The morning air of the Crimson Abyss Palace carried a chill that seeped into my bones. It wasn't the cold of winter, but the kind that whispered of expectations, of duty, of shadows watching every step. I had spent the previous night turning over my new reality again and again. Every memory of being human, every lesson learned in battle, every fleeting thought of home : none of it mattered here. I was Aren now. A prince of the demons. And yet, I could not rid myself of the sense that I had betrayed something sacred by taking this body.
A soft knock at the chamber door broke my thoughts. The attendant from yesterday entered, holding a tray of food. Her movements were careful, precise, yet natural, as if she had perfected the balance between servitude and respect.
"Your Highness," she said, bowing slightly, "I've brought your morning meal. Forgive me if I disturb your rest."
I shook my head. "No… thank you." My voice felt strange : deep, unfamiliar, and yet entirely my own. I took the tray and sat by the window, watching the courtyard below. Soldiers moved in rigid formations, shadows stretching long under the rising sun. My mind, ever restless, followed each figure, cataloging strength, discipline, posture. Even here, instinct guided me.
"Your Highness?" she asked again, quieter this time.
I turned to her, caught off guard by the concern in her eyes. "I… I need to train," I admitted. "To understand this body… and the power I now hold."
Her lips parted in surprise. "Train? But Your Highness has already survived the duel with the human hero. Surely…"
I shook my head. "That body was mine before. These arms, these legs, this magic, it's all new. If I do not learn quickly, I will be nothing more than a corpse dressed in royal robes."
She hesitated, then bowed again. "I will inform Master Veyl, the chief trainer. He will guide you."
I nodded, and she left silently, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
The training hall was vast, carved from black stone that shimmered faintly under the runes etched along its walls. Weapons lined the racks : swords, axes, spears, but it was the energy in the room that caught my attention first. A pulse of power hung heavy in the air, thick enough to taste, a magic that hummed under the skin of every demon who entered.
Master Veyl waited for me at the center, tall and imposing, with eyes sharp as blades. His robes were embroidered with silver symbols of command, and the aura around him radiated authority.
"You are awake," he said, his voice low, controlled. "I have been expecting you."
"I am Aren," I replied automatically, testing the name on my tongue. It felt both foreign and inevitable. "I… need your guidance."
Veyl's eyes narrowed. "Aren? Hmph. Your skills in your previous life do not concern me. Here, you are a prince. You will wield magic and steel as one. And you will learn quickly. The northern borders will not wait for hesitation."
I nodded, setting my shoulders. "I understand."
The first exercise was simple in theory: control the energy that flowed through my veins. But the moment I tried, I felt a storm inside me. Flashes of fire, shards of shadow, pulses of raw force, I could barely contain them. My hands shook as I tried to focus, sparks crackling at my fingertips.
"Concentrate!" Veyl barked. "Feel it, do not fight it. Let the power answer you, do not command it blindly."
I closed my eyes, breathing deep. Memories of being human : the calm before battle, the silent counting of moves, the rhythm of swordplay, rose up instinctively. I reached for the energy within, and for the first time, it bent to my will. A small flame hovered above my palm, glowing softly. My heart raced, not just from the success, but from the thrill of wielding power I had never known.
"You have potential," Veyl said, his tone grudging. "But potential alone will not protect you. Discipline, control, and strategy, these are the true weapons of a prince. Without them, even a god could fall."
I nodded again, swallowing the unease in my chest. Every word felt like a challenge, not a lecture. I was not human, but I was still a hero in spirit. I would not fail.
Weeks passed, or maybe days, I could no longer tell. Time moved differently here, measured by the mastery of power and the weight of responsibility. I trained relentlessly, pushing my body and mind past human limits, learning the ways of demon combat, and discovering the peculiar intricacies of their magic.
And yet, I could not escape the flicker of my old self. Sometimes, at night, when the palace was silent and the torches guttered, I would dream of human faces : friends, comrades, even strangers I had sworn to protect. Their voices were soft, echoing, and impossible to ignore.
One evening, after a grueling session with Veyl, I returned to my chambers to find the young attendant waiting, holding a simple cup of tea. "You've been training… nonstop," she said, setting it down. "Even the generals are worried you might exhaust yourself."
I smiled faintly, more to reassure her than myself. "I cannot afford rest. Not yet."
She hesitated, then asked, almost shyly, "Do you… ever miss your old life?"
The question struck me. I froze. I had trained, fought, and survived countless battles in my past, yet no one had asked this. Not the humans, not the gods, not even the dying voices of the battlefield.
"I…" I faltered, searching for words. "Yes. But… I also have a new life now. One I cannot abandon."
Her gaze softened, and for the first time, I felt a connection : not just as a prince and an attendant, but as a human soul trapped in a demon's body, seeking something familiar. It was faint, but it grounded me.
I took the cup, letting the warmth seep into my hands. "Thank you," I said quietly.
She nodded, eyes flicking toward the door. "I will leave you to your thoughts, Your Highness."
Alone again, I stared into the tea, swirling in my reflection. I was Aren, heir to the Demon Throne, a prince of shadows and fire. And yet, inside, the heart of the hero still beat strong, reminding me that I had survived death once, and I would survive this life too.
Because surviving wasn't enough. I had to thrive. I had to become more than human, more than demon. I had to become the bridge that could change the world.
And if the gods or humans tried to stop me, they would learn the price of underestimating a hero reborn.