The surge of rage I felt couldn’t be put into words. It consumed me, burned hotter than any flame that hell could conjure. I stood trembling, not from fear, but from the sheer weight of fury pressing against my chest.


    “Inferno Magic: Hellfire!”


    I roared, launching a searing ball of molten lava at Belphegorr. The heat alone made the walls of the chamber tremble and crack.


    But the demon general smirked, leaping effortlessly into the air. His movements were almost mocking, as if he knew my attack would fail.


    And then I saw it.


    My breath hitched. Those wings...


    “You demon!” I growled, my voice trembling with raw emotion. “What did you do? Those wings… That’s Nyxis, isn’t it?”


    Belphegorr’s laughter echoed through the dark chamber, chilling and deranged. He hovered mid-air, flapping the majestic, torn wings. Wings that were unmistakably hers.


    “Hahaha!” he cackled, his voice dripping with malice. “Ah, these? Beautiful, aren’t they? Let me tell you the tale, papa(mockingly). I ripped them off—”


    I froze.


    “—and grafted them onto myself. She screamed, oh how she screamed! It was music, a symphony of agony. No painkillers, no mercy. I wanted to feel her despair, to savor it as it pierced the air.”


    “Stop,” I muttered. My voice was low, barely audible.


    “Oh, but it gets better! She called your name, over and over, crying out for her precious father. Begging for you to save her! But guess what? You weren’t there.”


    “Stop,” I said louder, my fists trembling, nails digging into my palms.


    “She passed out eventually. Such a weak, fragile little thing. But don’t worry—” He leaned closer, his grin widening grotesquely. “She’s still alive. For now. How else am I supposed to use her for my experiments? She’s my perfect little prototype! Soon, I’ll have an army of Skyrends, all modeled after her. Isn’t that just marvelous?”


    Something inside me snapped.


    The visions of Nyxis, her screams, her pain, flashed through my mind. I could feel her suffering as if it were my own. My chest felt like it would burst. My breathing became ragged, shallow.


    “Belphegorr…” I whispered, my voice shaking with rage. I could barely see, my vision blurred by tears of fury.


    He laughed again, that mocking sound stabbing into my ears. “What’s the matter, papa? Feeling helpless? Go ahead, cry. Scream. I love the sound of despair.”


    I screamed, and the chamber trembled.


    “BELPHEGORRRRRRRRR!”


    The rage within me erupted, surging like a tidal wave. Energy crackled around me, wild and unstable. The air grew heavy, almost suffocating. The room felt as if it were being swallowed by the raw, uncontained force of my anger.


    “You’ll pay…” I snarled, my voice low and guttural. “You’ll pay for everything you’ve done. You will suffer. YOU WILL PAY!”


    “Dark Magic: Abyssal Shriek!”


    A scream erupted from my very soul, tearing through the air toward Belphegorr. The force distorted the space around it, carrying the weight of my fury and desperation.


    But the demon general smirked. With an effortless sidestep, he dodged the attack, his crimson eyes gleaming with malice.


    “Hohoho!” Belphegorr’s laugh was sharp and condescending. “Dark magic… from a human? Interesting. I’ve only heard whispers of such things, but to see it… fascinating. Truly.”


    I didn’t respond, my glare locked on him as my breathing grew heavier, chaos still swirling around me.


    “Though it doesn’t matter, does it? You’ll need far more than that pathetic display to even scratch me. Do you know what you’re facing, boy?” He spread his stolen wings wide, his body glowing with an eerie crimson aura.


    “The blood of the Skyrend flows through me now, enhancing my power far beyond what you can comprehend! I’ll show those fools who called me the weakest general. I’ll make them kneel before me! And you—” His grin widened into something feral. “—you’ll be the first to fall. Rejoice, little hero, for you’ll be my first test subject!”


    I gritted my teeth, fury bubbling over. “Shut up and fight me, you freak!”


    He raised a clawed hand, his aura flaring. “If you insist. Let me show you what true dark magic is.”


    “Dark Magic: Abyssal Shriek!”


    A scream, darker and more twisted than mine, exploded toward me, the sheer force of it shaking the entire room. I retaliated, casting the same spell, the two attacks colliding in a massive shockwave that sent debris flying.


    But his was stronger.


    The force of his magic overwhelmed mine, pushing me back across the chamber. My heels scraped against the stone floor as I struggled to hold my ground.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    “Tch!” I clicked my tongue, halting my magic just in time to leap into the air and avoid the remainder of his attack. The wave of dark energy crashed into the wall behind me, shattering it into rubble.


    “What’s the matter? Running away already?” Belphegorr mocked, his wings flapping as he took to the air.


    “Not a chance!” I roared, launching myself higher.


    I raised my hands, casting a flurry of elemental spells. “Wind Magic: Tempest Barrage! Water Magic: Aqua Blades! Earth Magic: Terra Javelin!”


    Blades of wind, torrents of slicing water, and massive spears of rock shot toward him in rapid succession.


    Belphegorr laughed as he dodged and deflected most of the attacks with ease, but a few hit their mark, tearing into his wings and side.


    “Hah! Looks like I can hit you after all!” I taunted, using the momentary distraction to close the gap between us.


    “You insolent pest!” Belphegorr snarled, his aura flaring brighter. “I’ll rip you apart!”


    This wasn’t just a battle anymore—it was a clash of wills, of desperation against cruelty.


    And I would stop at nothing to make him pay for what he did to Nyxis.


    I clenched my fists and yelled, “Solar Magic: Solar Flare!”


    A blazing orb of light erupted from my hands, brighter than the noonday sun. Its heat scorched the air, and the entire chamber seemed to tremble under its power. I hurled it at Belphegorr with every ounce of strength I had left.


    “Take this, you monster!”


    The fiery ball of destruction roared toward him, illuminating his twisted smile. But just as it was about to strike, Belphegorr raised a claw, his aura darkening.


    “Demonic Magic: Ultimate Defense!”


    A black void materialized before him, swallowing my magic whole. The flare disappeared into the abyss without a trace, its light snuffed out as if it had never existed.


    I froze, my breath catching in my throat. “What the hell?! My magic was… eaten?”


    Belphegorr cackled, the sound grating on my ears. “Surprised, human? Your pitiful magic is nothing before my defenses. Now… let me show you how a real attack feels!”


    I barely had time to react before his foot slammed into my gut. The sheer force sent shockwaves through my body.


    “Argh!” I gasped, doubling over.


    But he wasn’t done. Belphegorr followed up with a flurry of punches, each one heavier than the last. His claws tore through my armor and flesh like paper, and I could feel ribs cracking under the relentless assault.


    “Stay down!” he roared, delivering a final blow that sent me flying into the chamber wall.


    I hit the stone with a sickening crunch, blood and saliva spraying from my mouth. My vision blurred, the edges darkening as I slid to the floor.


    “Tch…” I groaned, barely able to lift my head. My entire body screamed in pain. Blood trickled into my eyes, and I blinked furiously to clear my vision.


    That’s when I saw it—the bag I had brought with me. It was lying just a few meters away, its contents spilling out slightly. Among them, a faint glimmer caught my eye.


    The healing elixir.


    “I have to… get to it…” I muttered, gritting my teeth.


    Belphegorr was already charging another spell, his maniacal laughter echoing through the room. “What’s wrong, little hero? Feeling weak? Don’t worry—you’ll be dead soon!”


    I had no time to waste. I forced my battered body to move, crawling toward the bag with whatever strength I could muster. Each inch felt like an eternity, my muscles screaming in protest as I dragged myself forward.


    Belphegorr landed near me with a resounding thud, his presence as heavy as the blow that had just sent me sprawling. My body screamed in protest as I tried to crawl backward, desperate to put any distance between us.


    But I wasn’t fast enough.


    With a cruel grin, Belphegorr lunged forward and delivered another devastating kick to my side. The force hurled me against the wall like a ragdoll. The impact rattled my bones, and I felt something crack.


    Before I could even attempt to recover, his clawed hand grabbed me by the collar, lifting me off the ground like I weighed nothing.


    “Pathetic,” he sneered, his face inches from mine.


    Just then, a deafening rumble shook the estate, the ground trembling beneath us. Belphegorr’s grip tightened as his gaze flicked momentarily toward the source of the noise.


    I forced out a hoarse chuckle. “Hey… that sound… isn’t that my magic? So you didn’t eat it, did you?”


    Belphegorr’s eyes narrowed, his grin fading for a split second.


    I continued, my voice dripping with mockery. “You just sent it away. Transferred it somewhere far. That’s your ‘Ultimate Defense,’ huh?”


    His lips curled into a snarl. “That’s right! That magic is my creation, you insignificant worm! Only I, Belphegorr, can use it! Not even the other generals can replicate my brilliance. Lord Malphas himself praised me for it!”


    I glared at him, blood dripping from my mouth. "So… you were afraid of it. You couldn’t face it head-on. You dodged it. You threw away your so-called pride.”


    Belphegorr’s eyes twitched, and his grip on my neck tightened.


    I smirked weakly and spat right in his face.


    The spit landed squarely on his grotesque features, and he froze, stunned. His expression twisted into one of pure rage. He snarled, “You fat pig! You dare spit on me?! I’ll roast you alive! No, I’ll carve you up and feast on your flesh myself!”


    With a furious roar, he hurled me across the room again. This time, by some miracle—or perhaps sheer dumb luck—I crashed near my bag.


    I groaned, my fingers brushing against the small, inconspicuous bag. It wasn’t much, but it held my last hope: the healing elixir I’d stashed for emergencies. Belphegorr’s ranting covered the sound of my fumbling as I reached into the bag.


    “You’ll pay for this insult!” he roared, pacing like a predator. “I’ll savor every scream, every drop of blood as I tear you apart!”


    “Is that so?” I croaked, my voice barely audible as I concealed the elixir in my hand. “You think you’ve won? That you’ve bested me?”


    Belphegorr turned sharply, his grotesque grin returning. “Hah! What’s this? Defiance? You’re amusing, human.”


    I forced a laugh, despite the pain. “You were scared of me. Scared of my magic. You didn’t face it—you ran from it. You, the great and prideful Belphegorr, feared me.”


    His face contorted with fury. “I fear no one! Not you, not those pathetic generals who look down on me! I’ll show you true power, human!”


    “Sure, sure,” I said, gritting my teeth as I uncorked the elixir behind my back. “But if this is the end for me, I have one last request.”


    Belphegorr tilted his head, intrigued. “Oh? Begging already? How delightful. Speak, pig.”


    “I want to see my daughter,” I said, locking eyes with him. “Or are you too afraid to grant even a dying man’s wish? Afraid I’ll somehow beat you if you do?”


    He burst into laughter, his voice echoing through the chamber. “Hah! You think you’ll get some magical power-up? Defeat me after seeing your precious daughter? Pathetic!”


    He waved his claw dismissively. “Fine! As your final wish, I’ll grant it. Rejoice, human, for this will be the last time you lay eyes on her!”


    With a flick of his wrist, dark magic swirled around him. The ground trembled as he chanted, and I could hear the faint sound of machinery whirring to life.


    “Rejoice,” Belphegorr sneered, “for the reunion of father and daughter will be the last thing you ever see!”


    As he worked his spell, I downed the elixir in one swift motion, feeling its warmth spread through my battered body. My wounds began to mend, and a spark of strength reignited within me.


    My injured body screamed in protest with every step, my vision blurry, but there was one thing I could still see clearly: her.


    Nyxis.


    She was chained to the wall, her once vibrant form barely recognizable. Her wings—her beautiful wings—were shredded, torn apart and stitched haphazardly. Some parts of her body were missing, others half-cut, raw and exposed. The sight hit me like a thunderclap to the chest. My heart wrenched.


    She was so weak. So broken.


    Just then, a voice—her voice—cut through the fog of pain in my mind.


    "Papa..."


    It was weak. A whisper. My breath caught in my throat.


    I stumbled forward, every step a battle against my own failing body.


    I made it to her.


    "Papa..." She opened her eyes—barely. But I saw them. Those beautiful, familiar eyes of hers.


    Her voice trembled. "You know, D-Demon Uncle... he... he said I looked ugly... Do I look... beautiful to you?"


    I felt my heart break again, but this time with more fire. My voice, rough and raw, caught in my chest as I forced the words out.


    "Yes, Nyxis. You look beautiful. You’ve always been beautiful."


    Her fragile smile cracked through, just barely. But it was enough.


    I could feel my rage building, pooling in every fiber of my being. My skin burned. The energy inside me surged—wild, uncontained.


    "Don’t worry, Nyxis. Papa will save you." I whispered, gently brushing her hair from her face. "Close your eyes, baby. It’ll be over before you know it."


    She obeyed, sinking into a slumber,a flower summoned from my Earth Magic to ease herself.


    The elixir I had been holding in my hand… It slipped from my grasp and shattered to the ground.


    I was in rage. It was crackling with raw power.


    No. This wasn’t just any ordinary magic. No.


    This wasn’t Fire Magic, Water Magic, Dark Magic, or Wind Magic.


    This was something else.


    This was Chaos Magic.


    I felt it surge through me like a tidal wave, immense and all-consuming. My body was wracked with agony, but the power—the power—it felt so real, so raw. The anger in my heart fed it, stoked the flames.


    Belphegorr’s laughter echoed from behind me. “So, you finally decided to show your true form, huh? You were holding back? Hahaha, fine. Come at me. Our battle… just began.”


    His voice was full of mockery. He thought he had won.


    He was wrong.


    I turned to face him, my eyes blazing with fury. Every inch of my being was consumed by the desire to make him pay.


    “BELPHEGORRRRRRRR!”


    The ground beneath me cracked as I surged forward, my body moving with a speed and power I had never felt before. I could barely recognize myself in the surge of magic and rage. I was not the prince anymore. I wasn’t a mere human.


    I was chaos incarnate.


    And I would make him pay.


    "You will pay, Belphegorr..." My voice was barely a whisper, but it shook the very air around us.


    This time, there would be no stopping me.