The Damned Demon

"I...I...apologize, Edmund," Ignatius stuttered, his voice shaky, "I swear on my life, I won\'t make such a stupid mistake again."

From the side, Zephyrine watched the scene with a sense of amusement flashing in her eyes.

Thaddaeus, on the other hand, looked on with a scornful expression. To him, Ignatius was only receiving what he deserved for his stupid mistake. He also made him look bad before Edmund since he was the first to mention it.

Edmund guzzled down the blood from his chalice, his anger still seething. In a sudden move, he kicked Ignatius away, sending him crashing onto the floor. Ignatius\' face turned beet red, a mix of humiliation and physical pain etched on his features.

Edmund harrumphed, turning his back to the kneeling figure, "Pah! He must be gloating on the inside after not only making me look small before those Umbralfiends but even those commoners. He even put his hands on their princess, who wanted me to save her from him," Edmund still couldn\'t shake off the way she looked at him, silently imploring him to help her and the helpless he felt only fueled his anger.

Pointing his finger at Ignatius, he continued with veins popping over his temples, "But I couldn\'t, all thanks to this fool."

Breaking the tense silence, Thaddaeus\' voice echoed in the room, "Asher is gaining popularity and power quite rapidly," he stated, a tinge of worry underlying his words, "Particularly after your seclusion, Edmund."

Zephyrine, toying with a strand of her hair, chimed in, "Indeed. We should do something before he becomes too big for us to handle. I mean, who knew the queen would fall head over heels in love with him?"

She let out a sly chuckle, adding, "That alien is clever. I\'ll give him that. Seduced the queen shortly after his awakening, just to ensure he could manipulate things smoothly. You\'d think the queen would give a job as important as managing the Umbralfiends to someone older and experienced."

Ignatius, who was still on his knees, offered a tentative suggestion, "Maybe... maybe we could come up with a plan to help you get back at him?"

Edmund\'s cold stare made Ignatius lower his gaze again, a shiver going down his spine.

Then, Edmund turned his gaze towards Thaddaeus and Zephyrine. A chilling smile adorned his face as he said, "I don\'t just want to get back at Asher. I want to take care of this Asher problem once and for all. He is too dangerous and an eyesore the longer he breathes..."

His words left Thaddaeus and Zephyrine exchanging wide-eyed looks, the gravity of his intentions clearly understood.

Meanwhile, Ignatius wore a stunned expression, his mind struggling to comprehend the magnitude of Edmund\'s intent.

"Don\'t look so surprised," Edmund warned, his gaze hardening. "I meant every word I said. That alien dog has taken his last breaths. And since you heard what I said, you all will certainly aid me in this."

Ignatius swallowed audibly, his face pale. The topic they were discussing was one of immense danger, one that could lead to them getting executed together.

Thaddaeus, steeling himself, ventured, "But how can we achieve this? Asher is untouchable in this kingdom."

"Who said anything about doing it within this kingdom?" Edmund scoffed, a dark gleam in his eyes.

Zephyrine, catching onto his implication, let out a soft chuckle, "The Quest for the Worthy…right?"

Thaddeus\' brows shot up in realization. Ignatius, on the other hand, nervously interjected, "B-but Asher will certainly have protectors accompanying him on the quest."

"Only one we should be wary of is the Eradicator, and luckily, she doesn\'t qualify for this quest," Edmund snorted dismissively, "Asher can only rely on his vassals, who are nothing compared to mine. Plus, the dog himself is far weaker than me. We can easily kill him during the quest, and no one will be the wiser. People will only think the humans or the lurking dangers got to him. They won\'t even get his body to investigate, haha."

A confident smirk bloomed on Thaddeus\' and Zephyrine\'s faces, "As expected, Edmund. You truly had it all planned," they voiced in unison.

Ignatius, although pale as a sheet, also nodded, managing to force out a shaky smile despite the clear lines of worry etched on his forehead.

A day later, at the Tower of Hell, Asher stood at the doorstep of its fourth floor, feeling an odd mix of anticipation and foreboding.

This particular level of the Tower was managed by its Floor Warden, Naida Valentine.

And the name of this trial was \'Hell\'s Mirage\', though just like the previous trials, Asher had no idea what this trial was about.

But he could guess it probably had to do with illusions since Naida was the one managing it unless he was guessing it the wrong way.

As he faced the gigantic silver doors before him, he could sense the hidden dangers lurking within.

The enormous doors were a blend of the haunting and the majestic, intricately designed with menacing devilish creatures.

However, Asher wasn\'t worried about passing this trial since if Oberon and some other nobles also passed it without much trouble, then it surely would be a piece of cake for him.

Suddenly, the piercing silence was broken by the echo of heels clicking against the hard, marbled floor.

From the looming shadows behind him, emerged Naida Valentine, her ruby hair dancing like a living flame against the chilling darkness of the realm.

Her bright red eyes bore into Asher, her pleasant gaze settling down on his figure.

"Well, Asher," Naida began, her voice as smooth and compelling as silk, "If it were anyone else who came to take part in this trial just days before one of the most important quests in their life, I would be surprised. But I have been expecting you. You must be hoping to earn some good rewards from this trial that could help you in the upcoming quest, right?"

Asher chuckled and said with a smile, "I am not that smug to wait till the last moment to take this trial. I was waiting to gain enough power for the trial, and it is a coincidence that I am about to reach the Peak of Soul Hunter. But the reason you mentioned is also something that motivated me to come now as well."

Naida returned a smile of admiration, "You are truly a young monster talent to get this far within just mere years. The devils must be really smiling at you. So…ready to conquer the fourth floor? As the Floor Warden, I have to warn you it won\'t be easy just because it was for someone else. This trial can be different for each," Her question hung in the air, a veiled challenge.

Asher\'s gaze met hers directly, "I have come this far," he replied, his voice steady and confident, "I don\'t intend to back down now."

With a slight nod from Naida, Asher strode forward, anticipating the grand doors to creak open at his approach. He waited, yet the seconds ticked by, and the doors remained shut, an imperturbable barricade to his progress.

From behind him, a soft gasp rang out. He turned to find Naida\'s usually composed features shadowed with surprise and confusion, "Warden Naida," Asher called, his voice steady despite his own rising uncertainty, "What\'s wrong?"

Naida hesitated, her red eyes darting between him and the obstinate doors, "I don\'t understand," she admitted, a rare hint of perplexity creeping into her voice, "The Tower...it\'s refusing your entry."

Asher frowned, surprise and frustration stirring within him, "Is there something else I need to do? Some other condition I need to fulfill to qualify for this trial?"

Naida quickly shook her head, her ruby tresses swirling around her face, "There is no special condition for this trial, Asher. All you needed to do was to complete the third trial, which you did."

She paused, her gaze softening slightly as she added, "But don\'t worry too much, I\'ve asked for some assistance. The Head Warden should be here any moment..."

Her voice trailed off as suddenly, the space before them began to warp and distort, a ripple spreading through the air as if it were water. Out of this peculiar disruption materialized a figure of immense stature and imposing aura.

Clad in a dark silver robe that seemed to absorb the faint light around them, Duncan Doru, the Head Warden, appeared.

His long white hair cascaded down his back, blending seamlessly with his beard that sprawled across his chest. His eyes, a dull red, held the wisdom of countless years and depths as profound as the abyss.

Naida and Asher bowed upon seeing him.

In the silent tension that followed his appearance, Duncan slowly closed his eyes without saying anything. For a long stretch of seconds, his brow furrowed in deep concentration. Asher and Naida watched him, anticipation hanging heavy in the air.

When Duncan\'s eyes finally opened, they carried a distinct weight. His gaze fell on Asher, the red depths revealing a hint of gravity and confusion.

"How strange...I\'ve examined the situation," he began, his voice resounding within the quiet hallway, "And I\'m afraid Warden Naida was right. For some reason that even I cannot discern, the Tower refuses your participation in this trial."

His declaration sent ripples of shock through Asher.