Leviathan hurled the young man's lifeless body across the chamber. The corpse hit the cold stone floor with a dull thud. His body was shriveled and pale, drained of blood. He was the one hundredth captive Leviathan had sacrificed in his search.
"Argh! Why is none of them the one mentioned in the prophecy?" Leviathan roared in frustration.
"M-My Lord... perhaps some of the captives managed to escape," one demon suggested nervously.
"My Lord, we have received word that a mortal is currently residing in the Vampire Palace," another demon reported.
Leviathan's crimson eyes narrowed.
"A mortal living in the palace?" he asked.
The demon nodded.
A sinister smile spread across Leviathan's face.
"Then we shall pay the palace a visit and retrieve that mortal ourselves."
At once, his followers bowed and followed him.
.
.
Meanwhile, from the highest tower of the palace, Xylon and the others watched the sky.
In the distance, an army of demons advanced toward Aznar.
"They're here," Titus said grimly.
"Prepare yourselves," Xylon commanded.
Without hesitation, they leapt from the tower and charged into battle.
Steel clashed against claws as they fought through the demonic ranks.
Xylon searched frantically for Leviathan among the chaos, but the Demon King's presence was nowhere to be found.
Then a desperate scream echoed through the battlefield.
"HELP!"
Everyone turned toward the palace.
"Sagi!" Maddison cried.
A demon was flying away with Sagi struggling in its grasp.
The remaining demons immediately began retreating.
"Tsk. Sagi was their target all along!" Xylon growled. "After them!"
.
.
Jade's eyes widened when she saw Sagi being dragged before Leviathan.
"Let me go!" Sagi shouted, struggling against his captors.
One of the demons sliced open Sagi's arm. Leviathan took hold of the bleeding limb and tasted the blood.
The moment it touched his tongue, a triumphant grin appeared on his face.
"So it was you all along..." he murmured.
The prophecy had been right.
The person he had been looking for was in Aznar all along.
"How amusing. I never imagined you were hiding here in Aznar this entire time," Leviathan said.
"Release me! What do you want from me?" Sagi demanded.
"You are the key to my victory," Leviathan replied coldly. "So be quiet and accept your fate."
With a simple gesture, he signaled his demons.
They immediately chained Sagi to a massive stone altar.
Heavy shackles bound his wrists and ankles while an ancient symbol glowed above his head.
At Leviathan's command, several demons gathered around the altar. Like executioners preparing for a sacred ritual, they began chanting dark incantations.
"AAAAAHHHHH!"
Sagi screamed in agony.
A burning pain spread through every part of his body.
His eyes gradually turned crimson, and black veins emerged across his face like creeping shadows.
Leviathan reopened the wound on Sagi's arm and collected the blood in a golden goblet.
Then he poured it onto the glowing symbol above the altar.
The entire chamber erupted with blinding light.
Leviathan laughed evilly.
At last...
.
.
"It has started," Xylon said grimly.
Without wasting another second, he and Titus stormed Leviathan's castle.
The moment they entered, hordes of demons blocked their path.
"We'll handle them," Xenon said, drawing his weapon.
Xylon nodded.
"Hold them off."
Leaving Xenon and the others behind to battle the demons, Xylon and Titus pushed deeper into the castle.
.
.
"LEVIATHAN!"
Xylon's voice thundered through the ritual chamber.
Everyone turned toward the entrance.
"X-Xylon..." Jade whispered, relief flooding her voice.
Leviathan slowly turned and smirked. "Well, well... the Vampire King is here."
Xylon's crimson eyes locked onto his enemy. "Let's end this, Leviathan."
A wicked grin spread across the Demon King's face. "As you wish."
In a blur of motion, Leviathan lunged forward.
And the final battle began.