Morning at the Ice Castle
Arian opened his eyes. The cold air pierced through the room, yet it no longer brought pain. He looked into the stone mirror beside his bed.
His once-black hair had turned silver-white. His eyes had become a radiant, icy blue—glowing like crystalized frost.
His body... was no longer entirely human.
Velmira entered the room carrying a tray of food, and froze in place.
> "Your hair… and your eyes…"
"You're starting to change."
Arian nodded.
> "My body is adjusting. Necral said this will continue."
Velmira looked at him seriously.
> "You're not fully a demon yet… but you're no longer human either."
> "Then I'll become something new," Arian replied.
"Something the old world cannot control."
---
The Departure of the Orcs
Although Arian had offered the orcs a place to live near the Gurvan-Khaz mines, the orcs of Thar'Zul refused.
They left the region with heads bowed low, unable to bear the shame of their chieftain's death and the violation of their sacred duel.
> "Our pride has been shattered.
We cannot remain in the land we failed to protect."
Arian didn't stop them. He understood.
Yet in his heart, he held a deep respect for the orcs—a people who lived and died by honor.
---
Rumors Reach the Demon King
Far to the west, seated upon a throne carved from jagged stone, a Demon King named Ghal-Zereth, ruler of the Abyntar region, received word of the awakening of the long-lost Ice Demon clan.
> "That cursed sword… Necral?" he murmured, resting on his horned throne.
"So… it's chosen someone again?"
He raised one hand.
> "Send Neretha.
Bring an invitation to the bearer of that blade.
I want to meet… the 'Heir of Necral.'"
---
A Diplomatic Invitation
Days later, at the gates of the Ice Castle, a dark-winged demon woman arrived, bearing a scroll sealed with black blood.
> "By the decree of Demon King Ghal-Zereth,
you—bearer of the ice curse, Arian—are formally invited to Abyntar,
as an honored guest to meet our ruler directly."
Velmira turned to Arian, tense.
> "Don't accept. It's too dangerous.
That Demon King cannot be trusted."
But Arian stared at the letter thoughtfully.
> "If we want to build more than just a village,
we need recognition from the demon world.
We need alliances, political legitimacy, and acknowledged strength."
Velmira hesitated.
> "But he's not human. He's a demon… with ambition and power that could devour us whole."
> "And humans," Arian said coldly,
"are more dangerous than demons."
---
The Land of Light and Darkness
The world was split by an ancient border—The Himael Line, a great rift dividing two forces.
To the north, the Land of Darkness: home to demons, dragons, and ancient beings, each building their own civilizations.
To the south, the Land of Light: where humankind built kingdoms, cathedrals, and mighty empires.
Yet demons were no longer the threat they once were a century ago.
Now, it was humans who fought amongst themselves.
---
The Light Hero's Side – A War of Manipulation
On the outskirts of the Kingdom of Midran, Takeshi stood amid the flames.
Blood coated his body, and the holy sword trembled in his hand.
An old man lay dead before him.
> "He... wasn't a demon… he was human…"
A priest behind him whispered gently.
> "He was a heretic. A worshiper of darkness.
You did the right thing, Hero of Light."
Takeshi bit his lip. His hands trembled, but he forced himself to believe.
> "If this is… for the sake of the world…"
But none of them knew the truth—
That "heretic" was just a label for anyone who defied the Church.
And that they were now being used to conquer fellow humans…
to expand the dominion of the Land of Light.
---
A New Direction
Arian accepted the invitation.
A diplomatic journey was about to begin.
Velmira prepared elite guards, but Arian chose to bring only two companions.
> "If they mean to kill me, it won't matter how many I bring."
From the castle tower, he looked down upon the growing village.
Roads had started to form.
Campfires lit the night.
Defensive walls were rising—built from stone and metal mined from Gurvan-Khaz.
> "If I want to build a city…
Then the world must know we exist.
And they must learn to respect it."
---
Closing:
Arian's transformation deepens—physically and spiritually
The orcs leave out of honor
The Demon King reaches out in diplomacy
The demon world begins to turn its gaze toward the small village…
Meanwhile, in the human world,
Light begins to rot with war and falsehood
And both sides of this divided world…
begin to march toward an inevitable collision.
---