Prince Corvin had returned to his kingdom. The whispers were true, his father was dead, but what the world didn't know was that something killed him... and it had removed the immortality relic from his body.
Corvin never bothered to correct the rumors. Let them talk. He simply didn't care.
In Velmoria, no man could be crowned king without a queen. That was why he pursued Aralyn hand for marriage, yes, but also for what her powers might offer: guidance, power, perhaps even clues about the unknown force murdering his people.
He could have asked the other kingdoms for help, but weakness was a luxury he couldn't afford. Especially now.
But one thing wouldn't leave his mind: the demon from the ball. Demons weren't mere creatures, they were walking calamities. And that one wanted Aralyn. Corvin couldn't let that happen.
Then an idea came. A bold, reckless idea.He didn't care about marrying Aralyn. He only wanted his family back. The mystery of their deaths haunted him. Only his Father's brother had raised him, his "father", until Coven learned the truth six months ago. The man was his uncle. Worse, the traitor had plotted to sacrifice him for power.
He would've killed him himself… but something got there first. Whatever it was… it tore his uncle apart.
Maybe it was the thing inside the Shaft, the cursed place King Draelos once mentioned.
Corvin clenched his jaw, red eyes glowing faintly.
"Jake," he called.
"Yes, Your Highness," the servant said, bowing.
"Send a letter to Duskhelm Kingdom. Tell him the engagement with Princess Aralyn is off. I won't be offering the immortality relic anymore."
"As you command."
Corvin glanced toward the relic resting on obsidian silk. Mortals would kill for it. But what they didn't know, every blessing has a curse.
He took his blood drink , now cold, and gulped it down.
---
Somewhere far away, in the Endryon Kingdom, Rhonex stirred.
A memory was calling.
Something popped up inside Rhonex.
He was falling.
Then , crash , he hit something hard. A rock. But not just any rock… it burned. A fire rock. His body seared with pain, and his head was hazy. He couldn't remember much, but he knew this: he was running from something or someone.
He felt weak… fragile.
Powerless.
Human.
Was this… when the curse was first placed on him?
His chest throbbed as though something inside was ripping apart. He kept running, his vision blurred, until his body gave out.
Darkness.
When he woke, he was in a small house , a quiet bungalow. Herbs filled the air. Bandages covered him, and warmth radiated through the room.
"Where am I?" he whispered.
Then the door creaked open. A woman entered. She wasn't ancient, but older — old enough to be his mother. When she saw his eyes open, she gasped. "Oh my! You're finally awake. You were barely alive when I found you. But you're healing well."
Rhonex sat up slowly. "Why did you save me?"
The woman chuckled softly. "You were burning hot and bleeding out. I couldn't just let you die."He studied her eyes , piercing her soul. She spoke the truth. But he didn't have time. The curse… it was still in him. Still tightening.
He snapped his fingers, and a black robe cloaked his body. He stood, ready to leave , until the woman's hand grabbed his wrist tightly. Her eyes rolled white. Her voice deepened, echoing through the room:
"I know what you seek. The only way to break your curse… is with the divine power of a fox. A Nine-Tailed. It must come from a royal line."
She blinked , her eyes returned to normal.
"The fox," she said softly, "will either save you… or destroy you. The choice is hers."
Then , darkness again.
Rhonex blinked, and he was in Duskhelm Kingdom, a forbidden forest kingdom feared by many. The vision faded.
That was the memory. The memory he had forgotten.
Now… he was searching for that witch.
How did she know about the curse? How did she know it was a fox that could break it?
A whisper echoed in the air. It called to him.
He walked deeper into the woods.
And there… standing beneath a twisted tree… was a little girl.
At least, she looked like a girl.
But Rhonex knew better.
She was no child.
She was a ghost.
Eyes pale. Skin almost see-through. Vengeance clung to her like smoke. Likely murdered as a child , and never moved on. She stared at him.
"You're looking for Vanessa," the ghost said. Her voice wasn't loud, but it pierced.
"The Great Witch…"
Rhonex didn't know the witch name… but deep down, he knew the witch she spoke of.
Vanessa.
The little ghost child took a step closer. Her translucent eyes shimmered with a sorrow that didn't belong to a child.
"The Celestial Beings… they captured her," she whispered. "Took her away. I don't know if she's alive or… not."
Rhonex's jaw clenched.
"Before they came," the ghost continued, "she told me you would come one day. And she told me to give you this."
From her small, shadowy pocket, she pulled out a small box.
It was ancient , carved from darkwood, pulsing faintly with sealed magic. A lock sealed it shut. No keyhole. No obvious mechanism.
Ronex took it carefully.
"Where's the key?" he asked.
The girl looked at him with those emotionless, ghostly eyes.
"There is no key."
She paused.
"She said… the key is already with you. And only you can find it. Your heart will guide you."
Rhonex blinked. My heart?
He scoffed. "I don't have a heart." He meant it.
The girl tilted her head slightly. Then she smiled , not a sweet smile, but one filled with ancient knowing. "Then you'll never open it."
She turned and began to fade, her form dissolving into mist.
As she vanished, her final words echoed in the wind:
"Find what you've buried. Only then… will the box reveal its truth."
Rhonex stood alone in the quiet forest, the sealed box in his hand.
Heart t? I don't have Heart, he thought bitterly.
Not knowing what else to do, he smashed it on the ground, trying to break it open , but nothing happened. Frustrated, he shoved it back into his pocket and teleported back to Duskhelm Kingdom.
He was exhausted.
The Zarkrath souls, which had once burned within him like a furnace, was now weakening. Its energy , his source of strength , was fading. He needed something… or someone else to replenish it.
Since teleporting directly into his chambers would draw attention, Rhonex chose to walk home on foot. The quiet helped clear his mind. The air was fresh, peaceful , exactly what he needed.
Until laughter broke the silence.
He ignored it. But then , splash , dirty water hit his robes.
His head snapped toward the source. A young elf boy stood there, visibly shaking with fear.
"I-I'm sorry, my lord," the boy stammered, bowing deeply. "Please forgive me…"Rhonex's expression remained blank. He was about to walk away, but then he felt a flicker of magic. A gentle energy wrapped around him and dried the water off his clothes.
A girl stepped forward, smiling softly at the elf. "It's okay now," she said kindly.
She had blue hair and hazel eyes. Rhonex narrowed his gaze. He'd seen her before , Ellie, the one who tried to flirt with Roshan.
He turned to leave, but she followed.
"I'm Ellie," she said, walking beside him. "Are you… Rhonex?"
He didn't reply.
"Oh! Lord Ronex! I remember now—"
He stopped and turned sharply, his eyes flaring.
"Don't try to act innocent," he said, his voice cold. "You just want power. Isn't that why you bought a gift for Roshan ?" He nodded toward the small, nylon bag she held. "Here's some advice: Roshan already belongs to someone else. Someone special. And there's no space for you."
With that, he vanished.
It was then Ellie realized , the demon had drained part of her power. She staggered, feeling dizzy. Her pride in her mental abilities shattered. She had always believed her mind magic was unparalleled, but the demon had read her like an open book. She underestimated him.
Feeling weak and exposed, she activated the sibling bond necklace, calling her brother Dorian to come take her home.
Meanwhile, Rhonex stood at the gates of his castle thanks to that stupid witch, he has had regained some of his power.
He walked through the halls, his boots echoing in the silence. Odd. His butler was always present, always waiting. But now? Nothing.
Cautiously, he entered his chambers, removed his coat, and stared at the box he had brought back. Just seeing it triggered something inside him , annoyed him perhaps, Instinctively, he shoved it back into his coat.
He suddenly felt Molan presence
Then, Molan, his butler, knocked and stepped in.
"My lord," he said, his voice firm. "I have news. From Ramiel."
"He went to Hell days ago, spreading word of your awakening. But… many didn't believe him."
Rhonex scoffed. Of course.
"They've made Asmodeus the acting king, and when Ramiel mentioned your planned marriage, they laughed. They said no demon king would ever dare mate with an outsider. They branded you a traitor to the bloodline."
He didn't react. He expected resistance.
"But there's more," Molan continued. "Ramiel noticed something strange. Hell's order… is changing. It's like someone , or something , is manipulating the system from within."
Rhonex finally closed his eyes, his body stiff.
"Something is wrong," he muttered. "Very wrong."