Centuries ago, the Heavenly Lord Wilfried and Lucifer, the Devil Lord, stood across a shattered plain — their eyes locked in defiance as divine and infernal power clashed in the air between them.
The battlefield groaned beneath a fractured sky: one half drenched in blinding gold, the other swallowed by crimson darkness.
Wilfried stood radiant — his armor a living sun forged in steel, his face serene yet resolute.
Opposite him loomed Lucifer, cloaked in shifting shadow, his crimson eyes burning with wrath and pride.
For a heartbeat, silence reigned. Then, the heavens broke.
Lucifer struck first — a torrent of black fire tearing through the sky.
Wilfried answered with pure light, his blade gleaming like a falling star.
When their powers met, the world screamed. Mountains cracked, seas roared, and the heavens themselves trembled beneath the collision of creation and chaos.
Their blades danced — steel against flame, thunder against night.
Lucifer's laughter echoed with cruel delight, while Wilfried fought in silence, every strike a prayer, every motion a vow.
For what felt like eternity, neither gained ground. Lucifer's darkness devoured all before it, yet Wilfried's light refused to fade.
But slowly, the balance shifted.
Lucifer's fury began to consume him. His strikes grew erratic, desperate.
Wilfried, though wounded, moved with divine precision — his purpose unwavering, his spirit unbroken.
Light began to pierce shadow. Lucifer's smirk faltered.
And then… the tide turned.
For the first time, the Devil Lord faltered beneath the brilliance of Heaven's chosen.
Wilfried did not rejoice. He knew this victory was fragile.
Lucifer's existence could not be allowed to linger — not while the Crown of Life still existed.
Lucifer grinned through bloodied lips.
"Ahhh… it seems I'll have to come back another time."
His mocking smile froze as the air changed.
"What did you do?" he snarled.
Wilfried's calm gaze never wavered.
"Did you think I'd let you escape so easily?"
He raised his sword, plunging it into the earth. The ground trembled. A surge of divine energy tore through the battlefield, and above him appeared the Crown of Life, encircled by the seven mythical crystals — each radiating godlike force.
Lucifer's eyes widened in horror.
"No… you wouldn't—!"
"Destroy," Wilfried whispered.
Light and shadow erupted together, splitting heaven and earth apart. Mountains disintegrated. Oceans boiled.
The seven crystals screamed as they shattered, scattering across all of Aetheris.
Lucifer's roar echoed through the dying sky as his form dissolved under divine judgment.
His body burned away, but his hatred endured — an echo clinging to the edges of existence.
Wilfried knelt, his strength spent. His duty fulfilled, his form faded into motes of golden light.
But from the ruins, a fragment of shadow slipped free — faint as smoke, alive with vengeance.
While the world rejoiced in peace, darkness found refuge in silence, whispering:
"I am not gone. Only waiting. One day, the shadows will rise again."
---
Hours later, a man emerged from the Dark Dungeon — though it was no longer Gerald who walked the mortal realm.
Lucifer lived again.
He inhaled deeply, tasting the air of the living world for the first time in centuries.
A smirk spread across his face.
"After all these years," he murmured, voice dripping with dark pleasure, "I'm back."
Before him lay Osric, silent and broken. The streets were empty; smoke drifted over ruins. His dark armies had done their work well.
"It seems my children made quite the mess," he said, laughing softly.
Moments later, he stood before the towering gates of Caelumspire Castle. Its banners hung in tatters; its towers cast long, lifeless shadows.
"Perfect," he whispered. "A fine place to begin again."
He stepped forward.
---
Sylvan Reach
Far away, Leofric and Edith found refuge in an abandoned hut deep within the silver forest of Sylvan Reach.
Moonlight spilled through the branches, dancing across the sleeping face of Princess Olivia.
Leofric rose quietly.
"I'll go find us something to eat."
"Don't go," Edith pleaded, clutching the child closer. "What if you don't come back? I'm scared."
He smiled faintly. "Then we'll both starve. I'll be back before you know it."
Her stomach growled softly.
He chuckled. "See? That settles it. Take care of Olivia."
When he was gone, Edith sighed, glancing toward the distant horizon.
"I wonder how the Queen is doing…" she whispered.
---
At Caelumspire, Queen Hilda's body had been recovered and laid to rest.
Inside the silent fortress, a lone knight stood guard — an aging veteran clad in battle-worn armor, his silver hair gleaming under torchlight.
When Lucifer entered, cloaked in Gerald's form, their eyes met.
The knight bowed deeply.
"Long live my prince… or rather, my king."
Lucifer tilted his head, feigning curiosity.
"And who might you be?"
The knight hesitated. "My prince… you don't know me? I am Morvain, your personal guard."
Lucifer's tone darkened.
"Then tell me, Morvain… what has happened while I was gone?"
Morvain stepped closer, lowering his voice.
"Queen Hilda is dead. Word has spread across all seven regions. The Crown of Life is destroyed, and the council awaits you in the royal hall."
Lucifer's expression hardened briefly, then softened into a composed smile.
"Very well. Lead the way."
As they walked through the silent corridors, Morvain added quietly,
"Your family… they blame you for the Queen's death."
Lucifer's lips curled into a faint smirk.
"So much to fix… and even more to conquer."
---
The royal hall glimmered in muted gold. As the great doors opened, every minister rose, bowing deeply.
Lucifer paused before the throne — the same throne that once shone beneath the Crown's light. For a moment, he simply stood there, studying it.
Morvain leaned close. "My prince… they await your word."
Lucifer sat slowly, the motion regal and deliberate.
"You may be seated," he said, his voice calm yet commanding.
The ministers obeyed at once.
One of them rose. "We are grateful for your return, Your Highness. The kingdom awaits your guidance."
Lucifer's eyes glimmered. His lips curved into a smile that did not reach his eyes.
"Then hear my decree," he said softly — his voice carrying through the hall like thunder beneath silk.
"From this moment forth… I am your king."
A hush fell. None dared to speak.
Lucifer leaned back on the throne, his gaze sweeping over them all.
Hidden behind the face of a prince, the Devil Lord smiled.
And thus began his reign.