The Broken Halo

Two days after Marek’s meeting with the three Vice Commanders, the City Lord’s compound remained quieter than usual.

It occupied a raised section near the heart of Velmora, where the streets widened and ordinary shops gave way to administrative buildings, military residences, and estates belonging to the city’s most powerful demons.

A thick wall of polished black stone surrounded the compound. Guard towers rose from its corners, and crimson formation lines ran beneath the walls like veins hidden under skin. Beyond the main gate stood several broad buildings joined by covered walkways, inner courtyards, and narrow gardens filled with dark-leaved plants that brought a sort of dark beauty to the compound using the demon realm’s crimson sky.

The royal guest residence was located close to the western side of the City Lord’s home.

It was connected to the larger compound by a guarded stone bridge, but it possessed its own courtyard, servants, formations, and underground route. The building was three storeys tall, built from pale-grey stone threaded with black mineral lines. Its windows were narrow, its roof were curved gently at the edges, and the royal insignia of the Two-Horned Winged bloodline had been carved above the entrance.

The White Crown, Prince Varen occupied the uppermost floor.

At the moment, he sat inside a private receiving room with the Biggest Kev.

The room was large enough to accommodate Kev without making him appear as though he had been forced inside a storage chamber compared to when he was in Simon’s room in the Pipeline Inn. A long window overlooked Velmora’s roofs and distant walls. Thick grey rugs covered the floor, while a low black table stood between two reinforced chairs.

Several sealed reports rested on a second table near the wall.

Privacy formations surrounded the room, and a white flame burned inside a shallow bowl near the door. The flame would change colour if anyone attempted to peer into the room from outside.

Prince Varen sat with one leg crossed over the other.

He had a pale grey skin, a straight silver-black hair that fell beyond his shoulders, and a face that appeared calm even when he smiled. Two ivory horns rose from his temples before curving backward, and their surfaces were marked by thin black rings.

His eyes were colourless grey with perfectly round pupils.

A pair of broad black wings rested folded behind his chair. Faint silver veins ran through their dark membranes and they brightened whenever his demonic energy circulated through the wings.

Prince Varen wore a fitted white robe beneath a long sleeved black outer coat. Thin gold lines traced the cuffs, collar, and edges, while the royal insignia rested over his heart.

And anybody that was strong enough to perceive the Prince’s power would realize just how terrifying he was. Even Kev could feel the power of the Prince’s Prime Abyssal Heart beating inside his chest.

The Seventh Prince... was a Prime Demon Lord.

In terms of age and birth order, there were six royal children before him, but succession within the Darkness Kingdom had never depended on age alone. For example, the Fourth Prince commanded more soldiers. The Fifth possessed stronger support among old noble families. The Sixth had governed two wealthy regions.

Varen had surpassed all three in the palace’s estimation.

He had exposed a network of officials selling military routes to enemy kingdoms. He had recovered a stolen royal seal from a foreign court and returned without starting a war. Years later, he entered a rebellious subordinate city with only twelve guards and left three days afterward with its governor confessing publicly.

Kev had been present for the aftermath of that final incident.

He remembered how alliances between nobles were broken on that day, the hidden ledgers that were spread across the hall, and Varen calmly eating a fruit while powerful demons accused one another so as to save themselves.

The Seventh Prince rarely defeated his enemies by striking first.

He made them expose their own throats.

Although the First, Second, and Third Princes possessed larger factions around the throne, Varen was considered one of the few siblings who could realistically overtake them. His accomplishments had already placed him closer to the throne than several princes born before him.

And he had made even more accomplishments other than those three.

That was why even his elder siblings treated him with caution, and why the palace had placed the White Crown in his hands.

The title gave Varen temporary authority over the entire eastern region. Yet Kev knew the Prince had not received it through blood alone.

The palace trusted his eyes more than it trusted the reports coming from Velmora.

Varen looked across the table.

”It has been a while, Armor King.”

Kev’s enormous body was covered in the familiar mismatched black armour. His Blood Jaguar helmet remained over his head, and the chair beneath him had been reinforced with both metal and formation lines.

”Biggest Kev,” he corrected.

Varen’s lips curved into a slight smile.

”You corrected me the last time too.”

”And you ignored me the last time too.”

Kev released a low grunt through the helmet, and the Prince gestured toward the untouched pitcher between them.

”You travelled from the capital, fought a Half-Step Abyssal Beast, and helped prevent the complete destruction of a convoy. At least drink something.”

”I did not come here because I was thirsty.”

Varen chuckled softly.

”You have always been like this. No patience for small talk.”

”Small talk rarely has a purpose.”

”It makes conversations pleasant.”

”Then tell me the purpose pleasantly.”

The Prince laughed once and leaned back.

Kev watched him without embarrassment or fear. That was another reason Varen enjoyed speaking with him. Most demons changed the moment a royal entered a room.

Kev mostly worried about whether the royal was wearing an interesting artifact.

”I had hoped to enjoy a friendly conversation with one of the finest craftsmen and artifact appraisers in the kingdom,” Varen said. ”But since the Armor King insists on tearing the wrapping away before examining what is inside, we may as well begin.”

”Biggest Kev.”

”Yes, yes. The Biggest Kev. I’ve heard you.”

”I don’t think you have.”

Varen shook his head slightly, then his amusement faded by a small degree.

”My subordinates are currently reviewing the reports I requested from Black Horn, the city guards, and the surviving convoy officers.”

His grey eyes settled on Kev’s helmet.

”They informed me that after Blackmoon ’rose from the dead’ and walked back into Velmora-”

He placed a deliberately amused emphasis on rose from the dead.

”-you went to Pipeline Inn and met him personally.”

Kev did not respond.

Varen rested one hand against the armrest.

”I want to know what the two of you discussed.”

His gaze sharpened.

”What did you discover about Blackmoon, and what do you think about him?”