill the prophecy. We will hunt him down and end this threat before it has a chance to grow.”

“And what of the human resistance?” one of the lesser lords asked, his voice trembling slightly. “They grow bolder with each passing day.”

Krael’s eyes narrowed. “Let them grow bold. It will make their fall all the sweeter. We will crush them, just as we will crush Kuro. But first, we must secure our own power.”

The other lords nodded in agreement, though unease still lingered in the air. The Shadow Realm was teetering on the edge of chaos, and everyone in the room knew it. The death of Malakar had set events into motion that could not be undone, and now they were all racing against time to secure their place in the new order.

But as the demon lords continued to plot and scheme, none of them noticed the figure hidden in the shadows, listening to every word with keen interest. This figure was not a demon, nor was it human. It was something else entirely, a being of pure darkness, its form shifting and undulating as it observed the gathering.

The figure’s eyes gleamed with malevolent intelligence as it considered what it had heard. The time was drawing near—the time for the Harbinger to rise. But whether Kuro would fulfill that role, or whether someone else would take his place, remained to be seen.

The figure slipped away into the darkness, its presence unnoticed by the demon lords. The storm was coming, and soon, both the human and demon worlds would be engulfed in its fury.

And in the eye of that storm, Kuro would find himself facing a choice—one that would determine the fate of all.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***