A humongous mount neighed loudly as it powered through the charred smog, all the while towing a royal chariot.

Descendant of Pegasus

Enchanted - Mutated - Tired

The symmetrical white wings that had once, in the long forgotten age, pedaled its status into that of being the very mount of Lito, were now rotting into oblivion. Let alone soar the skies, it could not even flap these wings properly, given how massive its right wing was when compared to its left one.

However unsightly it may seem though, no one would be able to deny the fact that it was nothing short of a beast when they saw it pierce through the smog. A ravaging machine that left its destructive trail in the dead forest of Liesz as it smashed through and evened the trees as if they were some twigs.

As if it were not enough, there were four more of its kind that sped through to Liesz alongside it, all fervently pulling the majestic wagon.

“You are disturbing her sleep!” A man hissed angrily as he monotonously let these words out, causing the mounts to shiver and slow on their advent, concomitantly hushing down their tracks.

[Dominator]

A skill specifically granted to the royal devils. You have the power to control and purify dark mana and somewhat dominate beings made of it depending on your level of proficiency.

With skin glistening red, a perfect pair of horns and furled wings baring their fang-like-ends out of the robe, the good-looking man looked daunting to say the least. But the serene sight of a sleeping infant laying peacefully on his bosom portrayed a completely different picture.

“Phew, she didn’t wake up.” A slight sweat rolled down that man’s forehead as he slightly patted the child’s back while humming her back to deep sleep.

“I wish we had the ‘kamera’ with us“ Leona suddenly remarked. “How wonderful would it be, if we could freeze this moment’s memory into time for eternity.” The lady, also giving off the same vibes as that of the man, wiped off the sweat of his forehead as she said her mind.

“Leona, you still believe that phony’s words? You think the gods would let something as powerful as that ‘Khamera’ exist in our world?” The man tried flicking that lady’s forehead, but soon realized that it was not worth risking the waking of their daughter.

“It’s ‘ka’ and not ‘kha’, Duarno. Lydonia would have laughed her wits off if she heard how you butchered the word.” Leona giggled as she lovingly caressed the child’s cheek.

“Careful there, lest you wake her up. You know how hard it was, just to get her to sleep.” Duarno said, as softly as he could, to which Leona replied with a nonchalant nod.

“Well, peanut’s now in daddy’s embrace. I don’t think she would leave you even if she wakes up. Even mommy’s a stranger to her when daddy stays with her.”

“It’s not about that, okay. Leah was tired playing around all day and so she should rest properly.”

“Of course. Who said you are trying to cuddle our cute Leah, huh?” Leona remarked as she smugly smirked. “Although it is not bad accepting what you truly feel instead of hiding it with flimsy lies. Because unlike words, eyes never lie.” She poked Duarno’s sides before extending her arms, as if asking him to hand over Leah to her.

The request was indeed ignored as Duarno left Leona hanging and instead focused on the scenery out of the chariot.

“So, how much did you work on your stats when I was gone?” Duarno questioned.

“Two days! You were gone for just two days.” Leona retorted.

“That’s not what I asked.”

“And I also had to take care of our sweet little peanut. I didn’t have time to hunt beasts.” Leona didn’t give Duarno any time to speak as she continued speaking.

“Excuses.” Duarno sighed before he spoke again, “The elves would not rest until they kill us all. They killed my father, the 6th devil king, and that too the very year I was born, and later on my juvenile brother who had inherited his position. Of anyone in this world, I expect you to understand our situation the most.” A serious expression took over Duarno’s face, “You being married to me brings immense threat, not just to you but to our daughter too. We cannot afford to be weak, Love.”

And as if validating what Duarno just said, a loud roar shook the entirety of the Liesz forest. The four intimidating mounts came to an abrupt halt and were sent into a panicked frenzy as they tried their best to break free of the shackles that bound them.

“Uwaah!” Peanut started wailing as she woke up from her sleep too.

“What in the world was that?” Leona questioned. The shriek they just heard right now had enough power to enough to intimidate their mana and almost send it into a frenzy.

“There there, it’s alright.” Luckily, Duarno had shielded peanut on time so there was no harm done to her.

“Here, keep her safe. Let me check it out.” Duarno tried passing Leah to her mother but the little kiddo tightly clinched her father’s sleeves and almost refused to let go.

“DO NOT try to be overly brave and run back if you see some kind of threat you can’t deal with.”

Leona started consoling the worried peanut as she wiped off the tears from her daughter’s cute cheeks.

The greyish-brown charred smog once again surrounded the chariot. Ninth prince Duarno performed a [Horizontal Slash] with his sword to cleave the smog into two, causing it to disperse for a while.

“Zich?” Duarno called out his knight, who was earlier steering the chariot, to ask about the abrupt phenomenon that occurred, but there was no need for that since the answer showed itself.

It was just as big as any visible star in the night sky. A mere yellowish white dot in the sky whose luminescence was far dimmer than the smallest of the moons of Atlas. But in mere seconds it grew, and as it grew brighter and fiercer, the cusp on which it was formed was also revealed.

“Tell her to go hide in the carriage. Prepare all the health potions and defensive scrolls we have and then stay behind me.” Duarno said, somewhat enamored, but definitely afraid by the sight in front of him. He pointed at Cassie, Zich’s significant other, who was sitting in the driver’s box alongside Zich, before adopting a defensive stance himself.

A beast was in the sky. Bigger than any the devils there had ever seen.

And on its mouth was the sun incarnate, fierce enough to challenge its own creator and try to melt its wings.

The beast flapped its enormous wings with all its might in response. But soon it realized that it could no more control what it gave birth to, and so it unleashed the sun upon the earth.

The night perished as hell descended and even the smog of Liesz withdrew itself into the crevices of the forest land. The remaining stumps and weeds shriveled and turned to ash as the sun pulverized a part of the land just ahead of Liesz.

“Sir, it’s done.” Zich said as he placed all the defensive scrolls on the carriage and passed on a mana potion to Duarno. Of course, these mere grade-1 spells could never alone stop whatever monstrosity was to come at them.

Before they could do anything else, a shockwave hit them as the mounts sensed their impending doom and neighed in terror.

[Shield born of Sword]

You can use your sword to create a vortex of mana and disperse things that are thrown at you

‘A shield born of sword’

Duarno spun his sword sideways at an enormous speed, utilizing just his wrists and fingers and soon the sword started leaving afterimages that any low levelled onlooker might have confused for a spherical shield.

What followed the shockwave was a literal avalanche of fire that swallowed each and every thing that entered in its way. The shield born of sword tore through this sea of fire as it formed a cone of relief for everything that was behind Duarno and within his proximity.

But there was no end to the fire that came through. The skin of the hands that held the sword started to melt and the mana that was required to maintain this skill was no more sufficient.

Duarno gulped down the mana potion he had been holding in his mouth until now as he gained the last two seconds he needed to endure the sea of fire.

The smell of burnt flesh entered their nose as the hilt of the sword seemed fused with Duarno’s hand.

“Sir, the potion.” Zich poured the potion on his patron’s hand, but it was not just his hand, but his entire body that was riddled with burn scars. To add to it, the two mounts on the outer periphery were burnt to death due to coming in contact with those flames.

“Duarno!” A shout came from behind as Leona and her maid, Cassie left the carriage. Peanut was in her arms too, nestled peacefully as she watched the surrounding with an innocent and inquisitive look on her face.

“Does it hurt?” Leona was extremely worried as she rushed to where he was standing. Cassie too came towards Zich.

“Yes. Very much.” Duarno replied as he smeared an expensive potion on his face. But soon he realized that something was missing from head aside from the burnt hair.

‘Shit, my right horn’s gone!’ It wasn’t something that would ever grow again.

“Why did you not call me in the very beginning when such a thing happened ? I am a freaking ice mage, you know.” Leone grumpily complained.

“All I see is Cassie rushing in the carriage and then this destruction. Duarno, my level might have been lower than you but I could have helped you and made this a whole lot easier” Her anger was truly evident from her tone no matter how much she tried to suppress.

“Huh? All of this happened in just 20 seconds or so since I left the carriage. I barely had any time to react to it myself. And I know your prowess, Mrs. Ice Mage. That is the very reason you needed to be with Leah. You even protected Cassie, you know.” Duarno defended himself but both of them knew that the other party was just worrying about them.

“But still…”

“To be honest, Leona. I am still in disbelief at what happened right now. But I am glad all of us are safe in the end.” Duarno didn’t let Leona speak as he steered the conversation to an end.

“Me too.” Leona too realized that now is not the right time for her worrying and it might just make the atmosphere more tense.

As Duarno healed his wounds, and Zich buried the dead mounts alongside Cassie, there was nothing much to do except to watch the terrifying destruction which was left behind.

“Da?” A high pitched voice left a confused Leah’s lips as she stared Duarno’s now healed face with big watery eyes.

“Da!” And upon successful recognition of her ‘Da’, she became super restless to jump ships from her mommy’s arms to her daddy’s arm.

Poor mommy could do nothing but pout and watch as peanut snuggled in her Da’s arms.