The Broken Halo

On the day of the campaign, Velmora awakened before the crimson light had fully spread across the sky.

Black Horn’s bells rang from different parts of the city, their deep notes rolling across rooftops, military districts, and crowded streets. Transport beasts dragged wagons filled with supplies toward the outer campaign grounds. Soldiers moved in organised lines, rune masters carried sealed equipment beneath armed escort, and ordinary demons gathered along restricted roads hoping to glimpse the forces preparing to invade earth.

Excitement and tension mixed in the air.

Some demons spoke about Earth as though treasures waited openly on every road. Others discussed the humans who had killed their relatives during earlier rift wars. Merchants were already arguing over contracts for resources that had not yet been captured.

Inside Black Horn’s main campaign assembly ground, the selected recruits stood in ordered rows.

Simon stood between Sonya and Akaza.

Everyone wore whatever armour and equipment they intended to carry through the rift. The laughter and arguments normally heard among the recruits had weakened. Even the most arrogant demons understood that the training tests and convoy assignment had only been preparation.

This time, the enemies would be waiting on the other side.

A broad stone platform rose before them.

Korran stood on it with Selan and Dorel. Behind the three Vice Commanders were officers, unit leaders, healers, and rune masters responsible for the first crossing.

At the centre stood Marek.

The Commander of Black Horn’s Velmora branch did not release his aura. He did not need to. The Prime Abyssal Heart inside his body gave every word enough weight to travel through the assembly ground.

His pale-orange eyes moved across the recruits.

”I am Marek, Commander of Black Horn’s Velmora branch.”

The remaining whispers ended.

”Some of you came here for hell stones. Some want artifacts, status, military merits, rare blood essences, or the right to own a territory in the kingdom. A few of you are here because you hate humans. Others simply believed this campaign was the fastest way to become stronger.”

Marek paused.

”Good.”

Several recruits looked surprised.

”I have no interest in hearing you pretend that honour or loyalty brought you here. False loyalty breaks the moment blood reaches the ground. Greed is more reliable when a demon understands its price.”

His gaze became colder.

”You are among the first wave because you proved that you possess more value than the demons we rejected. Do not mistake that for praise. It means Black Horn expects more from your bodies before they become corpses.”

No one laughed.

”Those who cross first will face the greatest danger. You will also receive the first opportunities. The first enemy strongholds. The first military merits. The first claim to anything our appraisers declare usable.”

A murmur almost rose before Marek’s next words crushed it.

”If you abandon your unit to chase treasure, the officers behind you will kill you before the humans can. If a demon beside you dies, step over the corpse and hold the formation. If their death reveals an enemy technique, learn from it. If they carried something valuable, retrieve it after your position is secure.”

The speech possessed none of the warmth a human commander might have used. Yet the eyes of many recruits gradually brightened.

”You are not heroes like what humans call those fight against us and defend their worlds,” Marek continued. ”That is another advantage you have. Heroes waste themselves proving what they are. Demons survive by knowing what they want and what they are willing to destroy to obtain it.”

Sonya’s grin returned faintly.

Akaza listened without moving.

While Simon remained calm as usual. Marek was not asking the recruits to love the kingdom. He was reminding them that victory offered profit, while disobedience promised a useless death.

”The humans will not spare you because you are young, weak, wounded, or frightened. They will kill you. Capture you. Study your body and abilities. So make sure to treat them with the same honesty.”

Marek lifted one hand and pointed beyond Velmora, toward the distant rift site.

”Cross the road. Obey your commanders. Secure the territory surrounding the Earth-side gate. Survive long enough to earn what you came for.”

His hand lowered.

”Return with enough merit, and your birth, race, and former position will matter far less. Return empty-handed and do not insult us by blaming fate.”

The silence that followed was different from the one before.

It was heavier, but there was hunger inside it.

Marek allowed that hunger to grow for several breaths before speaking again.

”Before we leave, there is something many of you do not properly understand.”

His eyes swept over the recruits.

”Why do demons invade Earth?”

A few demons exchanged glances.

”You may believe the answer is resources. Slaves. Revenge. Territory. Those are benefits, but they are not the main purpose. Most artifacts and natural resources created under Earth’s power cannot even be used by demons because they contain Aether.”

Simon already knew where the explanation was going, but he listened.

”The true purpose is assimilation.”

Marek spoke the word slowly.

”The Demon Realm seeks to turn portions of Earth into extensions of itself.”

He gestured toward the ground beneath them.

”Every battle around a rift carries danger for both worlds. If demons seize and hold the Earth side, our demonic energy contaminates that region. Given enough time, formations, bloodshed, and energy, the land begins changing into a Demonized Territory.”

His gaze hardened.

”But defeat carries the opposite danger. If humans break through the demon side of a rift, they can cleanse demonic energy from that region and fill it with Aether. Even part of Velmora could eventually become purified territory if humans conquered and held it long enough.”

Unease moved through several rows, and some of the recruits began looking at one another with slightly wide eyes.

This was the first time they were hearing this.

”Humans attempt this less often. They are not as naturally drawn toward bloodshed, conquest, and chaos as us demons. Their foundations are also younger. The Demon Realm has existed for ages beyond easy counting, and our races have touched Chaos and Demonic Energy for far longer than humanity has understood Aether and Order.”

Marek did not call humans weak.

Only younger.

And Simon knew that he was right.

There was no way a knowledgeable demon would call humans weak when he had nearly wiped them off the face of existence in his past life.

”The location of the rift also determines which world possesses the early advantage. Imagine a gate connecting a major human city on Earth to a weak, isolated tribe in the Demon Realm. The humans would possess greater forces nearby. They could cross, destroy the tribe, and purify the surrounding land.”

His fingers curled slightly.

”Then they would have to defend that purified territory from every demon force capable of reaching it. Conquering land is one task. Keeping it is another.”

The recruits listened more carefully now.

”Earth and the Demon Realm each possess their own World Law. Earth’s law creates and supports Aether and Order. The law of our realm creates and supports Demonic Energy and Chaos.”

Marek pointed toward the distant rift once more.

”A rift does more than connect two locations. For a short period, the laws of both worlds touch.”

His voice echoed across the assembly ground.

”And that is what allows contamination or purification to begin.”