The dream came first.
Lucius stood in a field of black roses under a moon that bled silver.
He knew this place.
Not because he'd been here.
Because someone once pulled him here.
A whisper touched his ear.
"You left me, little tyrant."
He turned—
And saw her.
---
She stood barefoot in the dark, wearing a torn red dress made of flame and shadow.
Eyes glowing violet.
A tail flicking lazily.
Horns curled like a crown.
She smiled.
"But I never let you go."
---
> [New Character Unlocked: Queen Malriva – The Forgotten Flame]
Former Title: Demon Queen of the Second Hell
Relationship to Lucius: "Bound by Pact, Pleasure… and Betrayal"
Status: Awakened | Jealous | Curious | Starving
---
Lucius blinked. "You're real."
Malriva purred. "You always said I wasn't."
He took a step back.
She took two forward.
"You kissed me before you betrayed me," she whispered. "You held me while planning to marry another. And yet…"
She touched his cheek.
"I still want to burn the world with you."
---
FLASH – REALITY
Lucius shot awake in camp, breathing hard.
Zara immediately grabbed her axe. "What is it?"
Lucius stood, aura sparking. "Something old. And very angry."
Velda read the sky. "A demon queen's aura. Powerful. Sensual. Oh no."
Claire blinked. "Wait—did you two…?"
Lilith narrowed her eyes.
"Who is she?"
Lucius sighed.
"…She's the reason the last war nearly destroyed the Second Hell."
---
Across the continent, fire spread from the mouth of a volcanic temple.
Demons bowed.
Mountains cracked.
And at the heart of it all stood Malriva, swirling a goblet of molten gold.
---
"She remembers you," her handmaiden said.
Malriva grinned. "Of course she does."
"…He's with other women now."
Malriva's smile vanished.
The sky darkened.
The temple trembled.
Then she turned toward the horizon, eyes glowing like stars before they die.
"Then I'm going to visit."
---
> [New World Threat: Demon Queen Malriva – Tracking Lucius]
Estimated Arrival: 3 days
Status: Emotionally unstable / Romantically obsessed / Overpowered
---
Back at camp, Lucius stood at the map.
Zara crossed her arms. "What's the play?"
Lilith: "Kill her?"
Claire: "Negotiate?"
Velda: "Flirt back and pray?"
Lucius narrowed his eyes.
"We don't run."
He pointed to the temple's projected arrival point.
"We meet her. Face to face."
Claire bit her lip. "Lucius… what if she doesn't want to talk?"
Lucius smirked.
"Then I remind her why she wanted to burn the world with me in the first place."