Incubus Ascension

Liam backed away slowly, the stone floor cold beneath his boots as Valdora advanced with that same predatory smile twisting his lips. The air in the ruined chamber felt heavier, charged with the scent of old dust and lingering magic.

"Boy, you must have the worst luck," Valdora drawled, his voice smooth as poisoned honey. "Meeting me again on the other side of the continent."

A wry laugh escaped Liam’s throat, bitter and hollow. ’I already know I can’t win this. Not after what happened last time.’ His heart hammered against his ribs, but he kept moving backward, eyes locked on the ancient being. Every instinct screamed to run, yet his feet held their deliberate pace.

Then Valdora’s gaze slid past him, as if Liam had suddenly become irrelevant. The demon turned toward the chained figure in the center of the chamber.

Madusa lifted her head, silver hair falling across her face. Her voice came out rough, surprised. "Valdora? You’re here?"

Valdora’s smile widened, revealing teeth too sharp for any human mouth. "This must truly be the golden age. Me, you, and even Nyx—all waking at the same time." He glanced back at Liam, eyes gleaming with fresh interest. "And that boy... you aren’t as simple as you look."

He squinted, tilting his head. "Now that I think about it, you carry her aura. But it’s... different."

Before Liam could react, Valdora vanished in a blur. Cold fingers clamped around Liam’s skull like iron bands. "Let me take a look."

**Notification: External force attempting system inspection.**

**Activating Firewall.**

Valdora’s scream shattered the silence, loud enough to rattle the crumbling walls. He clutched at his face, staggering back. "Boy! What have you done to me?!"

Liam stared, stomach twisting. Where Valdora’s eyes had been, only raw, gaping holes remained, dark blood trickling down his cheeks. The demon spun in a frantic circle, head jerking as if trying to catch some remnant of sight.

Liam edged away on silent feet—or tried to. He tiptoed carefully, breath shallow, praying the ancient monster wouldn’t hear.

"Boy," Valdora growled, head snapping toward him with uncanny precision. "I can still hear your breathing."

’Damn it.’ Liam cursed under his breath and frantically scrolled through his system shop. Relief flooded him when he spotted it—a skill for silencing footsteps. He bought it without hesitation and activated it immediately.

Valdora tilted his head, nostrils flaring. "A skill... You have so many skills, boy. It’s becoming abnormal."

Liam didn’t waste the opening. He moved swiftly toward Madusa, fingers working at the enchanted chains that bound her. As he touched the cold metal, he reached out mentally, projecting his thoughts. ’Why are you trapped here?’

He knew the stories—Madusa could be dangerous, a monster in her own right. But she had warned him to run when he was sealed before. That small act of mercy anchored him. ’She’s not just evil. Not if she did that.’

Madusa’s voice echoed in his mind, weary but clear. ’Did my sis Ny send you?’

Liam tilted his head, weighing the lie against the truth. The chains loosened under his hands. He nodded. "Yes. She sent me."

With a final surge of will, he shattered the last binding. A shimmering portal tore open beside them, swirling with unstable light. "Come on. We’re leaving."

They stepped toward it together, but the portal’s activation hummed loudly through the chamber. Valdora’s head whipped around. In an instant he vanished and reappeared directly in front of the rift, hands clamping onto its edges.

He laughed, a low, terrible sound, and began to widen the portal with raw strength. "Why the hurry? Let’s wait and reunite properly, isn’t that right, Madu?"

"Fuck you," Madusa snarled. A blazing orb of white light coalesced in her palm. She hurled it straight into his chest, the impact hurling him across the chamber in a burst of holy energy.

They both gasped for breath as the echoes faded. A new notification flashed before Liam’s eyes.

**Quest: True Demon – Completed.**

Liam frowned, tilting his head. "Why did the system count that as complete?" he murmured aloud. "True devil..."

Madusa froze. "How did you know that name?"

"You mean True Devil?" Liam asked, surprised.

She nodded slowly, expression darkening. "That’s another name for Valdora. He is a devil from another realm. In the old days, Nyx and I only managed to seal him inside that body. We couldn’t kill him, even at our peak." Her voice dropped. "If he fully unseals, this world is doomed. Simple as that."

Liam’s legs nearly gave out. "What?!"

Madusa continued grimly. "To unseal him completely requires two things: my divine white blood... and the body of a virgin female from the heroes’ bloodline."

Liam’s mind raced. "Virgin female from the heroes’ line... You mean the princess?"

He steadied himself, swallowing hard. "You don’t have a place to stay right now, I presume?"

Madusa shook her head. "Not currently."

"Then how about coming with me to my place?" The words left his mouth before he could second-guess them. But something still nagged at him. He stopped. "Why didn’t you attack me earlier? And why do you call Nyx ’Ny’? I thought you two were sworn enemies."

Madusa let out a tired sigh. "That was just a rumor spread by corrupt humans. They wanted to divide us, to weaken our power and use it for themselves."

Liam nodded, relief mixing with the lingering fear. "Alright. Let’s make our way back."

The journey through the shadowed streets of Hydra City felt endless, but they reached the inn without further incident. It was the only decent one in the city, which made finding the room simple. Liam pushed open the door and immediately sensed the tension crackling inside.

Laila had the princess by the collar, both women poised on the edge of violence. The other girls looked ready to jump in.

"What’s going on?" Liam asked, stepping inside. "Why are you about to fight?"

Laila glanced at him and released the princess with a heavy sigh. "It’s because of this idiotic princess. She wants to surrender herself to the kingdom nobles so the rest of us can go free."

Liam turned to the princess, his voice steady despite the exhaustion pulling at him. "You don’t have to worry about the kingdom nobles right now. The Scorpion Gang is after you."

The princess’s eyes widened in shock. "Why? Just because I exist, everyone wants me?"

Liam felt the weight of her bloodline knowledge pressing on his tongue—the heroes’ line, the divine blood—but the raw pain in her voice stopped him. The room wasn’t ready for that truth. Not yet.

Instead, he gestured behind him. "This is Madusa. She’s with us now."

Madusa offered a small, respectful nod to the group. "Greetings."

Liam dragged a chair over and sat, rubbing his face. "We need to leave Hydra. As soon as possible—"

Before he could finish, a massive surge of holy energy erupted outside. A brilliant barrier of golden light slammed down over the entire city, blotting out the night sky like a divine cage. The air hummed with oppressive power.

Liam stared out the window, heart sinking. ’This just got a lot more complicated.’

The girls exchanged uneasy glances. Madusa’s expression hardened. Whatever came next, they would face it together. For the first time in a long while, Liam didn’t feel entirely alone in the fight.