A part of the trial races had always bent the knee to its enemies.
From the very beginning of the demon invasion, there were those who chose submission over resistance, offering themselves to the demons in exchange for power. These contracts were not new. They had existed for generations, refined again and again to grant greater strength to those willing to pay the price. For the contractor, it meant power beyond their natural limits. For the demons, it was a way to sink their claws into the ranks of the trial races from within.
That was why it came as a shock when the contracts were improved once more, even after the demons had already gained the upper hand. They no longer needed stronger agents. The war was already tilting in their favor. And yet, they pushed further.
That decision gave birth to the Lords.
