Double Edged

The fifty-year war, in which every race in the world united to eradicate the demon threat, left the world scarred, with a massive loss of life. It was on the brink of this extermination that Sovarath Dreadveil, a lowly, dispensable demon who had long loathed his own insignificant existence, began his campaign. Determined to prove his worth, he gathered several demons under his banner. As his company grew in size and strength, Sovarath quickly rose through the demon hierarchy, earning his place through remarkable war achievements.

By the time he attained the rank of Marquess, Sovarath and his loyal company were given an impossible task by the Demon King, Malakaros: to venture into the cursed northern lands and retrieve the legendary Treasure of Ruin. This treasure, a relic rumored to grant unparalleled destructive power, lay hidden in a place where beings of incomprehensible might and primal madness roamed. Sovarath knew the dangers—few who entered those forsaken lands ever returned. Yet, with unshakable resolve, he led his trusted brigade into the cursed territory.

It was a mission of peril. Faced with an unspeakable abomination, Sovarath's brigade was decimated, his comrades falling one by one in desperate sacrifice. In the chaos, Sovarath narrowly escaped, wounded and clinging to survival. Staggering through the cursed lands, he stumbled upon a hidden cave, its entrance partially concealed by twisted vines and jagged rocks.

Inside, the air was thick and silent. At the center of the cavern stood a weathered chalice, bathed in a faint glow, filled with a dark, mysterious liquid. Drawn to it by something he couldn't explain, Sovarath took a final gamble and drank. Power surged through him, wild and unstoppable. Unknowingly, he had gained control over the legendary power of Ruin.

Upon Sovarath's return, he reported back to the Demon King, Malakaros, claiming he had failed to find the treasure. However, Malakaros could feel the intense power radiating from him—a raw, overwhelming energy barely contained. Sensing that Sovarath was hiding the truth, Malakaros's gaze turned cold, his voice laced with disappointment as he asked, "Where do your loyalties truly lie, Sovarath?"

Without hesitation, Sovarath replied, "My loyalties are to you, my king."

Malakaros, wary of sowing conflict within his ranks during a critical war for the survival of demonkind, begrudgingly nodded, letting his expression soften. Though distrust lingered, he chose not to press further, unwilling to risk division when the survival of his people was at stake. With that, he appointed Sovarath as Grand General, signaling a reluctant acceptance, even as he harbored doubts about the tale Sovarath had woven.

After being appointed as Grand General, Sovarath led numerous campaigns against opposing armies, often thwarting or neutralizing threats without ever unleashing the fearsome power of Ruin. His strategic prowess became legendary, and he inspired both fear and awe on the battlefield. Among his most formidable opponents was Lucy Hale, known as the "Wind Queen" for her mastery over wind—a specialty of her noble Hale bloodline. Fierce and unyielding, Lucy despised demons with every fiber of her being. Yet, after crossing swords with Sovarath numerous times, she began to sense something different in him—a restraint, a quiet strength that went beyond mere malice. In time, despite their enmity, the two fell in love, though their forbidden bond remained a well-guarded secret.

During a pivotal moment in the war, as the demon army was stretched thin, losing both resources and soldiers, the elves devised a meticulous trap. In one of these campaigns, the Demon King Malakaros led his forces personally, unaware that the Elven King, Galadorn Silvervale, had prepared to confront him. The two rulers clashed in a fierce, evenly matched duel, and despite Malakaros's strength, Galadorn ultimately struck him down, marking a devastating loss for the demons.

With Malakaros dead and the extinction of the demon race looming, Sovarath made the fateful decision to unleash the power of Ruin. In a single, merciless strike, he laid waste to millions of lives—obliterating entire armies, including the elven forces and Galadorn himself. Yet his devastation did not spare his own; even the surviving demon soldiers perished in the storm of destruction. This catastrophic act earned him the title of "The Eternal Blight," a figure of ruin feared by all.

After Sovarath demonstrated his might to every kingdom, the rulers of the other races came forward, proposing a peace treaty. In a break from the long, turbulent history of demons—marked by greed, violence, manipulation, and constant war—Sovarath made a different choice. He agreed to usher in an era of peace, first focusing on stabilizing the demon kingdom from within. Once stability had been achieved, Sovarath's heart turned to longing for Lucy. He searched every nook and cranny of the land, but she was nowhere to be found. His unyielding search gradually led him into a deep depression, his heart burdened by both loss and regret.

Three years later, Sovarath's life came to an abrupt end. Some say he was assassinated; others whisper that he ventured into the northern cursed lands to face a creature so powerful that not even his command over Ruin could save him. Whatever the truth, his legacy remained unquestioned. Sovarath had saved his people from the brink of extinction, leaving behind a kingdom of peace and a reputation as both savior and scourge—a testament to the Demon King who defied expectation.