The old woman tried to dissuade him. "He inherited the royal tradition's crown, but its power is depleted. It will take time to recharge. There's no point keeping him here. I advise you to take him away. Things are about to get messy."
Only then did the king carry his son back to safety. The cries of the demon grew louder and louder.
The old woman suddenly rose into the sky and waved her hand. The atmosphere shifted at once. A barrier spread out. "I will seal the area. No one gets in, no one gets out. Orric, I entrust you with the demon." With that, she sealed the space and moved toward the rift, watched by the old man.
Orric sighed deeply and turned to face the demon. As he approached, the monster grew vigilant and battle-ready, but Orric's expression didn't change. His forehead glowed with a deep metallic blue sphere. Eight stars appeared one after another around it. His body was covered in metal. He blinked forward and his punch met the demon's face, smashing it like a cannonball hitting a watermelon. Blood sprayed everywhere. Silence filled the sealed area. The devil had been caught off guard, and the demon met its end.
Outside, people were watching and speculating. With just one punch, he had defeated what the royal tradition could not. Even the king was shocked. For the silver-haired boy, it was eye-opening. "Father, how come he is more powerful than our royal tradition?" he asked curiously.
The king didn't answer directly. "It's not over yet. Let's watch the battle to the end first." His eyes fixed on the demon. The boy followed his gaze. To his shock, the demon's huge body was being devoured from the inside. A powerful burst of energy surged inside the barrier, heavy enough to shake the hearts of everyone present.
Orric backed off a few paces, which in the eyes of everyone was a bad sign. The demon's transformation was obvious now. He was about the same height as a human, but his skin was pale and his large horns were clear as day. His once-small wings grew too large for his body. He took one step that weighed heavily on the hearts of those inside the barrier, though the people outside were not affected as much. The gravity itself seemed to pull everything down as his aura erupted.
"Humans, you have gone too far. I will give you one last chance. Get out of my sight or die," the demon spoke.
The old man kept silent for a moment. "You have invaded our territory. It is us who will give you one last chance. Leave or die, it is your decision."
Both were very serious. Each knew it was a life-and-death matter. Orric sighed. "I would like to avoid this if possible, but I see that you are determined. Therefore, let's not waste much time." He spoke every word with regret.
The demon couldn't help but agree. "The feeling is mutual. I cannot convince you no matter what I say. You humans believe we are evil. But live long enough, and you will see the truth behind it." His expression remained unchanged. He stretched out his hand, and a black stick materialized. He blinked toward the old man.
Demons are known for their strong physical bodies. Their magical powers aren't tied to natural elements; instead, they draw on nether air, a strange energy that doesn't resonate with other races in this world. But in the demon realm, it is the only element.
The old man's body was covered in metal, heavy as mountains his mana surged. So was the stick the demon used to attack.
The demon blinked towards the old man. The attack was merely physical, however Orric didn't underestimate his opponent. His body still turned into an egg-like shape, his ultimate defensive position.
It wasn't the first time he fought a demon, but there was a clear difference between demons of his own world and the demon that crossed the spatial rift. Normal demons attack for no reason at all, they enjoy killing and the scent of blood. They grow stronger by spreading evil. Although the shape is the same, he felt something was different.
But the most important thing is, the battle is deadly and there's no time for hesitation. The attack was blocked successfully. He clapped both hands.
As the demon was standing, two large jaws appeared from both sides, like a wolf trap. In an instant, the jaws closed in. The demon didn't have time to respond, only to defend himself. He pushed against the two jaws, not letting them crush him, using all his strength and relying on the black stick to keep them open. He managed to escape death.
"Is that all you got? I've faced far more vicious humans in my long life," the demon said, being provocative.
But Orric wasn't easy to manipulate. "I have seen far more cunning demons. When you start using your true strength, you will see mine."
Holes blasted open in the rocky cliffs one after another. The speed was high, and yet the old man seemed unconcerned with the fight itself. Strange, he thought. This demon is different from the ones I've met before. Something is missing. What is it? What is it… The thought kept repeating itself.
At last, the demon broke the silence. "You don't seem interested in the fight. Am I too weak? Or are you risking your life on purpose? Either way, you lack the usual blood thirst humans carry." Astonishment spread across his face.
The old man paused in place. "What do you mean by this?" Then his mind flashed with a realization. Something had been off from the start, but only now could he grasp it.
"This demon…" he thought, "it's unlike anything I've ever seen. If not for the appearance, I might have mistaken him for a human. He's willing to talk… maybe there's more to it if I give him a chance. Could this be one of the world's hidden principles?"
At that moment, the spatial rift shook violently. Neither of them knew what was happening.
But then the old woman's angry voice was heard. "You two picked the worst timing to uncover the hidden principles! Are you looking for death?"
Her words terrified both opponents. The hidden principles are the secrets of the universe, meant to remain hidden from all. Once someone attempts to uncover them, strange and dangerous events occur. It could be anything targeting the life of the person who probed those secrets.
In other words, Orric is now hunted by something no one could understand dragging the old woman with him and also the demon.
The worst part they were trapped inside. While the barrier was being repaired, the old woman could not interact with the outside world. She was bound to the process of mending the spatial rift. She could not open or close the barrier she had set.
Everyone was trapped. With the added threat of the catastrophic effects of the hidden principles, survival was uncertain. The old woman did not risk exposing the spatial rift. She reinforced the barrier just in case.
Outside the barrier, everyone watched closely, but suddenly the fight stopped. Orric did not move. No sound came from inside, no explanation. Worse, the barrier thickened, blocking all sight. It became a dark purple sphere. At first, people thought it would return to normal soon, but days passed… nothing changed.
Many tried to approach, but it was useless. Silence inside. Nothing visible.
Most people left after a while, except the king's elite elf guards. No one else was allowed near. Rumors spread in a few weeks, but the king worked hard to suppress them. Speaking of the incident was forbidden.
During the last few weeks, the Valtherion Kingdom celebrated the birth of the new heir and his twin sister. But for some reason, the royal family didn't make the ceremony of recognition public like last time. Many whispers spread, suggesting the king had learned from his past mistakes.
In the southern parts of the kingdom, however, people were joyful. The first queen finally showed signs of waking up, and many important figures gathered at her palace, those who believed her policies were best for the kingdom and its people.
In fact, the queen had already woken up. They had hidden it for a few days to prepare the announcement, letting people come seeking good news, hoping she was fine. This, in turn, increased their loyalty.
Only one person had complicated feelings: her loyal maid. She fell to her knees, crying, unsure how to express herself. Then the queen finally spoke to relieve her pain. "Marianne, I have taken care of you since you were a child. And when I had no one to care for me, you were the only one who put yourself in danger for my sake and my child."
But contrary to what the queen expected, the maid only broke into more tears. "But what about the Little Devil? If we don't find him…" she asked.
The queen's thoughts were elsewhere. Since the old lady said he might survive the mind-breaking curse, I will do everything in my power to find him. He may still be alive… he's still my son. But we have no clue where he is, and I fear the old woman will disappear for a long time, as she always does…I can only hope she gave him to a good family.
Months passed. The little baby was nowhere to be found in the entire kingdom. The only person who had a clue to his whereabouts was now trapped in a spatial rift. Ten years went by, and many things had changed during that time.