Blood. Smoke. Screams.
Kael sat on his knees, arms bound in rough iron chains. His head hung low, his body bruised from the villagers' boots and stones.
"Bring forth the sacrifice!" the high priest shouted, robes flaring in the wind.
Two guards yanked Kael forward, dragging him to the center of the ancient circle carved into the forest floor. Sigils burned red, ancient and twisted—etched into stone long before humans ruled the land.
He didn't struggle. Why would he?
He was nothing. A bastard orphan raised in dirt and silence. No family. No future. No one would miss him.
"You're lucky, boy," the priest sneered. "You'll die with a purpose. The Demon Princess will take your soul, and our village will be spared."
Kael coughed blood and grinned. "Do I get to ask her for a kiss before I die?"
A guard slammed his fist into Kael's gut.
Pain exploded through him, but Kael just laughed bitterly. "Guess not."
The priest raised his staff, the gem at its tip glowing with corrupted mana. The crowd surrounding the circle began to chant:
> "Blood to bind. Soul to seal. Princess of the Abyss, hear our plea—"
Thunder cracked.
Wind howled.
The sky itself turned black.
Kael felt it—something ancient and furious pressing down from above. The ritual circle ignited, swallowing the earth in light.
And then… silence.
No birds. No wind.
Only a sudden weight in the air. A coldness that froze bone and breath alike.
Then she appeared.
Floating down like a fallen star, wrapped in black silk that danced around her curves, a girl—no, a being—descended into the center of the circle. Her silver hair shimmered like moonlight on a blade, twin obsidian horns rising from her head. Her eyes were crimson fire.
She didn't walk. She glided.
Power radiated from her with every breath.
The villagers dropped to their knees in terror.
Kael, half-conscious, stared upward as the demoness looked around, her expression one of annoyance… until her gaze met his.
Something passed between them.
Heat.
Recognition?
No—hunger.
"Who…" Her voice was smooth, sharp as silk, heavy with disdain. "...offered me this trash?"
The priest scrambled forward. "Great Princess Lilith! This boy is a pure soul—untainted by magic, weak-blooded, human—perfect for the offering!"
Her eyes narrowed.
She stepped forward. Her heels touched the cracked ground, the runes flaring brighter.
Kael's breath caught in his throat.
She was... beautiful. Terrifying. Divine.
And she was staring straight into him.
"You summoned me... with him?" she whispered.
The priest nodded eagerly. "Yes, Your Majesty! Take his soul, and may your wrath spare our village—"
> "Silence."
Her voice shattered the air like glass. The priest was hurled back by invisible force, crashing into a tree with a sickening crunch.
She knelt before Kael.
His heart thundered as she reached out, brushing blood from his cheek with a clawed fingertip.
Then she whispered:
> "You're not human."
Kael blinked. "What...?"
"You smell like something ancient. Forgotten." Her voice trembled slightly—not with fear, but with fascination.
He forced a laugh. "I think you've got the wrong guy."
> "No. I have exactly what I came for."
She cupped his face and leaned in. Her lips were cold flame, her breath ice and roses.
And then… she kissed him.
The moment their lips touched, Kael screamed.
Not from pain—but from power.
Flames erupted around them. Black and red tendrils of light lashed through the circle.
> [Blood Pact Initiated.]
[Name: Kael Ardent – Status: Abyss-Bound Mate]
[Demonic Heritage: Locked (1% Awakened)]
[Link Established: Demon Princess Lilith Raventhorn]
His vision blurred.
Memories not his own. Battles. Thrones. Wings. Chains.
The power of another life poured into him—into his blood.
The villagers fled, screaming in terror.
The forest trembled.
Kael gasped as the world came back into focus. The chains had melted. His wounds vanished.
Lilith stood, now towering with demonic energy, her wings—black and red—unfurled behind her.
The high priest, crawling in fear, whimpered, "What… what have you done?"
Lilith smiled, baring fanged teeth.
> "You tried to use me. You failed."
"He is mine now. Body, soul, and blood."
She turned to Kael, her voice softer, almost playful.
> "Stand up, husband. Our war begins."
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