Demon

[Noon. Industrial.

Xeonodan. Kapustin Illych]

"There is something amiss, Yulia," I said to my secretary. The people on the sidewalks were too hasty for everything to be normal. The number of carriages and automobiles was increasing as well.

"Something seems odd, Mr. President. I will signal the guard vehicles to come closer." She leaned out of the Dorf. I always traveled with a sizeable security detail. I am practically the king, after all! Haha!

Soon, the deafening blare of the city alarms started ringing wildly. The already hasty crowd broke into a clamor as disorder enveloped my city. This was an emergency!

Everyone in my entourage moved into a position around me while the driver stopped at a safe spot. My secretary immediately kicked into action to get a hold of the situation. They were all trained well. My security formed a tight, defensive circle around me.

Within minutes, my secretary rushed back to me with a grim look on her face. My country was in peril! I will not let this stand! "What is it?!" I asked with a shout.

"Sir! Monsters have entered the city! They are coming from all around the perimeter!"

"That is impossible! Have they contacted the Thunder Knights? They should be at the outpost!"

"About that... The telephone wires were toppled..."

"WHAT!? How could this be?"

On the very day, the Thunder Knights went to celebrate their victory over monsters. My country is facing a monster outbreak? This shouldn't be allowed to go on. I beckoned all of my guards with a shout.

"All of you! Head to the perimeter. Make sure you protect the citizens above all. I permit all use of magic in the name of protecting the country! I will head towards the Lightning Palace. Make sure you re-route any citizens and patrol soldiers to the Palace. We will set our command there. This is a state of emergency! Go! Now!"

"Sir. Yes, Sir!" they shouted back before hurrying away. I had to ensure my safety. If I die in a moment of false bravado, then who will lead this country? As long as my people are alive, I can rebuild my kingdom.

I got back in the car with my secretary and the driver as we rushed towards the Lightning Palace. Thank god not everyone had cars. The traffic would've been a nightmare. We kept going ahead at a fast pace. The President's personal vehicle was enchanted with multiple spells to increase safety and speed.

As we closed in on the enormous bridge that connected the different sectors, I saw many people running away from it! Are these people heading towards the monsters?

It was impossible to drive the car amidst the sea of people. One person separated from the crowd and stopped in front of the car. I left the car with my secretary.

"Mr. President!" the person said. He was one of the patrol guards in the city. "The report was a false call! The monsters are surfacing from the river and not the perimeter!"

"What do you mean?! How is this possible?"

"Sir, multiple citizens were spotted screaming about monsters near the perimeter. We were already short on numbers from the various incidents, so we moved to alert the citizens and couldn't verify the safety of the center!"

"You stupid fools! So, you are telling me, we guided our own citizens away from their safety and to their deaths?"

I pushed the man aside and ran towards the bridge. I had to see what was happening in my country! To my people!

I made my way through the stampede of people and reached the bridge. Dozens of dead bodies were spewed all over the place, each becoming nutrition to filthy monsters! Cars and carriages, even a whole oil tanker, were flipped over!

"Unbelievable! Mere Grade 3 monsters dare to hurt my country!! Taste this! [Grade-4 Spell: Lightning Field]!!"

A wave of lightning erupted from my body, making their way straight to the monsters all over the bridge. It had a much stronger effect than expected. The monsters close to me burned to ashes while the ones farther were completely stunned.

Few of them rushed my way but I wouldn't have it. As the king of this country, I was naturally powerful. Before they could even come close, large spikes rose from the ground, each coated with electricity. Rushing towards the remaining monsters, I chanted another spell.

"[Grade-5 Spell: Thunder Fall]!"

A great pillar of lightning fell from the skies directly onto the monsters on the bridge. It left a deep crater on the ground and turned everything around it to dust. My heart finally calmed down. I led my very people to their demise. How could I allow that? Most of the people were gone. At least this would guarantee their escape.

I gazed at my surroundings. Dead bodies still littered the ground along with the debris of the broken bridge and the wreckage of the cars, all of them coated by a thick black fluid.

My eyes stopped at the other end of the bridge. My throat went dry and sweat profusely escaped my body as all the air in my lungs escaped at once. There, I saw him.

I saw it.

I saw a demon.

Purple eyes and a wicked smile.

There was a lighter in his hands.

It fell on the bridge, along with its tiny flame.

A demon had come. To take me.