The Damned Demon

Chapter 784: It's All My Fault



Asher soared through the darkened skies, his body wreathed in a faint glow of dark green mana, pushing himself to move faster than he ever had before.

His heart pounded in his chest, each beat a deafening drum of urgency. He had to make it back.

He had to fix whatever had gone wrong. But as he drew closer, an ominous sensation settled deep in his bones—a chilling, suffocating presence that made his stomach twist into knots.

Then, he saw it.

A thick wall of black smoke rose in the distance, choking the horizon. The deeper he flew, the more the scent of burning flesh and charred ruins filled his nostrils. The air was thick with death, heavy with something far worse than just devastation. It was finality.

His breath hitched. No.

A raw, gnawing panic clawed at his chest as he descended toward the nearest cliffside, his fingers trembling at his sides.

The moment his feet touched the ground, his legs gave out.

Asher crumbled onto his knees, his fingers curling into the dirt beneath him. His wide, disbelieving gaze locked onto the ruins of what was once the Bloodburn Kingdom.

His kingdom.

Gone.

The sprawling city that had once been alive with firelight, the warmth of torches and lanterns, the hum of voices and the thundering beats of marching soldiers- reduced to a silent, smoldering graveyard.

The grand spires of the ancient Demonstone Castle, once looming proudly over the city, had collapsed into themselves, massive chunks of stone scattered like the bones of a dead titan.

Entire districts were gone, swallowed by flames or crushed beneath the weight of fallen structures.

And the blood-it was everywhere. Splattered across broken cobblestone, pooled beneath the wreckage, staining the very earth.

The bodies of his people-his people-lay strewn across the streets in a horrific, chaotic pattern. Some were in piles, burned beyond recognition. Others had been cut down where they stood, their expressions frozen in horror. And the worst were those who had died clutching their loved ones, as if even in death they refused to let go.

Asher's vision blurred. His people. His soldiers, his advisors, his loyal subjects-all dead.

His hands dug into the dirt, his fingers trembling violently. He felt his own breath shatter in This lungs, a strangled noise leaving his throat.

He had fought in wars before. He had seen destruction, had witnessed villages burned to the ground, had walked battlefields littered with corpses.

But this... this was his kingdom.

The place he was supposed to protect.

And now it was gone. How couldn't understand how this happened in the short time he was away.

The crushing weight of his failure pressed onto his chest, suffocating him.

Asher's fingers curled into fists as his dark green flames flickered weakly around him. He had never felt this helpless. Not when he was exiled. Not even when he had died as a Hunter.

Because this wasn't just about him.

This was about all the lives lost because he wasn't here.

His chest ached with something far worse than pain-it was an emptiness that threatened to swallow him whole. A hollowness that told him he had failed.

The wind howled, carrying the stench of death through the air, but Asher barely felt it. He was numb.

His gaze flickered to the city below, as if searching for something-anything—that hadn't been reduced to ruin.

But there was nothing.

A kingdom turned to ashes.

His reign-his people's future-destroyed.

He had no idea who had survived. No idea if there was anyone left.

And worse-he had no idea where to go from here.

His entire existence, everything he had fought for since his return, had been for this kingdom and those living in it. And now it was gone.

What was left for him now?

A bitter laugh nearly crawled up his throat, but it died before it could even form. There was no humor in this. Only anguish.

Only loss.

He closed his eyes, his lips parting as he tried to steady his breathing. But his heart continued to hammer against his ribs, his body frozen in place.

He didn't want to move.

Because if he did, it meant accepting that this wasn't a nightmare.

That this wasn't some cruel illusion.

That this was real.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

That he had lost things he swore to protect.

"It's... all my fault." The words spilled out of his lips in a whisper, barely audible over the howling wind.

His body trembled as he clutched at the ground, his nails scraping against the dirt.

He knew this happened because he was too cowardly to say the truth to the woman who loved and trusted him more than anyone.

If only he had told her the truth long ago instead of fearing the consequences...

His heart was threatening to burst as he feared what happened to her, Isola, Sabina, Silvia, Callisa, Merina, Ceti and everyone whom he cherished.

But then he heard her voice.

"If you are wondering about Rowena and your wives, they are safe."

The voice was soft yet firm, carrying a weight of sorrow. Asher's breath hitched as he spun around, his eyes locking onto the figure standing behind him.

Her attire was a striking blend of seductive elegance and fierce warrior regalia. A form-fitting blood-red bodysuit, made of enchanted, flexible material, clings to her curves, accentuating her toned physique and well-endowed bust while leaving much of her thighs and midriff

exposed.

A flowing white fur-lined cape, clasped at her shoulders with blood moon insignias, trailing behind her, adding a touch of nobility, while crimson battle bracers and thigh-high armored boots give her the edge of a warrior.

She was someone he never thought he would see now...Luna.

She stood there amidst the swirling ashes, her long, flowing white hair barely moving in the deadened air. Her blood-red eyes, despite their piercing glow, held sadness within them.

Asher swallowed hard, stepping forward. "Luna?... Where are they? Are they really safe?" His voice was a mix of desperation and disbelief.

Luna slowly nodded, "Yes. They have taken refuge in the Nightshade Kingdom. But I am sorry..." her voice grew heavier, the guilt in her gaze deepening, "I was unable to save

everyone or protect the key."

Asher's breath grew unsteady. "What do you mean?"

Luna hesitated before speaking, her voice pained as she explained what happened and her final sentence was, "Ceti... she sacrificed herself to save Rowena and the others."

The words felt like a dagger to his chest.

Asher's face paled, his body stiffening as though his very soul had been ripped apart. "No... That cannot be... She must still be in there..." His voice cracked, disbelief and desperation

mixing into one.

Ceti? Gone?

No.

It wasn't possible.

It couldn't be.

Luna lowered her face, trying to hold back the pain in her own heart. "I am sorry..." she whispered, feeling it harder than when she told the truth to her mother.

Asher clenched his jaw, his fingers curling into trembling fists. His head pounded with anguish as he felt like the entire world was closing in on him. Ceti was gone.

The one who had stood beside him despite everything. The one who always carried her burdens alone, never letting anyone see how much she struggled. The one who had fought for

him, believed in him, challenged him.

And she had died-believing he abandoned them.

A strangled grunt of pain tore from his throat as he grabbed his head.

His mind spiraled into chaos, the memories of Ceti flashing before his eyes. Her fiery spirit. Her unwavering loyalty. Her annoying yet endearing stubbornness. The way she had always fought to be recognized, to be more than just a half-cripple.

And she died alone.

No words. No final goodbye.

He couldn't even explain himself to her.

The same went for Moraxor and Silvia's father. All of them must have died thinking he abandoned them. How was he supposed to face his own wives or people?

Luna pressed her lips together, witnessing the storm raging within him. She continued, her

voice quiet but resolute, "I have forced Drakar to sign a blood contract to make sure he doesn't go after Rowena or anyone who survived. But it will only be a matter of time before his son or someone like him goes after them in the future."

At the mention of Drakar, of Kira, Asher's sorrow twisted into something else something

darker.

His hands tightened into fists, his nails digging into his own palms until blood dripped down his fingers. "Drakar... Kira..." he whispered, his voice hollow yet brimming with fury.

His eyes burned with dark green flames, the energy pulsating around him like the very essence

of death itself. The cursed air around them seemed to swell, shudder, ripple as if reality itself

responded to his rage.

Luna watched him carefully, knowing the rage of the Hellbringer was not something to be taken lightly, especially considering what he might become in the future. But then, Asher's gaze snapped to her, his breath sharp.

"You said the Red Witch gave away the key to your grandfather. How did she know where it

was?" He demanded, his voice edged with frustration as he added, "Rowena and I made sure nobody else outside of our tight circle would know about it. Even if somebody were to try and

break in through the defenses we had set up, they would have died due to the fail-safes. How did she know how to bypass them? Do you know who she is?"

Luna shook her head regretfully, "No... I never had a vision where I saw who she was."

Asher gritted his teeth. Who the hell was this Red Witch?

Who betrayed them?

Asher's mind raced, but before he could spiral further, Luna spoke again. "I know now is not

the right time to say this, but you can't falter here. The future of our world is at stake, and you

have to stop my grandfather."

His burning eyes narrowed. "Your grandfather... what is he planning to do with the key?"