The sky darkened at noon.
Not with clouds—
with judgment.
Above the Demon King's Tower, the air split open into seven radiant circles. Each one burned with divine authority, golden and blinding. The ground trembled as pressure descended, crushing everything beneath it.
Elowen looked up, shielding her eyes. "Oh… those don't look friendly."
The assistant's face went pale. "Divine Descent. Lesser gods."
The Demon King stood still.
Seven figures emerged from the light.
Winged. Armored. Perfect.
Their voices overlapped, echoing across the land.
"Demon King. You have violated the laws of heaven."
Elowen whispered, "They talk a lot."
The assistant nodded faintly. "Yes, Princess. They do."
---
One god stepped forward, his wings stretching wide.
"Release the human. Destroy the tower. Kneel, and you may be sealed peacefully."
The Demon King finally looked up.
"Kneel?" he repeated.
"Yes," the god said coldly. "Before—"
"No."
The word hit like a hammer.
Divine light flared violently.
"How dare you—!"
The Demon King raised his hand.
The sky collapsed.
One of the divine circles shattered instantly. The god inside it screamed as gravity inverted, crushing him into a singular point of light before he vanished completely.
The remaining six recoiled.
"He attacked a god—!"
Elowen tilted her head. "Aren't gods supposed to be stronger?"
The Demon King stepped forward.
"Who told you," he asked calmly, "that I care what you are?"
---
The gods attacked together.
Divine spears fell like meteors. Chains of judgment wrapped around the tower. Holy seals attempted to overwrite reality itself.
The tower resisted.
Then adapted.
Runes shifted. Walls hardened. The flowers Elowen had created glowed brighter, absorbing divine energy and converting it into stability.
The assistant stared. "…The tower is learning from them."
Elowen clasped her hands happily. "See? Flowers help everything grow."
A god noticed her.
"You," it snarled. "You do not belong here."
It raised its hand toward her.
The world froze.
The Demon King appeared between them.
The god's arm stopped mid-air.
"Don't," the Demon King said quietly.
The god laughed nervously. "You protect a human?"
"She's useful," the Demon King replied.
That was enough.
He twisted his wrist.
The god broke.
Not died—broke.
Its form cracked like porcelain, divine light leaking out as it screamed and was dragged screaming into the tower's depths.
The remaining gods panicked.
"Retreat!"
They tried.
Space refused to open.
The Demon King snapped his fingers.
Chains rose from the tower, dragging two more gods down into darkness. One managed to escape, wings torn, light flickering.
Only one remained.
It hovered, shaking.
"You… you defy heaven itself."
The Demon King looked bored.
"Heaven told me not to."
The god vanished.
---
Silence returned.
The sky healed itself slowly, as if embarrassed.
Elowen exhaled. "That was loud. Are they going to come back?"
"Yes," the assistant said softly.
"Good," the Demon King replied.
He turned back toward the tower.
"Prepare the next phase," he ordered. "Lock the sky. Expand the upper floors."
The assistant bowed deeply. "As you command."
Elowen followed him inside, humming to herself.
"Oh! I was thinking," she said brightly, "maybe a garden on the higher floors? With sunlight? I can make artificial stars!"
The Demon King paused for half a second.
"…Do it."
Her smile lit up the hall.
---
Far above, in a realm of pure light, the true gods gathered.
One whispered in disbelief,
"He told them no."
Another clenched their fist.
"He told us no."
And for the first time in eternity—
The gods felt something unfamiliar.
Fear.