#demon empress

[artsysera-archive]

Lilith the demon empress. Ive been experimenting with shape language alot and i feel like thanks to that my future projects will improve a lot!

Check my project on artstation!

[ba-burrito-art]

More art for Legends of Kylervion. This is Liara, the Demon Empress and she's a badass. There's more to come but her story is revealed in depth throughout the series. Swipe for a comparison of the first digital drawing I made of her. While she has a different look it's mainly bc she's at a different point in the story in the old one. Clearly she's had a glow up and my art style has improved a lot since then (probably end of 2018?? idk). Anyway enjoy!!

[nextwarden]

A Hero’s Retirement

On the night that was set to be their ultimate encounter, the Hero and the Demon Empress have died. Or have they? Now they are roommates. A quiet life at the ends of the world, in an old house by the sea.

---

New Dog, Old Tricks

Echoes

Pride

Who Goes There?

Second Coming

Evil

First First

Old Friend

A Weapon of Choice

Crushed

Heirloom

First Come, First Served

Angel

Age of the Sun

Still We Have Faces

Brungen the guard

A Million Years Before

more...?

---

Whatever else I write if you’re interested.

[kspeciale]

RITUAL

Well, my last piece was a pretty one, so naturally, I had to do a dark one next. Number 6 (ironically) of my demon series. This is actually my favorite one. I’ve been wanting to do a ritualistic piece for a while but this one has a touch of elegance. Kind of want her as a tattoo...

[nextwarden]

Still We Have Faces

Amenor had been leaning against the balustrade for a while now, eyes set on the stars and the night sky. A soft and warm wind was floating around yet she could feel the bumps forming on her skin. An almost imperceptible shiver ran down her spine. Perhaps it was time to put something over her dress. Summer was there to stay but nights still got chilly near the sea. Yet the atmosphere was so relaxing, the sound of the waves and distant seagulls, the thousand fireflies high up in the celestial, and the smell of home. She had felt it for a while now, it had crept slowly into her mind and before she'd been able to do anything against it - not that she really wanted anyway - she'd felt right where she was supposed to be. That was precisely the reason she was in that spot at that moment, lost in her thoughts. So much so that she had not heard his footsteps and only realized he was there when he dropped a layer of soft warmth on her shoulders.

"I thought you might be cold."

Of course he'd noticed, she smiled.

"Thank you."

He nodded and leaned beside her, eyes to the sea. He'd just finished putting away the dishes apparently, she could smell the flowery scent of soap from him. Why he did it manually she didn't quite understand, a quick spell and everything would be in order. Yet he insisted, the manual task calmed his mind, apparently. It wasn't that she didn't understand, she had the same thing with the garden, simply magicking everything into shape was far less rewarding after all. But why those boring and menial tasks too? He even went as far as to materialise his ice arm 'to have a better handle on the fragile things', however, so go figure…  In truth, now that she thought about it, they had not used - or abused - their powers that much since they'd moved in. If by powers one didn't count their augmented strength, heightened senses, or anything that pertained to their innately passive abilities. And abused, the efficient use of them made purely to oust trespassers. They'd mostly done everything by hand at a rather normal pace. And it did feel nice. Perhaps too nice? An unease had grown in the back of her mind recently and she couldn't quite put her finger on why exactly.

"Is everything okay?", she heard him ask, his voice ever gentle.

He did notice. Both a curse and a blessing.

"I'm not sure. I'm thinking about it…"

"Hmm."

A non-reply, as was his habit. He inquired and listened but did not pressure, she appreciated that about him.

"A drink?"

Only then did she notice the two glass bottles he'd brought with him, filled with soft alcohol, some sort of beer she surmised.

"Gladly."

They stayed silent for a while, enjoying the atmosphere and the privacy of their own thoughts. She got the impression he was tense, but maybe she was projecting. She'd have to out with it at some point, keeping it to herself was not a solution and worrying indefinitely would make him worry in turn. Curse! She felt like a child, a weak child whose emotions and fears ran amok until her parents would come to calm her down. Honesty, right. Talking about it was not being weak, and he deserved to know.

"Hey," she was unsure how to open.

"Yes?", he turned to her, his gaze steady and calm.

He knew she wanted to talk and in his infinite patience he gave her the time to collect her thoughts. She'd have kissed him then and there, had she not decided to have a serious conversation.

"I'm not quite sure how I feel about it yet, I don't even know if these are the words I'm trying for, but… I feel like something's missing."

He looked up and studied her for a while, his face calm. She saw the small smile perk his lips before he spoke.

"Like a sock, or like a part of you?"

"Like a part of me."

She smiled too, although weakly.

"Hmm."

"I know that no one is waiting for me back… there." She almost said 'home'; home was here now and she knew it, she felt it. Still, she couldn't help miss that part of her she'd said she'd cast away. "No one would welcome me with open arms even if I went back. I don't even know if I'd want anyone to… Still, I think I miss it.."

"Well the undergrowth is your realm after all."

It was, in many more ways than one. It had been her first home, the place where so many memories had been forged, her territory once she'd ascended to her role of Empress, and she couldn't deny the beauty she found in the strange and often eerie landscape.

"Would you want to go back?"

Her chest tightened at the question. Not because it was frank and direct, but because of the honesty with which he had asked. He wished to know and to help her know, as simple as that, nothing more. Or, perhaps, if he did have any ulterior motive, it was to help her.

"I… I'm unsure. I think I would but not definitively. I've found a new home since, and I quite like it here."

He smiled.

"What about you? Do you miss your world?"

She'd seen the wistful gaze before, fond and melancholic.

"You know I do. That's how things work once you lose them."

How true that was... He continued.

"I've always missed it a bit, though less in the beginning. Everything was so shiny and new here, it blinded me. But over time, as I got used to it, I realized that maybe I did miss those things I'd taken for granted before. Modern bathrooms, the internet, everything technology had to offer… Magic can do a lot, but not everything. And if something has not been discovered or invented here yet, its absence is noticeable. At least to me." He paused for a moment, his eyes delving into hers with immense care. "I learned to come to peace with it, though. It took some time and some work on myself. It doesn't mean I don't miss it, I just know that it's no use dwelling too much on it since it won't make it come back. Like a loved one when gone, you have to make it part of you so as to not forget but also so that you can move on. With, not without."

She could hear Vaud's breathing inside the house, the large dog must have fallen asleep near the fireplace after wolfing down its food. It seemed to have become its preferred spot for resting, whether it was lit or not, for its pleasant warmth in the winter and the refreshing coolness of the stones in the summer.

"Sometimes I do think about it, though," Lug continued. "All those unfinished things left behind… It's not like I had a lot of people who cared about me, I just regret the little things like books I left hanging, films I hadn't seen yet, music I had not heard, and such. If I could go back, I think I would."

Her heart didn't jump but she felt a needle of cold prick right through.

"It would have to be temporary, though, and on my terms, I wouldn't want to go back for good. Like you said, this is home now. My life is here, with you and Squiggles and Vaud."

She couldn't help a slightly annoyed snort.

"What is it with you and nicknames?"

"What? Squiggles? But it's so cute! And it fits her hair so well. Plus she said she liked it, so..."

Her disapproving head shake seemed neither to convince nor deter him. She knew it was a lost cause but she had a reputation to maintain. 

"Amenor?"

"Hmm?", she tucked back a strand of hair that was floating into her face.

She'd noticed the change in his voice, it was tinged with apprehension, as if he was unsure if he should speak. The silence that followed made her look his way. His eyes were full of many things, admiration, uncertainty, care, amusement, and, somehow, hope. She'd learned to read the variations in their glint over time, it had become one of her greatest weapons when they clashed. Now it made her unsure of herself. What was on his mind for such a storm to brew within them?

"I mean it."

"What exactly?"

His hand was on hers, warm and soft.

"That my life is here, with you."

"I know that. You've told me many times already."

"Well, may I tell you once more?"

The soft clink of the box caught her attention. She must have been distracted by the atmosphere which floated around them, she hadn't even noticed the warmth leave her hand. Now he was holding it in his, a small wooden container, richly carved and covered in purple velvet within. How he'd opened it she could only guess, he'd become quite deft with his remaining fingers as of late. The box contained two small strips of what seemed like simple cloth, beige coloured and covered in complex arrays of runes. She recognized them immediately and her eyes went to his once more. He was looking at her, his gaze steady and open.

"Amenor of Solefarer, heir to what is yours and former Empress over the Shadows, to you I ask this: this night, under the stars of the celestial, with the sea and the winds as witness and the hearth of this home as kingdom, would you take me for what I am as I would you for all you are?"

He had not knelt, nor had he prepared a grand effect. His words, although ceremonious, had remained simple yet full of meaning; they had rung true. This was not entirely a surprise for her, they had spoken of it in the past, broaching the subject jokingly and not quite, but he had always given her the impression of imagining some grand gesture. She, on the other hand, had not had much imagination for it, finding herself lacking in knowledge and experience of such things. Not that she had wanted nothing, she simply had not known how one would go about this. Yet now that it was upon her, now that he had proposed, she found it fitting and found herself unable to regret a thing. Perhaps she would come to it in the future, or perhaps not; they would have time to improve upon it if necessary. Now was as perfect as she would have wanted it any other way.

"I, Amenor of Solefarer," she used only her name; as fitting were any other of the titles attached to it, it felt more true to who she was now, "would gladly take you, Lug the Brave, Hero of the Dawn and vanguard of the Alliance, for all that you are as you would for what I am. Under the stars of the celestial with the sea for witness and until the hearth of this home goes ever cold."

Their eyes met and, for a while, it was all there was. Warmth and familiarity, a delightful certainty. Then, carefully placing the box atop the balustrade, he took one of the pieces of cloth and with the most gentle of touch he wrapped around the long finger she offered him. It was his turn to offer his hand, not the right one of course - or rather the right one, for that matter - but alternatives were scarce. She placed the cloth around his finger and wrapped it carefully. As she looked into his eyes again the moment seemed to stretch. That day had been unremarkable and so was that night, yet she could feel the world around in all its glory. His smile grew as their fingers interlaced.

"From now on until the hearth of this home grows ever cold."

She repeated the words that were meant to seal the commitment they had just chosen to make.

"From now on until the hearth of this home grows ever cold."

His voice was soft yet full of meaning meant only for her. The two strips of cloth began to glow as they spoke and soon turned into two full-fledged bands. One bronze-colored with patterns engraved in thin blue lines around its circumference, the other of a darker colour, resembling obsidian, and encrusted with thin golden carving. The seals had been made to work so long ago by old elven magi, once the vows had been exchanged the ritual would be considered as accomplished and they would take physical form. What form exactly depended on the desires of the bearer. Whether a ring, a necklace, an earring or any other piece that was willed by the bearer, it would become. They had both wanted rings yet the complementary nature of the result was astounding. Time seemed to slow down to a standstill yet again before a warm breeze washed over them. She felt the gentle tug and stepped forward, their hands parting to let their arms lock around each other. She did not close her eyes when his palm came to rest on her cheek, waiting until their lips touched to let herself fully enjoy the moment. It lasted a long time, long enough for his arm to wrap around her waist. She was almost half a head taller yet at that moment she felt a perfect fit, any feeling of vulnerability one might have expected washed away in the exhilarating intensity of the kiss. It wasn't the first and would certainly not be the last, yet it felt like it was.

…

"Mom? Dad?"

Sinojd's smaller frame came into view. She was wrapped in her blanket and her eyes were drooping with sleep along with her ears.

"Yes dear?", she heard him reply with a smile, his arm still warmly wrapped around her.

"Can we go pick flowers tomorrow?"

They looked at each other; it was rare enough for her to ask for something, but flower picking? That was a first. They knew she'd greatly enjoyed helping around the garden but never had she done that, always preferring to care for them as they were. Moreover if she'd asked to do it with them, it meant not in the garden. It wasn't like they had anything to do of importance the next day.

"Of course," it was Amenor's turn to reply.

"Thank…"

The girl had gone for a hug but hadn't even managed to finish either her gesture or her sentence, falling asleep against both of them in an instant. She looked at him and saw he was looking at her. Suddenly the same smile bloomed on both their lips. They'd promised, that was all.

—

PREVIOUSLY | NEXTLY

A Hero’s Retirement

[nextwarden]

First First

Worst thing is, it doesn't hurt. If it hurt he would be able to find his way through the pain and think about this rationally. He'd be able to get angry, to lash out. But it doesn't. It's just… unnerving, like the mild inconvenience a wet leaf stuck under your heel would be, when he'd expected more like a bed of burning white thorns slowly piercing his flesh. It's over almost as quickly as it started. One second he's in broad daylight, in the bustling center of the city, the next he's in a large, dimly lit, damp room of unknown proportions. They're watching him, murmuring secrets in hushed undertones. They wear robes, grey, white, black, some have their hood up, others not. One of them, an unhooded woman with fiery red hair walks up to him. That's when he realizes he's naked, naked and missing all of his possessions. Unarmed too. A shiver runs through his spine. Not that they're threatening, the look in her eyes is more one of skeptical wonder than of a desire to hurt. Then she speaks. Her voice is strong and clear but he cannot understand a word she says. The tongue resembles something akin to german, or perhaps russian? He can't really say, it's not one he speaks. It's simultaneously raspy and soft, the words are long, and he gets absolutely none of it other than the intent behind the questioning tone. Yet, somewhere in the back of his mind, the strange realisation that with enough practice he could pick it up somehow hits him.

She must see the focus lines on his face because she frowns too, so do the others - those without hoods at least. Half have sat down, mainly those clad in white, the others are assisting them or have run off to fetch things. He can hear them whisper again, but it's too low for him to catch anything. Would he even understand? He tries to speak. It doesn't work, his throat is itchy and burning, as if he'd swallowed a whole bottle of acid with needles. He coughs a bit, almost retches, and the redhead leans toward him. He tries to cover himself as best as he can but the look in her eyes tells him there's no real need for that. With a quick and practiced move of her wrist and a single word, one of the black clad men brings a coat and gently places it on his shoulders. The shivers die down a bit but he still feels weak and woozy, and he gets the feeling it's not simply because of the low temperature of the room.

Torches are lit along the moist stone walls, some furniture is visible here and there, but mostly the room is filled with shadowy space and columns. Engravings everywhere, on the columns, on the ground - he notices he's laying in the middle of some sort of runic circle, somehow burnt into the stone floor. A man enters the room and seems to address them all. They straighten and nod, most of them leave, to go do what is a good question. The woman places a hand on his shoulder, he feels her grip firm but gentle. He turns to look at her and she speaks once more, her words flow like oil on a slanted sheet of metal through one ear and out the other. He tries to make her understand he doesn't comprehend a word but with what feels like a burnt throat it's not easy. She gets the message somehow, or perhaps she already got it but had to get things out anyway, perhaps the message was in her tone? It wasn't aggressive or threatening, so that's at least one piece of good news… Then she points at herself, placing her palm on her chest.

"Voïenssa."

That's how he'd spell it if he had to take a fucking guess. But he doesn't have the mind for it at the moment, so he just keeps it in the back of his mind. It must be her name, or at least a way to refer to her. She does the same thing a second time.

"Voïenssa."

This time she pats her chest, it wobbles and echoes with a soft thud. Then she offers her palm to him, open and inviting. Either he's supposed to grip it, or she wants to know his. Not feeling up to moving in anyway he chooses to go with his name. In his elation he must have forgotten about the state of his throat and/or, mostly 'and' though, not have realized the shape his body was in. The cold inside his stomach, the shivers, the world that keeps wobbling in front of him. He feels the cramp far too late and only has the time to push her back far enough for the burnt liquid to spill from his guts all over the floor and not over her coat or her shoes. Good job, mate! You managed to miss both, what a hero you are… Is all he managed to think before he falls over, only narrowly avoiding falling face first into his own vomit thanks to trembling arms he threw to the ground.

Ah. There it is. The pain of the aftermath brings his mind into overdrive and clears everything else away, allowing him to think properly for the first time since the light struck him. A place that is not the street in broad daylight, strange people in strange clothes, chanting and runes, a language he swears he's never heard before, and a deeply foreboding feeling that everything has just gone to shit. Oh he's heard stories about this before, read most of them too! Yep, that must be it! Just his luck, he's somehow been isekaied.

---

PREVIOUSLY | NEXTLY

A Hero’s Retirement

[nofusestudio]

You've finally come to face me! Are you prepared?

[nextwarden]

Who goes there?

"So... how old are you, anyway?"

"Pardon?"

The look she gave him reminded him of an old idiom from his past life that discouraged questions of that sort. He almost changed the subject but his curiosity was genuine and, if worst came to pass, he'd already died once, so… Still, at that moment, justification seemed to be the better paved road.

"Not to be rude, I'm simply curious. I was wondering how long you've been doing this. You know, the whole Demon Empress thing…"

"So I did hear right."

Her frown was apparent now. He almost bolted right then and there. Almost. They'd eaten not long before and he did not want to exert his body on a full stomach. Also they were now having a light drink for dessert while seated on the porch facing the sea, which, until then at least, had been quite comfortable. He eyed her carefully but to his relief her expression had turned thoughtful.

"I guess," she tapped a sharp distracted nail against her cup, a habit he had learned to find endearing as time passed. The clicking seemed to smoothen her train of thoughts and made for a strangely relaxing sound.  "That depends. In total or practically speaking?"

"How about both?"

She kept her focus on the view before them, her golden eyes wandering along the waves and beyond, as if she was trying to locate something far removed, even to the horizon itself. He found himself staring at the crinkle that had formed along her nose when she looked back. She noticed it of course, few things passed her by, even when at the corner of her eye. Yet she made no other comment than a simple raised eyebrow. Finally locking eyes, he remained unapologetic. His curiosity often got the better of him, even more so when the subject was of particular interest. He'd asked the question as it came back to him. Often he had wondered how many years she had walked the lands of twilight and those of the overworld to make her the being before his eyes. His own life, doubled by his previous experiences, had made him wiser than his peers from a young age onward, yet he felt she was on another level altogether. He couldn't say if it was because of age however, for things worked curiously sometimes in the land of magic that was his new world. He would be surprised although not so much were she to reply only a few days old, despite how unlikely it felt to him.

"I guess, around four centuries in total?" It felt more like a question than a definite answer. "Sadly, I cannot pretend to remember the exact year of my birth, nor the exact number of years I have lied dormant…"

She paused again, her gaze wandering his face,  perhaps to gauge his reaction. He felt what she saw satisfied her as she turned back towards the sea. Four centuries of life. A long time, a whole other scale compared to his mere three score and then some years, if one were to count his previous life as well as this one.

"But in reality it is much less, if I were to count only the years I spent awake, I believe it takes it down to less than a century."

She'd also been sealed away for years at a time, he knew from history sessions he'd been forced to take during his upbringing as the chosen one. Yet those times were recounted from the point of view of those who would rather have forgotten her if they could. Not much had transpired of the rest.

"You can ask for more if you want, I do not mind. After what we've been through, that wouldn't be the strangest thing," she hummed.

It was true they had had peculiar interactions in the past, to say the least. One of them being the discussion leading to this one where he had revealed a large part of his story and true identity to her. For all intent and purposes they were isolated from the world, where land came crashing into the never ending sea, and by the nature of their cohabitation, none of the past restraints felt like they truly mattered anymore. She must have noticed the look in his eyes, the one she had always tried to evade as it had roused questions she had been uncomfortable peering into, yet the one she now was thankful for.

"Sorry."

"Don't apologize."

Shaking her head, she placed a hand on his for a moment, as if to say there was no need.

"Yeah, still...", he couldn't help a small sigh.

He took a sip of the sweet delight they had been sipping on while talking, it was cool yet tasty and helped lift the soul from the slump into which the grey skies sent it.

"So," when he finally mustered enough bravado to get the conversation to move along, "tell me about your life."

Heavens! He felt the heat rise to his cheeks. He'd even let the corner of his mouth rise into a corny smile. Stupid. She didn't seem to mind, though, as she nodded, her features thoughtful once more.

"You must already know some of it from the scriptures your kingdom has surely shown you, so I'll do my best not to bore you too much with it."

"Never", he winked.

Onwards, further than any ever before. She let out something between a sigh and a scoff.

"My mother brought me into this world about four centuries ago-"

"Here? Not the twilight lands?"

"Yes, here. As surprising as that may be, it wasn't uncommon at the time. We had say over a portion of land that spanned from the southern tip of the continent to the Kiln river," she continued as if that first interruption had not even happened. "I only moved to the twilight lands when both my parents died in an attempt by the Alliance to sway the balance of power, they gave their lives to defend their land. My grandmother raised me then, making me her aid and training me. I wasn't destined to become the Empress of Shadow from birth as you humans believe, see. Us demonkin have a strong respect for talent and ability. I was not born with both but rather grew into them. It was during my fourteenth or fifteenth birthday that I rose to a high enough status to be recognized as a potential candidate, and a couple of years after that, when my grandmother perished by the hand of the hero's party that I began truly showing signs of that which made a true Ruler to the eyes of other demons. Anger and resentment for my family's death fueled my soul. The next few years I spent training and waging war. As you know things went well for us at first until that fateful battle at Aamon's Pass where I was undone by the Hero herself and sealed away..."

Silence settled over the room once more before she continued.

"I realized afterward, during my time imprisoned in this strange prison in between space and time actually, that I had been hasty in my decision to pursue such a lofty goal. I vowed I would not make that mistake again - you know very well how that went..."

He scoffed before nodding. She carried on, resetting her eyebrows.

"About two centuries or so I spent in that state. That's from the information I gathered once the curse's seal wore out, and from what I was told. Saying that time doesn't flow in that state is false, but it flows in such a strange way, everything is distorted, crushed together and pulled apart at the same time, nothing really makes sense. I- Often I doubted I would be able to keep my sanity. That feeling of eternity… I believe I would wish it on no one."

She seemed to surprise even herself at the idea of compassion, yet she did not correct her words.

"Once I was free, I sought those who had helped me before, I sought my kin to find familiarity once more and to see if the fires of war were still being tended. The latter was still true, war is a constant it seems. The former was slightly more complicated. Many of my… acquaintances were alive, yet many had perished, either of decay or in battle. You see, if our reason d'être is erased we may wither away over time, and as battle and war was the demonkin's only focus all these years, when my demise became known and our defeat inevitable that time, many thought it was the end and the forces of twilight scattered. It took a few years to gather people and fan the flames of resistance once more. We had a world to conquer and our blood still ran hot! Two decades I worked tirelessly to regain allies, strengthen my army, and sharpen my claws. And when I thought I was ready to take up the mantle once more, I made my first appearance as the Empress. It did not go as well as I thought, many had either forgotten or turned their back on me over those long years; I had been in power for a short time after all. Yet I managed to… convince them that I was worthy and once this was beaten into their thick skulls, the forces of twilight united under my banner once more. We launched an assault once our preparations were finished - that paid off in a way, though much later - and, as I believe you know, this second attempt at conquest by my hand went as well as can be. We marched over half the continent of Vaneat in a matter of months and conquered Bor and Atalante over the next few years. Those were tough nuts to crack but oh so satisfying. Yet that's where the first hurdle appeared. The second generation of heroes that I had the pleasure to meet. They were greenhorns but had somehow a bottomless pool of luck. Everywhere they went, trouble awaited us. I still do not know how they managed to go as far as they did, yet one day they put in action their master plan, one which would have killed anybody else on the spot. For them, however, one crowned with the smile of Fate it seems…"

He'd heard about her demise at the hands of the Sea Dragons, the Heroes of that time's party, and their miraculous plan to take down the Empress in one fell swoop.

"One night - at night even, when our powers are most feared - they infiltrated my castle with a teleportation spell and sealed me away before turning my fortress to rubble. For the second time I found myself in that tortuous hell of a place, if a place is the right way to qualify it. I learned later the exact way they had achieved this result. They had activated an array of ancient artifacts brought with them and before I could react had sealed me away. It should never have been able to be set to work in such a way with such success, there was insufficient preparation on their part, any wrong move could have sent them to the void in an instant. They were untrained, without much experience, while I had the most fearsome army ever seen in these lands and I had spent nearly thirty more years honing my power. Yet, they succeeded. For over a century I was stuck in that place, with only my thoughts for company. It was… harsh."

She was playing with a lock of hair, twirling it around her long finger. He bit back a comment, letting her have this moment to herself. Perhaps she needed it. He knew he would, were he in her shoes, although he was positive he couldn't even begin to imagine what she must have gone through. It did nothing to calm the prickling annoyance that he had felt many times over the years, but he now knew what smell to put on that faraway look she sometimes had when she got lost in her thoughts. It was that of wet maple leaves in the muddy soil of autumn.

"The rest of the story you may know from personal experience," he shivered as she resumed her story, her voice was soft and low, "I was awoken about two score years ago now. Some of my followers traced the location of the hidden tomb I had been sealed in and managed, not without effort, time and dedication, to free me from that prison. I believed that I would have to go through as much trouble as before but the precautions I had put in place were successful and the soul of the undergrowth had not withered this time. My forces had split into factions, some which were still loyal to me, others who wished to continue the fight their own way, and others still who wished to cease with this war and had retreated into the farlands. I hesitated to take up the mantle of Empress once again, feeling for the first time since the death of my family that I was perhaps not made for it. That perhaps it was something I did not want as much anymore? And so I lay low for a number of years, isolating myself, mingling with the common folk and living a simple life. In the meantime I honed my power once more, regaining my previous abilities and much more over time. Finally, one day, I was reminded of why I had started this in the first place when I stumbled upon the ruins of a castle."

"Your parents'?"

He too had seen the charred stones, years ago now, when Solence, the sage of the court and first magus of his party, had deemed it necessary to give him a more practical lesson.

"Yes. It's not as if I had a deep connection with them, I've not known them that well, never had the time… But that feeling at the idea that I had lost them so young and had missed out on so much because of, well, your kind, it made me angry and the fire in me roared once more. From then on I trained with more fervor than ever, every day and every night. I travelled the lands to gather my forces once again, coming to an understanding with the different factions that chose to hear me out, and convincing the others. And when I felt I was ready, I launched the third assault on the territories of the Alliance. They scrambled to respond and we pushed them back far. This time, I thought, I would do it, I would avenge my family's memory, I would achieve my dream, and I would finally put an end to a nonsense which had gone far too long. Once again I was wrong. Or at least, I had underestimated the Alliance's hand. See, they had noticed the seal had been broken and they had begun preparations in case I ever returned. Not everybody believed it, and as years passed some even began to think I had simply vanished for good. Yet as per their policy of the Tenth Man, they made their preparations. They got you and the others. And they kept it under wraps from us, even when the war had already begun. Whether it was because you weren't ready or as a strategic advantage, I don't know, but it did take us by surprise, I'll admit that. Seeing a full-fledged hero, albeit still not at the height of his potential, march on the battlefield and take our assaults head on, and, as time went on, push us back, did not feel good."

And he had to admit he was quite proud of that fact. Making an army of demonkin and its olden leader feel the pressure had been one of his proudest achievements in life.

"What I thought would be a quick victory stretched into years of conflict and somewhat of a stalemate. I had already had my doubts before, but I believe it took me meeting you to really begin to open my eyes. What I thought I desired and what I truly did want had always been muddled within me. Your appearance and feats made it easier to focus on what I had to do, perhaps that also revealed what I desired to do… And as our clashes became more numerous I also found myself enjoying that more than conquest itself. War is always the same, it gets boring, or rather, tiresome over time. Violence for violence becomes stale, and even the flames of vengeance struggle against the winds of time, or so I believe I have come to learn. But you, your presence on the battlefield always managed to surprise me, to motivate me to fight harder and better. I wanted to have the satisfaction to take you down, not simply because it would mean our almost certain victory, but because I wanted to know what it felt like to be in the shoes of one of the great Heroes, I guess. I never did, in the end. Still…"

He saw the ghost of a somewhat wistful smile spread on her lips and elbowed her gently.

"Hey, in a way you did. Or do I have to remind you of the state I was in at the bottom of that pit? I didn't get those by tripping over my feet…"

Her eyes found his as he pointed at one of the places where her blades had dug deeply into his flesh. She turned her head to look at his back. He almost jerked back when her fingers found the exact spot and traced along despite it being covered by his shirt. All she gave for a reply was a thoughtful hum.

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A Hero’s Retirement