Meanwhile, across the world, oracles with a similar meaning were given to all kingdoms and holy lands. Those of the beastkin, humans and even demons received such oracles. It was at this moment that people learned that Lumina, the goddess of light, lost her divinity and vanished.
Though nobody knew the details apart from a few devout believers of Mephisto and Serena.
From this moment, the world began to change in a direction that neither Avandar, Alan or Ryuji could have imagined.
Once losing Lumina was confirmed, the demons of the north attacked in the tens of thousands. It was a stroke of luck that the holy wall protecting the northern border was complete.
Otherwise, Grigor would have fallen.
***
Twenty-two hours before, the oracle fell upon the world, which caused the world to awaken with the fires of desperation, death and war. Velvet and Asmodeus were interlocked inside the same blood cocoon.
The cocoon had grown in size, now almost five meters in height and width. The thick crimson and violet threads wrapped around both of them like a mother cradling her children.
Both of their eyes were closed as if they were asleep.
Outside, the world was like the scenes of an apocalypse. The dragon's blizzard increased its intensity each moment to heal its wounds. Yet inside the cabin, the huge cocoon filled the small wooden building, creating a warmth that melted any ice that came close, as two bodies entwined within the powerful blood within.
The magic of a demon lord could bend the rules of the world, yet the magic of a demon king could break them. All the mana and magic that Asmodeus had used until now began to flow from his body, and small wounds formed on both of their bodies, creating a swirl of blood mixing the hero bloodline of Grigor and the demon bloodline of Vincenzo.
A mysterious event happened by sheer luck—if alone, his ascending to the throne of the demon king would have been the same as all others, yet in his arms was a hero and witch who was in love with the demon king. Similar to the past, yet his mother was already a demon queen when she met his father.
This was a unique and special event—the bloodline of human heroes and the heritage of the demon king began to fuse, their magic, blood and essence combined in the swirling vortex around them.
For the first time in millennia, a new race was born from the magic of a demon king. .net
However, this was not something gentle as the blood of the hero tore apart the demon's flesh and injured his organs and bones; the demon king's mana and blood damaged and devoured the hero's body, causing Velvet to suffer immense pain as she endured the same transformation.
The curse of Velvet, the witch's demonic magic that couldn't co-exist with the hero's bloodline. The source of the so-called curse began to distort, and it began to fuse with the hero and demon king's blood forcibly. A slow, painful process for them both as the hero's blood began to fuse with the demon king's body, like pouring holy water on a zombie.
It was agonising for the pair who inside the cocoon kissed each other to endure, instinctively using their mouths to comfort and relieve the pain of having their bodies from head to toe stripped, flayed and restructured.
Meanwhile, back in Baltimore, a group of knights arrived at the city and tracked their targets to the small but high-class inn, where they found the princess training hard with many other women with bright smiles.
"Paul, is that you?! Ah... it's Simon and Sheila!" Ciela rushed towards them with her beautiful caramel skin shining with sweat in the morning sunlight. "You guys, are you here to join us? I am so happy!"
"Oh? If it isn't our old elven archer. You look really happy now, though you have changed a lot. It's great to see you." Paul gave a polite bow before handing a package. "It's a gift from my wife, the hard fudge you liked. She hopes to see you again in the future."
"Oh, thank you so much!" Ciela hugged him like an old friend before the elf, and the rest of the knights bowed respectfully. "So, did you come here to join us?"
"Haha, sorry, we are here to help, of course." Simon, the dual swordsman, added that he seemed to look around, hoping to find someone. "Where is he? Our good friend and little troublemaker?"
"Are you talking about Asmodeus?" Liana, the princess, asked, her eyes narrowed into slits with a slight pout on her lips. "He is on a quest with Velvet in the western mountains, hmph..."
"Ah?! Princess, you look angry..."
Simon couldn't help but rub his chin while sweat dripped from his forehead. The cold atmosphere of the princess differed from the past. 'She reminds me of my wife when I visit the tavern, and I smell like other women...'
The women began to move in a practised formation, with Ciela smiling at the knights. "Don't worry, it's because they are dating now, so she is a little jealous."
"Eh? Ah, finally, you went all the way, princess?" Simon lacked tact, but the princess seemed happy with his words as she swayed and nodded with red cheeks.
"Hmph, so what? My husband is wonderful! So handsome and strong, and he also loves me so much." Liana's words were filled with pride, as if she was boasting to the world.
The other girls giggled before they began to chatter between themselves as the training continued, leaving the men outside. Or rather, there was no room for them, as Sheila booked her room while they were all speaking.
Unlike in the past, Sheila became a little taciturn and withdrawn—she looked at Ciela and turned away with a nervous look.
"I... I am sorry. I was wrong, and I hope you can forgive me. I said so many terrible things to you in the past, but now I know what you felt. I..."
"Oh? So, you got into trouble, too, did you? It's not me you need to apologise to, and we already know more or less what really happened. You don't need to be so scared, Sheila." Ciela said in a gentle tone, smiling at her. "I think you need to make it up to the person you hurt back then. Though he, too, would probably forgive you easily."
Sheila nodded before she looked around, her eyes filled with sorrow and pain. "I do. I just need to find him first, but I guess it will be a while until he returns, right?"
The pair of them looked towards the western mounting, both of them able to sense the huge magic power emanating from that direction, not to mention the spreading blizzard, but something else existed on the mountain that made Ciela excited but terrified Sheila.