Nerya and Abaddon had settled in a peaceful and quiet village in the East Kingdom. At the end of a year, their greatest miracle, Kael, was born. However, this happiness was short-lived. Normally, demon children awakened their powers at the age of four or five, but Kael’s hybrid blood defied these rules. His small body could not withstand the simultaneous flow of human mana and demon darkness. As the demonic side began to awaken, Kael’s body started to crack like glass every single day.

  Although Nerya tended to her son's wounds day and night with nature magic, she could not suppress the darkness coming from within. Abaddon watched in desperation; he was afraid of harming his son's half-human side, so he hesitated to use his own dark power on him.

  "Nerya, it’s getting worse every day... Nature magic only repairs the surface now; it can't stop the storm inside. We have to do something," Abaddon said, his voice trembling. Looking at his son's tiny body writhing in pain was too much, even for Abaddon's heart.

  The only solution Abaddon could think of was a dangerous one. "We must seal Kael’s demon side. But for that, we need an ancient artifact that balances the soul and mana. This way, the demon mana will be trapped in a cage instead of burning through his body."

  Nerya’s eyes widened with fear. "Are you talking about the Eclipse Shard? That object produced in the research facilities of the North Kingdom? Abaddon, it’s impossible for a demon to enter there! The moment they notice you, the entire army of the North will descend upon you."

  "Kael is getting closer to death every day, Nerya. If we seal him without the artifact, his delicate mana will be completely shattered. I can hide my wings; I can look like a human. Don’t worry about me; I’ll handle this quickly and return."

  When Nerya felt her son’s breathing weaken, she realized she had no other choice. She took Abaddon’s hands. "Promise me, you won't put yourself in danger. If you are noticed, leave the North Kingdom immediately. Kael is everything to us, but I don't want you risking your life either."

  Abaddon embraced his wife tightly and vanished into the darkness. When he reached the North Kingdom, he bypassed the guards at the entrance like a ghost using the "Shadow Steps" technique. A normal demon would have been caught by the kingdom's mana-detection technology, but since Abaddon was a noble demon, he was able to suppress his mana. He began gathering information from the locals about the Eclipse Shard; according to what they said, this artifact, produced in the kingdom's research facility, was going to be auctioned off. Fortunately for Abaddon, the auction was that very evening. Abaddon waited for nightfall and secretly entered the auction house.

  He slipped through the massive doors of the Auction House in the cold and magnificent capital of the North Kingdom. The guards at the door scanned his cloak as he passed. Devaue Mana crystals at the entrance emitted a dim light to measure the power within each visitor. Abaddon suppressed his mana once again with the magical power of his noble demon blood; the crystals remained unresponsive as he passed, perceiving him as an ordinary, mana-less noble.

  The interior was nothing like the modest villages of the East Kingdom. Gilded columns, crystal chandeliers, and velvet seats... The hall was filled with the most arrogant nobles of the North. The scent of perfume and expensive wine wafting down from the VIP lounges bothered Abaddon’s sharp senses.

  The auction manager stepped onto the stage with a fake smile on his face. After a few insignificant antiques, they reached the main event. On a velvet pillow appeared that piece—a blend of black and white that seemed to suck in the light around it.

  "And here it is, ladies and gentlemen... produced in the kingdom's research facility: the Eclipse Shard! It carries a seal powerful enough to trap even the wildest manas in a cage!"

  This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

  The auctioneer’s voice echoed through the hall: "Starting price, 50,000 Aureons!"

  From the front row, Baron Korthas raised his hand with a casual air. "100,000," he said, as if giving an insignificant tip. The noblewomen beside him giggled, looking at him with admiration.

  The price rose rapidly. "150,000!" "220,000!" "280,000!"

  Korthas leaned back in his seat and scanned the hall with a mocking smile. "300,000 Aureons," he said, his voice rising. "Don't push any further; this piece enters my collection tonight."

  The hall fell into a moment of silence. Korthas leaned back with an air of victory when, from the darkest corner of the back rows, a bone-chilling voice rose:

  "350,000 Aureons."

  Everyone turned around at once. The hall suddenly erupted in murmurs and whispers. "Who is this man?" "Is there really 350,000 Aureons under that cloak?" "Who is this brave fool challenging Korthas?"

  The smile on Korthas’s face froze, and the veins in his neck bulged. He gripped the edge of his seat with hands trembling from anger. He looked like he was about to bid again, but when his steward whispered in his ear that they had exceeded their spending limits, he was forced to give up on the piece, albeit unwillingly.

  "350,000 Aureons!" the auctioneer shouted. "Sold! To our mysterious and generous guest!"

  As Abaddon moved toward the payment point, Korthas and his guards blocked his path. Korthas stopped as he bumped hard into Abaddon’s shoulder and looked toward his masked face.

  "You think you’ve bought that stone, but you’re only carrying it for me, stranger," he whispered in an arrogant voice. "The roads of the North are treacherous; be careful if you want that head behind the mask to stay in place."

  Abaddon said nothing. His eyes behind the mask locked onto Korthas’s eyes for just a second. In that second, Korthas felt a fear he had never experienced before pierce through to his bones; it was as if a monster stood before him, not a human. Abaddon passed him by without answering.

  When he reached the official, the man handed over the artifact. "May I have your name, sir? For the records..."

  "I am a nameless adventurer," Abaddon said in a deep voice. He dropped the gold pouches on the table. "You don't need my name, just give me the artifact."

  Hiding the artifact under his cloak, Abaddon walked out quickly, ignoring the curious army he left behind and Korthas’s angry glares. Time was running out; Kael was suffering at home, and the arrogant noble of the North was already after him.

  Before Abaddon could even reach the kingdom's borders, his path was blocked. Facing him were armored guards and a noble standing at their head, unapproachable in his arrogance.

  "Hold it right there, masked stranger," the man said dismissively.

  Abaddon stopped. "I don't have time to talk to you. Get out of my way." Just then, a fireball was hurled at him. Abaddon dispersed the magic effortlessly with his hand.

  "You don't know me, I suppose? I am Baron Korthas. Nothing happens in the North Kingdom without my knowledge. I was just curious about the brave man who eyed my prize at the auction."

  Abaddon replied, "In an auction, the item belongs to whoever pays the most. I am warning you for the last time—move out of my way."

  Korthas roared in anger. "How arrogantly you speak from behind that mask! Guards, seize this man!"

  Abaddon took down every single guard rushing at him using only his physical strength. Korthas’s face turned bright red with rage. "You incompetents! Soven, take care of this man at once!"

  Soven was a 6th-circle fire mage. He raised his staff and launched an explosive spell at Abaddon. Abaddon shielded with his hand again, stopping the magic. Soven recoiled in terror. He thought to himself, "How can this man stop my fire spells with his bare hand? The person behind that mask is definitely not ordinary; I must be more cautious."

  Korthas was getting impatient. "What are you waiting for, Soven? Finish it!"

  Soven gathered all his mana and formed a massive ring of fire at the peak of the 6th circle. He released this destructive mana from the tip of his staff toward Abaddon. Abaddon could no longer endure these people delaying him while his son suffered at home. His eyes turned a dark purple. He reached out and sent a blast of pure dark mana. The darkness pierced through the incoming fire like paper and sent Korthas and those around him flying with a violent explosion.

  Writhe in pain on the ground, Soven looked at the magnificent six-winged shadow hovering in the air. "Y-you... That dark mana color... You are not human..." he managed to say just before passing out. Abaddon had already vanished into the darkness, his wings beating against the wind.