Chapter fifty-three

“No!” Idrissa and Vertimon shouted.

“What are you doing, I will kill them!” Beruka yelled.

“No you won’t.” Edward said, his eyes not leaving her. “Because you know that if there is as much as a scratch on them, your whole kind would cease to exist. You should know that this fire is not only on the Snake palace but also on Fox and Cat palace. So tell me Fox queen, would you rather demand for what you can’t have or would you let me have my family and save your entire race, the choice is yours.”

Irene sighed, now that’s the Edward she knows. She knew that he won’t give up the throne and rather would find another means to save Aliyah and Asher while still keeping his powers.

Screams soon filled around them and innocent snakes started running around, trying to save themselves. Vertimon wanted to summon his water again but a servant of his told him telepathically that a blue flame surrounded the water and they are trying to quench it but instead of quenching, the fire was boiling their water, making it impossible for his kinsmen to stay underwater as hot water would kill them all. Vertimon glanced at the man now calling the shots and shook his head, the man’s fire had gotten stronger within that time he was enveloped in it and it all means that the witch was right.

Vertimon knew that the more innocent demons die, the stronger the demon fire would become and so he said to Beruka, “let him have them, otherwise, they won’t be any of us left.”

At that, a terrified fox appeared beside Beruka, “Queen, the palace is on fire, foxes are turning into dusts.”

Medlyn appeared beside Maleeka and gave her news as well. Maleeka’s eyes turned horrific and she immediately turned to Beruka, “give them to him, now!”

“How dare you?” Beruka asked, she couldn’t believe that she was losing. “You think you are winning, what makes you think that I can’t kill them now?”

“You can, however, you won’t live to see me grieve and neither will they ever be a kind like you in this world, ever again. So tell me, who looses most?”

“Beruka,” Idrissa called softly having changed back and he knelt in front of his burning palace and watching as his people were dying but not able to save them and he shook his head, “give them to him.”

“How sure are we that you would stop the fire!” she yelled.

“I am a man of my word. Trust me, with every second you delay, you are making me stronger with their souls,” Edward revealed.

“Beruka!” Vertimon, Maleeka and Idrissa yelled at her.

Beruka shut her eyes and withdrawing her anger, dropped Asher and Aliyah. Edward didn’t waste time in catching them both and turning to Maleeka, he asked, “how long till your spell wears off?”

“It’s not mine. If it was mine it won’t be anytime soon, but fortunately, it’s hers,” she pointed at Medlyn, “it would wear off by tomorrow or next, you have my word.”

“You have your family, now quench the fire!” Vertimon yelled.

Edward glanced at him and a lopsided grin appeared on his lips. “Why should I, I am becoming stronger with each second.”

“You gave your word!” Beruka yelled.

“And I can easily break it. That will teach you about trying to blackmail me,” his face turned serious, “no one, absolutely no one touches my family and you made the mistake of putting their lives on the line. This is your punishment.”

“Oh Edward please,” Irene pleaded as Rasmus and the rest has been helping anybody running out of the fire.

“Stay out of it.” He warned, “and don’t you think you are safe, I am coming for you, all of you,” his eyes landed on Alan and the rest.

“Prince Edward, don’t make this mistake,” Vertimon called, his eyes red from tears for his fallen kinsmen and the fact that by morning, they won’t be any of them left.

“You should have thought of that before crossing me,” Edward announced and turned to leave with all eyes on him and the painful screams of people burning when he felt a soft caress on his arm and he looked down at Aliyah to see that she had opened her eyes.

“Your word is your vow, Edward,” she whispered, “and you are not heartless, set them free, please.”

“They hurt you,” he said.

“And I am pleading for them, please.”

“I cannot do that.”

Aliyah closed her eyes and mustering courage, she pushed him softly and climbed down from his arms, moving away from him. “I will never forgive you if you don’t.”

“Aliyah,” he warned.

“And I will make sure that Asher doesn’t either.”

“You said you would do whatever I want from now henceforth.”

“I did, but not when innocent lives are at stake. Please Edward, for me, free them for me, please,” she pleaded as two lines of tears trailed down her cheek. Asher started crying then and looking at him, Edward knew what he wanted as well and so sighing, he closed his eyes and just like that, the fire ceased.

Aliyah breathed in relief just as Idrissa and the rest let out a sigh they had no idea they had been holding. Irene smiled softly at Aliyah when their eyes met and she silently said thank you to the girl.

“But,” Edward’s voice rang and everywhere ran cold and all eyes were on him. “To make sure that this never happened again, I will put an end to it.” With a flick of his hand, the demon throne appeared in front of him. He ran his fingers on the golden carvings on the red throne and his eyes went to Beruka before he slowly carried Asher to Aliyah using his telekinesis. “This is why this all started, because the throne had been left unattended to for long. I didn’t think this was what the witch Hephzibah meant that night but to ensure the safety of my mate and son, I shall claim this throne.”

Not only Aliyah but everyone else gasped on hearing that as Edward walked around and holding gaze with Aliyah, sat on the throne majestically. At first, nothing happened but in the next minute, a burst of blue flame moved out of him and circled him and the throne. He closed his eyes and his hands clenched tightly on the chair arms. The fire kept growing and growing until it was like a giant ball and Edward was sitting inside it and not moving.

“Irene, what is happening?” Aliyah asked, holding Asher but also wishing she could hold Edward as well.

Her question got everyone’s eyes on Irene and the woman can only say what she knows, “I believe that claiming and sitting on the throne had unleashed the eternal fire to its full power.”

“Now he doesn’t even need souls to be strong, he is strong,” Beruka said.

Vertimon nodded, “he nodded souls before because he hasn’t accepted the throne but like every demon knows, the throne is associated with the eternal fire. One can never be too powerful without the other.”

At last, the fire ball bursts, sending a strong wave of wind at everyone present and even trees felt the strength of the wind as some broke off from their roots. When everyone got back their balance, they turned to Edward to see that a blue fire crown was sitting on his head but his eyes were still closed.

“He…” Beruka was saying when a strong will forced her to go on her knees and it was the same for the rest of the demons. Try as she may, Beruka couldn’t free herself from that force and at the end, she can only surrender and bow on the ground, followed by the rest as they all chanted, “long live the Demon King.”

Soon, other demons started showing up at the place and as soon as they show up, they will go on their knees and bow, chanting, “long live the Demon king.”

Sean and Steven gasped in shock when they saw Nebuzars showing up as well, and like the rest of the demons, they too went on their knees and bowed as the chant “Long live the Demon King,” filled the silent night.

The chant continued until it stopped and then, Edward opened his eyes and to Aliyah’s shock, they were bright blood red, redder than she had ever seen his eyes. A sly smile curved on his lips, showing off his elongated razor sharped fangs as he said, “it’s been a long time I felt this but…I’m thirsty.” And with that, he disappeared, along with his throne.

Somewhere in a very dark room, a woman gasped in shock after seeing what had happened. “No,” she shouted and with a wave of her hand, vanished from the room.

Author's note!

Long live the Demon king 🤴

😁😁